US3675262A

US3675262A - Automatic vehicle washing apparatus with brush for cleaning the vehicle sides

Info

Publication number: US3675262A
Application number: US46011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank A Mello
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-06-15
Filing date: 1970-06-15
Publication date: 1972-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-11

Abstract

An automatic vehicle washing apparatus that includes a mobile carriage that travels around an endless track that encircles the stationary vehicle during the washing process. The carriage supports a spray arm that directs a heated liquid detergent under pressure and onto the exterior surfaces of the vehicle for cleaning it while the carriage makes one or more trips around the vehicle. The carrier makes an additional one or more trips around the vehicle with the same spray arm now delivering cold rinse water under pressure against the vehicle for rinsing off the detergent liquid. The carriage also swingably supports an auxiliary arm that carries a heavy fabric and this auxiliary arm is automatically swung into a position for placing the heavy fabric immediately in back of the spray arm during the spraying of the liquid detergent onto the vehicle so that it will be dragged over the vehicle and aid in removing dirt therefrom. I mount a brush-carrying arm on the auxiliary arm and provide novel means for swinging both the auxiliary arm and brush-carrying arm into operative position during the time the detergent liquid is sprayed onto the vehicle and for swinging the same two arms into inoperative position during the rinsing cycle. The brush is rotated and will aid in cleaning the sides, front and rear of the vehicle when the brush-supporting arm is in operative position.

Description

United States Patent 1 3,675,262 Mello [451 July 11, 1972 [$4] AUTOMATIC VEHICLE WASHING 57 ABSTRACT APPARATUS WITH BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE VEHICLE SIDES Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Auorne vWilliam R. Piper An automatic vehicle washing apparatus that includes a mobile carriage that travels around an endless track that encircles the stationary vehicle during the washing process. The carriage supports a spray arm that directs a heated liquid detergent under pressure and onto the exterior surfaces of the vehicle for cleaning it while the carriage makes one or more trips around the vehicle. The carrier makes an additional one or more trips around the vehicle with the same spray arm now delivering cold rinse water under pressure against the vehicle for rinsing oh the detergent liquid. The carriage also swingably supports an auxiliary arm that carries a heavy fabric and this auxiliary arm is automatically swung into a position for placing the heavy fabric immediately in back of the spray arm during the spraying of the liquid detergent onto the vehicle so that it will be dragged over the vehicle and aid in removing dirt therefrom. l mount a brush-carrying arm on the auxiliary arm and provide novel means for swinging both the auxiliary arm and brush-carrying arm into operative position during the time the detergent liquid is sprayed onto the vehicle and for swinging the same two arms into inoperative position during the rinsing cycle. The brush is rotated and will aid in cleaning the sides, front and rear of the vehicle when the brush-supporting arm is in operative position.

6Clalm7DravvingFlguRs noaooo PATENTED L H I972 SHEET 10F 2 OOOOOO 0 L ml. E WM A K N A R F k I!) r ATTORNEY PMENTEDJUL 1 1 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 ATTORNEY P 1 N Lik AUTOMATIC VEHICLE WASHING APPARATUS WITH BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE VEHICLE SIDES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION In my copending patent application on an automatic vehicle washing apparatus, Ser. No. 749,37l, filed Aug. 1, I968, and now US. Pat. No. 3,520,0l4, l disclose the same mechanism as set forth in the above paragraph with the exception of the rotating bush and the brush-carrying arm. I found that a better vehicle washing job was accomplished by adding a rotary side brush and mounting this on a brush-carrying arm. The auxiliary arm that carries the heavy fabric also supports the brushcarrying arm and when the auxiliary arm is swung into operative position, the brush-carrying arm will yieldingly hold the rotating brush in contact with the side of the vehicle so that as the carriage moves around the vehicle during the liquid detergent applying cycle the rotating brush will aid in cleaning the sides, front and rear of the vehicle. I also provide a brush guard that is preferably made of plastic and will contact with the vehicle before the bristle-carrying shaft can do so and thus prevent the shaft from becoming damaged or damaging the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention.

