GB2118116A - Apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a carrier (1) mounted e.g. on a trolley for movement along a side or end of a motor vehicle. A jetting unit (4) is slidably mounted on a jetting unit support (11) which is suspended from the carrier by a parallelogram linkage (12, 13). To extend the jetting unit underneath the motor vehicle the support is swung in a direction generally normal to the side or end of the vehicle. The jetting unit is coupled to the parallelogram linkage such that the jetting unit is extended relative to the support (11) as the support is swung towards the vehicle. The jetting unit has main and secondary nozzle bearing arms, the secondary arm being extendible in relation to the main arm. The arms can be turned out their respective axes to adjust the angle of attack of the fluid discharged from nozzles to the arms. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles The invention relates to apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles and may be used, for example, to clean the underside of the vehicle and then apply a rust inhibitor or, for example, to decontaminate vehicles leaving infected areas.

The undersides of vehicles comprises a combination of uninterrupted downward facing surfaces which are easy to clean with jets of water upwardly directed from nozzles mounted at or near floor level and a number of vertical or upward facing surfaces which are partially or totally inaccessible to such jets.

Known means for cleaning the undersides are usually embodied in permanent and costly installations over which vehicles are driven slowly, or caused to stand, while a large number of upwardly directed nozzles project water at them. So many mud-coliecting surfaces are inaccessible to such jets and are therefore left uncleaned that such treatment has little or no effect on combating rust. The areas most needing cleaning receive the least.

While salt is known to cause rust, it rarely does so on well protected surfaces provided it is not allowed to remain there for long periods. The danger of rust comes less from the salt itself than from the mud which harbours salt and other contaminants and keeps the surfaces moist when it would otherwise dry without assistance.

Inaccessible areas occur very frequently in wheel arches, where mud and salt and water are thrown up directly by the tyres and they also occur in many other nether places, where mud reaches them as a result of turbulence, particular at the rear end of the vehicle.

My British Patent Specification 1550111 describes apparatus for cleaning the recesses and upward facing surfaces of the wheel arches, but this does not clean the other nether areas. An object of the present invention, which is complementary to that apparatus, is to provide means of cleansing thoroughly those other nether areas.

The invention provides apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles comprising a carrier, means mounting the carrier for movement in at least one horizontal direction whereby the carrier can be moved along at least one side or one end of the motor vehicle, a jetting unit for directing jets of fluid at the underside of the motor vehicle, the jetting unit being supported by the carrier, and means for moving the jetting unit relative to the carrier in a second horizontal direction transverse to said one horizontal direction for selectively extending the jetting unit underneath the motor vehicle and withdrawing it there from.

Preferred features of the invention are set forth in claims 2-22.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:~ Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the apparatus and separate side elevations of the jetting unit and its means of support.

Figure 2 shows a rear elevation of the apparatus supported on a trolley.

Figure 3 shows the mechanism for tilting the nozzles #of the jetting unit.

Figure 4 shows the means of controlling remotely the mechanism shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows the method of mounting auxiliary nozzles on the jetting unit for applying chemicals.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the secondary jetting unit in its retracted position (Figure 6A) and its extended position (Figure B).

Figure 7 shows details of the secondary jetting unit.

Figure 8 shows diagrammatically the mechanism for extending the secondary jetting unit the main moving parts being shown individually.

Figure 9 shows the mechanism for varying the distance of extension of the secondary jetting unit.

Figure 10 shows a trolley providing both lateral and longitudinal movement of the apparatus in rear elevation.

Figure 1 1 shows a side elevation of the trolley shown in Figure 10 with detail of the means of providing lateral movement.

Figure 12 is a plan view of part of the trolley shown in Figure 10.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a carrier, 1, in the form of a rectangular frame is supported by, or forms an integral part of, a trolley, 2, provided with swivelling castors, 3, enabling it to be pushed into position adjacent to the side, or end, of a vehicle and then moved parallel with that side or end.

A jetting unit (Figure 1 B) comprises a lance composed of a series of tubes, 4, connected by standard "T" type pipe fitting, 5, to form a straight continuous tube, pivotally supported on cross members, 6 and 7, which hold channel members, 8 and 9, in parallel juxtaposition as seen in Figure 2. Conventional nozzles of various types are screwed into the "T" fittings, 5, an example being shown in Figure 5A. Alternatively, the separate tubes, 4, may be replaced by a smaller number of longer tubes, or a single tube, embodying nipples to which female nozzles may be attached as in Figure 5E.

