US3570501A

US3570501A - Safety control for automatic carwash pump

Info

Publication number: US3570501A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lois G Dale; Thelma V Davis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-12
Filing date: 1969-03-12
Publication date: 1971-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-16

Abstract

A safety control system which is operable to shut off the pump and other carwash equipment in the event that the supply of water to the pump is depleted below a predetermined level. The carwash is interrupted in midcycle and provision is made for completing the cycle even though the car may in the meantime have departed while the system was inoperative.

Description

D United States Patent [111 3,570,5

[72] Inventors Lois G- Dale [56] References Cited '31 321 N 24 h 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS f' 3,097,499 7/1963 Rodgers 137/399x 63565 3 400 725 9/1968 Miller et al 134/57 [21] Appl. No. 806,611 [22] Filed Mar. 12, 1969 Primary Examiner-Price C. F aw, Jr. [45] Patented Mar. 16, 1971 Attorney-Scofield, Kokjer, Scofield and Lowe [54] SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC CARWASH PUMP zchims 1 Drawing ABSTRACT: A safety control system which is operable to [52] U.S. Cl. 134/45, shut off the pump and other carwash equipment in the event 134/57, 137/399 that the supply of water to the pump is depleted below a [51] Int. Cl B60s 3/04, pr m n levelh earwash i in errupted in midcycle B08]; 3/02 and provision is made for completing the cycle even though [50] Field of Search 134/57, 45, the car may in the meantime have departed while the system 58, 123; 137/399 was inoperative.

3 SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIQ CARWASH PUMP BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Automatic carwashes are, for the large part, untended. The assumption is made that water will always be available from the water supply system for the community in which the carwash is located. However, from time to time, at develops that the supply is shutoff or becomes sufficiently inhibited that the pump is starved. In such situations, and with the high-pressure pumps that are utilized for such systems, the pumps can be seriously damaged if they run for even a few minutes without adequate water to the intake.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide means for continuously maintaining surveillance over and sensing the depletion of water to the point where pump starvation is imminent and in response to this condition operating to shut the system down until the water availability is such as to permit continuation of the washing operation. The continuation of the washing operation, once interrupted, is accomplished without regard to whether or not an automobile has stayed in position in the carwash. The system is thus fully automatic and thus can be utilized successfully on an around the clock basis and in remote locations. v

Other objects and features of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, the single FIG. comprises a partly schematic and partly diagrammatic illustration of a typical pumping and electrical system for automatic carwash which embodies a preferred form of our invention.

In illustrating the invention, we have chosen to show in schematic form what is a typical and rudimentary electrical system for an automatic carwash. Reference numeral indicates a coin receptacle which is designed to receive coins and, upon reception of the proper amount, to condition the program timer to start upon completion of the circuit in the system. Power lines L1, L2 are the power source for the system. A master switch 12 is normally closed to prepare the unit for operation. Conductors 1'3, 14 lead to the high-pressure pump for the system and conductors 15, 15a to a spray carriage (not shown). There are, of course, various types of spray carriages on the market and known to the art, most of which are electrically operated. However, the spray carriage itself does not play any part in the present invention and further detail is not believed necessary to an understanding of the invention.

There are two additional switches in the circuit which operate to initiate the pumping and spray carriage operation. Switch I6 is what will be denoted as a position switch. Switch 17 is a manual control switch. Switch 16 is connected in series with the master switch 12 and located within the bay of the carwash (not shown). It is biased normally open. Switch 16 is positioned to sense the movement of a car into washing position within the installation. When the car reaches washing position, the tire or some other part of the car operates to close switch 16 and, as will be evident, this completes the circuit through the system, thus starting the timer and energizing the pump and spray carriage. Switch 17 is a manual switch which is normally open but can be closed to start the carwash with the timer the same as the position switch 16, as it is merely a bypass switch for position switch 16.

The water for the carwash system is stored in a storage tank 18. This tank is fed from a conventional water supply system (not shown) which delivers water to the storage tank through the line 19. Discharge from line 19 to thetank is controlled by means of a valve 2% operated by a float 21. Float 21 operates to close off the supply to the tank when it rises a predetermined upper level. In the drawing, the tank is shown with the water level 22 just at the point beyond which further recession in the level will operate the automatic shutoff mechanism, now to be described.

Supported within the tank are two floats 23 and 24, each of which is mounted on an

upright float rod

25 and 26, respectively. The float rods are supportedfor free up and down movement by U-shaped support brackets 27 and 28, each of which is provided with upper and lower arms, 27a, 27b, 23a, 28b, suitably apertured to support the rods in'a sliding relationship. The upright portions of the brackets 27. 28 are respectively welded or otherwise fastened to the tank or other support.

The float rod 25 carries two collars or lugs 25a and 25b which are spaced longitudinally from one another along the rod. The rod 26 carries a similar set of lugs or

collars

26a, 26b, and for reasons which will subsequently be explained, while the upper collars are preferably at the same level on the two rods, the lower collar 26b on rod 26 is positioned at a lower level than the corresponding collar 25b on rod 25.

The collars or the lugs on the float rods are designed to operate the operating members of on-off

sump type switches

29 and 30 that operate with either weights or floats (such as Sumptrol switches manufactured by the Square D Corporation). The switch 29 is connected in series in line L1. Switch 30 is connected in parallel with the position switch 16 and manual switch 17. The switches are mounted on a junction box 31 which in turn is supported by a beam or bar 32 bridging the top.