When only a heated detergent liquid under pressure is sprayed onto a vehicle, some of the harder to remove dirt and road film will not be removed even though a liquid pressure of several hundred pounds is used. By using a heavy fabric suspended from an arm that is held above the top of the vehicle and dragging the fabric over the vehicle by means of a carriage that travels around the vehicle, the fabric will remove foreign matter which has been loosened by the detergent spray. The hanging fabric will not effectively remove dirt from the sides, from and rear of the vehicle because it hangs straight down from its supporting arm except for those portions contacted by the upper surfaces of the vehicle. I therefore have provided a rotating brush and mount it upon an arm that is carried by the fabric-carrying arm so that both arms can swing into operative position during the time the spray arm is delivering a detergent liquid for washing the vehicle. The brush rotates about a vertical axis and is yieldingly held against the vehicle as long as the brush-carrying amt remains in operative position.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the patent to James E. Widner, US. Pat. No. 3,3l5,69l, issued Apr. 25, 1967, on a vehicle power washing apparatus, there is disclosed a mobile carriage that travels around a track which encircles a stationary vehicle that is to be washed. The carriage supports an inverted L-shaped arm which has nozzles for directing streams of a hot detergent liquid under pressure upon the top and sides of the vehicle. An operating mechanism causes the carriage to make one or more trips around the vehicle while spraying the detergent liquid against the top and sides of the vehicle as well as at the front and the back thereof. A rinsing cycle follows the washing cycle and the same spray arm is used for directing streams of cold rinse water under pressure and onto the vehicle in the same manner as formerly accomplished by the hot detergent liquid. The carriage will make one or more trips around the vehicle during the rinsing cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of my invention is to provide a brush-carrying arm that is swingably mounted on the auxiliary fabric-carrying arm so that both can be swung into operative position during the washing cycle when the spray arm directs a hot liquid detergent onto the top and the sides of a vehicle. The heavy fabric will be dragged over the vehicle for aiding in dislodging any road film that has not been removed by the detergent liquid and the rotating brush is yieldingly held against the sides of the vehicle for doing the same thing on the vehicle sides and also at the front and back of the vehicle. The means for swinging both the auxiliary arm and the brush-carrying arm into operative position will also swing the arms into inoperative positions during the cycle when the spray arm is spraying rinse water onto the vehicle.

A plastic guard is operatively connected to the brush-carrying arm and it will prevent the brush shaft from contacting with any part of the vehicle while the brush-carrying arm is in operative position. This arm is spring-biased and will yieldingly hold the rotating brush in contact with the vehicle so long as the arm is in operative position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan schematic view of the apparatus and shows a vehicle in position to be washed and rinsed. The heavy fabric-carrying arm and the rotating brush-carrying arm are both shown in operative position by full lines and in inoperative position by dot-dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus and is taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on a larger scale of the carriage and is taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the hydraulic means for swinging the auxiliary arm supporting the heavy fabric that is used in mopping the vehicle during the application of a hot detergent liquid by the spray arm.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the carriage shown in FIG. 3, but with the casing removed and illustrates how the rotating brush-carrying arm is swingably mounted on the auxiliary arm that supports the heavy fabric.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and at a higher elevation than the section line 3-3 and shows the mechanism for supporting and operating the springbiased arm that carries the rotatable brush.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a part of the mechanism and a portion of the wiring diagram for swinging both the auxiliary arm that supports the heavy fabric and the arm that carries the rotatable brush, these two arms being swingable from inoperative into operative position and vice versa.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 and shows how a guard protects the shaft of the rotatable brush from contacting with the vehicle while the arm that supports the rotating brush yieldingly holds the brush against the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In carrying out my invention I make use of a mobile carriage A that can travel around an endless track B that is supported by a floor. The carriage supports a spray arm C of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,691, previously mentioned. The spray arm and carriage shown in the patent are taken as an example because the spray ann supporting carriage could be suspended from a ceiling and the carriage could be moved around the stationary vehicle for washing and rinsing it.

Referring to FIGS. I and 2, it will be seen that the carriage A travels around the track B, and the track encloses a large enough area to receive a vehicle D, that is to be washed. The vehicle is guided into this track-enclosed area by a pair of spaced apart and parallely arranged guide rails E that extend above the floor. These guide rails will receive the left hand forward and rear wheels I of the vehicle as the driver moves it into the proper position within the area bounded by the endless track B. The driver before entering the track-enclosed area deposits a coin in a coin'controlled switch, indicated schematically at F, in FIG. 1. This will close the switch and get the apparatus in readiness to operate as well as illuminate a green signal light G.