The jetting unit is retracted within the trolley for transport purposes, its transport position being shown in chained lines in Figure 1A.

The channel members, 8 and 9, of the jetting unit are slidably supported on the rollers, 10, integral with a support member, 11, as seen in Figure 2.

The support member, 11, is suspended from the carrier, 1, by a parallelogram linkage comprising a front link, 12, and a rear link, 13, which swing between the transport position shown in chained lines and the operation position shown in full lines in Figure 1 A, the support member, 11, always remaining parallel with the ground.

The arm, 14, combines with the link,15, to urge the jetting unit from its transport to its operational position and vice-versa. Arm, 14, is mounted coaxially with front link, 12, on pin,16, its free end being connected by link, 1 5, to lug, 17, integral with channel, 9 (Figure 1 B).

Pin, 18, at the upper extremity of arm, 14 is connected by tension/compression link,19, to pin, 20, at the upper extremity of rear link, 13, above its axis on pin, 21. The distance between pins 20 and 21 is approximately double the distance between pins 18 and 16, causing arm 14 to move through an arc about twice as great as those traversed by links 12 and 13.

A latch,22, is pivotally mounted at pin 23, on a bracket, 24 integral with carrier, 1. Notches 25 and 26 engage pin, 27, integral with link, 13, when the parallelogram links are in the operational and transport positions respectively.

To retract the jetting unit, shown separately as Figure 1 B, from the operational position shown in full lines in Figure 1 A to the transport position shown in chained lines it is necessary only to raise the latch,22, clear the pin, 27, and rotate the rear link,13, anti-clockwise until pin 27 is engaged by notch 26, the procedure being reversed to extend the jetting unit forwards beneath the sill of the vehicle shown in the hatched area 69, adjacent to the tyre, 70. Alternatively, in more elaborate versions of the apparatus latch,22, may be replaced by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, 28, acting between pins 23 and 27, this cylinder being shown in Figure 4 and Figure 11.

It is a feature of the invention (Claim 2) that the jetting unit carries a plurality of nozzles and that these are angularly movable (Claim 3) so that the angle of attack of the cleaning liquid on the underside of the vehicle may be adjusted, for example, to clean both the forward-facing and rearwards-facing transverse surfaces.

The jetting unit is supplied with water at high pressure from an independent source not forming part of the invention through a flexible hose, 29, to a swivel control unit, 30, integral with link,15, and thence through a flexible hose, 31,to the T fitting, 32, between Ts 5C and 5D, which is held at a suitable angle to the other T fittings,5, on tubes, 4, by locknuts, 33, similar locknuts being used at other T fittings where necessary (see Figure 1 B).

At the rear end of the jetting unit, a bolt, 34, passes freely through cross member, 7, and is screwed into the T piece 5A and secured by lock nut, 33. At the opposite end, tube, 4, passes freely through cross member, 6, this tube combining with the bolt, 34, to provide the means of pivotal support of the unit.

High pressure flexible hoses in general commercial use are able to flex longitudinally but do not twist to any significant extent. Thus hose, 31, supplies cleaning fluid to the nozzle unit and in addition provides the means for its rotation, it being necessary only to rotate the arm formed by the two opposed elbows, 35 and 36, in relation to the control unit, 30, to cause a corresponding rotation of T piece,32, and thus of the whole jetting unit.

Figure 3A shows a plan view of the swivel control unit; Figure 3B shows a side elevation of Figure 3A. Elbow,35, is attached to the forward end of spigot, 37, and secured with lock nut, 33, the rear end of the spigot rotating within tube, 38, integral with frame,30, to which water is supplied by hose, 39, a seal being provided by "0" ring, 43.

Lug, 39, is secured to spigot 37. The control unit, designated generally as 30 is composed of a rear frame,30, and a front frame, 40, secured to link, 15, the front frame embodying a tube, 41, with internal bushes,42, and means, not shown, of lubrication. The forward end of spigot, 37, is passed through tube, 41, before the rear frame is placed in position behind it, with the rear end of the spigot, 37, housed in tube, 38. Frames 30 and 40 are held together by the two bolts, 44, and pin 75 which also provides the pivotal connection between the frame,30, and the lower end of arm, 14, as shown in Figures 3C and 4A.

