GB2270456A

GB2270456A - Device for simultaneously washing and drying up large animals.

Info

Publication number: GB2270456A
Application number: GB9319075A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Massimo Cucchi; Ivo Zapparoli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-09-15
Filing date: 1993-09-15
Publication date: 1994-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-09-15
Also published as: GB9319075D0; GB2270456B; ITMO920121A1; ITMO920121A0; FR2695538B3; DE9313725U1; FR2695538A3

Abstract

The device of the present invention is used for simultaneously washing, and drying the skin and/or hair of large animals, e.g. horses, cattle. It comprises a water supply circuit by which water, possibly including addition agents, is delivered, to washing gun 22 and a turbine 1, capable of sucking via dose 10 the water delivered by the washing gun of the water supply circuit, and all the dirt removed by the washing gun, the turbine also producing and blowing hot air, through nozzle 8 in order to dry the washed parts. <IMAGE>

Description

Device for simultaneously washing and drying up large animals.

The present invention relates to a device whose function is to clean and simultaneously dry up large animals needing such a treatment, for example: - horses in the stables and riding grounds; - animals in the zoos (public, of a circus, etc.), for instance: zebras, giraffes, elephants etc. besides horses.

Furthermore, it may serve to clean, disinfest and dry up floors and walls inside rooms where animals are living, but also habitations or industrial rooms.

In the present state of the Art, it doesn't appear that mechanical devices are known, used for cleaning and simultaneously dry up large animals, but on the other hand there exist devices for cleaning and simultaneously suck water, employed for cleaning moquettes and/or floors.

These known devices are not suitable for cleaning and drying up large animals, because they lack specific features.

The present invention aims to provide a mechanical device which allows to perform, as a main object, the cleaning and simultaneous drying of large animals, and as a second object, the cleaning, the disinfesting and the drying of floors and walls of rooms which shelter the animals.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a device comprising: - a water supply circuit comprising means for the linking to a water supply source; a mixer of addition agents; possibly a pump to keep constant the flow rate and pressure; a washing gun for the delivery of liquid; an airflow circuit divided into two parts: a) an intake part comprising hoses and/or interchangeable brushes mounted on a suction duct; a tank for collecting the dirty liquid and all the other impurities being sucked; a turbine for vacuum generation; b) a drying part comprising an emission opening shaped as a frustum of cone, delivering hot air; an eventual electric air heater; a turbine for generating and conveying hot air to the emission opening.

The suction or intake duct and the blowing or drying duct may be inserted on a hose of the type disclosed in the Italian Patent Application MO A 91 000148 including the names of the present applicants, not yet filed in GB, by means of which, by employing also the washing gun, the following operations may be performed at the same time: delivery of water in a definite amount and pressure for cleaning; simultaneous suction of the liquid; drying by means of a hot-air jet.

Additionals and other means completing the features necessary to obtain the aimed object, may be included.

The good outcome of the operation consists in: - moving along and on the skin of the animal an apparatus which sprays liquid, absorbs it immediately, dries the skin and hair, leaving after its passage a clean and dry trail; - the repetition, as a constancy of cleanness and drying; - avoiding to wet all around and particularly the floor; - the rapidity of performance.

These results are achieved by employing the device of the present invention.

The features of the invention and its advantages will be better realized by means of the following description, which is done with reference to the annexed drawings, the latter being provided only for illustrative and hot limitative purposes, wherein: - Fig. 1 schematically shows a possible arrangement of the main members which make up the device of the present invention; - Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the circuit of the water supply system; - Figs. 3 and 4 schematically show two setups of the airflow circuit system (intake of air and emission of hot air); - Figs. 5 and 6 show possible arrangements of mixers of additives for the water supply system; - Fig. 7 shows a possible solution for a coupling allowing a quick replacement of hoses, brushes, etc. to be fitted on the suction duct; - Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show different forms of the quick replacement coupling;; - Fig. 11 shows a possible realization of how to append pipes and hoses by means of a commercial balancer.

In the various figures, the same alphanumeric reference characters, indicate the same parts or elements.

