GB2225561A

GB2225561A - Cleaning equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2225561A
Application number: GB8927022A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Hall Harrison
Original assignee: WILCOMATIC Ltd
Current assignee: WILCOMATIC Ltd
Priority date: 1988-11-30
Filing date: 1989-11-29
Publication date: 1990-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-29
Also published as: GB8827996D0; GB2225561B; GB8927022D0

Abstract

To ensure that the contact pressure between a rotating cleaning member (11) and an article being cleaned thereby in automatic cleaning equipment does not exceed an undesirably high value, the movement of the cleaning member towards/away from the article is controlled a) by a first positional control involving a sensing of the operating condition of the prime mover (11a) rotating the cleaning member and b) by a second positional control (34) involving sensing movement of the rotating axis of the cleaning member in a direction generally opposite to the direction of relative movement between the equipment and the article being cleaned. <IMAGE>

Description

MPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING EQUIPMENT This invention relates to the positional control of a rotatable cleaning member movably suooorted in cleaning eauiDment used to clean exposed surfaces of an article while there is relative movement between the suooort of the cleaning member and the article to be cleaned thereby. The invention has special utility in the case of a cylindrical cleaning brush in a vehicle washing machine and in oarticular to the positional control of the two vertical brushes in a three-brush vehicle washing gantry.

It is known to clean vehicles on a cleaning track by overoassing them with an arrav of rotating brushes movably supported within a gantry straddling the track. Using at least one horizontally-suooorted too brush and at least one vertically supported side brush. the front-. rear-. too- and side-surfaces of a vehicle can be brushed in a aoubie pass of the gantry forwards and backwards over the vehicle.

the brushes moving in and out relative to the gantry to accommodate the brush Dositions to the changing crosssectional shaoe of the vehicle contacted by the brushes during these passes. in general. brush position control is exercised on the basis of a sensing of the contact pressure existing between the brush and the vehicle either by responding to the vehicle-induced deflection of a member supporting the axis of the brush or by responding to the toraue or power reauired to rotate the brush.

We have now developed an imoroved Dositional control system which combines the known arrangements in a uniaue way.

According to the invention an imoroved mechanism for mounting a prime mover-driven cleaning member rotatable about a vertical (or substantially vertical ) axis in cleaning equipment adapted for relative movement past an article to be cleaned. said cleaning member being supported on or in the eauioment for powered movement transverse to the direction of relative movement between the cleaning equipment and the article to be cleaned is characterised in that. to ensure the contact Dressure between the cleaning member and the article does not exceed an undesirably high value. said oowered movement is controlled a3 by a first cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the operating condition of the orime mover rotating the cleaning member and b) by a second cleaning member Dositional control involving sensing movement of the axis generally opposite to the direction of relative movement between the equipment and the article to be cleaned.

Suitably the grime mover is an electric motor ana means is provided to retract the cleaning member from the surface of the article when the current drawn by the motor exceeds a pre-set limiting value.

Desirably the powered movement is effected using a screw and guided screw-driven carriage the said carriage turnably carrying a cleaning member support structure whose deflection relative to the carriage actuates the second cleaning member positional control.

Conveniently the mounting mechanism of the invention is incorporated in each vertical brush of a tnree brush vehicle washing gantry each vertical brush Peeing moved towards and away from a median olane of the gantry tnat extends normal to the axis of the toD brush. by means of a respective driven screw supported from the upper beam of the gantry. and a nut threaded on the screw drivably engag ing a respective carriage guided to roll along a track in the upper beam.The axis of each vertical brush can be rotated by a separate drive motor supported from a cracle carried bv the carriage via at least one resilient sefcentering link. wherebY deflection of the craale from tne centered position of the respective link or links will occasion operation of the respective screw to move the cradle awav from the median plane.

Preferably. each vertical cleaning brush in a three brush vehicle washing gantry is suooorted in a double articulated arm while being moved inwards and outwards with respect to the median plane of the gantry by gantry traversing means such as an elongate drive screw. since such a double articulated arm prevents the lower end of the brush axis swinging out of the vertical Dlane that contains the upper end of the brush axis.

To ensure good cleaning of the front- and rear-surfaces of a vehicle in the vicinity of the saio median plane. Darts of each vertical brush may be mace to cross the median Dlane twice before the gantry starts a full traverse of the vehicle in totn the forward and rearwaro directions.

Although the invention is expected to find its main application in three-brush gantry mounted vehicle washing machines where the gantry moves over a stationary vehicle the invention can be used with drive-through equipment ann with equipment having more. or less. than three cleaning members.

