GB2242407A - Cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle cleaning apparatus comprises a support frame which carries a number of spray units 12. The frame and spray units 12 form a pre-assembled unit which can be located in a pit 2 with flanges of the frame resting in a recess 9 around an upper edge of the pit. A grating 17 rests on the flanges and is formed with a series of apertures 18 through which fluid can be sprayed from spray heads of the spray units. An oscillating mechanism 14 is provided which oscillates the spray heads simultaneously to ensure full cleaning of the vehicle underside. A pump supplies fluid to the spray heads. <IMAGE>

Description

CLEANING APPARATUS The invention relates to cleaning apparatus for a vehicle and is particularly, but not eclusivel, concerned with apparatus for cleaning the underside of a motor vehicle.

Hitherto, it has been proposed to use fixed spray units including spray heads for providing jets of fluid directed upwardly against the underside of a vehicle as it is being driven over the spray units. Typically, the spray units are mounted beneath a grating and the jets of fluid are projected upward, through apertures in the grating towards the underside of the vehicle.

This particular system has been used extensively for around 18 years but suffers from a disadvantage in that it is not possible to cover the entire underside of the vehicle effectively unless a large number of spray units is provided. In practice, a low pressure large volume pump is used to feed the multiplicity of spray units to clean the vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cleaning apparatus which will enable cleaning to be more effective.

According to the invention there is provided cleaning apparatus for cleaning the underside of a vehicle comprising a spray unit having a spray head which, in use, is connected to a supply of fluid, a jet of fluid being directed upwardly and being oscillatable to enable the fluid to be sprayed against the underside of the vehicle.

Preferably, a small number of spray units, e.g., three is provided.

With an arrangement as set out in either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs, it is possible to use a low delivery high-pressure pump to provide high pressure jets of fluid. For example, a pump giving a delivery of 90 litres per minute at 130 bar can be used. This compares with the relatively large de'ivery type of pump used on existing systems which requires delivery of around 230 litres per minute at around 20 bar. By using the high pressure low delivery pump, the high pressure jets of fluid sprayed against the underside of the vehicle provide a very efficient way of dislodging even the most stubborn soiling.An advantage of using the low delivery system is that whereas as a high delivery pump requires large diameter pipework (typically 50mm) the low delivery high pressure pump can accommodate sufficient liquid in ducting of around 28mm making the ducting easier to house and to install.

Advantageously, the spray unit may be arranged beneath a grating or the like on the ground and the jet of fluid can be sprayed upwardly through an aperture in the grating.

Preferably, a plurality of spray units is arranged such that the units lie side by side at spaced apart intervals.

The spray from the units may be arranged so as to overlap to ensure that a large area of the vehicle underside is subjected to spray from the units.

Preferably, the or each spray unit is osciliatable by means of an oscillation mechanism. The oscillating mechanism may be positioned remote frcm the spray units themselves. The oscillation mechanism may comprise a crank and lever arrangement and, conveniently, each of the units may be interconnected so that operation of the drive mechanism will oscillate the units simultaneously. Conveniently, the units may include radial arms to which the oscillating movement is applied. The radial arms of the spray units may be interconnected so that the arms are moved simultaneously as previously mentioned.

The aforesaid interconnection between the arms may comprise rigid rods. In such a case, a rod from the drive mechanism may be connected to one side of the aforesaid radial arm of one spray unit and a further rigid rod may be connected to the other side of the arm and connected to one side of the arm of an adjacent spray unit. Likewise, a rigid rod may be connected to the other side of the adjacent spray unit and connected to, for example, one side of the arm of a further adjacent unit. The rigid rods may be connected to the radial arms by adjustment means.

If desired the spray units which, in use, lie towards opposite sides of the vehicle, may have bisectors of their angles of oscillation inclined outwardly. This will provide more effective cleaning of specific regions of the vehicle underside.

The spray units may be fed with cleaning fluid from a pump which may be switched on by proximity sensor means operated by an approaching vehicle. The proximity sensor may, for example, be an infra red switching arrangement such that as the vehicle approaches, a pump for the fluid will switch on and fluid will be delivered to the spray units prior to the vehicle reaching the spray area. Once the vehicle has left the spray area, a time delay device may be provided to ensure that the spray is continued until the vehicle is clear of the spraying area.

A pump for feeding the liquid may be arranged behind a suitable screen which separates the pump and associated electrical equipment from the spraying area.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a plurality of spray units fastened to a common support to form a pre-assembled unit together with an interconnection between the spray units for oscillating the spray.

In that way, the complete pre-assembled unit can simply be dropped into a pit and the grating placed on top.

