US2860357A - Car washing mat - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 18, 1958 TETERS 2,860,357

CAR WASHING MAT Filed Oct. 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 77/1/29 A? Tfe/v.

CAR WASHING MAT Tinie RLTeters, Fayette, M0.

Application October 10, 1955, Serial No. 539,430

1 Claim. ('Cl. 15-129) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car washing mats of the type comprising a washing head adapted to be attached to a flexible conduit such as a hose, through which the washing fluid is delivered to said head.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a car washing mat of the class described wherein said head includes a container of liquid detergent, or soap, and means for adding said detergent or soap automatically to the water delivered to said head, in the correct. proportion.

Another object is the provision of a washing mat of the class described including a generally planar scrubbing pad, and having novel means whereby the waterdetergent mixture is distributedevenly over the entire surface of said pad.

A further object is the provision of a washing mat of the character described including a mixing chamber to which water and detergent are fed simultaneously and subjected to a high degree of turbulence, whereby a thorough admixture thereof is obtained.

A still further object is the provision of a washing mat of the class described wherein the detergent chamber is provided with a normally closed outlet valve whereby to prevent wastage of the detergent when the mat is not in use, said valve being opened automatically, and detergent delivered therethrough to themixing chamber, by the pressure of water delivered to said head through said hose.

Still another object is the provision of means whereby the quantity of detergent delivered to the scrubbing pad, in proportion to the quantity of water may be closely regulated, whereby to maintain the proper ratio despite variations of detergent concentration, viscosity, and other variable conditions. i

Yet another object is the provision of a washing mat of the class described wherein a portion of the water delivered to said head is not mixed with detergent, but is directed outwardly from said head in streams adjacent said scrubbing pad, whereby to rinse the surface just cleansed by said pad. This permits both scrubbing and rinsing with a single application of the mat to the surface. The streams of clear water may completely encircle the pad, so that the rinsing action will occur regardless of the direction in which the pad is moved over the surface.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for washing cars, buses, trucks, trolley cars or other vehicles, walls, or virtually any extended surface.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. I is a side elevational view of a car washing mat embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II.II of Fig. 1,

nited States Patent 2,860,357 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 Fig. 3 is a face view of the head of the washing mat,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line IVIV of Fig. 2, with parts left in elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line V--V of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies to the head of the mat. Said mat may be formed of metal, plastic, or other suitable material and comprises a circular back plate 4 and a circular face plate 6, of equal diameters. The face plate is substantially planar, but the back plate is concave, whereby to form a water chamher 8 therebetween. The edges of said plates are joined by a rubber snap ring 10 of C-shaped cross-section, which engages lips 12 and 14 formed respectively about the peripheries of said back and face plates. Said snap ring has sufficient strength to resist separation of the plates due to water pressure in chamber 8, and makes good sealing contact with said lips to prevent leakage.

A tubular handle 16 has fixed to an end thereof a yoke 18 having spaced apart flexible arms 20, each of said arms carrying at its free end an outwardly opening socket 22. Said sockets engage respectively the opposed ends of a pair of coaxial lugs 24 and 26 formed integrally with back plate 4, whereby the handle may pivot freely with respect to the head. The handle may be detached, if desired, simply by squeezing yoke arms 20 toward each other to free sockets 22 from lugs 24 and 26. Ohviously, a handle of any desired length could be used, to gain access to high or distant areas, or the handle shown could be provided with extensions. Water is supplied to water chamber 8 by means of hose 28 through a hose fitting 30 disposed centrally of back plate 4. Said hose may be extended through handle 16, as shown, to simplify handling of the implement.

Face plate 6 has a circular flange 32 formed integrally and concentrically therewith, extending from the outer face thereof. Said flange is provided at its outer end with a radially extending lip 34, the purpose of which will appear below. The scrubbing pad 36 is circular and pliable, and may conveniently be formed of a piece of sheepskin with the wool attached. The leather backing 38 of the pad has a plurality of holes 40 punched therethrou'gh in regularly spaced relation over the area of the pad. Sewed or otherwise secured to the edge of pad 36 is a cloth tube 42 through which a drawstring 44 is threaded. Said drawstring is drawn tightly around flange 32 above lip 34, as shown in Fig. 4, and tied as shown at 46 in Fig. 3, to secure the pad rleasably to the head. The space between pad 36 and face plate 6 is substantially filled by a coarse, resilient sponge 48, the purpose and function of which will be fully set forth below.