The driver then moves his vehicle forwardly and aligns the left front wheel I so as to enter between the guide rails E. Two banks of nozzles, H and J, will deliver heated detergent liquid under a pressure of about 600 p.s.i., against the two front vehicle wheels for thoroughly cleaning them. The driver continues to move the vehicle along the guide rails E, and just before the left rear wheel is received between the rails, both rear wheels will be washed by the same fluid issuing from the spray noules H and I. When the left front wheel 1 of the vehicle strikes a floor plate switch 2 that is positioned between the guide rails E, it will close the switch and illuminate a red light K, and disconnect the current to the green light G. This will tell the driver to stop his vehicle. The floor switch will also start the mechanism to follow through with its washing and rinsing cycles.

Before describing the washing and rinsing cycles, it is best first to describe the pertinent features of the apparatus. Wheels 3 support the carriage A, and these straddle the track B, as shown in FIG. 2. A front steering wheel, not shown, is provided for the carriage and it has a guide leg receivable between the two tracks for guiding and steering so that the carriage will follow the endless track and move around the stationary vehicle D. The inverted L-shaped hollow spray arm C, is secured to the inner side 4 of the carriage by any suitable means, such as brackets 5. The spray arm has a vertical portion 6 and a horizontal portion 7, the latter being spaced a sufficient distance above the floor to clear the top of the vehicle. The horizontal portion 7 of the spray arm will always lie in a vertical plane that extends at right angles to the plane of the inner side 4 of the carriage A, at all times. The length of the horizontal portion 7 is such that it will always extend more than halfway across the width of the vehicle. Spaced apart spray nozzles 8 are carried by both

portions

6 and 7 of the spray arm C and they will direct hot detergent liquid against a side and top of the vehicle D for one or more complete trips of the carriage around the vehicle and subsequently will direct a cold rinse spray onto the top and side of the vehicle for another one or more complete trips around the vehicle. The lower end of the vertical portion 6 is closed by a check valve 9 and the outer end of the horizontal portion '7 is closed by a cap 10. The check valve 9 is spring loaded and will automatically open to drain the spray arm C at the end of the rinse cycle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a radially extending pipe I] projecting from a central support 12 that is secured to a ceiling 13. A flexible hose 14 connects the outer end of the radial pipe 11 with the spray arm C. A source of heated detergent liquid, not shown, is connected to the radial pipe 11 through a supply pipe 15 and delivers the liquid to this pipe, the liquid then flowing through the pipe 14 and entering the spray arm C to issue from the nozzles 8 under about 600 p.s.i, while the car riage A makes one or more complete trips around the vehicie D. Another source of cold rinse water, not shown, can be connected to the radial pipe I] through the supply pipe 15 when the heated detergent liquid to this pipe is cut off and the cold water under a pressure of about 600 p.s.i. will issue from the nozzles 8 and be directed against the top and side of the vehicle.

In my copending patent application, Ser. No. 749,371, Idisclose an auxiliary arm that supports a heavy fabric that is adapted to be dragged over the vehicle when the arm is in operative position. I make use of the auxiliary inverted L- shaped arm M that carries a heavy fabric L, see FIG. 2. The vertical portion 16 of the arm M, is swingably mounted in supporting bearings 17 and 18, see FIG. 4. The arm M, has a horizontal portion 19 which supports the heavy fabric L. FIG. 2 shows the fabric L with its lower portion cut into vertical strips 20 and these will assume difi'erent distorted forms as they are dragged over the vehicle D.

The relative positions of the spray arm C, and the heavy fabric carrying arm M, are shown in the top plan view of FIG. 1, when the spray arm is delivering a hot detergent liquid onto the vehicle D, and the arm M is swung into operative position. The carriage A will move along the endless track B, in the direction of the arrow 21. The spray arm C will move in advance of the fabric-carrying arm M, and the latter arm will parallel the horizontal portion 7 of the spray arm. The fabric I. will drag its strips over the vehicle for cleaning it of hard to dislodge body film. Some of the hot detergent liquid will enter the fabric L, and so saturate it that each strip will become an individual cleaning member as it contacts the vehicle.

My copending case as well as the drawings in the present case show the means for swinging the fabriecarrying arm M from inoperative to operative position and vice versa. Note from FIG. 1 that the auxiliary arm M will be swung approximately from its inoperative position, shown by the dotdash lines, into operative position shown by the full lines. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the vertical portion 16 of the auxiliary arm provided with an outwardly extending lug 22 and a clevis 23 is carried by the outer end of a piston rod 24 and is pivotally connected to the lug. The piston rod has a piston, not shown, that slides in a hydraulic cylinder N. The hydraulic cylinder in turn is pivotally connected at 25 to the frame 26 of the carriage A. The dot-dash line position of the cylinder N, in FIG. 3, shows how the fabric carrying auxiliary arm M can be swung into inoperative position during the rinsing cycle, and this will move the fabric away from the vehicle and will hold the fabric so that the plane of the fabric will parallel the side of the vehicle.