The pre-assembled unit may include pre-assembled pipework so that, once in the pit, it is simply a matter of connecting a feed pipe to the pump. In that way, installation of the system is particularly straightforward as all the assembl#y can be carried out in a workshop.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.1 is a plan view of a support frame for spray units, Fig.2 is an elevation of the support frame of Fig.l, Fig.3 is a cross section through the support frame of Fig.1 on line III-III in Fig.1 shown in position over a pit, Fig.4 is an illustrative representation of a crosssection through a pit with a prefabricated unit in position in accordance with the invention, Fig.5 is a plan view of the prefabricated unit of Fig.4, Fig.6 shows a perspective view of a spray unit, Fig.7 is an enlarged view of one end of the prefabricated unit of Fig.4 and Fig.8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a cleaning installation incorporating cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The cleaning apparatus includes a support frame 1 for mounting above a pit 2. The frame 1 is rectangular and constructed of angle material.

As shown in detail in Figs.1 to 3 and Fig.7, frame 1 has elongate side sections 3 and end sections 4 of angle section which carry downwardly extending plates 5. A tubular support member 6 is carried between the plates 5. As shown in Figs.1 and 2 the side and end sections have horizontal flanges, indicated at 7, 8 respectively extending outwardly so that the frame 1 can be located in a rectangular recess 9 formed around the top of pit 2 with the flanges resting on a surface 10 of the recess 9. The support member 6 supports three oscillatable spray units 12 each having a spray head 13 (see Figs.5 and 6). The spray units 12 are associated with an oscillation mechanism 14. In use, the spray units 12 are connected to a pump 16 which supplies fluid under pressure from a supply 16a.

The spray heads 13 are arranged beneath a grating 17 which is located in the recess 9 and rests on the flanges 7, 8. The spray heads 13 lie side by side at spaced apart intervals and can direct jets of fluid upwardly through apertures 18 in the grating.

The oscillation mechanism 14 includes a crank 22 connected by a rod 22a to lever 23. The crank 22 is driven by a motor 26. The lever 23 is pivoted on a fulcrum 24 on a suitable rigid mounting e.g. on the bottom of a channel 2a leading to the pit 2.

Each spray unit 12 includes a radial arm 25 drivably connected to a feed tube 32 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings (not shown) in the spray unit.

The feed tube 32 is connected to the spray head 13.

The arms 25 are interconnected by means of rigid rods 28 and 29 and a further rigid rod 27 is connected between the arm 25 of the right hand spray unit 12 in Fig.4 and the lever 23. In that way the spray heads are oscillatable in unison as the arms 25 oscillate between the points 25a, 25b as shown in Fig.7. The rigid rod 27 from the lever 23 is connected via a screw-threaded connector 21 to one side of the radial arm 25 of the righthand spray unit 12. The rigid rod 28 is connected via a screw-threaded connector 21a to the opposite side of the arm 25 and similarly connected via a screw threaded connector 21b to one side of the arm 25 of the middle spray unit 12 as viewed in Fig.4.

Likewise, the rigid rod 29 is connected via a screw threaded connector 21c to the other side of the arm 25 of the middle spray unit 12 and is connected to the radial arm 25 of the remaining spray unit 12 by a screw connector 21d as shown in Fig.7. The screw threaded connectors facilitate axial adjustment of the rods to set the angular positions of the spray heads 13.

The extent of oscillation of spray heads 13 is such that their respective spray zones 19 overlap as shown in Fig.4 ensuring that a large area of the underside 20 of a vehicle 50 is subjected to the oscillating jets of fluid.

The outer spray units 12, as viewed in Fig.4, may have bisectors B of their angles of oscillation inclined outwardly (not shown) to allow more effective cleaning of specific regions of the vehicle underside e.g. the inner surfaces of wheels W. The setting of bisectors B is effected by adjustment of the screw threaded connectors 21 - 21a and 21b associated with the arms 25 of the outer spray units 12.

The spray units 12 along with their rods 27, 28 and 29 can be mounted on the support frame 1 in a factory and the assembly can then be delivered as a prefabricated unit ready to be placed in the recess 9 over the pit 2.

This makes the apparatus of the present invention particularly easy to make and install.

As mentioned previously, each spray unit 12 is fastened to a support member 6. This is achieved by means of a housing 30 having a mounting plate 31 fixed to the support. The housing 30 rotatably supports the feed tube 32 for the spray head 13.

Each spray unit 12 has its feed tube 32 suitably connected via a union 32a to a feed conduit 33, e.g., by means of flexible hoses shown diagrammatically at 36 in Figs.5 and 6. The conduit 33 is connected to the pump 16.

