US3624851A

US3624851A - Programmed car washing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3624851A
Application number: US773526A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ivan J Barber
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-11-05
Filing date: 1968-11-05
Publication date: 1971-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-07

Abstract

A CAR WASHING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PRIMARY ARM PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT ONE SIDE OF A PATH OF A CAR TO BE WASHED AND NORMALLY PROJECTING REARWARDLY ALONG SAID PATH. A SECONDARY ARM IS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON ONE END FROM THE FREE END OF THE PRIMARY ARM AND NORMALLY PROJECTS TRANSVERSELY OF THE CAR PATH TO MOUNT A ROTARY BRUSH ON ITS FREE END FOR NORMAL DISPOSITION CENTRALLY IN SAID PATH. A FIRST HYDRAULIC-PNEUMATIC CYLINDER URGES THE SECONDARY ARM TO ITS UNFOLDED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID PRIMARY ARM AND A SECOND HYDRAULIC PNEUMATIC CYLINDER CONTROLS THE PRIMARY ARM. WHEN A FORWARDLY MOVING CAR CONTRACTS THE BRUSH, THE PRIMARY ARM WILL BE RETRACTED TO PULL THE BUSH ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE FORWARDLY MOVING CAR WILL FOLD THE SECONDARY ARM ON THE PRIMARY ARM. WHEN THE BRUSH REACHES THE FRONT CORNER OF SAID CAR, THE FIRST CYLINDER WILL CONTINUE TO URGE THE SECONDARY ARM TO ITS UNFOLDED POSITION THUS MOVING THE BRUSH REARWARDLY ALONG SAID ONE SIDE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BRUSH CLEARS THE FRONT CORNER OF THE CAR, THE PRESSURE TO THE SECOND CYLINDER WILL BE SWITCHED TO EXTEND THE PRIMARY ARM AND HOLD THE BRUSH AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE CAR UNTIL THE REAR CORNER THEREOF IS REACHED, AT WHICH TIME THE BRUSH WILL BE MOVED ACROSS THE REAR OF THE CAR.

Description

Dec. 7, 1971 BARBER 3,624,851

PROGRAMMED CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I m/v J. Bmeaae BYW flrraq/vens' Dec. 7, 1971 H. BARBER 3,624,851

PROGRAMMED CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1968 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA FIG.5

INVENTOR. O I m/v J.' Bmeaene Z, Byqugziw w flrmewens Dec. 7, 1971 BARBER 3,624,851

PROGRAMMED CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1968 :5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGJO Q I \J I l Ave l SUPPLY A? V V uz 3/ FIG .I

wm'ee fi SUPPL Y INVENTOR. I m/v J.' B42552 Amen/ans United States Patent 3,624,851 PROGRAMMED CAR WASHING APPARATUS Ivan J. Barber, 559 Evans Ave., Toronto 14, Ontario, Canada Filed Nov. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 773,526

Int. Cl. B60s 3/06' US. Cl. 15-21 D Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A car washing apparatus comprising a primary arm pivotally supported at one side of a path of a car to be washed and normally projecting rearwardly along said path. A secondary arm is pivotally supported on one end from the free end of the primary arm and normally projects transversely of the car path to mount a rotary brush on its free end for normal disposition centrally in said path. A first hydraulic-pneumatic cylinder urges the secondary arm to its unfolded position relative to said primary arm and a second hydraulic pneumatic cylinder controls the primary arm. When a forwardly moving car contacts the brush, the primary arm will be retracted to pull the brush across the front of the car and the forwardly moving car will fold the secondary arm on the primary arm. When the brush reaches the front corner of said car, the first cylinder will continue to urge the secondary arm to its unfolded position thus moving the brush rearwardly along said one side. Immediately after the brush clears the front corner of the car, the pressure to the second cylinder will be switched to extend the primary arm and hold the brush against the side of the car until the rear corner thereof is reached, at which time the brush will be moved across the rear of the car.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to apparatus for automatically washing the front, side and rear of a car as such car passes thereby.

Description of prior art Car washing devices have been proposed which include pivotal primary arms normally extending transversely of the car path and pivotally mounting on its free end a forwardly extending secondary arm that carries a rotary brush on its free end; a device of this type being shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,733. Washing devices of this type suffer the disadvantage that the forwardly moving car engages the brush, carrying it forwardly to pivot the primary arm forwardly thereby resulting in both arms extending forwardly a substantial distance from the supported end of the primary arm thus necessitating provision of a relatively long washing path for the car. Since two such brushes are required to wash both sides of the car, the distance of the total washing path'is substantial.

