GB2368871A

GB2368871A - Pressure washing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2368871A
Application number: GB0127054A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edgardo Mariani
Original assignee: SIMMM ENGINEERING Srl
Current assignee: SIMMM ENGINEERING Srl
Priority date: 2000-11-10
Filing date: 2001-11-12
Publication date: 2002-05-15
Also published as: ITMI20000639U1; IT250461Y1; FR2816645A1; DE10155342A1; GB0127054D0

Abstract

A pressure washing apparatus for cleaning large or small surface areas comprises a washing cap 11 having at least one pressurised water supplying nozzle 14 communicating with the cap, and a suction outlet 16 coupled to a water and dirt outlet pipe 12. Water is fed to the nozzle or nozzles 14 from a reservoir via a high pressure pump (fig 1, 6) and through a feed pipe 9. This water can be optionally heated by the heater (fig 1, 20) coupled to the pump. The outlet pipe 12 extends from the washing cap to a suction assembly (fig 1, 4) which comprises one or more solid particle restraining filters (fig 1, 17) and the water reservoir (fig 1, 7). The water supply to the cap body is controlled by a mechanism on the handle (fig 1, 10).

Description

PRESSURE WASHING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the pressure washing of large or small surfaces, such as urban squares, yards, parking areas, industrial areas or roads.

It is known to wash and clean large surfaces such as urban square and roads by tank vehicles from which tt. gh pressure water jets are ejected to wash the surfaces to be cleaned.

A drawback of said large-surface washing tank vehicles is that, in addition to being very expensive, they discharge the used washing water into the sewage system, and th'. s water cannot be recycled.

Moreover, in using tank vehicles the surfaces to be cleaned are disadvantageously covered by a layer of water, with consequential problems for passers-by and the system or vehicle operator.

Thus, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-disclosed drawbacks affecting prior art washing systems and to provide an apparatus for cleaning large surfaces, e. g. urban squares, roads, etc. , which is very compact and provides a very efficient cleaning with a great water saving, and this without requiring to use an expensive tank vehicle.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pressure washing apparatus comprising a cap body arranged to bear against a surface to be cleaned, and at least one pressurised water supplying nozzle communicating with said cap body, with said cap body having a suction outlet coupled to a water and dirt outlet pipe.

With an apparatus having the above features, the cap can be easily arranged on the surface or on a floor to be cleaned, to form an enclosed space to which high pressure water is supplied, while the used washing water, together with the solid dirt particles detached and entrained thereby, can simultaneously be evacuated through the suction outlet.

The pressure-''ashing apparatus of the present invention

will now be described c. nid illustrated in mors detail hy reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof which is shewn in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows the structural elements of the pressure washing apparatus ; and Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-seccional view showing the cleaning or washing cap with the water jet supplying nozzle and suction outlet.

As shown in Fig. 1 the pressure washing apparatus of the present invention, generally indicated by 1, comprises a source of electrical current 2 which is actuated, in a manner known per se, by an internal combustion engine (not shown).

From the current source 2 extends a first power line 3 supplying an A. C. electric current, advantageously of a single-phase 230V type or 380 V type, to a suction assembly 4, which in turn includes an electric motor for generating a negative pressure.

From the current source 2 there also extends a second power line 5 for supplying electric current to a pump 6, advantageously a high pressure pump.

A heating means 20 to heat the supplied water is coupled to the pump 6.

The suction assembly 4 is supplied with a volume of

water 7 for cleaning purposes.

From the suction assembly 4 extends a pipe 8 conveying water in the direction of the arrow (f) to the high pressure pump 6.

From the high pressure pump 6 extends a pipe 9, advantageously passing through a handle 10 operatively coupled to a washing cor 11, for supplying pressurised water to the inside of the cap 11.

From the cap 11 extends a further pipe 12 which advantageously comprises a resilient tube and through which the washing water is sucked from the cap 11 in order to return it in the direction of the arrow (g) to the suction assembly 4.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the washing cap 11, which bears tightly against a surface 13 to be cleaned, the dirt to be cleaned off being indicated at 18.

As shown, the cap 11 is fitted with one or more nozzles 14 to supply high pressure water jets 15 to the internal chamber of the cap 11.

The nozzle 14 is operatively coupled to the pipe 9 which is shown by broken lines. The nozzle 14 is thus fed by the pump 6 with water, heated or unheated, under high pressure.

Fig. 2 also shows that the cap 11 comprises a suction outlet 16 coupled to the return pipe 12 which in turn is connected to the suction assembly 4.

Advantageously, the suction assembly 4 is provided internally with one or more filters 17, as shown in Fig. 1, for catching solid particles 18 sucked through the suction outlet 16.

The apparatus operates as follows. The current source

2 supplies electric current to the driving motors (not shown) of the suction assembly 4 and the pump 6, and also to the water heating device 20.

The pump 6 draws water through the pipe 8 in the direction of the arrow (f) and supplies the water to the nozzle or nozzles 14 coupled to the washing cap 11.

As is shown in Fig. 2 particles 18 derived from the dirt on the floor 13 are drawn up to the suction outlet 16 and pass through pipe 12 to the suction assembly 4, with its filter 17.

The returned water passes through the filter 17 and can be re-used for a new cleaning operation, while the solid particles are restrained by the filter 17.

Claims

CLAIMS : 1. A pressure washing apparatus comprising a cap body arranged to bear against a surface to be cleaned, and at least one pressurised water supplying nozzle communicating

with said cap body, with said cap body having a suction outlet coupled to a water and dirt outlet pipe.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said at least one nozzle is coupled to a water supply pipe arranged to be supplied with water by a high pressure pump, said pump having an input feed pipe coupled to a water reservoir.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said suction outlet of said cap body is coupled to a pipe extending to said water reservoir.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or'3, in which said water reservoir includes a solid particle restraining filter.
5. Apparatus according to claim 2,3 or 4, in which said high pressure pump is coupled to a heating device for heating water supplied to said cap body.
6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which said cap body comprises an actuating handle operatively coupled to said washing water supply pipe.
7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the used cleaning water runs through a closed system.
8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the cleaning water is fed to the cap under high pressure and the water together with solid particles is removed from the cap by suction.
9. Pressure washing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.