A cranked arm, 45, is pivotally mounted between the front and rear frames (40 and 30) on pin 46, a pin, 47, at its free end being connected by link, 48, to pin, 49, integral with lug, 39. The effect of the arrangement, as seen in Figure 3D is that rotation of cranked arm, 45, through about 600 causes rotation of the spigot through 1200 and thus a corresponding adjustment of the angle of attack on the jetting nozzles.

The arc followed by the rearward projection of pin 47 is close to the axis of pin 75. Pin 47 is in permanent engagement with slot, 50, in arm, 51, which, as can be seen in Figure 4A is pivoted between plates,52, which also provide a brace for the side members of arm, 14. Conveniently these side members are held in parallel juxtaposition by tube, 53, which also serves as a spacer and as a mounting for collar, 54 which slides freely along the tube. Further rigidity of arm 14 is provided by tube, 59, the outward projections of which support pin, 18, and the forward end of link, 1 9 as seen in Figure 1.

A lever, 55, pivoted on axis 56 at the extremity of plates, 52 is connected at its lower end by link, 57 to the arm, 51. A pin, 58, integral with the upper end of lever, 55, engages the slot in the collar, 54, as seen in Figures 4B and 4C. This slot is also engaged by a slot in the front end of plate, 60, which is rigidly secured to rod,61, passing through the side members of carrier, 1. Backward and forward movement of rod,61, works through lever 55 and arm 51 to move pin, 47 on cranked arm 45 through the 600 arc shown in Figure 3.

Detents can be provided to hold the rod 61 in any desired intermediate positions, e.g. to leave the nozzles pointing directly upwards.

The apparatus so far described relatives only to the actual cleansing of the under surfaces, by extending a jetting lance underneath the vehicle and attacking the dirt with water jets whose angle of attack can be easily adjusted without stopping the wash. Such cleansing may be an end in itself, or merely a preliminary to the treatment of cleaned surfaces with chemicals as a means of disinfection or of inhibiting rust. The jetting lance is therefore adapted to support anything from one to three low-volume supply lines, parallel to the cleaning lance, rotating with it and feeding a plurality of nozzles. To maintain three such separate supply lines in correct angular relationship, special nozzle holders and support brackets are provided as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5A shows the mounting of the jetting unit in relation to its supporting channels, 8 and 9.

For the low volume chemical supply, conventional "T" connections are conveniently replaced with connections made from square section bar, embodying sockets for holding nozzles, a notch or notches having been cut in the bar before hand. Examples of these are seen in Figure 5B.

The notches cut in connections 62, 63, 64, correspond in diameter to the half holes in plate 65, the width of the notches being such as to provide an interference fit when the connection is offered to the plate. The plate may be held in correct alignment to the lance by a locknut, as in Figure 5C, or welded directly to the tube as in Figure 5E.

With the high pressure jetting nozzles holder, 5, in the extreme left position (Figure 5C) the low pressure nozzle is pointing directly upwards in direction "A", being supported by any of the connections 62, 63, 64. Figure 5D shows the same nozzle "A" in plan view, the additional socket "D" being available to receive the supply of chemical from one of the three small diameter flexible tubes 66 supported by link 15 and supported further back, as is the high pressure hose 29, on Arm 14. In this position connection 64 carrying nozzle "B" makes an angle of 1200 with nozzle "A", in a downward direction. When the jetting lance is rotated to its opposite extreme, nozzle "B" points upwards, and nozzle "A" points downwards.Thus a chemical discharged from nozzle "A" cannot fall on the orifice of nozzle "B" or vice versa, a valuable feature when synergistic chemicals are being applied. The aperture of nozzle "C" which is conveniently of the solid cone type is in alignment with the jetting nozzles and so able to apply a solvent or detergent to the surfaces, before jetting starts.

The foregoing description relates to the apparatus referred to in Claims 1 to 8, namely apparatus providing a single jetting unit of such a length that it can reach the centre-line of a vehicle; after cleaning and/or treating the nether areas of one side, the apparatus has to be moved to the other side and the process repeated.