Further, such prior art devices rely solely on biasing means to control brush travel and experience has proven it impossible to adjust the biasing means .to move the brush rearwardly along the side of the car slow enough to effect good washing and then to bring it rapidly in and forwardly across the rear of the car to avoid missing any portion thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The car washing apparatus of present invention is characterized by a primary arm pivotally supported at one side of the path of a car and projecting rearwardly therealong. A secondary arm is pivotally carried on the free end of the primary arm and carries a brush on its free end,

such brush being normally disposed centrally in said path. Bias means interconnecting the primary and secondary arms restricts folding of the secondary arm to maintain and brush against the front of the forwardly moving car and control means retracts the primary arm to move the brush across the front of the car and to one side thereof. The bias means then unfolds the secondary arm maintaining the brush against the side of the car and moving it rearwardly therealong. At a predetermined point the control means extends the primary arm to maintain the brush against the car and move it forwardly therewith and across the rear thereof.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a car washing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken top view, in enlarged scale, of a portion of the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded view of a detail portion of the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded view of another detail of the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 through 9 are diagrammatic top views, in reduced scale, of the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and depicting the car in various positions;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a hydraulic-pneumatic circuit which may be utilized with the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a water supply system which may be utilized with the car washing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The programmed car washing apparatus of present invention generally includes: a primary arm 21 pivotally supported on one end from a vertical support post 23 and normally extending rearwardly of the path of the car 25 to be washed and pivotally mounting a secondary arm 27 on its free end. The secondary arm '27 normally projects transversely of the path of the car 25 and carries a rotary brush 29 on its free end, such brush being normally disposed centrally in the path of the car.

Hydraulicpenumatic pistons

31 and 33 hold the primary and

secondary arms

21 and 27, respectively, in their normal positions and upon contact of the front of the automobile 25 with the brush 29, the primary arm piston 31 retracts the primary arm 21 to pull the brush 29 to the left side of the car 25 and, concurrently, forward movement of the car folds the secondary arm 27 against the pressure of the hydraulic-pneumatic piston 33, to the broken line position shown in FIG. 6. The primary arm cylinder 31 then has pressure applied to its dead end to urge the primary arm 21 outwardly to maintain the brush 29 in contact with the side of the car 25 as the secondary arm 27 unfolds under the influence of the cylinder 33 thereby moving such brush rearwardly along the side of the forwardly moving car 25. When the relative movement between the car 25 and the brush 29 brings the brush 29 to the rear corner of the car, the secondary arm 27 will be at its fully extended position and the cylinder 31 will move the

arms

31 and 33 forwardly as a unit to sweep the brush 29 across the rear of the forwardly moving car 25 to the waiting position shown in FIG. 5.

The vertical support post 23 is part of a framework, generally designated 41, which forms a cabinet for receiving the brush apparatus when it is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 9. The primary arm 21 is carried from the post 23 by a pair of vertically aligned pivot pins 43 and 45. Forward rotation of the arm 21 is limited by a stop 49 mounted on the frame 41 and retraction of such arm is limited by a stop 50 mounted on the frame 41. Folding of the secondary arm 27 on the primary arm 21 is limited by a bumper stop 52 mounted on such primary arm. Referring to FIG. 1, the secondary arm 27 is carried from the free end of the primary arm 21 by means of vertical pivot pins 51 which project from a vertical post 53. A lever arm 55 projects from the post 53 and the rod-end of the control cylinder 33 is connected thereto, the dead-end of the cylinder 33 being supported from a lever arm 57 projecting rearwardly from the primary arm 21.

Referring to FIG. 1, the brush 29 is suspended from a vertical shaft 59 which projects downwardly from a hydraulic motor 61 supported from a mounting bracket 63. A hydraulic feedline 65 and a return line 67 lead from a hydraulic source (not shown) to the motor 61 and return the hydraulic fluid therefrom.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10, the hydraulic-pneumatic system includes an air supply 71 which passes air through a pair of

filters

73 and 75 and a pressure regulator 77. Air from the regulator '77 is introduced to the intake port 79 of a fourway spool valve 81 by means of a conduit 83. The conduit 83 also connects with a pressure reducer 85 that provides air to the upper portion, or pneumatic portion, of an air-over-oil pot 87 by means of a conduit 89. The lower portion, or oil portion, of the airover-oil pot 87 is connected with the dead-end of the secondary arm cylinder 33 by means of a conduit 91 having a flow control valve 93 therein. The rod-end of the secondary hydraulic cylinder 33 is connected with an oil pot 97 by means of a conduit 99 having a flow control valve 101 therein.