Before describing how the hydraulic cylinder N swings the fabric-carrying arm M from inoperative to operative position and vice versa, it is best to set forth the mechanism for swinging a rotatable brush against the side of the vehicle during the time the fabriocarrying arm M, is in operative position. FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, illustrate a brush-carrying arm P that is swingably mounted on the vertical portion 16 of the auxiliary arm M that supports the heavy fabric L. The arm P is a casting and it has a depending portion 27 (see especiaily FIGS. 2 and 4) that has a bearing 28 at its lower end which receives the vertical portion I6 of the auxiliary arm M. The bearing 28 tests on a supporting plate 29, mounted on the top of the carriage A. The bearing 28 has an outwardly projecting extension 30 and a piston rod 31 has its outer end pivotally secured to the extension or lug 30.

The piston rod 31, see FIGS. 4 and 5, has a piston, not shown, slidably received in a cylinder Q, and the cylinder in turn is mounted on an arm 32 which is pivoted at 33 to a support 34, the latter being mounted on the top of the carriage A. The piston rod 31 has a disc 35 rigidly secured thereto and one end of a compression spring 36 bears against this disc. The spring 36 encloses the cylinder 0, and the other end of the spring bears against a disc 37 that closes the right hand end of the cylinder and is supported by the arm 32, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. It will be seen from this structure thus far described, the spring 36 will yieldingly bear against the disc 35 tending to move the disc and piston rod 31 to the left in FIG. 5 and to rotate the lug 30, the bearing 28, the portion 27 and the arm P, in a clockwise direction around the verticai portion 16 of the auxiliary arm M.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 show the arm P rotatably supporting a vertical shaft 38. This shaft extends downwardly from the arm and carries a cylindrical brush R. The arm P also carries a gear reduction casing S and a motor T, is directly connected to the casing so as to drive a shaft 39, projecting from the casing (see FIG. 5) at a relatively slow speed. A chain and sprocket mechanism 40, interconnects the two

shafts

38 and 39, whereby a rotation of the motor T, will rotate the vertical brush R, at the proper speed at about I50 RPM.

The brush arm P, is not only swingably mounted on the vertical portion 16 of the auxiliary arm, but I provide a novel and simple means for causing the brush arm to swing into inoperative position when the auxiliary am is swung and yet the brush arm is free to swing when it is in operative position so that the brush R, will be yieldingly held against the side of the vehicle D, for cleaning it, see FIG. 5. The portion 27 of the casting that is integral with the brush-carrying ann P, and the bearing 28 is semi-circular in horizontal section, see also FIG. 4. A bolt or pin 41 extends outwardly from the portion 16 of the auxiliary fabric-carrying arm M, in a radial direction and is so positioned that when the arm M, is swung from operative into inoperative position, this pin 41 will strike the side of the semicircular portion 27 and swing it and the brush-carrying arm P,

into inoperative position as shown by the full and dot-dash line positions in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows the brush-carrying arm P, extending at right angles to the side 4 of the carriage A because the brush R, is not contacting with the vehicle D, in this view. In actual practice, the brush arm P, will be slightly inclined from the right angle position because the brush R, will be contacting the side of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 1. When the arm P, is in this position, the pin 41 will be spaced from the adjacent vertical edge of the portion 27 and this will permit the spring 36 to yieldingly urge the piston rod 31 to swing the lug 30 clockwise and with it the bearing 28, portion 27 and arm P to yieldingly hold the rotating brush R against the side of the vehicle D so that it will follow all contours of the vehicle side to thoroughly clean it.

I provide novel means for preventing the brush shaft 38 from striking the side of the vehicle D. It will be seen from FIG. 1 that when the carriage A travels around a curve in the endless track B, the shaft 38 of the brush may have a tendency to strike the corner of the vehicle and might do damage to itself as well as to the portions of the vehicle at the corners such as lights, bumpers, etc. FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 7--7 of FIG. 5 and it shows the bearing 28 supporting a bracket U. The brush R is not shown in this Figure. The bracket has a downwardly extending portion 42 and a plurality of plastic fingers V project from this portion. These plastic fingers are spaced from each other and lie in a vertical plane. FIGS. I and 5 show how the plastic fingers V extend into the bristle portion of the brush R, and move ahead of the brush shaft 38. These fingers will therefore strike the corner of the vehicle D before the brush shaft can do so, and will swing the bracket U, and cause the latter to swing the bearing 28 and the arm P, so as to move the brush shaft 38 out of contact with the vehicle. In this way the brush shaft nor the corners of the vehicle can be damaged.

