GB2031357A

GB2031357A - Vehicle Washing Equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2031357A
Application number: GB7837093A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Smith Bros & Webb
Current assignee: Smith Bros & Webb
Priority date: 1978-09-16
Filing date: 1978-09-16
Publication date: 1980-04-23

Abstract

Vehicle washing equipment comprises a cleaning brush on a swing arm. The arm is biased towards a rest position and is deflected from this position by a vehicle so that the brush follows the contours of the vehicle. To allow fast drive through of several vehicles it is desirable to arrange for the brush not to return to its rest position between vehicles. According to the invention, washing equipment comprises selectively operable hydraulic non- return means comprising a piston and cylinder unit 20 coupled to the swing arm for movement of the piston with movement of the arm. Fluid passes from one side of the piston to the other through conduit means comprising a non-return valve 28 and a solenoid-operated valve 30 arranged hydraulically in parallel with the valve 28 to prevent, when actuated, return of the arm whilst permitting further outwards movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle Washing Equipment This invention is concerned with improvements in vehicle washing equipment, for buses and other vehicles.

Many proposals have been made for washing equipment, for washing buses and other vehicles, with cleaning brushes mounted to engage the sides or tops of the vehicles. It has been proposed to mount the brushes in various ways to automatically accommodate varying vehicle widths and heights, so that as vehicles of different sizes are moved past the brushes (or the brushes past the vehicles) the brushes always follow the contours of the vehicles and engage the vehicles with a suitable pressure.

The brushes may be mounted so as to be deflected from a rest position by a vehicle, and be biased towards the rest position so that they follow the contours of the vehicle and return to the rest position when the vehicle has passed. For high speed washing of vehicles which are substantially the same size it can be desirable that the brushes are prevented from returning to the rest position between passage of each vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide vehicle washing equipment which provides for efficient control of brush movement, and according to the invention there is provided vehicle washing equipment comprising a pivotally mounted swing arm, a cleaning brush mounted on the arm, biasing means arranged to resiliently resist pivotal deflection of the arm from a rest position, and hydraulic non-return means selectively operable to prevent return movement of the arm towards its rest position whilst permitting further movement of the arm away from its rest position.

There now follows a description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of vehicle washing equipment which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the equipment; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic -illustration of hydraulic non-return means of the equipment.

The equipment comprises a frame structure 10 (part only shown in the drawings) on which is pivotally mounted, for movement about a vertical axis, a swing arm 12. A cylindrical cleaning brush 14 is mounted on the swing arm with its cylinder axis vertical. Biasing means of the equipment is arranged to resiliently resist pivotal deflection of the arm from a rest position (at which the arm is shown in Figure 1), and comprises a counterweight 16 and a wire rope 18 which passes around pulley-wheels and is connected to the swing arm so that deflection of the arm causes the counterweight to be lifted.

The equipment comprises hydraulic non-return means selectively operable to prevent return movement of the arm towards its rest position whilst permitting further movement of the arm away from its rest position. The non-return means comprises (see Figure 2) a piston and cylinder unit 20 coupled to the swing arm 12 so that with movement of the arm a corresponding relative movement occurs between the piston and the cylinder. The cylinder 22 is pivotally mounted on the frame structure 10 and the piston is connected by a piston rod 24 to the swing arm 12.

The hydraulic non-return means comprises conduit means 26 for conducting hydraulic fluid between opposite sides of the piston as relative movement occurs between the piston and the cylinder, and selectively operable valve means operative, when actuated, to prevent the passage of fluid in one direction through the conduit means 26 whilst still allowing the passage of fluid in the opposite direction through the conduit means.The valve means comprises a first, nonreturn, valve 28 which allows passage of hydraulic fluid in said opposite direction through the conduit means but does not allow passage of fluid in said one direction, and a second, selectively operable, valve 30 which can be actuated also to prevent passage of fluid through the conduit means in said one direction, the first and second valves being arranged hydraulical!y in parallel so that when the second valve 30 is inoperative hydraulic fluid can pass therethrough through the conduit means in said one direction.

the second valve 30 is an electrically operated solenoid valve which can also be manually operated should there be no electric power available.

The conduit 26 comprises also a first variable flow restrictor 32 which affects the flow of hydraulic fluid in either direction through the conduit means, and a second variable flow restrictor 34 which with the second valve 30 is arranged hydraulically in parallel with the first valve 28 so as to affect the flow of hydraulic fluid in said one direction through the valve 30. A reservoir 36 maintains the system topped-up with hydraulic fluid.

In use of the equipment, when the brush 14 is deflected from its rest position by a vehicle the piston in the unit 20 is moved along the cylinder 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow 'X' in Figure 2. Hydraulic fluid is forced from the cylinder at the right-hand side of the piston, through the first restrictor 32 and through the first valve 28 and into the cylinder at the left-hand side of the piston; fluid can also pass through the second valve 30 and the second restrictor 34.

When the vehicle has passed the brush, the biasing means will act to return the brush to its rest position. If the second valve 30 is inoperative the piston is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 'Y' in Figure 2, fluid being forced from the cylinder at the left-hand side of the piston, through the second flow restrictor 34, through the second valve 30, through the first restrictor 32, and into the cylinder at the right-hand side of the piston; the speed of return of the brush to its rest position can be controlled by adjustment of the restrictors. However, if the second valve 30 is actuated, electrically or manually, flow of fluid from left to right of the cylinder is prevented, since both the first valve 28 and the second valve 30 obstruct the flow, and return of the arm to its rest position is prevented.

Claims

1. Vehicle wasing equipment comprising a pivotally mounted swing arm, a cleaning brush mounted on the arm, biasing means arranged to resiliently resist pivotal deflection of the arm from a rest position, and hydraulic non-return means selectively operable to prevent return movement of the arm towards its rest position whilst permitting further movement of the arm away from its rest position.

2. Equipment according to claim 1 in which said hydraulic non-return means comprises a piston and cylinder unit coupled to the swing arm so that with movement of the arm a corresponding relative movement occurs between the piston and the cylinder, said non-return means comprising conduit means for conducting hydraulic fluid between opposite sides of the piston as relative movement occurs between the piston and the cylinder, and selectively operable valve means operative, when actuated, to prevent the passage of fluid in one direction through said conduit means whilst still allowing the passage of fluid in the opposite direction through said conduit means.

3. Equipment according to claim 2 in which said valve means comprises a first, non-return, valve which allows passage of hydraulic fluid in said opposite direction through said conduit means but does not allow passage of fluid in said one direction and a second, selectively operable, valve which can be actuated also to prevent passage of fluid through said conduit means in said one direction, said first and second valves being arranged hydraulically in parallel so that when said second valve is inoperative hydraulic fluid can pass therethrough through the conduit means in said one direction.

4. Equipment according to claim 3 in which said conduit means comprises a first variable flow restrictor which affects the flow of hydraulic fluid in either direction through said conduit means, and a second variable flow restrictor which with said second valve is arranged hydraulically in parallel with said first valve so as to affect the flow of hydraulic fluid in said one direction.

5. Vehicle washing equipment comprising hydraulic non-return means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2.