With reference to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates a known turbine actuated by an electric motor, which sucks air from the opening 2 and delivers it centrifugated and heated, through the opening 3. Numeral 4 indicates a tank or container provided with a cover 5 and an interposed filter 6. The suction or intake opening 2 of the turbine 1 is connected to a pipe 7 located on one side of the tank 4, whereas the blowing opening 3 is connected, by means of a tube 8, to the pipe union 9 shaped like a frustum of a cone, and from the latter hot air is ejected (as happens with a "hairdryer"). This air is hot as it is centrifuged by the turbine 1.

In none of the known devices (floor-cleaners, moquettescleaners, etc.) hot air is used, which is expelled by a turbine ; in all such devices, hot air is dispersed in the surrounding atmosphere.

WO 93/06719 of the present applicants discloses a device which uses as a phon the hot air produced by a turbine, in the form of a table for the toilet of cats and dogs.

The intake duct 11 is connected to the cover 5 of the tank 4, and at the other end of the former, an adequate hose 10 is fitted. By starting the turbine 1, air is sucked through the hose 10; the air enters the tank 4, passes through the filter 6, and gets out of the tank 4 via the pipe 7, it then enters the turbine casing where it is centrifugated and ejected by means of the tube 8 and pipe union 9.

The turbine 1; the tank 4 and whatever needs to be contained in a suitable structure, are enclosed in a shaped housing 12 provided with suitable openings which are closed by doors, in order to allow the introduction or removal of said components (in particular of tank 4) for cleanness and maintenance.

The air-flow circuit is better illustrated in the diagrammatical views of Figs. 3 and 4, in which reference is made also to the following features: - in both pipe and tube 7-8, a deflector 13-14 (or threeway valve) is provided having the function to leave out part of the line. For example: in Fig. 4 the deflector 13 is positioned in such a way that the turbine 1 sucks air directly from the atmosphere (hose 10 and tank 4 have been left aside), and that for the purpose of increasing the flow rate and pressure of the air at the exit of the "hairdryer" 9; - a coupling 15 for guick replacement having two functions: 1) quick replacement of different types of hoses, brushes, and other fittings for the suction of air; 2) allowing the rotation of the various fittings 10 on the duct 11 (hoses; brushes; etc.); - an eventual heater 16 of the air, comprising a housing containing electric resistances, crossed by the air coming from the turbine 1.

This may be useful if the temperature of the air coming from the turbine 1 is not sufficiently high.

The device of the present invention comprises also a water supply circuit whose components, indicated in the schematical drawing of Fig. 2, are: - a connector 17 allowing the connection to a water supply system (network); - a drainage tap 18 (or three-way valve) which discharges pressure and liquid after the end of the operations; - a mixer 19 for mixing addition agents to the water, said mixer 19 being of a known type, and the containers 20 of the product to be added to the water being interchangeable; - an eventual pump 21. This pump 21 will be included only if a fixed flow-rate and/or pressure of the delivered liquid must be guaranteed; - a manually controlled washing gun 22.

The washing gun 22 and the hose 10 for the suction of air, are linked to each other and their dimensions are chosen in such a way that: by letting the hose adhere to the skin of the animal to be washed, and displacing it in the direction of the arrow F1 of Fig. 1, the liquid sprayed by the washing gun 22 washes the skin and/or hair of the animal, removing the dirt, and this will be immediately sucked by the hose 10, finally reaching the tunk 4.

The strip-like path on the animal surface along which the hose has been displaced, will be clean and sufficiently dry. By doing so on the whole animal's surface, it will be perfectly cleaned.

If the hose 10 is of the type disclosed in the already mentioned patent Application No. WO 93/06719, and is connected both to the suction as to the blowing duct, and if it is linked to the washing gun 22, on its passage along the animal's surface, besides cleaning the skin and/or hair of the animal, it will also dry up the latter in a single passage. Using this device, the animals can be washed also in a closed room and during the winter, because the sprayed water will be immediately sucked so that is will have no negative influence on the animal and neither the floor nor the operator will be wetted.

The known moquettes-cleaners and floor-cleaners also employ a washing gun 22, a hose 10 and a turbine; they are different from the present device in that: - they have: a similar type of washing gun 22, hose 10 and turbine 1; a water tank (with a possible addition of additives) which is enclosed in the shaped casing of the device, so that the autonomy of operation depends on the volume of said tank; a pump 21 - they are not provided with: a direct connection 17 to the water supply system (network) which ensures an unlimited autonomy of operation; a drainage tap 18; a mixer allowing a rapid replacement of the type of product to be mixed to the water; a quick replacement rotation coupling 15 which allows, besides a quick and easy replacement of the implement used, also the possibility of easily adhering to every part of animal's surface; the whole assembly (8-9-16) for hot air; the three-way valves 13.