In FIG. 6, I show diagrammatically how the hydraulic cylinder N for swinging the fabric-carrying arm M, and the brush-carrying arm P, is operated. A conduit 42 is connected to one of the nozzles 8 of the spray arm C, and this conduit communicates with a pressure regulator W where the pressure is reduced from about 600 p.s.i. to about 150 p.s.i. Another conduit 43 leads from the pressure regulator W to a solenoid controlled valve X. When the valve X, is in normal position, the hydraulic cylinder N will hold the piston rod 24 so that the heavy fabric-carrying arm M will be retained in inoperative position as well as the brushcarrying arm P. The fluid under 150 psi. in the conduit 43 will pass through a passage 44 in the valve X and on through a conduit 45 to one end of the cylinder N to move the piston and piston rod 24 to the left in FIG. 6. This movement will swing and hold the fabric-carrying arm M in inoperative position and the pin 41 on the vertical portion 16 of the arm M will swing and hold the brush-carrying arm P, in inoperative position. The trapped fluid at the left of the cylinder N will be forced through another conduit 46 from the cylinder to the valve X and thence through a passage 47 in the valve and out through an exhaust conduit 48.

When new the solenoid 49 is energized, as will presently be described, the valve X will be actuated for connecting the conduit 43 with the conduit 46 by the dotted arrow passage 50in the valve N, and for connecting the conduit 45 with the exhaust conduit 48 by the dotted arrow passage 51. This will reverse the movement of the piston rod 24 and will swing the fabric-carrying arm M, and the roller brush carrying arm P, back into operative positions. As soon as the solenoid 49 is dcenergized, a spring, not shown, will return the valve X to its initial position.

OPERATION From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. Any type of electrical control device can be used for operating the mechanism. I disclose a portion of an electrical control in FIG. 6 by way of example.

The coin controlled switch F, in FIG. I is closed when the proper coin or coins are deposited in the coin slot, not shown. Wires 52 lead from the coin controlled switch F and will connect the green light 0 with a source of current, not shown, for illuminating it. The driver moves his vehicle D so that the left hand wheels will enter the path between the guide rails E. A switch, not shown, is closed as the front left wheel is positioned adjacent to the left bank of nozzles H, and these together with the nozzles .I will direct the hot detergent liquid against the wheels for about eight seconds for washing them.

The driver moves his vehicle forwardly until the plate switch 2 is closed by the left front wheel and this will cause the green light G to go out and the red light K to be illuminated. The driver now stops any further forward movement of the vehicle and the programming of the entire mechanism will start. By way of example, I have shown only a part of an electric control system such as a commutator disc Y, in FIG. 6. The disc is caused to make one complete revolution when the plate switch 2 is closed by the left front wheel of the vehicle. The commutator disc has two arcuate conductor strips 53 and 54, each extending through an arc of slightly less than A stationary brush or contact terminal 55 will come into contact with the arcuate conductor strip 53 and will close an electric circuit through wires 56 and 57 to a source of current, not shown, and to an electric motor, not shown, in the carriage A for moving it along the track B, in FIG. 1. The rotational speed of the conductor disc Y, and the length of the arcuate strip 53 are such as to cause the carriage A to make two complete circuits around the endless track B. At the same time the closing of the electric circuit through the wires 56 and 57 will open a valve, not shown, that will place a source of heated detergent liquid, not shown, in communication with the pipe 15 and the liquid will flow from this pipe into the spray arm C, and issue from the nozzles 8 so as to wash the vehicle D.

At the same time, another stationary brush or contact terminal 58 will come into contact with another arcuate conductor strip 59, mounted on the commutator disc Y, see FIG. 6, and will close an electric circuit through wires 60 and 6] to the source of current and the solenoid 49 for energizing it. The solenoid will actuate the valve X and will permit some of the fluid from the spray pipe C to flow through the pipe 42, pressure regulator W, pipe 43, valve passage 50, thence through the conduit 46 and into the hydraulic cylinder N for moving the piston rod 24 to the right in FIG. 6. This movement will cause the piston rod to swing the lug 22, see FIGS. 3 and 4, and swing the auxiliary fabric-carrying arm M into operative position where the fabric L will contact with the vehicle D. At the same time the pin 41 will swing the brush-carrying arm P into operative position where the brush R will be yieldingly held against the side of the vehicle by the spring 36.