According to a further asoect of the invention there is provided a method of controlling the movement of the rotating axis of a cylindrical cleaning member relative to the surface of a venicle in automatic vehicle wasting equipment. to ensure adeauate but not excessive contact pressure between the member and the vehicle surface as there is relative movement between the equipment ana the vehicle, which method is characterised in that the contact pressure is controlled a) by a first cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the operating condition of an electric motor rotating the cleaning member and b) by a second cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the movement of the rotating axis generally opposite to the direction of relative movement between the equipment and the vehicle to be cleaned.

Suitably. the cleaning member is carried in a cradle supporting the cleaning member at opposite ends of a shaft collinear with the rotating axis and the second positional control includes means sensing deflection of the cradle from a centralised rest position.

Preferably. the cradle is defined by first and second cradles forming a double articulated arm mechanism.

Desirably. the cradle deflection is resisted by at least one tensioning element and the sensing of a deflection of the cradle from its centralised position is undertaken using an electrical switch. The at least one tensioning element can generate a toraue resisting cradle deflection which toraue increases with the degree of deflection.

One embodiment of mounting mechanism in accordance with the invention will now be described. by way of example. with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a three-brush vehicle cleaning gantry utilising the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan from above of the initial movement of the two vertical brushes in the gantry.

Figure 3 is a front view of the uDDer Dart of the two vertical brushes showing the positions adootea during a single pass of the gantry over a stationary vehicle.

Figure 4 is a schematic partly exploded view of the components used to move one of the vertical Crushes in the manner shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic exploded view of the mounting mechanism according to the invention, Figures 6A to SC show how the mechanism of Figure 5 responds to deflections of the upper brush support arm. and Figure 7 shows one arrangement of brush support arm usable with the mounting mechanism of this invention.

Figure 1 shows a wheeled gantry 10 supporting rotatable cylindrical vertical brushes 11 and 1z and a rotatable cylindrical horizontal brush 13. The brushes 11. 12 ana 13 are rotated by separate electric motors marked ila. 1Sa and 13a. via reduction gearboxes 11b, 12b and 13b. The axis of the too brush 13 can move up and down within the gantry 10 and the axes of the side brushes 11 and 12 can move towards and awav from one another so that the solace 14 (defined between the brushes and the track 15 on which the gantry runs on rails 15a) can be varied as the gantry moves relative to a vehicle 16 (see Figure 2) on the track 15.

Figure 2 shows how the brushes 11 and 12 cross a median plane 17 of the gantry 10 which is normal to the axis of the brush 13 (in what can be referred to as a "shimmer"i during a washing operation on the front- and/or rear-surface(s) of the vehicle 16 before commencing a washing operation on the sides of the vehicle. Figure 3 also shows this "shimmer" and indicates how the brushes 1t and 12 start and end a single pass of the vehicle in their outermost positions.

The movement of the axes of the brushes 11 and 12 transverse to the direction of relative movement between the gantry 10 and a vehicle 16 on the track 15. is achieved using (see Figure 4) a respective screw 20. nut 21 an: drive motor 22. these being supported on or in the upper beam 10a of the gantry 10. Rotation of each screw 20 in one direction will drive the axis of the brush towards the inner end 20a of that screw and rotation in the opposite direction will move the axis further away from that end 20a. Each screw is housed in a casing 23 which serves as a guide rail for rollers 30-33 (see Figure 5) of a carriage 35 linked to the nut 21 via a peg 21a engaged in a hole 35a.

A sPindle 36 projecting from the gear box 11b of the drive mechanism for the brush 11. is located in a bush 37 mounted on a cradle 38 linked to the carriage 35 bY two self-centering support links 39a and 3sub. Each link 39a.

39b has an arm which is turnable in either direction about an axis 40 the toraue reauired to produce such turning increasing with the degree of deflection from a central rest position. A "Rosta" Tensioning Element of the type SE27 (made by Rosta-Werk AG of CH-5502) is suitable for each link 39a. 39b.

To control the movements of each vertical side brush (11. 12) and the top brush 13 within the gantry 10 the control eauipment feeding electrical Dower to the respec- tive brush motors lia, 12a and 13a. includes a device to sense the power drawn by each motor (e.g. a current-measuring unit) and the respective brush is moved to keeD the power below a preset maximum safe level. However in the arrangement illustrated; an inductive switch 34 (see Figure 5) is also wired into the control unit of the motors 22 so that when the cradle 38 is deviated (see Figures 6B and SC) from its centralised position relative to the carriage 35 (see Figure 6A) action is taken to withdraw the axis of the brush from the space 14.In Figure 5 the switch 34 is actuated on the basis of its proximity to a stud plate 38a on the cradle 36.

