GB2358346A

GB2358346A - Vehicle Washer

Info

Publication number: GB2358346A
Application number: GB0001074A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Maurice Carter
Original assignee: WASH SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: WASH SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-18
Filing date: 2000-01-18
Publication date: 2001-07-25
Also published as: GB0001074D0

Abstract

A vehicle washer comprising a grating for supporting a vehicle being driven through the washer for washing; a system of jet nozzles 5 for spraying water onto the vehicle passing over the grating; a sump 1 below the grating for receiving wash water and entrained soil; a water circulation system including a water pump (6) for circulating water from the sump and pumping it to the jet nozzles; and a mud pump (21) for pumping mud from the sump. The sump slopes down to a low point for the mud to be drawn from and has two sections, a first section below the grating sloping laterally of it and a second section sloping longitudinally of the grating, and abutting the first section. An inlet to the mud pump is at the lowest level of the sump and an inlet (7) to the water circulation system is at a higher level in the sump, such that a deposit of mud can build up in the sump beneath the water circulation inlet, for routine emptying of the mud. The circulation system includes a settling tank for water drawn from the sump and a reservoir to which water from the settling tank is returned and from which it is pumped to the jet nozzles.

Description

2358346 VEHICLE WASHER The present Invention relates to a washer for a

vehicle, in particular but not exclusively, a lorry.

Increasingly environmental legislation, inspired by the need to keep roads safe, has required that lorries transporting topsoil, subsoil, sand, gravel, stone, rock, ballast and the like - herein collectively referred to as "soil" - be washed prior to travelling on public roads.

It is known to provide systems which wash lorries by running them through what is in effect a ford. It Is also known to provide systems for spraying lorries to wash soil off them. The washed off soil is referred to herein as "mud", even although it may include stones.

A problem with such systems is that they usually employ a lagoon or sump from which water is drawn and to which the water and washed-off soil drains back. The soil accumulates as mud in the sump, however big this is. Then there comes a point when it must be emptied of the mud. Traditionally this is done by removing grids or gratings on which the lorries drive and digging out the mud. This is no light job and typically has to be done with a back hoe machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle washer having a built-in soil remover.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle washer comprising:

a grating for supporting a vehicle being driven through the washer for washing; a system of jet nozzles for spraying water onto the vehicle passing over the grating, 0 a sump below the grating for receiving wash water and entrained soil; a water circulation system including a water pump for circulating water from the sump and pumping it to the jet nozzles; and a mud pump for pumping mud from the sump.

2 Preferably, the sump slopes down to a low point for the mud to be drawn from. In the preferred embodiment, the sump has two sections, one below the gratiln 3 sloping laterally of it and the other sloping longitudinally alongside the one. This provides a particularly compact arrangement for directing the mud to the mud purnp.

Preferably, an inlet to the mud pump is at the lowest level of the sump and in i inlet to the water circulation system is at a higher level in the sump, whereby a depi t of mud can build up in the sump beneath the water circulation inlet, prior to routine!, emptying of the mud. Conveniently, the circulation system includes a settling tanki, for settling mud from water drawn from the sump and a reservoir to which water Eroi r the settling tank is returned and from which it is pumped to the jet nozzles, Preferably, further agitation and sump cleaning jets are provided. Where the sump is of two sections, a first set of these nozzles is directed for washing down tli( sloping bottom of the first section of the sump as it is emptied and the second set is directed down to fluidise the mud and render it easier to pump. 1 In the preferred embodiment, the washer is a self-contained unit requiring on, installation in an excavation, whence it can be removed if necessary when the site where it was installed is no longer in use.

To help understanding of the invention a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a lorry passing through a washer of the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the washer of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional front view on the line H1-HI in Figure 2 of the washer; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view on the line IV4V in Figure 2 of the washer.

Referring to the drawings, the washer thereshown has a water and mud sunip 1 of plate steel, suitably reinforced 2. A grating 3, supported by bearers 31 attached le 3 the reinforcements, is provided over the sump for vehicles, in particularly a lorry L, to be driven across for washing. The washing is effected by jets 4 of water from nozzles 5 in pipe runs 51 arranged below the grating and to its sides. As is conventional, the nozzles are set up primarily to wash the wheels of the lorry.

