US20160017619A1

US20160017619A1 - Building Cleaning System

Info

Publication number: US20160017619A1
Application number: US14/335,818
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel Pitbladdo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-07-20
Filing date: 2014-07-18
Publication date: 2016-01-21

Abstract

A cleaning device to be used on vertical surfaces such as windows that includes a horizontal row or number of horizontal rows of pressure washing nozzles. The nozzles are to be aimed at the surface to be cleaned and so protrude orthogonally from a horizontal pipe. The pipe is to be supported with a structure such as tubing or truss and winched or otherwise pulled up and down the surface of the building. A stability system can be provided to tension the guide cables that guide the cleaning device while constraining excessive horizontal movement of the stability system.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/856,684 filed Jul. 20, 2013 and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/021,502 filed on Jul. 7, 2014 the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cleaning devices. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of cleaning the sides and/or windows of buildings.

BACKGROUND

There are various manned and unmanned window cleaning systems for multi-storey buildings. Many of the unmanned systems are complex and heavy systems that are not readily adaptable for different building systems. What is required is an improved building cleaning system.
One issue to consider is the stability of a window cleaning system, in particular in windy conditions. Wind stability systems are requisite for all high-rise window cleaning systems, but current wind stability systems generally require a human to either hook or suction cup themselves or their scaffolding hoist lines to the sides of a building. Some buildings are built with rigid means such as channels to continuously stabilize window cleaning systems, but such solutions are building specific and have no portability. Vertical tension lines have been used as a solution but have been traditionally unsafe due to their design, in particular with regard to tensioning the line. Previous designs include either anchoring a line at the top and the bottom of the building or anchoring a line at the top of the building and attaching it to a weight resting on the ground at the bottom of the building. The former design suffers from the fact that a modest side force applied to the midpoint of the line can produce great forces at the anchors. The latter design suffers from the fact that a side force applied to the midpoint of the line could lift the weight at the bottom and cause it to swing, endangering people at the bottom of the building.
Thus, what is also required is an improved system for providing stability to a window cleaning system.

SUMMARY OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Advantages of One or More Embodiments of the Present Invention

The various embodiments of the present invention may, but do not necessarily, achieve one or more of the following advantages:
the ability to provide a portable building cleaning apparatus;
provide a cleaning device that contains fewer moving parts, is lighter (per given cleaning capacity), and is more compactable for transport;
provide a cleaning device that is stable, in particular in high winds.
These and other advantages may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract.

Brief Description of One Embodiment of the Present Invention

In one embodiment, there is provided a cleaning apparatus for buildings. A pipe may be supported by a pipe structure and raised and lowered along the side of a building by a lifting arrangement. The pipe may receive a supply of fluid from a hose and spray the building through nozzles in the pipe structure. At least one guide cable may be fed through at least one aperture on the cleaning system.
In one embodiment, there is provided a cleaning apparatus including pipe means for spraying water onto a vertical building surface, support means for horizontally supporting the pipe means, lift means for lifting the support means up and down the outside of the vertical building surface, and guide means disposed on at least one point of the support means for guiding the support structure in vertical movement.
In one embodiment, there is provided a stability system for tensioning a cable of a building cleaning system. The stability system may include a frame; at least one tensioning weight adapted to connect at a bottom end of a cable and hang on the cable to tension the cable; and a constraint system adapted to operatively engage the tensioning weight to allow movement of the tensioning weight while constraining a limit of the movement of the tensioning weight.
The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of one embodiment of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 substantially depicts a view of a cleaning apparatus viewed from the surface that is to be cleaned.

FIG. 2 substantially depicts an overall view of the apparatus and its rigging, viewed from outside the building.

FIG. 3 substantially depicts a side view of the apparatus and its interface with the rigging.

FIG. 4 substantially depicts a bird's eye view of the system at work

FIG. 5 substantially depicts a bird's eye view of five sections of the system at work with some nozzles plugged.

FIG. 6 substantially depicts a bird's eye view of the system cleaning a building with oddly shaped corners.