FIG. 6 shows the motor T connected in parallel with the solenoid 49 by wires 62 that are connected to the wires 60 so that the motor starts to operate immediately when the solenoid is energized. This means that the motor will rotate the brush R during the entire time that the solenoid is energized and therefore the brush will contact with the side of the vehicle D, as the auxiliary arm M remains in operative position. The commutator Y will rotate through 180 and during this time the carriage A will make two complete trips around the vehicle during which the hot detergent liquid is sprayed onto the vehicle and both the heavy fabric L, and the rotating brush R will contact the vehicle to aid in removing the road film.

When the commutator Y, or program timer has rotated about 180, the brush or contact 55 will move off from the arcuate conductor strip 53 and will break the circuit through the wires 56 and $7. This will permit the valve, not shown, to close and stop any further delivery of the hot detergent liquid through the pipe 15 to the spray arm C. Also the brush or contact 58 will ride ofi' from the arcuate conductor 59 and will break the circuit to the solenoid 49 and deenergize it, per mitting a spring, not shown, to actuate the valve X and connect the conduit 43 through the valve passage 44 to the conduit 45 and connect the conduit 46 with the exhaust conduit 48 through the valve passage 47. This will retract the piston rod 24 and swing the auxiliary arm M, into operative position where the fabric L will parallel the side of the vehicle and be spaced therefrom. At the same time the circuit to the motor T, is broken and the brush R will stop rotating while the arm P will hold the brush in inoperative position and away from the vehicle D. During the travel of the carriage A around the vehicle while the rotating brush is held in contact with the vehicle side, the plastic fingers V will prevent the brush shaft from striking any part of the vehicle especially when the carriage travels around a comer of the vehicle. The plastic fingers would first strike the vehicle at the corner if it were too close and swing the bracket U and the brush-carrying arm P, so that the brush shaft could not contact the vehicle.

The adjacent ends of the arcuate conductor strips 53 and 54 are disposed close to each other, see FIG. 6, and the continued rotation of the commutator disc Y, will now bring the brush 55 into contact with the arcuate strip 54 and will close an electric circuit through the wire 56 and a wire 63 and to the motor in the carriage A for continuing to move the carriage forwardly along the track B, in FIG. 2. The arcuate strip 54 is long enough to cause the carriage to make two more complete trips around the endless track. At the same time, the closing of the electric circuit through the wires 56 and 63 will open another valve, not shown, that will place a source of cold water under a pressure of about 600 p.s.i., in communication with the pipe and the cold rinse water will issue from the nozzles 8 on the spray arm C so as to rinse the vehicle D from the detergent liquid.

As soon as water enters the spray ann C, some ofit will flow through the conduit 42, see FIG. 6, and into the pressure regulator W, and thence into the conduit 43 at a reduced pressure of l50 p.s.i. The valve X has been set to cause this water to flow to the right hand end of the hydraulic cylinder N, and return the piston rod 24 to the left or the piston rod will be retracted. This will cause the piston rod to swing the fabriccarrying arm M, into inoperative position shown by the dotdash lines in FIG. 1. The fabric L will therefore not contact with the vehicle during the rinsing cycle and the fabric will remain saturated with the detergent liquid.

When the mobile carriage A has completed its two trips around the endless track B, for rinsing the car, the commutator Y, will have completed one complete rotation and will come to a stop. The brush 55 will have moved off from the conductor strip 54 and will be positioned between this strip and the start of the conductor strip 53. The circuit will have been broken to the motor in the carriage A, and the latter will stop moving. Also the valve for the cold rinse water supply will be closed. The red light K will go out and the green light G will go on, indicating to the driver that the entire washing and rinsing operations have been completed.

As already stated, the above electrical control system is only given as one example of operation. The novel feature of my invention is to provide an attachment including the brush-carrying arm I that is swingably mounted on the vertical portion 16 of the fabric-carrying arm M. The vertical portion 16 of the arm M has the pin 41 for swinging the brushcarrying arm P into inoperative position when the fabric-carrying arm M is swung into an inoperative position. Then when the fabric-carrying arm is swung into operative position, the pin 41 will swing free and permit the spring 36 to swing the brush-carrying arm P into operative position and the pin will not interfere with the spring holding the brush in yielding contact with the side of the vehicle D. The brush R will be rotated only when the arm P, is in operative position.