A mixing chamber 50 is disposed centrally of face plate 6. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, said chamber comprises a hollow cylindrical body 52 formed integrally with said face plate, and extending on both sides thereof. The end of said body extending toward pad 36 is fitted with a screw cap 54 having apertures 56 formed therein. The end of said body projecting into chamber 8 has an end wall 58 with an aperture 60 formed therethrough, and extends through the wall of a sealed pliable sac or envelope 62 disposed within chamber 8 and adapted to contain a liquid detergent or soap. Said body is sealed in said sac wall by a sealing ring 64. The inner end of aperture 60 is chamfered at 66 to form a tapered valve seat in which a tapered valve 68 seats outwardly, being urged to a closed position by a compression spring 70 bearing at one end against valve 68 and at its opposite end against screw cap 54, encircling a lug 72 formed integrally with said cap. Valve 68 is provided with a cylin- 3 drical extension 74 which guides in apertures 60, but has sufficient clearance therein to permit the flow of detergent through the aperture when valve 68 is open.

Lug 72 is centrally bored andtapped to receive a screw 76 which extends axially into the mixing chamber, and terminates in closely spaced relation from a lug 78 depending from valve 68. It is apparent that by turning said screw, the maximum opening of said valve may be adjustably limited. One or more holes 80 are formed through the mixing chamber Wall between face plate 6 and detergent sac 62. As shown in Fig. 6, said hole is disposed substantially tangentially to the mixing chamher.

A ring of rinse water holes 82 are formed through face plate 6 in outwardly spaced relation from flange 32. These holes are so positioned that streams of water projected outwardly therethrough will not contact pad 36.

In operation, with the parts in the position shown and with sac 62 filled with a liquid detergent or soap, water under pressure is delivered to the head through hose 28 from any suitable source. Water entering chamber 8 of course tends to flow outwardly through holes 82. This is the rinse water. However, the number and size of holes 82 is such that with ordinary flow rates a substantial back pressure will be built up in chamber 8. This back pressure causes a relatively small portion of the water in chamber 8 to be diverted through hole 80 into the mixing chamber 52. Said mixing chamber being vented to the atmosphere through sponge 48 and pad 36, and since hole 80 is relatively restricted, the pressure in mixing chamber 52 will be lower than in chamber 8. This pressure differential compreses detergent sac 62, forcing valve 68 open against spring 70, and delivering detergent through aperture 60 to the mixing chamber, wherein it is thoroughly intermixed with the water entering the chamber through hole 80. .This mixture is aided by the whirling turbulence set up in the mixing chamber by the tangential position of hole 80, as shown in Fig. 6.

The water-detergent mixture then passes through holes 56 in cap 54 to sponge 48, and thence through pad holes 40 into the scrubbing pad. Sponge 48 is recurrently compressed and relaxed in the normal scrubbing motion. This alternate compression and relaxation serves to distribute the detergent mixture evenly over the entire area of pad 36.

As the pad is moved over the surface being cleansed, streams of clear water from holes 82 will always impinge on the surface just traversed by pad 36, regardless of the direction the pad is moved. The scrubbing and rinsing are thus accomplished by a single application of the mat. The pad may of course be lifted from the surface if desired, in order to permit rinsing without scrubbing. Rubber ring 10 serves as a bumper preventing marring of paint or other fragile surfaces.

It will be seen that for any given setting of screw 76, the valve opening and hole 80 remain constant, spring being compressed by the minimum pressure normally occurring in chamber 8. Thus the amount of water and detergent entering the mixing chamber will vary at least approximately proportionately to the delivery pressure, and the ratio of mixture will remain substantially uniform at any flow rate. However, the ratio of detergent to water for efficient operation may vary according to the type of soap or detergent used, its concentration or viscosity, water temperature, and other variables. This ratio may obviously be changed by turning screw 76, which adjusts the opening limit of valve 68. Access to this screw is had by removing pad 36 and sponge 48. The detergent sac 62 may be refilled by further removing cap 54 and valve 68, whereupon detergent may be poured into the sac through aperture 60.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A fountain washing device comprising a head having a water chamber therein adapted to receive water under pressure, a pliable detergent container disposed within said water chamber, a mixing chamber carried by said head, said mixing chamber having outlet ports and a pair of inlet ports interconnecting it respectively With said water chamber and said detergent container, and a substantially planar scrubbing pad carried by said head and interconnected with the outlet ports of said mixing chamber, said head having a series of water outlet ports interconnecting with said water chamber, said last named ports being operable to direct streams of Water outwardly from said pad in spaced relation from the edges thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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