FIG. 7 substantially depicts a view of a different embodiment of the invention viewed from the surface that is to be cleaned.

FIG. 8 substantially depicts a front view of a protection means.

FIG. 9 substantially depicts a top view of the protection means

FIG. 10 is substantially a perspective view of a stability system.

FIG. 11 substantially depicts the wheels within the guide channel.

FIG. 12 is substantially a perspective view of the stability system in use in an automated window cleaning system.

FIG. 13 substantially depicts an alternative embodiment of a stability system.

DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In one embodiment, there is provided a vertical-surface cleaning machine including a substantially horizontal pipe with high-pressure nozzles mounted linearly along the pipe. In use, the nozzles are aimed directly at the surface to be cleaned. The pipe is supplied with water from a hose at a pressure that is on the order of 1000 psi.
A horizontal tube, truss, or other elongated support structure may be connected to the pipe and used to transport the cleaning machine up and down the surface. The support structure and pipe may be constructed in sections to be assembled and disassembled on site. The connections can be straight or can include elbows of any angle to accommodate the building geometry. Padding may be incorporated into the design of the support structure, in order to protect the building. In an alternative embodiment, a cage or similar protection means may be constructed around the support structure to protect the building. The cage may include one or more hoops and may be made of plastic tubing or similar. The cage maintains spacing between the cleaning machine and the building.
The support structure, nozzle structure and hose pipe may be transported up and down the side of a building via any suitable transport means. In one embodiment, the transport means includes a winch apparatus. The winch apparatus may include a winch line that lifts the center of the cleaning apparatus and two guiding cables on either side. The guiding cables can be fed through holes in the support structure or through wheels attached to the support structure. Wheels may be advantageous because they may be equipped with a safety brake feature that prevents the support structure from falling down the building in the event of a winch failure. This safety brake could be a centrifugal stop akin to a car seatbelt.
A cleaning machine as briefly outline above and described in more detail below, compared with previously invented window cleaning machines, contains fewer moving parts, is lighter (per given cleaning capacity), and is more compactable for transport. This enables the cleaning machine to be sized to provide a wider cleaning path than the prior art designs. The design also has a high degree of safety and is far less likely to move a significant distance away from the building or fall to the ground.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, FIG. 1 shows a cleaning apparatus 20 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning apparatus 20 includes a substantially horizontal support member 1. In one embodiment, the support member 1 is a section of tubing, which may be made of plastic, metal, or other suitable material. The support member 1 supports a section of pipe 2 which may be mounted to the support section by ties, hose clamps, adhesives, screws, brackets or other suitable fixings. The pipe 2 is supplied with water from a high-pressure hose 6. This hose 6 is depicted as coming from the roof of the building but depending on the building may come from ground level or elsewhere. High-pressure nozzles 4 are installed linearly along the horizontal pipe 2 at intervals, such as every foot or so. FIG. 1 shows water 14 coming from the nozzles 4.
The cleaning apparatus 20 is supported for vertical movement up and down a surface of a building by a winch cable 5 and guiding cables 11, described in more detail below.
In more detail, still referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 20 uses purified water pumped at high pressure through the nozzles 4, which are aimed directly at the building's surface, to clean and rinse the building. The apparatus 20 is winched both up and down the building, guided by cables 11 to prevent the apparatus from swaying in the wind.
The structural tubing 1 may be provided in sections to be assembled on site. Ideally the sections are put together with expanding connectors 16. These expanding connectors can be straight or of any elbow angle to accommodate odd building shapes. The high-pressure piping 2 may also be built in sections to be assembled on site. FIG. 1 depicts the high-pressure piping designed with t-connections 3 that connect the pipe linearly to itself and in a parallel manner to the structural tubing 1.
The interface 13 between the support member 1 and the guiding cables 11 can be designed in many different ways. In one embodiment, the interface 13 includes wheels 18 clamped onto the cable 11 with a chassis 19. The wheels 18 may contain a brake means as a measure of safety. In one particular embodiment, the wheels may have an inertia brake, e.g. centrifugally activated brakes akin to those found in car seatbelts. Other embodiments of the invention may feed the guiding cables 11 through holes in the structural tubing 1 without any braking mechanism being provided.