In the condition illustrated in the drawing, switch 29 is in the circuit closing ("closed") condition, while switch 30 is in the circuit interrupting (open) condition. Movement of the floats 23, 24 and the rods carried thereby further downward will result in a changing of the condition of both

switches

29 and 30, switch 29 being altered to open condition, while switch 30 is closed. These conditions will stay the same until the lower collars 25b, 2612 move upwardly beside the switches and shift the Sumptrol arms, thus shifting the switches back to the initial or starting condition.

The program timer and coin receptacle in the illustrated embodiment are of the type in which once coins have been deposited and the cycle is commenced, further deposit of coins is possible whether the wash cycle is completed or not as long as switch 29 is closed. Coins may not be deposited when switch 29 is open as they will be rejected. The coin box, as well as the carwash, is inactive as long as switch 29 is open.

In the normal operation of our system, before a car enters the bay, the tank 18 would, of course, normally be full, with the level of the water up to the point where the float 21 has operated its valve 20 to shut off the supply. In this condition'of the tank, and as earlier indicated, switch 29 is in the closed condition, while switch 30 is in the open condition. Floats 23 and 24 will be in their raised positions, the upper collars 25a, 26a bearing against the stops provided by the bracket legs 27a and 28a, and with the lower collars 25b and 26b just past the upper midpoint of the Sumptrol switches.

Under normal circumstances, the pump operates to remove water from the tank about as fast as it is supplied from the incoming supply. This assumes that the supply is under normal pressure and that there is no interference with the supply. Thus, once the unit is started, the water level will decrease until float valve 20 isopened and if the system remains normal, the level will not fall very far.

The unit is started, of course, by inserting coins in the coin collector and by moving the automobile or other vehicle into the carwash until the position switch 16 is closed. Once the position switch is closed, the parts of the system areenergized the pump begins to draw water from the tank.

In the event that the supply decreases, the level in tank 18 will be progressively lowered and eventually the level will reach the point illustrated. As the level recedes even further, the upper collars 25a, 26a will contactand move the toggles of the

switches

29 and 30 through to operate the switches, shifting switch 29 to the open position and switch 30 to the closed position.

The opening of switch 29 shuts off the circuit to the entire system, even though the car remains in position in the wash with position switch 116 closed. As earlier not'ed, if the coin box is of the type which is automatically blocked during the cycle, it cannot receive any coins. Even if it did, the system would remain off. The pump is, of course, cut off when the system is cut off as is the spray carriage and the system remains quiescent until such time the water returns to a level in which the collar 25b on the float rod 25 serves to close switch 29.

It has been earlier noted that the disposition of collar 26b on rod 26 is such that with the floats rising at the same level and being supported on the liquid, switch 29 will be closed before collar 26b reaches its switch 30. This has the effect of molesing the circuit to the system and pumping will once again commence, as will operation of the spray carriage. The timer program will be resumed.

The purpose of switch 30 is to insure that the system will be set in operation by closing of switch 29, even though in the interim a car has driven off of the position switch 16. The float switch 30, remaining in the closed position and being in parallel with the position switch, insures that once the float switch 29 has been closed, the system is operative. Thus, the cycle will be finished automatically and the system reset for operation upon deposit of additional coins and entry of another vehicle into the bay.

As earlier noted, the pump withdraws liquid from the tank at about the same rate that it is supplied from the supply tank. Accordingly, the level remains fairly constant in tank 18 during pumping Once the pump cuts off at the end of the cycle, the level will rise and float 24 will be carried upward and its lower collar 26b will reopenthe switch 30. The entire system is thus ready for another cycle of operation.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In an automatic carwash installation, the combination of:

a liquid storage tank;

a carwash mechanism including an electrically powered pump connected with said tank for drawing liquid therefrom;

a source of supply for replenishing the tank;

an electric circuit for said carwash mechanism;

programming means connected into said circuit for establishing a cycle of operation of said washing mechanism which continues so long as the circuit remains closed;

means for initiating the cycle;

water level sensing means for said tank;

first switch means connected with said circuit and con trolled by said level sensing means and operable to open said circuit and interrupt said cycle in response to said sensing means when the water level falls below a preselected minimum level and to reclose said circuit upon return of the level to a preselected satisfactory operation level;

position switch means in said circuit operable to open said circuit if a car leaves the wash position; and

second switch means connected in said circuit in parallel with said position switch means and controlled by said level sensing means and operable to close in response to said level sensing means when said minimum level is reached and to open upon return of the level to a selected level above said satisfactory operation level whereby to permit completion of the operating cycle without a car being in wash ositiop, I 2. The combination as in clalm 1, wherein said level sensing means includes a pair of floats and switch operating members connected with the respective floats, each of said floats operable to control one of said switch means.

Claims

1. In an automatic carwash installation, the combination of: a liquid storage tank; a carwash mechanism including an electrically powered pump connected with said Tank for drawing liquid therefrom; a source of supply for replenishing the tank; an electric circuit for said carwash mechanism; programming means connected into said circuit for establishing a cycle of operation of said washing mechanism which continues so long as the circuit remains closed; means for initiating the cycle; water level sensing means for said tank; first switch means connected with said circuit and controlled by said level sensing means and operable to open said circuit and interrupt said cycle in response to said sensing means when the water level falls below a preselected minimum level and to reclose said circuit upon return of the level to a preselected satisfactory operation level; position switch means in said circuit operable to open said circuit if a car leaves the wash position; and second switch means connected in said circuit in parallel with said position switch means and controlled by said level sensing means and operable to close in response to said level sensing means when said minimum level is reached and to open upon return of the level to a selected level above said satisfactory operation level whereby to permit completion of the operating cycle without a car being in wash position.

2. The combination as in claim 1, wherein said level sensing means includes a pair of floats and switch operating members connected with the respective floats, each of said floats operable to control one of said switch means.