It is advantageous to be able to clean the whole of the nether surfaces (excluding the wheel arches which receive special treatment) in one single operation from one side of the vehicle. For this purpose a secondary nozzle-bearing arm slidably mounted within the main nozzle bearing arm will now be described with reference to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. It forms the subject matter of claims 9-15.

Figure 6A shows, in plan view, in chained lines, the main nozzle bearing arm, based on channels 8 and 9, generally as before but further apart, and, in full lines, the secondary nozzle-bearing arm, based on channel member, 71. They are shown in their fully retracted positions beneath carrier, 1, adjacent to the side of a vehicle, shown hatched and designated 69, and ready to start work.

Figure 6B shows the same units in their fully extended operational positions, with the forward nozzle of the main jetting unit, 5E in line with the centre-line of the vehicle, and nozzles 5F and 5G in the same relation to the sill on the opposite side as nozzles 5A and 5B to the sill on the near side. The nozzle carrier, 141 is not part of this apparatus but part of my wheel arch washer which will be explained later.

The secondary nozzle bearing unit is based on the channel member, 71, as seen in Figure 7A which is provided with rollers, 72, running within the channel members 67 and 68, secured, respectively, to channels 8 and 9. Two pairs of plates, 73, 74 and 75, 76, are secured to channel, 71. Plates.78, supporting tube, 77, are bolted to plates 73 and 74, tube 77 being aligned with tube, 81, integral with plates 75 and 76. Tubes 77 and 81 provide pivotal support for spigot, 79, the "0" ring,80, providing a seal to contain the high pressure water supply from hose, 100, delivered through fittings 103,104 and 105 to tube 81.Nozzle holder 5J is secured to the forward end of spigot, 79, with the other holders attached beyond it, as described.

Secured to the spigot, 79, is a pair of arms,82, whose ends are connected by pin 83 to cranked link 84, which is secured to tube, 85. Tube 85 is able to slide freely along rod 86, which is supported at its ends by plates, 65, associated with nozzle holders 5A and 5E. As shown in Figure 5F, this does not interfere with the low pressure nozzles A, B and C of the main nozzle bearing arm, and similar nozzles A, B and C may be fitted to the secondary jetting unit. Rotation of the primary nozzle bearing unit and its attached low pressure equipment is accompanied by a corresponding rotation of the secondary unit and its accessories whatever the distance of extension of the secondary unit.

The method of extending the secondary nozzle bearing unit is shown in Figures 8 and 9. The three main components shown in 8A, 8B and 8C are slidably mounted within each other while the fourth component 8D is mounted on the near side of the support member 11, which is wider than that shown as 1 C in Figure 1, but is otherwise identical.

The main jetting unit 8B corresponds with that shown in Figure 1 B, with the addition of features such as 91 and 92, but the pipework is omitted for the sake of clarity.

The pins,110, which connect the left (near) side of the parallelogram links 12 and 13 to the support member, 11, also provide slidable support for the subframe 8D, on rollers 111.

The components are shown in the positions they occupy in the transport position in relation to carrier 1, before extension begins, with their rear ends on line "X"--"X" behind the carrier.

Cable 96 anchored to plate 95 (Figure 8A) passes round pulley 91 (Figure 8B) and is attached to bracket 93 (Figure 8D). The arm, 119, shown in 8D supporting the free end of link 11 6 on pin 118 is secured to the carrier 1 and does not move when extension takes place except in circumstances which will be explained later.

The interaction of arm 14 with parallelogram links 12 and 13 as already described causes member 11 to move forwards a distance "D" to give support to the rear end of the main nozzle bearing unit which extends a distance of "D"x2, while component 8D remains stationary. With bracket 93 secured, the forward movement of pulley 91 causes the secondary nozzle bearing unit to be pulled forwards by cable 96 a further distance of "D"x2, bringing it into the position shown in chained lines to the left of the drawing, that is to say the fully extended position shown in Figure 6B.

Movement in the opposite direction is provided by cable 97 anchored to bracket 95 which passed round pulley 92 and is secured to bracket 94, at the forward end of component 8D. The movement of the secondary unit in relation to the primary unit being thus completely controlled, the high pressure hose 100 and the low pressure tubes 98 suffer neither slackness nor excessive tension and can be replaced or adjusted without disturbing the mechanical action of the apparatus.