The high pressure nozzles 4 may be removed from the pipe 2 and plugged or exchanged with a different nozzle depending on the job. Buildings that allow the apparatus to travel close to the surface may demand a different nozzle than buildings that do not.
As mentioned above, both the support structure 1 and hose 2 may be provided in lengths joined by expandable connectors. This has the advantage of being able to configure the cleaning apparatus on site to configure the width of the cleaning path and/or to accommodate for unusual building features, corners, angles or other geometry. The entire apparatus can vary greatly in width (length of support structure and piping). A wider apparatus will provide a wider cleaning path. In one specific though non-limiting example, the horizontal length of the cleaning apparatus could range from, say, 5 feet to the entire length of the building. The guiding cables 11 and the winch cable 5 may be at least as long as the height of the building to allow the entire height of the building to be cleaned in a single set up of the cleaning apparatus.
The support structure 1 may be rigid enough to withstand its own weight and the weight of the piping 2 when suspended from the winch line 5.
In one embodiment, the piping 2 may be rated for high pressures, such as at least 1000 psi and may have an inside diameter wide enough to allow the desired amount of flow, which, for example, may range from 10 gpm to 240 gpm. The pipe may be made of a material that does not corrode easily to allow deionized water, which is more corrosive than tap water, to be used
A preferred embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 20 features #2 hole diameter, 24 degree rotary pressure wash nozzles every 0.85 feet. Each of these nozzles provides 1 gpm at 1000 psi and therefore, at 1000 psi, every gallon per minute supplied to the apparatus provides an extra 0.85 feet of cleaning path.
FIG. 2 depicts an overall view of the entire system at work. FIG. 2 shows the support tubing 1 connected to the high pressure piping 2. The high pressure piping 2 is fed by the hose 6 and the cleaning apparatus (comprising the structural tubing 1, the piping 2 that houses the nozzles, and the interface 13 between the guide cables and the support structure) is attached to the winch cable 5. The winch cable 5 is driven by a winch 7. The rigging (not shown) for the winch 7 may vary from building to building depending on roof top or ground features, mounting points, or obstructions. The water source 10 feeds a filtration/pump system 9, which in turn feeds the piping 2 and the nozzles 4.
FIG. 2 shows the interface 13 including the chassis 19 and the wheels 18. The guiding cables 11 are connected to rigging 8 at the top of the building and to weights 12 at the bottom of the building. One particular weight arrangement 12 will be described in more detail below.
FIG. 3 shows the invention viewed from the side, looking lengthwise down the support tubing 1. Shown is the chassis 19, which connects the guide wheels 18 to the support tubing 1. The guide cable 11 is fed through the guide wheels 18 in such a way that constant pressure is kept on the cable. The guide wheels may incorporate a safety brake, not shown. FIG. 3 shows the closest view of the support tubing 1, the piping 2, the connection 3 between the piping 2 and the support tubing 1, and the nozzles 4 which are aimed directly at the building's surface 15.
FIG. 4 shows a bird's eye view of the system at work. The water source 10 feeds the filtration/pump system 9, which feeds the hose 6 and, in turn, the piping and nozzles (not shown). The winch 7 and its rigging (not shown) support the winch cable 5, which pulls the structural tubing 1 and the rest of the apparatus up and down the building, guided by guide cables 11. Rigging 8 for the guide cables 11 is mounted on top of the building.
FIG. 5 shows only a section of the apparatus, viewed from above. Shown is the support tubing 1, the connections 16, the water 14, the building surface 15, and window protrusions 17. FIG. 5 illustrates that some nozzles may be plugged, for example in the instance that the building has columns of wall where no windows exist.
FIG. 6 shows a bird's eye view of two systems at work. These systems have utilized an elbow connection 21 between two sections of structural tubing. Elbow connections of different angles could be used to accommodate many building shapes. The water source 10 feeds the filtration/pump system 9, which feeds the hose 6 and, in turn, the piping and nozzles (not shown). The winches 7 and their riggings (riggings not shown) support the winch cables 5, which pulls the structural tubing 1 and the rest of the apparatus up and down the building. Rigging 8 for the guide cables 11 is mounted on top of the building. By using elbow connections to maintain the hose 2 parallel with the building surface, it can be shown that the water 14 is aimed directly at the building.