A fluid actuated valve 103 has its control port connected with the conduit 99 and its working port connected, with one end of the fourway spool valve 81 by means of a conduit 105. The opposite end of the spool valve 81 is connected with a control valve 111 mounted on the free end of the primary arm 21 by means of a conduit 112. Referring to FIG. 2, the control valve 111 is normally biased to its off position and includes an actuating arm 113 having a cam 115 pivotally carried thereon by means of a pivot pin 117. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, an actuating lever 119 is carried on the pivot pin 51 of the secondary arm 27 for opening the control valve 111 when the secondary arm 27 is folded on the primary arm 21. A manual control valve 123 is also provided for selectively directing air to opposite ends of the spool valve 81 by means of

conduits

125 and 127.

The spool valve 81 has one outlet 129 connected with the dead-end of the primary arm cylinder 31 by means of a conduit 131 air-over-oil pot 133, and conduit 135 having a flow control valve 136 therein. The second outlet port 141 of the valve 81 is connected with the rod-end of the primary arm cylinder 31 by means of

conduits

143, 145, 147, air-over-oil pot 149, and conduit 151 having a control valve 152 therein.

Referring to FIG. 11, a water source 161 has conduits 163 connected thereto for supplying water to spray nozzles 165 mounted on the post 53 (FIG. 1) of the primary arm 21. A hydraulic actuated valve 171 in the conduit 163 controls flow to the nozzles 165 and has its outlet connected with a conduit 173 including venturi type pump 175 which draws soap from a tank 177 through a conduit 179 including a flow-control valve 181. The hydraulic actuated valve 171 has Water supplied thereto and such water can be selectively bled off through exhaust valves 193 and 195 (FIGS. 2 and 11) mounted from the post 23 and at the free-end of the primary arm 21, respectively. The valve 195 has an actuating arm 197 thereon which is controlled by a cam 199 (FIGS. 2 and 4) mounted on the pivot pin 51, such cam depressing the plunger in the valve when the secondary arm 27 is folded on the primary arm 21 to supply water to the nozzles 165. When the secondary arm 27 is unfolded and the primary arm 21 retracted, a cam 201 (FIGS. 2 and 3) afiixed to the pivot pin 43 depresses the plunger in the exhaust valve 193 to relieve pressure on the valve 171 to enable it to remain open and continue water flow to the nozzle 165'.

In operation the car washing apparatus of present invention will be normally positioned as shown in FIG. 5 with the fourway spool valve 8-1 shifted to direct pressure to the dead-end of the primary arm cylinder 31 to maintain the primary arm 21 extended. The secondary arm cylinder 33 will also have pressure directed through the regulator to its dead-end to maintain its rod extended and 'keep the secondary arm 27 unfolded to maintain the brush 29 disposed centrally in the path of the car 2'5. When the front of the car engages the brush 29 moving it forwardly, the actuating lever 119 (FIG. 2) will be pivoted counterclockwise to engage the pivotal cam and depress the actuating arm 113 to exhaust the valve 111 thereby relieving pressure from the left-hand end of the spool valve 8 1 (FIG. 10) to enable such valve to shift and direct pressure through conduits 143, 14-7 and 1'51 to the rod end of the primary arm cylinder 31 thereby retracting such primary arm. Such forced retraction positively pulls the brush 29 across the front of the car to assure that it doesnt hang up on any forwardly projecting portions thereof.

As best shown in FIG. 2, continued folding of the secondary arm 27 will rotate the lever 119 counterclockwise beyond the cam 115 to enable the actuating arm 113 to extend and close the valve 111.

IR is desirable that initial retraction of the primary arm 21 be relatively rapid to move the brush 29 across the front of the car that movement at the end of the retraction stroke be cushioned to slow the brush travel gradually. This is accomplished by providing the proper ratio of air and oil in the air-over-oil pot 1-33- to cause only air to be escaping from the dead end of the cylinder 31 to the pot 133 during initial retraction of the primary arm 21 and to, thereafter, cause oil to be forced from the cylinder 31 to the pot 133- thereby slowing retraction of such cylinder and, consequently, slowing and cushioning brush travel. As the automobile 25 continues forward movement to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 6', the brush 29 will be moved into the broken line position shown.

After the brush 2-9 clears the front corner, the secondary arm 27 will commence unfolding causing pressure to build up on the vent valve 103 to trigger it. Triggering of such vent valve relieves pressure from the right-hand end of the fourway spool valve 81 (FIG. 10) thus enabling such valve to shift and direct air pressure through the

conduits

143, 147 and to the dead-end of the primary arm cylinder 31 thereby causing the primary arm 21 to be extended thus moving both

arms

21 and 27 forward as a unit. Such forced extension of the primary arm 21 maintains the brush 2-9 in contact with the side of the car until the rear corner thereof is reached, at which time such brush will commence immediate forward travel to maintain the brush in contact with the rear corner of the car to assure washing of all portions thereof. As the car continues its forward movement the primary arm 21 and secondary arm 27 will be rotated counterclockwise as a unit to come to rest in the waiting position shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 2, it is noted that when the secondary arm unfolds, the actuating lever 119 is rotated clockwise toward the position shown and engages the projecting end of the cam 11'5 rotating it counterclockwise on its pivot pin 117 to its broken line position to enable such cam to sweep thereby without activating the valve 111. It will be obvious that the rotational friction between the brush 2-9 and the car 25 assists in movement of such brush across the front of said car, rearwardly alongside thereof, and across the back.

