GB2183206A

GB2183206A - Drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations

Info

Publication number: GB2183206A
Application number: GB08625668A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gebhard Weigele
Original assignee: WESUMAT GmbH; Wesumat Fahrzeugwaschanlagen GmbH
Current assignee: WESUMAT GmbH; Wesumat Fahrzeugwaschanlagen GmbH
Priority date: 1985-11-15
Filing date: 1986-10-27
Publication date: 1987-06-03
Also published as: IT8621900A0; FI82647B; GB2183206B; FI863746A0; FI82647C; DE8532355U1; FR2590216B1; IT1213350B; JPS62120250A; FR2590216A1; FI863746A; GB8625668D0

Abstract

A drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in washing installations with a portal-like support structure (1), has a horizontal blower casing (2) which extends in the plane of the support structure, and at least one blower (3) connected to the casing. A slot-type nozzle (5) with a downwardly directed outlet opening (5a) is arranged directly at the underside of the blower casing (2) and the blower casing (2), together with the slot-type nozzle and the blower (3), is mounted movably in respect of height as a unit on the support structure (1) by means of flexible traction members (8). The heightwise movement of the blower casing is controlled by a control means in dependence on the vehicle contour. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations The invention relates to a drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations, in particular portal-type washing installations, comprising a horizontal blower casing which is arranged on a portal-like support structure and which extends in the plane of the support structure, at least one blower connected to the blower casing, and a horizontal slot-type nozzle which is mounted movably in respect of height on the support structure and which is controlled by a control means in dependence on the vehicle contour and which has a downwardly directed outlet opening and which is in communication with the blower casing.

The drying apparatus of portal-type washing installations usually comprises two rigid side nozzles and a horizontal slot-type nozzle which is adjustable in respect of height and which is controlled in dependence on the contour of the vehicle to be dried; the slot-type nozzle provides for drying the upwardly facing surfaces of the vehicle such as the engine bonnet, the windscreen, the roof surface, the tail panel and the boot lid. In order to use only the minimum amount of air and in order to reduce the level of power consumption, the horizontal slot-type nozzle, which is also referred to as the roof nozzle, is moved at a small spacing and as closely as possible along the surface of the vehicle.The nozzle is controlled by light barrien arrangements which sense the contour of the vehicle, or by means of wheels which are connected to the slottype nozzle and which roll against the surface of the vehicle. The slot-type nozzle communicates with the blower casing which is arranged rigidly on the upper transverse portion of the portal structure, by way of hoses or by way of telescopic pipes. As the differences in height in respect of the surfaces to be dried are relatively large and are at from 60 cm to 2.5 m from the ground, the flexible hoses or the telescopic pipes must be comparatively small. That results in a not inconsiderable loss of pressure, particularly when hoses are employed. Telescopic pipes are very expensive in terms of structure and may also jam. In addition, hoses and telescopic pipes take up a great deal of space.As portal-type washing installations are generally intended to wash and dry even the largest vehicles, in small washing shops, it is a matter of the greatest importance for a vehicle washing and drying installation to be so designed that all the units are disposed in a very small space.

The invention is based on the problem of providing a drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations, in particular portal-type washing installations, of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, which is simple and compact in construction and which operates in a substantially fault-free manner and with a low level of energy consumption.

According to the invention, that is achieved in that the slot-type nozzle is arranged directly at the underside of the blower casing and the blower casing, together with the slot-type nozzle and the blower, is mounted movably in respect of height as a unit on the support structure.

The fact that the blower casing is movable in respect of height means that there is no need for hoses and telescopic pipes. That makes the construction simpler for the known drying apparatuses also require guide rails, a drive motor and a control means for the horizontal slot-type nozzle to be movable in respect of height. The elimination of hoses and telescopic pipes means that one source of trouble is also eliminated. At the same time, the overall construction is made more compact, in particular in the heightwise direction, for, in known drying installations, the telescopic pipes when in the collapsed or retracted condition, always require a certain minimum distance between the slot-type nozzle and the blower casing.The elimination of the telescopic pipes, but in particular also the elimination of hoses, means that the pressure loss between the blower and the nozzle is reduced to a minimum so that it is possible to use blowers with a lower level of output, thereby saving on energy.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that a respective blower is arranged at each of the two ends of the blower casing. Each blower supplies air to one half of the slot-type nozzle. The distance that the air has to cover in going from the blower to the outlet opening of the slot-type nozzle is reduced to a minimum.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the support structure has a box-like, hollow and downwardly open transverse portion whose cross-section is lar ger than that of the blower casing, and that the blower casing can be moved from below completely into the transverse portion. That arrangement reduces the amount of space required by the drying installation for the blower casing is not longer mounted on the outside of the transverse portion, as hitherto, but can be retracted thereinto. In addition, particularly in the case of portal-type washing installa tions, that gives the advantage that the drying apparatus does not have an adverse effect, either mechanically or visually, when other functions are being carried out, for example in the washing operation.In particular, when the blower casing including the slot-type nozzle is retracted into the transverse portion, no spray water can be deposited at the nozzle during the washing operation. More particularly, such water would drip off the nozzle during the drying operation, and thereby adversely affect the drying operation.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by means of an embodiment as illustrated in the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of the drying apparatus of portal type in cross-section taken along line I-I in Fig. 2, and Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken along Il-Il in Fig. 1.