The mixer 19 may be of any known type.

Fig. 5 schematically shows a mixer operating according to the Venturi principle, whereas Fig. 6 schematically shows an electromagnetically actuated metering valve (solenoid valve).

Fig. 7 shows a possible embodiment of a quick replacement coupling 15, wherein: the handgrip of the hose 10 is introduced inside one end of the body 15, said handgrip being held in position inside body 15 by means of three small balls 23 located in a groove 25 of semicircular cross section obtained in the handgrip, said balls 23 being housed in radial holes obtained in the body 15, a sleeve 24 axially slidable externally with respect to body 15 helds the balls 23 inside the groove 25, preventing the hose 10 from being extracted, allowing nevertheless its 360 e rotation inside body 15; said sleeve 24 is held in position (as shown in Fig. 7) by a spring 26 and by a safety spring ring 27 located in a groove obtained in the body 15.By axially displacing the sleeve 24 until the groove 28 is aligned with the balls 23, it is possible to extract and replace the hose 10 with another implement. An 0-ring 29 eliminates the passage of air. The end 32 of the body 15 is screwed up (or connected in another way) to the intake duct 11. Said end 32 may also have other shapes if the quickreplacement coupling is to be fixed to flat or curved walls (Figs. 8, 9 10).

If the groove 25 obtained in the handgrip of the hose is limited in its angular extension, also the rotation of the hose with respect to and on the body 15 will be restricted.

If the groove 25 is not provided, and only spherical recesses are present instead of it, the hose can be replaced but it will not be rotatable.

By considering the dimension of the animals on which the object of the present invention is to be employed, it will be necessary, for a more comfortable use of the implements (hoses, brushes, etc.), that the latter are appended by means of a known balancer. This application may be realized in different ways; the solution shown in Fig. 11 will be an example thereof, and it is formed by an "elbow-type" arm 30 which supports the balancer 31.

The "elbow type" arm 30 may be mounted on the housing 12 in a rigid or rotatable manner.

Another solution may consist in avoiding to employ the "elbow-type" arm, appending instead the balancer directly to the ceiling or to a truck movable along a monorail attached to the ceiling. Obviously the present invention is not limited to constructive details, shown and/or explained in the present description, for example: it is possible to employ two turbines, one for sucking air and the other for producing and blowing hot air; and it is also possible to use any type of a known coupling, allowing a quick replacement and the rotation of hoses, brushes, etc.

Claims

1. Device for washing and simultaneously drying up large animals, as horses, cattle, and other breeding animals or animals kept in zoological gardens, having the function of washing, disinfesting and drying up the skin and/or hair of the animals, operating in extremely hygienical conditions, being characterized in that it comprises: - a water supply circuit including: a connector for the connection to the water supply system, a drainage tap, a mixer to add addition agents to the water, an eventual pump an a washing gun manually operated; - an air-flow or air circulation circuit, including: a) in the intake or suction part, an interchangeable implement fitted on an intake duct, said implement being a suction hose a brush or the like; a quick replacement coupling for said implement; a tank with a filter for collecting dirty water and any impurity removed from the animal's skin and/or hair; an eventual three-way valve; a turbine provided with a motor; b) in the part on the exit side with respect to said turbine: a pipe union shaped like a frustum of a cone; an eventual air heater; an eventual three-way valve; ducts and pipes and additionals like elbow-type arms; balancers and the like, in order to facilitate the use of the device.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said drainage tap has the function to discharge the water supply circuit from pressure and liquid.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said mixer is of a known type and possibly of a type in which a container of additives can be replaced.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pump, of a known type, is used to provide a constant water flow-rate and pressure, if it is of a type with constant flow-rate and pressure, or allows the adjstument of pressure and/or flow rate, if it is of a type with variable flow-rate and/or pressure.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said washing gun for delivering water is of a known type, is manually operated (as for instance its opening and closing operations), and has an interchangeable nozzle.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said turbine provided with a motor, is of a known type, and generates an air flow with a sufficient head in order to allow also the intake of liquids.