I also provide the novel means for preventing the brush shaft 38 from striking any part of the vehicle D while the brush R, is in operative position. FIG. l shows the plastic fingers V extending into the bristle portion of the brush and positioned in advance of the brush R so that they will strike any protruding part of the vehicle before the brush shafl can touch it. The plastic fingers when striking any portion of the vehicle will swing the brush-carrying arm P so that the brush shaft will be kept from contacting with the vehicle.

I claim:

1. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising:

a. an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicle therewithin that is to be washed;

b. a mobile carriage movable around the track and guided thereby so as to orbit about the vehicle that is in the wash position;

c. a spray arm supported by said carriage and spraying the vehicle as the carriage moves therearound;

d. an inverted L-shaped am having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle and provided with a vehicle wiping member hanging therefrom;

e. means for swinging said inverted L-shaped arm from inoperative position where said wiping member does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where said wiping member does contact with the vehicle;

f. a brush-carrying arm having a rotatable brush;

g. means for swinging said brush-carrying arm from an inoperative position where said brush does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where the brush does contact the vehicle so as to cooperate with said wiping member for washing the vehicle;

h. said brush-carrying arm is swingably mounted on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm; and

i. the means for swinging said brush-carrying arm includes a pin on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm for engaging with said brush carrying arm to swing it into inoperative position when the vertical portion of said L- shaped arm is rotated as this arm swings into inoperative position.

2. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising:

a. an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicie therewithin that is to be washed;

c. a spray ann supported by said carriage and spraying the vehicle as the carriage moves therearound;

d. an inverted L-shaped arm having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle and provided with a vehicle wiping member hanging therefrom;

e. means for swinging said inverted L-shaped arm from inoperative position where said wiping memher does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where said wiping member does contact with the vehicle;

a brush-carrying arm having a rotatable brush;

. means for swinging said brush-carrying arm from an inoperative position where said brush does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where the brush does contact the vehicle so as to cooperate with said wiping member for washing the vehicle;

h. said brush-carrying arm being swingably mounted on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm;

. the means for swinging said brush-carrying arm including a pin on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm for engaging with said brush carrying arm to swing it into inoperative position when the vertical portion of said L-shaped arm is rotated as this arm swings into operative position;

. said pin swinging out of contact with said brush-carrying arm when said inverted L-shaped arm is swung into operative position; and

yielding means for yieldingly urging said brush-carrying arm into positions for constantly causing said rotatable brush to contact with the side of the vehicle regardless of its contour.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which a. said brush has a central shaft; and

b. a brush guard supported by said brush-carrying arm and positioned with respect to said brush shaft so as to contact any portion of the vehicle that lies in the line of travel of said brush shafi as said carriage travels around the vehicle, said guard contacting such vehicle portion before said brush shaft reaches it and swinging said brush-carrying arm in a direction for causing this arm to swing said brush shaft clear of the portion.

A vehicle washing apparatus comprising:

an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicle therewithin that is to be washed;

a mobile carriage movable around the track and being guided thereby so as to orbit about the vehicle that is in the wash position;

. a spray arm supported by said carriage and having a vertical and a horizontal portion for spraying the top and sides of the vehicle as said carriage travels therearound;

an inverted L-shaped arm having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle when said arm is in operative position, the horizontal portion being provided with a vehicle wiping member that hangs therefrom;

. means for swinging said inverted arm from inoperative position where said wiping member hangs clear of the vehicle, into an operative position where said wiping member contacts the vehicle and vice versa;

. a brush-supporting arm carrying a depending rotatable cylindrical brush with an axial shaft, said brush-carrying arm being swingably supported by the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm;

. the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm having inverted L-shaped arm being swung out of contact with said brush arm during this movement and permitting the movement of said brush-carrying arm toward the vehicle when said inverted L-shaped arm is in operative position.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4: and in which a. a brush guard is secured to said brush-carrying arm and is 6. A car washing apparatus including a carriage mounted for movement along a predetermined path to wash a vehicle parked in said path, said apparatus comprising:

a. a spray arm mounted on said carriage and having nozzles;

b. a fabric-carrying arm mounted on said carriage and being swingable from an inoperative position where the fabric is held clear of the vehicle into an operative position where the fabric will contact the vehicle and trails the spray arm;