The action as described above is satisfactory when the vehicles to be washed are all of the same width but it has disadvantages when vehicles of different widths have to be accommodated with the same apparatus. The spacing, arrangement and spray pattern of nozzles 5A and 5B are designed to provide efficient cleaning and treatment of sills. If they are suitable for the wider vehicle shown in Figure 6B they cannot be equally suitable for the narrower one as indicated at 69A and 70A. Provision is therefore made for varying the distance to which the secondary nozzle unit extends beyond the main jetting unit.

The subframe of which the brackets 93 and 94 form parts comprises an upper angle 112, a lower angle 11 3, a front plate 114 and a plate 115 at the rear. It also comprises means of support for the hose 100 and tubes 98 as seen in Figure 7C.

Referring now to Figure 9, the bellcrank 119 is pivotally mounted at pin 120 on strut 121 secured to carrier 1 and is connected by link 122 to lever 123 pivoted on pin 124 on carrier 1.

Block 125, which can be held at any desired point on quadrant 126 by wing nut 127, prevents or, selectively, permits and limits the clockwise movement of lever 123 and thus the forward movement of brackets 93 and 94.

This arrangement permits adjustments to be made to the reach of the apparatus, without affecting the positions of carrier 1 or nozzles 5A and 5B in relation to the near side sill Figure 6B.

Whatever the size of the vehicle the carrier is always brought into the same position in relation to the side of the vehicle at the start of each wash, and as the hose 100 and the tubes 98 are attached to the same subframe as brackets 93 and 94 they accommodate themselves to whatever distance of extension has been selected. Hose 100 passes round pulley 101 on its way to the rear of the secondary unit, and tubes 98, supplying chemicals to the auxiliary nozzles share pulley 91 with cable 96. The tubes are anchored to bracket 99, as seen in Figure 7B, only one tube being shown thereafter, for reasons of clarity.

After making a "U" turn at bracket 99 they are coiled round support tube 77 before being attached to the nozzle units in the manner described. The low volume tubes 66 for supplying chemicals to the main jetting unit are supported initialiy by arm 14 and then by link 15 before being coiled round tube 4.

The apparatus here described provides means for cleansing the undersides of vehicles which are simpler and more convenient to operate than underbody washers already known; they are more economical from the use of a small number of nozzles accurately directed rather than a larger number scattering water haphazardly and they are novel in being able to apply chemicals accurately, independently of those nozzles. But the apparatus has the limitation which is common to all known jetting arrangements based on upward facing nozzles working at or near ground level. This is that it cannot be effective in removing dirt adhering to the upward facing surfaces and other inaccessible areas such as are frequently found in wheel arches. These include downward facing areas which are masked by the wheel.Such areas require special treatment which it is the purpose of my wheel arch washer, described in British Patent 1550111, to provide.

The arch surrounding the front wheel of the vehicle shown in Figure 10 contains numerous areas where mud traps are notoriously common; apart from those indicated by a series of crosses xxxx the worst area of all is usually in front of the doorpost, masked in the drawing by components 158 and 189.

My wheel arch washer provides a nozzle unit which homes on the wall and periphery of the tyre and moves through an operational arc from 8 o clock, through 12 o'clock to 4 o'clock and back again, its high pressure jets being directed at a tangent to the tyre, either clockwise or anticlockwise, from any point on the arc. Referring to the wheel, 70, on the left of Figure 6B, the twin flat jets of the nozzle unit 141 combine to form a single gouge shaped jet, A, which strikes the surfaces in the directions shown by arrows in Figure 9. The three pairs of jets, A, B and C are independently controlled, only the pair of selected by the operator being in work at any one time.

Just as nozzles adapted to clean downward facing surfaces do not clean upward facing surfaces, apparatus adapted to the latter purpose does not clean downward facing surfaces elsewhere. The wheel arch washer and the apparatus here described are thus complementary and thorough cleaning can only be obtained by their use in combination.