7. Device according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that said turbine is used: a) in the suction part of the device: for sucking from the skin and/or hair of the animal the water delivered by said washing gun; the dirt removed by the water; detached hairs and everything present on the surface of the animal's body; - for collecting inside said tank all what is sucked from the skin and/or hair of the animal; b) in the blowing part of the device: to blow out of said pipe union, shaped like a frustum of a cone, the hot air provided by the centrifugation, using it as a "hairdryer"

7. Device according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that said turbine is used: a) in the suction part of the device: for sucking from the skin and/or hair of the animal the water delivered by said washing gun; the dirt removed by the water; detached hairs and everything present on the surface of the animal's body; - for collecting inside said tank all what is sucked from the skin and/or hair of the animal; b) in the blowing part of the device: to blow out of said pipe union, shaped like a frustum of a cone, the hot air provided by the centrifugation, using it as a "hairdryer" in order to complete the drying of the animal's hair and its most delicate parts.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said implement is: - a suction hose of any shape and dimension; - a brush of any type, dimension and shape, provided with an intake opening; - a brush or a hose of a known type according to their structure, dimension, and use, but provided with an adequate handgrip, to be inserted in a quick replacement coupling.

9. Device according to claims 1 and 8, characterized in that said quick replacement coupling, of any known shape, allows a quick replacement of hoses and brushes and a free rotation of 360 , after they have been mounted.

10. Device according to claims 1 and 8, characterized in that said quick replacement coupling, being of any known shape, allows quick replacement of hoses and brushes and their rotation about a restricted angle, after they have been mounted.

11. Device according to claims 1 and 8, characterized in that said quick replacement coupling, being of any known shape, allows quick replacement of hoses and brushes, but not their rotation.

12. Device according to claims 1, 8, 9, 10 and 11, characterized in that the shape, the type and the dimension of the rear part of the body of said quick replacement coupling, depends on the object to which it is to be attached, and said rear part may comprise an inner or outer threading; a hole shaped like a frustum of a cone or an outer part shaped like a frustum of a cone; a flat or semicircular flange, or the like.

13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said tank provided with a filter is of any known type for instance of the type used in the known moquettes-cleaners.

14. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said three way valves or flow deflectors, are of a known type and have the function of by-passing a part of the air-flow circuit, that is said pipe or said air blowing pipe.

15. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pipe union shaped like a frustum of a cone is of a known type used in a "hairdryer" to concentrate the flow of hot air, in this case, the flow coming from said turbine.

16. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said air heater is formed by known "sleeves" provided along the line incorporating electric resistances having the function to increase the temperature of the air crossing them.

17. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said turbine, said tank, and the electric control means are enclosed by a shaped housing, possibly provided with wheels in order to facilitate its displacement, and with doors in order to allow cleaning and maintenance.

18. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipes and ducts extending out of the shaped housing (suction or intake duct, hot-air blowing pipe and water supply pipe to the washing gun) carrying at one of their ends the hose, the pipe union and the washing gun respectively, are appended to commercial balancers supported by "elbow-type" arms mounted on said shaped housing.

19. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said turbine is replaced by two turbines, wherein one of them is used for sucking air, and the other one for blowing hot air.

20. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that by connecting the water supply circuit to a mixer of warm/lukewarm water, lukewarm water may be delivered on the animal's body, or anyway water having any desired temperature.

21. A device for washing and simultaneously drying large animals substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows: 1. Device for washing and simultaneously drying up large animals, as horses, cattle, and other breeding animals or animals kept in zoological gardens, having the function of washing, disinfesting and drying up the skin and/or hair of the animals, operating in extremely hygienical conditions, being characterized in that it comprises: - a water supply circuit including: a connector for the connection to the water supply system, a drainage tap, a mixer to add addition agents to the water, an eventual pump and a washing gun manually operated; - an air-flow or air circulation circuit, including: a) in the intake or suction part, an interchangeable implement fitted on an intake duct, said implement being a suction hose a brush or the like; a quick replacement coupling for said implement; a tank with a filter for collecting dirty water and any impurity removed from the animal's skin and/or hair; an eventual three-way valve; a turbine provided with a motor; b) in the part on the exit side with respect to said turbine: a pipe union shaped like a frustum of a cone; an eventual air heater; an eventual three-way valve; ducts and pipes and additionals like elbow-type arms; balancers and the like, in order to facilitate the use of the device.