GB2147859A

GB2147859A - Vehicle wheel cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2147859A
Application number: GB08314745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Danji Minami
Original assignee: NANPI KOYGO KK
Current assignee: NANPI KOYGO KK
Priority date: 1983-05-27
Filing date: 1983-05-27
Publication date: 1985-05-22
Also published as: GB8314745D0

Abstract

Apparatus for removing and exhausting mud adhered to wheels of vehicles etc. where rollers are rotated by relative rotating motion of rollers and wheels and elastic deformation is caused to the tyres by projections formed on the circumference of the rollers, wherein the rollers for the front wheels are also provided in addition to the rollers for the rear wheels, rotation of rollers is transmitted to the conveyor which advances in the same direction as the axial direction of rollers through the reduction gear and thereby the mud removed from wheels can be exhausted outside of the apparatus by said conveyor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for removing and clearing mud adhered to wheels of vehicles The present invention relates to apparatus for removing and clearing mud adhered to wheels of vehicles. In one type of such apparatus the wheels of vehicles are placed on rollers supported by a structure, the rollers are driven by frictional relative rotating force generated between the wheels and roller when said wheels rotate, the tyres are given elastic deformation due to projections provided on the circumference of the rollers and mud adhered to the wheels is thereby removed. However, existing apparatus is designed to remove the mud adhered only on the rear wheels, and is unable to remove the mud adhered to both front and rear wheels simultaneously.In order to remove the mud adhered to both front and rear wheels simultaneously, the front wheels and rear wheels must be placed correctly on respective rollers. But since the body lengths of vehicles are different, even if the rollers for both front and rear wheels are provided, it sometimes occurs that the front wheels will not be placed correctly on the rollers therefore when the rear wheels are correctly placed on their rollers.

Also the existing system has a disadvantage in that mud removing efficiency is low, the wheels having to be rotated for a long time because projections on the circumference of the rollers are parallel to the roller shaft, and are not efficient in removing the mud.

Another disadvantage of the existing system is that it is troublesome to clear the mud dropped from the rollers or wash them with water.

The invention seeks to provide improvements to alleviate at least some of the above disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for removing and clearing mud adhered to wheels of vehicles having rollers on which vehicle wheels are mounted to rotate, there being projections on the rollers to cause elastic deformation of the tyres, and there being rollers for the front wheels in addition to rollers for the rear wheels, and conveyor means coupled to be driven from the rollers through reduction gearing, the conveyor means being situated beneath the wheels and being arranged to run in the axial direction of the rollers, whereby mud removed from the wheels can be cleared away from the apparatus by said conveyor means.

Preferably the rollers for the front wheels mentioned above are provided in parallel sets, each set consisting of three rollers.

Preferably said rollers are provided with helical or V-shaped projections in a plurality of lines.

With the arrangement described it is possible to provide in parallel a pair of three rollers for both right and left front wheels, whereby when the rear wheels are placed on the rollers for the rear wheels, the front wheels can be placed on any two pairs of rollers among such pair of three rollers for front wheels even if vehicle body length differs.

Where the projections provided on the circumference of rollers are arranged helically or in the shape of a V, elastic deformation (distortion) is given effectively without interruption to the tyre movement. On the other hand, where the projections are arranged parallel to the roller shaft, mud adhered to wheels can be separated only through rotation for a short period and then by causing deformation to the entire part of the tyre by a side force.

The conveyor arrangement described requires no additional drive means. The conveyor used may be the slat Conveyor (apron conveyor) or belt conveyor.

The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the structure indicating the concept of the conveyor driving system; Figure 4 (a) shows the rollers providing the helical projections; and Figure 4 (h) shows rollers providing the Vshaped projections.

In the drawings, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2', 3', 4', 5' are rollers for rear wheels, while 41, 42, 43, 41', 42', 43' are rollers for front wheels, which are formed helically or in a V-shape using an existing steel pipe etc.

The rollers for the rear wheels are supported rotatably by the bearing 12 provided in the structure 7 of the rotating shaft 11. The rollers on which the front wheels are placed are supported rotatably by the bearing 45 provided in the structure 47 of the rotating shaft 47 of the rotating shaft 44. The rollers mounted on the structure 7 are arranged totally in four sets, each set consisting of two rollers parallel with each other so that all four tyres of a vehicle can be placed thereon simultaneoisly, the right and left rollers being coupled.

In providing the helical projections on the circumference of the rollers, the directions of helical projections are mutually reversed between the rollers 2, 3 and rollers 4, 5 and between the rollers 2', 3' and rollers 4', 5'. Likewise, between the rollers 2, 3 and rollers 2', 3' and the rollers 4, 5 and 4', 5'.

The rollers 41, 42, 43, 41', 42', 43' are formed in a three-piece set on the structure 47 so that both right and left front wheels can be set in appropriate positions regardless of its vehicle body length.