Shown in the drawings is a portal-like support structure 1 (also referred to as the portal assembly) which can be reciprocated relative to the stationary vehicle in the direction indicated by B. Arranged on the support structure 1 transversely with respect to the direction of movement B of the support structure 1 is a blower casing 2. A respective blower 3 is provided at each of the two ends of the blower casing 2, the blowers drawing drying air from the ambient atmosphere. The blower casing 2 is subdivided into two halves by a middle partitioning wall 4. The slot-type nozzle 5 with a downwardly directed outlet opening 5a is arranged directly at the underside of the blower casing. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the slot-type nozzle 5 virtually forms the bottom part of the blower casing 2.

The blower casing 2, the blowers 3 and the horizontal nozzle 5 form a unit which is mounted on the support structure 1 movably in respect of height, in the direction indicated at V. For that purpose, the blower casing 2 is connected to two lateral guide rollers 6 which are each guided in a respective guide rail 7 connected to each portal upright 1a. The blower casing is suspended on two flexible traction members 8, for example toothed belts or chains. A counterweight 9 is arranged at the other end of each member 8. Each flexible traction member 8 is passed over a toothed wheel or a toothed pulley 10, with the two toothed wheels 10 being disposed on a common horizontal drive shaft 11. The drive shaft 11 is driven by a control motor 12 by way of an interposed freewheel assembly 13, in a similar manner to that described in German laid-open application (DE-OS) No 25 18 718.

The control motor 12 and the freewheel assembly 13 are such thatf they can only ever drive the two flexible traction members 8 in such a way that the blower casing 2 is lifted.

In that connection, the motor 12 is controlled by a light barrier assembly or a similar contact-less sensing means. The weight of the blower casing 2 including the parts connected thereto is not quite entirely compensated by the counterweights 9 so that it is slightly greater in weight than the counterweights 9.

Due to that slightly greater weight, and the freewheel assembly 13, the blower casing 2 with the nozzle 5 can drop downwardly.

Normally the control motor is constantly driven in a first direction of rotation which would drive the driveshaft in the direction S.

As however the freewheel assembly 13 runs free in that direction of rotation and there is no drive connection between the motor 12 and the driveshaft 11, the blower casing 2 can move downwardly, under the effect of its slightly greater weight, until the light beam of the light barrier assembly 14 is interrupted by the surface of the vehicle to be dried. That causes the control motor 12 to be switched over into its second direction of rotation in which the freewheel assembly 13 is in the locking mode. That causes the drive shaft 11 to be driven in the direction H and therewith the blower casing 2 and the nozzle 5 are lifted until the light barrier assembly is above the surface of the vehicle and thus the light beam is no longer interrupted.When the receiver of the light barrier assembly again receives the light beam, the direction of rotation of the control motor 12 is again reversed so that it rotates in the first direction of rotation, whereby no further lifting movement occurs.

In that way the nozzle 5 is always moved along the upwardly facing surfaces of the vehicle, in a position closely above those surfaces. As shown in Fig. 2, it is desirable for two light barrier assemblies 14 to be arranged at both sides of the nozzle 5 and somewhat below same. In case the light barrier control arrangement should fail, two safety bars, for example pressure wave switches 15, are also arranged at both sides of the nozzle 5 in the direct vicinity of the outlet opening 5a thereof, thereby immediately switching off the portal drive means on coming into contact with the vehicle.

The horizontal transverse portion 1 b of the portal structure 1 is desirably of a box-like and hollow configuration and has an opening 16 at its underside. The opening 16 and the cross-section of the transverse portion 1 b are of such a size, relative to the dimensions of the blower casing 2 and the parts connected thereto, that the blower casing 2 including the nozzle 5 can be moved entirely into the transverse portion Ib. In that way, the blower casing 2 and the slot-type nozzle 5 are protected from spray water during the washing operation.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations, comprising a horizontal blower casing which is arranged on a portal-like support structure and which extends in the plane of the support structure, at least one blower connected to the blower casing, and a horizontal slot-type nozzle which is mounted movably in respect of height on the support structure and which is controlled by a control means in dependence on the vehicle contour and which has a downwardly directed outlet opening and which is in communication with the blower casing, characterised in that the slot-type nozzle (5) is arranged directly at the underside of the blower casing (2) and the blower casing (2) together with the slot-type nozzle and the blower (3) is mounted movably in respect of height as a unit on the support structure (1).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that a respective blower (3) is arranged at each of the two ends of the blower casing (2).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the support structure (1) has a box-like, hollow and downwardly open transverse portion (1 b) whose cross-section is larger than that of the blower casing (2), and that the blower casing (2) can be moved from below completely into the transverse portion (it).

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect:~ New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:~ A drying apparatus for drying motor vehicles in vehicle washing installations, comprising a horizontal blower casing which is arranged on a portal-like support structure and which extends in the plane of the support structure, one blower being connected to each of the two ends of the blower casing, and a horizontal slot-type nozzle which is mounted directly at the underside of the blower casing, the blower casing together with the slot-type nozzle and the blower being mounted movably in respect of height as a unit on the support structure and being controlled by a control means in dependence on the vehicle contour, characterised in that the support structure (1) has a box-like, hollow and downwardly open transverse portion (1 b) whose cross-section is larger than that of the blower casing (2), and that the blower casing (2) and both blowers (3) can be moved from below completely into the transverse portion (1b).