The double articulated arm mechanism for supporting each vertical brush is shown schematically in Figure 7.

This mechanism ensures both uDDer and lower ends of the axis of each vertical brush lie within a vertical Dlane and are supported to Drevent the "swing-out" which arises with pendently supported brushes (i.e. brushes which are only attached at the toD to the gantry 10). Figure 7 shows a first cradle 40 carrying the brush axis which is pivotally mounted inside a second cradle 41 which in turn is pivotally mounted within the gantry 10. The pivoting axis between the two cradles 40. 41 is shown at 42 in Figure 7 and the pivoting axis between the second cradle and the gantry is shown at 43. Figure 7 shows the planes of the two cradles 40 and 41 substantially aligned to permit parts of the brush 11 to pass bevond the median plane 17. As the brush 11 moves out towards the upright of the gantry 10. the cradles 40. 41 become more sharply inclined to one another.

Claims

1. A mechanism for mounting a prime mover-ariven cleaning member rotatable about a vertical. or substantially vertical. axis in cleaning equipment, which eauipment is adaoted for relative movement past an article to be cleaned, said cleaning member being supported on or in the equipment for Dowered movement transverse to the direction of relative movement between the cleaning eauipment and the article to be cleaned, characterised in that. to ensure the contact pressure between the cleaning member and the article does not exceed an undesirablv hign value, said Dowered movement is controlled a) bv a first cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the operating condition of the prime mover rotating the clean ing member and b) by a second cleaning member positional control involving sensing movement of the axis generally opposite to the direction of relative movement between the equipment and the article to be cleaned.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in which the prime mover is an electric motor and means is provided to retract the cleaning member from the surface of the article when the current drawn by the motor exceeds a pre-set limiting value.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2. in which the powered movement is effected using a screw and guided screw-driven carriage. the said carriage turnablv carrying a cleaning member support structure whose deflection relative to the carriage actuates the second cleaning member positional control.

4. A mechanism as claimed in anv one preceding claim, in which the mounting mechanism is incorporated in each vertical brush of a three-brush vehicle washing gantry.

each vertical brush being moved towards and awav from a median Dlane of the gantry that extends normal to tne axis of the toD brush, by means of a respective driven screw supported from the upper beam of the gantry and a nut threaded on the screw drivablv engaging a respective carriage guided to roll along a track in the uDDer beam.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which the axis of each vertical brush is rotated by a separate drive motor supported from a cradle carried by the carriage via at least one resilient self-centering link, whereby deflection of the cradle from the centered position of the respective link or links will occasion operation of the respective screw to move the cradle awav from the median plane.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5. in which each vertical cleaning brush is suooorted in a double articulated arm while being movea inwards and outwards with respect to the median plane of the gantry by gantry traversing means. the double articulated arm Preventing the lower end of the brush axis swinging out of the vertical Dlane that contains the upper end of the brush axis.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 6. in which the gantry traversing means is an elongate drive screw.

8. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, in which the mounting of each vertical brush allows each brush to cross the median plane of the gantry twice before the gantry starts a full traverse of the vehicle in both the forward and rearward directions. whereby enhanced cleaning of the front- and rear-surfaces of a vehicle in the vicinity of the said median plane, is obtained.

9. A method of controlling the movement of the rotating axis of a cylindrical cleaning member relative to the surface of a vehicle in automatic vehicle washing equipment. to ensure adeauate but not excessive contact Dressure between the member and the vehicle surface as there is relative movement between the eauioment and the vehicle. characterised in that the contact Dressure is controlled a) bv a first cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the operating condition of an electric motor rotating the cleaning member and b) by a second cleaning member positional control involving a sensing of the movement of the rotating axis generally opposite to the direction of relative movement between the equipment and the vehicle to be cleaned.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which the cleaning member is carried in a cradle supporting the cleaning member at opposite ends of a shaft collinear with the rotating axis and the second positional control includes means sensing deflection of the cradle from a centralised rest position.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which the cradle is defined be first and second cradles forming a double articulated arm mechanism.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, in which the cradle deflection is resisted by at least one tensioning element and the sensing of a deflection of the cradle from its centralised position is undertaken using an electrical switch.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12. in which the at least one tensioning element generates a toraue resisting cradle deflection. which toraue increases with the degree of deflection.

14. A mechanism for mounting a rotatably driven cleaning member in cleaning equipment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanyinq drawings.

15. A three-brush vehicle cleaning gantry substantially as herein described with reference to. and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of controlling the cleaning member/vehicle contact pressure generated in automatic vehicle cleaning equipment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.