In providing the helical projections on the circumference of the rollers, the directions of helical projections are mutually reversed between the rollers 41, 41' and rollers 42, 42' and so between the rollers 42, 42' and rollers 43, 43'. One end of roller shafts 11, 44 is each extended to be engaged with the inter-locking mechanism 70 for interlocking operation which is in turn connected with the transmission mechanism 22, 52 for transmitting rotation of rollers to the reduction gear.

On the lower part of the rollers 2, 3, 2', 3' explained above, the conveyor 20 is provided while on the lower part of the rollers 4, 5, 4', 5', the con veyor 21, and on the lower part of the front wheel rollers 41, 42, 43, 41', 42', 43', the conveyors 50 and 51 respectively.

Rotation of these rollers is transmitted to the reduction gear 23, 53 by the transmission mechanisms 22, 52, and reduced rotation causes the rotating shafts 24, 54 to rotate, thereby the conveyors 20, 21, 50, 51 (slat conveyor shown in the Figure) advance, and the mud dropped on the conveyor from the roller is cleared in the direction indicated by arrow D. 25, 55 are poles for supporting the reduction gear and 26 is a take-up unit for adjusting the tension of conveyor.

For removing mud on vehicle wheels, first the right and left front wheels of the vehicle are placed on the incoming paths 1, 1' then the vehicle is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow R to place it on the structure. When the front wheels are placed on the structure 47 passing the structure 7 and intermediate joints 60, 60', the rear wheels are simultaneously placed on the structure 7. In this condition, the rear wheels are placed on the rollers 2, 3, rollers 4, 5, rollers 2', 3' and rollers 4', 5', of the structure 7. Meanwhile, the front wheels are placed between the rollers 41, 42 and 41', 42' or between rollers 42, 43, and rollers 42', 43' of the structure 47 in accordance with the length of vehicle body. Therefore, the front wheels can be placed on the rollers irrespective of the length of vehicle body with the rear wheels being correctly placed on the structure.

Here, if the wheels of a vehicle are rotated by starting the engine when the wheels are placed on the rollers, the rollers are driven to rotate by friction between wheels and rollers. When one of the rollers rotates, the remaining rollers begin rotating since the interlocking mechanism 70 is provided between the rollers. Elastic deformation is continuously caused on the tyres by the helical or Vshaped projections provided on the roller surface and deformation is caused over the entire part of the tyre by a side force. Thereby, mud adhered to the vehicle tyres can be removed very easily.

The mud separated from tyres is accumulated on the lower part of the rollers and drops on the conveyors 20, 21, 50, 51 which are operated by the rotation of the rollers through the reduction gear 23, 53, and which advance in the same direction as that of the roller shaft and the mud is cleared thereby to the outside.

When the mud adhered to wheels has been removed, a vehicle is withdrawn from the system moving down the outgoing paths.

Means are provided which lock the rollers for a vehicle to be set in a place on the structure, and which unlocks them when mud is removed, and locks them again for the vehicle to leave the structure.

With two sets of rollers each consisting of three rollers for the front wheels of a vehicle, each set in parallel with each other, the arrangement assures such practical effect that, when the rear wheels of the vehicle are placed upon the rollers for the rear wheels, the front wheels are placed between any two rollers among the said set of rollers for the front wheels, thus vehicles of a different body length can be set on the structure for efficient removal of mud adhered upon both front and rear wheels simultaneously.

The present invention also assures such practical effect as easier removal of mud adhered upon the wheels which can only be effected by the rotation of wheels for a shorter period of time as compared with mud removal in the existing method where the projection is formed in parallel with the roller shaft, for, with the present invention, elastic deformation can be continuously caused to the tyres and deformation takes place over the entire part of the tyres by a side force caused by the helical or Vshaped projections to the circumference of the rollers.

Further, the present invention assures such practical effect that mud dropped from the system can be cleared by conveyor without any help of an operator or driver. In this case, moreover, no extra motor for driving the conveyor is required because such a conveyor is driven by the rotation of roller via the reduction gear and resultantly labour economy, manufacturing and running cost reduction can be realised.

Claims

1. Apparatus for removing and clearing mud adhered to wheels of vehicles having rollers on which vehicle wheels are mounted to rotate, these being projections on the rollers to cause elastic deformation of the tyres, and there being rollers for the front wheels in addition to rollers for the rear wheels, and conveyor means coupled to be driven from the rollers through reduction gearing, the conveyor means being situated beneath the wheels and being arranged to run in the axial direction of the rollers, whereby mud removed from the wheels can be cleared away from the apparatus by said conveyor means.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the rollers for the front wheels are provided in parallel sets, each set consisting of three rollers.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said rollers are provided with helical or Vshaped projections in a plurality of lines.

4. Apparatus for removing mud adhered to wheels of a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.