The washing system is largely conventional, and includes a pump 6 with an inlet 7 set towards the top of the water W normally held in the sump. The pump pumps the water to a multi-weir settlement tank 8, in which the water is flowed over a series of weirs 91 with interspersed baffles 92, beneath which the water passes. From this tank, the water passes via a drain 93 to reservoir tank 10 arranged below the settlement tank via an overflow. A nozzle feed pump 11 and line 12 draws water fi---ornthe reservoir and pressurises it in the pipe runs 51 for production of the jets 4.

The features just described are substantially conventional, with the exception of the provision of the sump as a self-contained structure able to be set up in an excavation. In accordance with the invention, a mud pump 21 is provided with an inlet 22 towards the bottom of the sump, for pumping accumulated mud M from the sump. Normally, the mud will settle, leaving a top layer of at least reasonably clear water above itself. The washing water inlet 7 is arranged in this top layer.

The grating 3 is in effect a pair of gratings 13,14 with a walkway 15 between them, all extending in the direction D of the lorry's travel through the washer. The base 16 of the sump slopes cc laterally of the grating to direct wash water W and in particular the mud M failing into the sump to one side S. Here it falls over a weir 17, whose height varies along the length of the washer. The base 18 of this mud collection section 19 of the sump slopes to one end - causing variable height of the weir. At the lower end, the mud pump has its inlet 22.

Additionally to the lorry-washing jet nozzles 5, sump-washing nozzles 23, 24 are provided in a sump washing line 25, fed from the reservoir via a separate pump 26. During emptying of the sump, the sump washing nozzles 23 wash deposited mud offthe sloping base of the first section and over the weir 17. At the second, collection section, which slopes P towards the pump inlet, first ones 241 of the nozzles at the 4 upstream end of the slope wash the mud down the slope, particularly when the sutlil is close to being empty. Second ones 242 of the nozzles arranged along the side 21 f the collection section opposite from the lorry washing section, are directed down to agitate and fluidise the mud which has settled at the bottom of the sump, so that itc be pumped out.

During pump-out of the sump, water is drawn by the pump 26 from the reservoir 10, but not the settlement tank 8. Normally there will be more than enou'g i water in the reservoir for fluidisation and wash down of the sump during its pump c A.

The reservoir is provided with a mains supply (not shown) for its refilling. The effluent E from the sump can be piped away for settlement as required.

If the settlement tank requires flushing of mud, this is achieved by opening drain cock 28, which empties the last partition upstream of the last weir. The other weirs have small gaps 29 beneath them so that settled mud can flow out along the bottom of the tank when the cock is open. The gaps are much smaller than the heac above the other weirs, determined by the height of the last weir.

For ready installation and removal of the washer, the sump is of unitary construction, both sections being included in the one unit, which can be set either 0' 1 the ground with ramps for the lorries to drive up and down, in and out of the washe However, it is preferred as shown to set the unit in an excavation, with its top flush with the ground so that no ramps are required. The reservoir and the settlement tgn 4 are a separable superimposed unit supported on an extension 201 of the reinforei framework of the sump.

Claims

1. A vehicle washer comprising:

a grating for supporting a vehicle being driven through the washer for washing; a a system of jet nozzles for spraying water onto the vehicle passing over the grating; a sump below the grating for receiving wash water and entrained soil; a water circulation system including a water pump for circulating water from the sump and pumping it to the jet nozzles; and a mud pump for pumping mud from the sump.

2. A vehicle washer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sump slopes down to a low point for the mud to be drawn from.

3. A vehicle washer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sump has two sections, one below the grating sloping laterally of it and the other sloping longitudinally alongside the one.

4. A vehicle washer as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising an inlet to the mud pump at the lowest level of the sump and an inlet to the water circulation system at a higher level in the sump, whereby a deposit of mud can build up in the sump beneath the water circulation inlet, prior to routine emptying of the mud.

5. A vehicle washer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the circulation system includes a settling tank for settling mud from water drawn from the sump and a reservoir to which water from the settling tank is returned and from which it is pumped to the jet nozzles

6. A vehicle washer as claimed in any preceding claim, including further agitation and sump cleaning jets.

7. A vehicle washer as claimed in claim 6 as appendant to claim 3, further including a first set of these nozzles is directed for washing down the sloping bottom of the first section of the sump as it is emptied and the second set is directed down to fluidise the mud and render it easier to pump.

8. A vehicle washer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the washer is a self-contained unit requiring only installation in an excavation, whence it can be removed if necessary when the site where it was installed is no longer in use.

6

9. A vehicle washer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.