A suitable screen 34 separates the pump 16, motor 26 and associated electrical equipment from the spraying area indicated at 40 in Fig.4.

The pump 16 is high pressure low delivery type capable of delivering around 90 litres per minute at e.g., 130 bar. With a pump of this type high pressure jets of fluid can be sprayed against the underside of the vehicle whilst oscillating the spray heads so that even stubborn soiling is dislodged.

Fig.8 is a plan view of a cleaning installation for cleaning the underside of a vehicle indicated at 50.

The vehicle 50 runs along a roadway or trackway 52 in which the pit 2 is formed. As it approaches the grating 27 in direction A, the vehicle passes a sensor 53 which may comprise an infra red switching arrangement which switches on the pump 16 and the motor 26. The spray heads 13 then begin to oscillate and direct jets of fluid upwardly through apertures 17.

The vehicle is driven over the grating and the sensor 53 senses when the rear R of the vehicle 50 has moved past it. A timer 54 then operates to ensure that the motor 26 and pump 16 continue to operate for a given period to give time for the remaining underside of the vehicle to be cleaned before the motor and pump are switched off.

A suitable drain point or pump can be provided for emptying the pit 2 of cleaning fluid which drains therein from the roadway or trackway 52.

Claims (23)

1. Cleaning apparatus for cleaning the underside of a vehicle, the cleaning apparatus comprising a fixed mounting, a spray unit on the fixed mounting, a spray head on the spray unit which, in use, is connected to a supply of fluid, the spray head enabling a jet of fluid from the spray head to be delivered upwardly against the underside of the vehicle for cleaning, and means for oscillating the spray head during delivery of the jet of fluid.

2. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 1 in which a plurality of units is positioned side by side at spaced apart intervals.

3. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 2 in which the means for oscillating the.spray heads oscillates the spray heads of the units simultaneously.

4. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 3 in which each of the units includes a radial arm to which drive from the means for oscillating each spray head is drivably connected.

5. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 4 in which the arms of the units are interconnected by connection means so that they move simultaneously.

6. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 5 in which the connection means comprises rigid rod means.

7. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 6 in which the means for oscillating the spray heads is connected by a rigid rod to the arm of one spray unit and the arm of said one spray unit is connected by a further rigid rod to the arm of a second spray unit.

8. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 6 in which the rigid rods are connected to the arm one each side of the rigid arm.

9. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 6, 7 or 8 in which adjustment means is provided for connecting each rigid rod to a said radial arm.

10. Cleaning apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 9 in which the plurality of spray units is arranged in a row and the spray head of the spray unit at each end of the row has a notional bisector of its angle of oscillation which is inclined outwardly.

11. Cleaning apparatus according to any preceding Claim in which a plurality of the spray units is mounted on a common support to form a prefabricated unit.

12. Cleaning apparatus according to any preceding Claim in which the common support comprises a frame having an upper section which is supported in use by an edge of a pit and a lower section on which a plurality of the spray units is mounted so as to be positioned within the pit.

13. Cleaning apparatus according to Claim 12 in which the upper section supports a grating through which the jet of fluid is directed.

14. Cleaning apparatus according to any preceding Claim in which the means for oscillating the spray head is positioned remote from the spray unit.

15. A cleaning installation for a vehicle, the installation including cleaning apparatus according to any preceding Claim and a surface on which the vehicle can travel through the installation relative to the cleaning apparatus.

16. A cleaning installation according to Claim 15 in which a pit is formed beneath the level of the surface, and a plurality of the spray units is positioned in the pit, the units being spaced apart transversely of the direction of travel of the vehicle through the installation.

17. A cleaning installation according to Claim 15 in which a grating is provided across the spray units and aperture means is provided in the grating through which spray from the spray heads of the units can be directed.

18. A cleaning installation according to Claim 15, 16 or 17 in which the spray units are carried by a common support which locates on an edge of the pit.

19. A cleaning installation according to Claim 16, 17 or 18 in which the pit is elongate and the means for oscillating the spray heads is arranged adjacent one end of the pit.

20. A cleaning installation according to Claim 18 in which proximity sensor means is provided for switching on a pump for pumping fluid to the spray units and the oscillating means and which is operated by an approaching vehicle.

21. A cleaning installation according to any of Claims 15 to 20 in which a time delay device is provided to control a switch off time for the pump and oscillating means.

22. Cleaning apparatus for cleaning the underside of a vehicle constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A cleaning installation including cleaning apparatus according to Claim 22.