FIG. 7 shows a close-up partial view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. This embodiment features all components of the previous embodiment but includes a second row of nozzles and piping. It is possible that the high pressure spray of the nozzles may transport particles from a dirty portion of window to a clean portion of window, leaving spots. One solution to this is to incorporate a final rinse feature. This final rinse could be provided by a second row of nozzles located above the first row of nozzles, this time propelling water at low pressure towards the window. FIG. 7 shows the apparatus, its winch cable 25, its high pressure water line 26, and its low pressure water line 34. The guiding cables and peripheral features of the embodiment of FIG. 7 have been omitted for clarity. The cleaning apparatus of FIG. 7 is shown with water 29 coming out of the high-pressure nozzles 27 and the low-pressure nozzles 31. The high-pressure nozzles 27 are installed linearly along the high pressure pipe 23 every foot or so, and the low pressure nozzles 31 are installed along the low pressure pipe 30 in a similar manner. Both pipes are mounted to the horizontal support tubing 22 in a similar manner to the manner described previously. The high-pressure pipe 30 is fed water from high-pressure hose 26 while the low pressure pipe is fed water from low-pressure hose 34. This hose is depicted as coming from the roof but depending on the building may come from ground level.
FIG. 8 shows a front view of an embodiment of a protective means 80 that is able to provide the dual function of maintaining a distance between the building and protecting the building surface. The protective means includes a vertical support 81 which may be a section of tubing having a circular, square or other cross-section. One vertical support is connected at each end of the horizontal support 1. For the sake of brevity, only the left side protective means will be described. The right side may be considered to be the equivalent. FIG. 9 shows an upper view of the left side protective means. The vertical support 81 may connect with the guide wires 11 or the guide wires 11 may pass through the center of the vertical support 81. Attached to each vertical support 81 is a series of hoops. The hoops may be formed of plastic or similar tubing. Two vertical hoops 82, 83 may be provided and may be supported on the vertical support 81 by a horizontal hoop 84. The vertical hoops 82, 83 may be elliptical while the horizontal hoop 84 may be circular, though the person skilled in the art will appreciate that other configurations are possible. FIG. 9 demonstrates how the protective means 80 is able to distance the horizontal support 1 from the building surface 15, e.g. by vertical hoop 83.
Advantages of the present invention over previous designs include, without limitation, greater cleaning capacity due to simple, lightweight and customizable design; increased reliability due to a decreased number of moving parts; increased safety; decreased cost of manufacture, and decreased labor costs.
While particular embodiments have been described in detail, the person skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Examples of these variations include, without limitation, the incorporation of a truss instead of tubing for the support structure, modification of the arrangement of the high-pressure nozzles to form a zig-zagged or other slightly non-linear pattern, the incorporation of multiple rows of high-pressure nozzles instead of just one, the incorporation oscillating nozzles, the omission of the structural tube in favor of using the high pressure water piping as the structure itself, or the incorporation of a sliding or movable interface between the support structure and the piping.
As described above, it can be required to provide stability to the cleaning apparatus without requiring a human to physically attach the apparatus at intermittent points on the building, and without requiring a rigid and permanent means of continuous stabilization.
In one embodiment, the inventor's solution is to provide a tension line that is weighted at the bottom of the building with a weight that is restrained from horizontal movement but not from vertical movement. This may be accomplished by setting the weight in a restraint assembly which is itself immovable by the horizontal forces imposed by the weight. This approach results in a stability system which will not excessively load the rooftop rigging. Also, in the event of a powerful wind force, no component will move horizontally at the bottom of the building. This attribute makes the invention safe for workers and bystanders at the bottom of the building.
An embodiment of a stability system 100 is shown in FIG. 10. The stability system 100 includes a base 103 including substantially horizontal legs 131, 132 joined by a base cross member 33. Mobility is provided to the base 103 by ground wheels 106 at each distal end of the legs 131, 132, thus four wheels 106 are provided though this number is variable, as would be appreciated by the skilled addressee. Extending upward of the base 103, e.g. from the cross member 133, are a plurality of guide channels 102, with two such guide channels being shown in the present embodiment. The guide channels 102 define a vertical channel. The two guide channels of FIG. 10 are arranged to face each other, i.e. face inward. A spreader beam 101 extends between the guide channels 102 and is arranged to slide vertically within the guide channels 102. The spreader beam 101 is attached to and houses a tension weight 104. The spreader beam 101 and the tension weight 104 are restricted from horizontal movement via the guide channels 102. However the spreader beam 101 and the tension weight 104 are allowed to move vertically within the guide channels 102. This is accomplished by the mechanism depicted in FIG. 11, as will be described in more detail below.