'It will be evident that the air-

over-oil pots

87, 97, 133, and 149 may be filled to the degree necessary to provide the slowing of brush movement and cushioning thereof. Further, the

flow control valves

93, 101, 136, and 152 are of the type which have an easier direction of flow in the direction from the

respective pots

87, 97, 133 and 149 to the

respective cylinders

33 and 31 than in the reverse direction. This control may be accomplished by providing a needle valve and check valve connected in parallel and the needle valves may be adjusted to provide the desired cushioning rate throughout various portions of the cycle and at the end of each piston stroke.

It will be clear that during the foregoing described procedure, the water control valve 185 (FIG. 2) is opened on initial forward rotation of the secondary arm 27 to commerce spraying of water from the nozzle 165 onto the brush 29. When the secondary arm 27 reaches its unfolded position shown in FIG. 7, the valve 185 will be closed but the valve 193 at the supported end of the primary arm 21 will be maintained opened until the primary arm 21 reaches its extended position shown in FIG. 5, at which time both

valves

193 and 195 will be closed to discontinue water spray.

The brush 29, when not in use, may be retracted from the car path by adjusting the manual valve 123 (FIG. to bleed off pressure through the conduit 125 to shift the spool valve 81 and apply pressure to the rod end of the primary cylinder 31 to retract the primary arm 21 as shown in FIG. 9. K

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the car washing apparatus of present invention provides for programmed brush movement across the front of the car, rearwardly along one side thereof and inwardly across the rear thereof to provide the proper brush speed at all points for thorough washing. The particular arrangement of the primary and secondary arms provides for a relatively large amount of forward and rearward brush travel along the path of the automobile.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing description without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A car washing apparatus for washing the front, side and rear of a car, said apparatus comprising:

a primary arm pivotally supported on one end at one side of the path of said car and extending rearwardly along said path;

a secondary arm pivotally supported on one end from the free end of said primary arm and normally extending transversely over said path;

a brush carried on the free end of said secondary arm and rotatable about a vertical axis;

means for rotating said brush on its axis;

bias means connected between said primary and secondary arms to control folding of said secondary arm on said primary arm; and

control means connected with said primary arm and responsive to contact of said lbrush by the front of said car to retract said primary arm, pulling said brush across the front of said car, said means being further responsive to rearward movement of said brush along the side of said car to urge said primary arm toward its extended position to maintain said brush against the side of said forwardly moving car and to move said brush inwardly across the rear of said car when the rear corner thereof is reached.

2. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wheresaid bias means controls unfolding of said secondary arm on said primary arm to control rearward movement of said brush along said side of said car at a predetermined rate. 3. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bias means includes a first fluid cylinder; and said control means includes a second fluid cylinder and a valve responsive to extension of said first fluid cylinder during unfolding of said secondary arm to apply pressure to said second fluid cylinder to extend said primary arm. 4. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said control means includes a fluid cylinder and a valve responsive to folding of said secondary arm to apply pressure to said cylinder to retract said primary arm. '5. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said control means includes a fluid cylinder and a valve responsive to unfolding of said secondary arm to apply pressure to said cylinder to extend said primary arm. 6. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bias means includes a fluid cylinder and means directing a pressure bias to one end of said cylinder to maintain said secondary arm normally unfolded. 7. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bias means includes a fluid cylinder containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid; an air reservoir connected with one end of said cylinder; and an orifice for freely passing said air and metering the flow of said fluid to control the rate of unfolding of said secondary arm. 8. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bias means includes a fluid cylinder containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid; an air reservoir connected with one end of said cylinder; and an orifice for freely passing said air and metering the flow of said hydraulic fluid to control the rate of folding of said secondary arm. 9. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim '1 wherein:

said control means includes a fluid cylinder containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid; an air reservoir connected with one end of said cylinder; and an orifice for freely passing said air and metering the flow of said hydraulic fluid to control the rate of folding of said primary arm. 10. Car washing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said control means includes a fluid cylinder containing a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid; and an air reservoir connected with said one end of said cylinder and an orifice for freely passing said air and metering the flow of' said hydraulic fluid to control the rate of unfolding of said primary arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,310,824 3/1967 Beer l52l C.3 3,350,733 11/1967 Hanna 152l C.3

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 15Dig., 2, 53