While it has been convenient to describe an apparatus mounted on an independent trolley of which the carrier,1, forms an integral part, the carrier may advantageously be attached to the side of or become an integral part of the manually operated version of the wheel arch washer which is mounted on a somewhat similar trolley, the two apparatuses sharing the same high pressure water supply, as well as the low pressure supply of chemicals on which they both depend for their maximum efficacy.

With the vehicle standing on a flat surface, the Wheel Arch Washer is brought into position against each wheel in turn. With a single jetting unit as shown in Figure 1 incorporated alongside, the other nether areas can be treated in the course of moving from one wheel to the next.

Such a combination enables an operator to clean and treat the whole of the under side of the car with easily portable, easily manoeuverable, apparatus.

Where speed is important, it is convenient to provide two wheel arch washers mounted on opposed tracks at either side of the vehicle, working simultaneously first on the front pair and then on the rear pair of wheels, the wheels being located in a shallow trough with which the two wheel arch washers are in alignment. A trough such as that formed by the two angles, 149, in Figure 10 locates the vehicle for washing both the nether areas and the wheel arches in one coordinated operation.

Figure 10 shows, in rear elevation, a wide fourwheeled trolley providing the means both of bringing the carrier into position adjacent to the side of a vehicle and thereafter moving it parallel with that side. Figure 11 shows a side elevation and Figure 12 a part plan view of the apparatus of Figure 10.

The trolley embodies two channel members, 151 and 152, held in parallel juxtaposition by a box section member, 153, forming a U-shaped frame supported on wheels 154. The upper side members, 155 and 156 are supported by angular front stays,157, and angular rear stays, 158 (Figure 11). Stay 185 provides diagonal support as well as supporting transverse tube, 187. The upper side members are connected by a pair of inwards facing parallel channels, 159, 160.

The carrier, 1, is provided with rigid angular members, 161,at each corner, these members supporting rollers, 162 which run within the channels 1 59, 160, allowing the carrier with its dependent apparatus to move freely across the whole width of the trolley. The preferred method of accomplishing such traversing, using pneumatics, will now be described.

A secondary pair of inwardly facing channels, 1 63, 1 64, is provided, rigidly attached at each end to the upper side members 1 55, 1 56, channel 164 being immediately above channel T60 and integral with it.

A light subframe, 165, is provided at each corner with rollers,166, running freely within channels 1 63, 164 (see Figure 10).

An inverted U-shaped frame,167, near the middle of channels 1 63, 1 64 and a similar frame, 168 at the right hand end (Figure 10) provide the mounting for the opposed ends of cable cylinder, 169, whose opposed cables 170, 1 71 are attached to opposite sides of the bracket, 1 72, attached to crossmember 173 secured to subframe 165.

Two cables, 174 and 175 are attached to a block, 176, secured to frame 167, and block 177 secured to carrier, 1. Cables 174 and 175 pass respectively round pulleys 178 and 179 which are pivotally mounted at opposite ends of subframe, 165. Since block, 176, is fixed, the action of the cable cylinder 169, moving the subframe, 1 65 to the right or the left causes movement of block, 177 and thus the carrier, 1, in the same direction but through twice the distance, enabling it to travel the full width of the trolley.

To operate all facilities it is necessary to supply water at high pressure to the main and secondary nozzle units, as well up to three different chemicals. It is also necessary to provide fluid or pneumatic pressure to operate the cylinder, 28 (Figures 11 and 4A) to move the jetting units from their transport to their operating positions, and vice-versa. Small cylinders may also be used, conveniently, to vary the angle of attack of the jetting nozzles, achieved in the manual version by rod, 61 and to control the movement of the lever 123 and thus the distance of extension of the secondary jetting unit (Figure 9).The tubes carrying fluids and the pressure lines are, for clarity, represented only by the single hose,181, which is secured, by means not shown, to the frame 167, passing from there to the drum, 182, coaxially pivoted with pulley 178 on sub-frame 165, and thence to the carrier.

The trolley is conveniently moved towards and away from a vehicle by the following means. Two double acting cylinders, 1 93 pivoted on pins 194 passing through the rear stays,158, act on levers, 192, secured to transverse tube 187 to rotate it through approximately 600 (Figures 11 and 12).