The tension weight may be removable attached to the spreader beam or may be permanently secured to the spreader beam. In one embodiment, the tension weight 104 includes a tank, barrel or fillable container that is able to be transported empty and filled on site, e.g. with water, to create the appropriate tension weight depending on requirements.
The tension line may be connected to rigging at the top of the building and also connected to a clevis pin 108 or similar attachment point on the spreader beam 101
FIG. 11 shows channel wheels 107 which provide the interface between the spreader beam 101 and the guide channels 102. The channel wheels 107 are bolted or otherwise attached to the spreader beam 101 and roll on the inner surface of the guide channels 102. This allows the tensioning weight 104 (shown in FIG. 10) to travel along a fixed vertical path.
Referring back to FIG. 10, the guide channels 102 are restricted from horizontal motion via the entire weighted mechanism that they are welded to. The entire mechanism may be further weighted and stabilized by grounding weights 105 to ensure the mechanism is stable enough to prevent any horizontal motion caused by forces imposed by the tensioning weight 104.
FIG. 12 shows the invention as it is used in the field. The window cleaning machine is connected to the rigging 113 on the roof of the building 114 via a hoist line or, if it is a self climbing machine, via the tension line 110. It is preferable to have a separate hoist line and tension line because one can then employ the tension line as a backup safety line. This can be done simply by attaching a cable grab between the tension line 110 and the automated window cleaning machine 112. This means that in the event of a hoist rigging failure, the cable grab will engage with the tension line and prevent the automated window cleaning machine 112 from falling to the ground. The stability apparatus 109 is connected to the bottom of the tension line 110.
The principal of operation is that when the cleaning device 112 is subject to high wind loads, the tension weight 104 limits the amount that the cleaning device 112 will shift. However, if unconstrained, the tension weight 104 could itself move, causing a danger to persons and objects on the ground. If the tension line were rigidly fixed, then high wind loads would place excessive force on the rigging with potentially dangerous consequences. It is therefore imperative to allow some movement of the tensioning weight 104, up to a limit, to relieve the burden on the rigging points. By constraining the horizontal movement of the tension weight 104 and allowing only movement in the vertical plane, the necessary movement is provided without causing a danger on the ground.
To incorporate the tensioning system of FIGS. 10-12 with the cleaning apparatus of FIGS. 1-9, two tensioning systems may be provided, i.e. one on each guide wire 11. Alternatively, the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 may be modified to use a single (e.g. central) tensioning wire. As a further alternative, the winching apparatus may be replaced with a climbing mechanism that is operatively connected to the support structure and adapted to climb the wire.
The base 103 and guide channels 102 of the stability system 100 may be detachable for ease of transport.
Various alternatives to the specifically described embodiments will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. For example, another embodiment of the invention could be configured in such a way that the tensioning weight 104 is not restricted from horizontal movement by channels but instead by an open-top cage, box, or cylinder that the tension weight 4 is placed inside of Thus some horizontal movement is permitted, with movement beyond an allowable limit being provided by vertical movement once the horizontal constraint is reached. Means could be provided to limit friction between the tension weight 4 and the device used to restrain its horizontal movement. This could include wheels, low-friction sliding plates, or lubrication, for example.
Another embodiment of the invention may include the aforementioned tension line and tension weight restrained from horizontal motion by three or four (or more) portable weighted walls on lockable wheels.
Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 13. The embodiment includes the tension line 210, fed at the bottom of the building through a fairlead hole 216 at the top of a weighted 205 and stable arch or gantry 215 and connected to the tension weight 204, which dangles underneath the arch or gantry.
Yet another embodiment of the invention could allow movement of the tensioning weight along the vertical axis and along the horizontal axis perpendicular to the building but restrict movement along the horizontal axis parallel to the building. This could be accomplished by placing the tensioning weight in between two portable walls and providing means (such as wheels) to limit friction between the tensioning weight and the walls.
Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning apparatus for buildings comprising:

(A) a pipe structure configured to receive a supply of fluid from a hose;

(B) a support structure configured to support the pipe structure in a substantially horizontal configuration;

(C) a plurality of nozzles provided in the pipe structure and configured to spray fluid from the pipe structure onto a vertical building surface;

(D) a lifting arrangement configured to raise and lower the support structure; and

(E) at least one guide cable provided at at least one end of the support structure.

2. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure is substantially horizontal and supports the pipe structure horizontally.

3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 comprising a guide cable at each end of the support structure.

4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lifting arrangement comprises a winch cable that connects to the support structure between the two guide cables.

5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of nozzles are pluggable.

6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of connectable support structure sections that enable the length of the support structure to be configured on site.

7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 6 comprising at least one elbow connector for connecting two adjacent support structure sections at a non-straight angle.

8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of connectable pipe structure sections that enable the length of the pipe structure to be configured on site.

9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 8 comprising at least one elbow connector for connecting two adjacent pipe structure sections at a non-straight angle.

10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pipe structure comprises a first length of pipe and a second length of pipe supported by the support structure above the first length of pipe, wherein the first length of pipe and the second length of pipe are configured to spray water through a respective plurality of nozzles and wherein the first length of pipe and the second length of pipe are configured to spray water at different pressures to each other.

11. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 comprising a stability system comprising a tensioning weight that connects to a bottom end of the at least one guide cable, wherein the tensioning weight is constrained by the stability system to prevent horizontal movement of the tensioning weight.

12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stability system comprises:

(A) a frame;

(B) a plurality of vertical guide channels supported by the frame; and

(C) a beam extending between the vertical guide channels and configured for vertical movement guided by the vertical guide channels, wherein the beam is configured to attach to the bottom end of the at least one guide cable; wherein the tensioning weight is operatively attached to the beam.

13. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

(A) pipe means for spraying water onto a vertical building surface;

(B) support means for horizontally supporting the pipe means;

(C) lift means for lifting the support means up and down the outside of the vertical building surface; and

(D) guide means disposed at at least one end of the support means for guiding the support structure in vertical movement.

14. The cleaning apparatus of claim 13 comprising tensioning means for tensioning the at least one guide means.

15. The cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the tensioning means comprises:

(A) weight means;

(B) weight support means for supporting the weight means; and

(C) guide means for vertically guiding the weight support means and constraining movement of the weight support means.

16. A stability system for tensioning a cable of a building cleaning system, the stability system comprising:

(A) a frame;

(B) at least one tensioning weight adapted to connect at a bottom end of a cable and hang on the cable to tension the cable; and

(C) a constraint system adapted to operatively engage the tensioning weight to allow movement of the tensioning weight while constraining a limit of the movement of the tensioning weight.

17. The stability system of claim 16 comprising:

(A) a plurality of vertical guide channels supported by the frame; and

(B) a beam extending between the vertical guide channels and configured for vertical movement guided by the vertical guide channels, wherein the beam is configured to attach to the bottom end of the at least one guide cable; wherein the tensioning weight is operatively attached to the beam, wherein the disposition of the beam within the vertical guide channels constrains horizontal movement of the tensioning weight while allowing vertical movement of the tensioning weight.

18. The stability system of claim 16 wherein the at least one tensioning weight comprises a fillable container.