Dependent arms,189, are welded to spigots, 188, integral with tube, 187, which are supported by pins, 190 passing through the diagonal braces, 1 85. The free ends of arms, 189, are connected by links, 198, to bracket, 195 attached to the walls, as shown, or to the floor.

Extension of the cylinders rotates tube, 187, and thus arms,189, anti-clockwise, as seen in Figure 11, urging the trolley forwards from its parking position until arm, 201, of limit switch 202 strikes the side of the vehicle, 69, causing the trolley to stop at the correct distance for the carrier and its dependent components to be put into work as soon as cylinder 28 is actuated. At the conclusion of a wash, or when it is necessary to drive the vehicle forwards, to locate its rear wheels in the trough, 149, the cylinders are retracted to return the trolley to the fully parked position.

A dependant arm, 203, pivoted on axis 204 on carrier, 1, carries at its lower end a horizontal rod 205 which signals when the nozzle bearing unit is about to strike the rear wheel of the vehicle.

All the functions of this apparatus, like those of the wheel arch washer, are thus adaptable for remote control by a single operator, and can be programmed for automatic operation.

Claims (23)

Claims

1. Apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles, comprising a carrier, means mounting the carrier for movement in at least one horizontal direction whereby the carrier can be moved along at least one side or one end of the motor vehicle, a jetting unit for directing jets of fluid at the underside of the motor vehicle, the jetting unit being supported by the carrier, and means for moving the jetting unit relative to the carrier in a second horizontal direction transverse to said one horizontal direction for selectively extending the jetting unit underneath the motor vehicle and withdrawing it therefrom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the jetting unit has a plurality of nozzles and means for supplying cleaning fluid to the nozzles.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each nozzle is angularly movable about an axis transverse to the direction in which fluid is discharged from the nozzles and means are provided for moving the nozzles about their respective axes whereby the angle of attack of the fluid on the underside of the vehicle can be adjusted.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the jetting unit comprises a plurality of auxiliary nozzles for applying chemicals to the underside of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, when dependent on claim 3, wherein said secondary nozzles are mounted so as to move angularly with the firstmentioned nozzles.

6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the jetting unit is slidable relative to a support therefor and the support is carried by said carrier for movement relative thereto.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the jetting unit support is suspended from the carrier by a parallelogram linkage such that the support can be swung in said second horizontal direction during which it remains parallel or substantially parallel to the ground.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the jetting unit is coupled to the parallelogram linkage such that a swinging movement of the support is accompanied by a sliding movement of the jetting unit relative to the jetting unit support.

9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the jetting unit comprises at least one main nozzle bearing arm and at least one secondary nozzle bearing arm extendible in relation to the main arm for applying fluid to areas of the underside of the vehicle beyond the reach of the main nozzle bearing arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the main and secondary nozzle bearing arms are connected together for angular movement about their respective axes to adjust the angle of attack of the fluid on the underside of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein means are provided to extend and withdraw the secondary arm relative to the main arm as the jetting unit is respectively extended underneath the motor vehicle and withdrawn therefrom.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 when dependent on claim 8, wherein the secondary arm is connected to the jetting unit support by a flexible elongate element which passes over a guide movable to and fro with the main arm such that as the jetting unit is extended underneath the motor vehicle the secondary arm is extended relative to the main arm.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein means are provided for varying the extent by which the secondary arm is extended relative to the main arm as the jetting unit is extended underneath the motor vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 when dependent on claim 12, wherein the anchor point of the flexible elongate element on the jetting unit support can be adjusted.

1 5. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein means are provided adjacent the carrier to effect adjustment of said anchor point.

1 6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means for the carrier is a trolley.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the carrier is mounted on the trolley movement along said trolley in said one horizontal direction and wherein means are provided for moving the carrier along said trolley in said one horizontal direction.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said carrier moving means comprises fluid pressure operated means.

19. The apparatus of any one of claims 1618 wherein means are provided for moving the trolley towards and away from the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said trolley moving means comprises fluid pressure operated means.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 or claim 20 further comprising means for sensing the position of the vehicle and for arresting movement of the trolley towards the vehicle when the trolley reaches a predetermined position relative to the vehicle.

22. The apparatus of any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein a wheel arch cleaner is also mounted on said trolley.

23. Apparatus for cleaning and/or treating the underside of motor vehicles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.