. a side brush-carrying arm swingably mounted on said fabric-carrying arm, a brush rotatably carried by said brush-carrying arm, said fabric-carrying arm having means for contacting and holding said brush arm in inoperative position when said fabric-carrying arm is in inoperative position for holding said brush away from the vehicle;

d. means for swinging said fabric-carrying arm from inoperative to operative position, the swinging of the fabriccarrying am into operative position moving said means out of contact with said brush arm so that the latter is free to swing said brush into contact with the vehicle;

. yielding means operatively connected to said brush arm for yieldingly holding said brush in contact with the side of the vehicle when said fabric-carrying arm is in operative position; and

f. means for rotating said brush when it is in operative position.

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Claims

1. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising: a. an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicle therewithin that is to be washed; b. a mobile carriage movable around the track and guided thereby so as to orbit about the vehicle that is in the wash position; c. a spray arm supported by said carriage and spraying the vehicle as the carriage moves therearound; d. an inverted L-shaped arm having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle and provided with a vehicle wiping member hanging therefrom; e. means for swinging said inverted L-shaped arm from inoperative position where said wiping member does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where said wiping member does contact with the vehicle; f. a brush-carrying arm having a rotatable brush; g. means for swinging said brush-carrying arm from an inoperative position where said brush does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where the brush does contact the vehicle so as to cooperate with said wiping member for washing the vehicle; h. said brush-carrying arm is swingably mounted on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm; and i. the means for swinging said brush-carrying arm includes a pin on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm for engaging with said brush carrying arm to swing it into inoperative position when the vertical portion of said L-shaped arm is rotated as this arm swings into inoperative position.

2. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising: a. an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicle therewithin that is to be washed; b. a mobile carriage movable around the track and guided thereby so as to orbit about the vehicle that is in the wash position; c. a spray arm supported by said carriage and spraying the vehicle as the carriage moves therearound; d. an inverted L-shaped arm having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle and provided with a vehicle wiping member hanging therefrom; e. means for swinging said inverted L-shaped arm from inoperative position where said wiping member does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where said wiping member does contact with the vehicle; f. a brush-carrying arm having a rotatable brush; g. means for swinging said brush-carrying arm from an inoperative position where said brush does not contact the vehicle into an operative position where the brush does contact the vehicle so as to cooperate with said wiping member for washing the vehicle; h. said brush-carrying arm being swingably mounted on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm; i. the means for swinging said brush-carrying arm including a pin on the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm for engaging with said brush carrying arm to swing it into inoperative position when the vertical portion of said L-shaped arm is rotated as this arm swings into operative position; j. said pin swinging out of contact with said brush-carrying arm when said inverted L-shaped arm is swung into operative position; and k. yielding means for yieldingly urging said brush-carrying arm into positions for constantly causing said rotatable brush to contact with the side of the vehicle regardless of its contour.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which a. said brush has a central shaft; and b. a brush guard supported by said brush-carrying arm and positioned with respect to said brush shaft so as to contact any portion of the vehicle that lies in the line of travel of said brush shaft as said carriage travels around the vehicle, said guard contacting such vehicle portion before said brush shaft reaches it and swinging sAid brush-carrying arm in a direction for causing this arm to swing said brush shaft clear of the portion.

4. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising: a. an endless track enclosing an area large enough to position a vehicle therewithin that is to be washed; b. a mobile carriage movable around the track and being guided thereby so as to orbit about the vehicle that is in the wash position; c. a spray arm supported by said carriage and having a vertical and a horizontal portion for spraying the top and sides of the vehicle as said carriage travels therearound; d. an inverted L-shaped arm having a vertical portion rotatably supported by said carriage and having a horizontal portion adapted to extend over the top of the vehicle when said arm is in operative position, the horizontal portion being provided with a vehicle wiping member that hangs therefrom; e. means for swinging said inverted arm from inoperative position where said wiping member hangs clear of the vehicle, into an operative position where said wiping member contacts the vehicle and vice versa; f. a brush-supporting arm carrying a depending rotatable cylindrical brush with an axial shaft, said brush-carrying arm being swingably supported by the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm; g. the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm having a pin for engaging with said brush-carrying arm to swing it into an inoperative position during the swinging of said L-shaped arm into an inoperative position, said pin swinging out of contact with said brush-carrying arm when the vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm is rotated for swinging said L-shaped arm into operative position; and h. spring means for swinging said brush-carrying arm into a position where said brush will yieldingly contact with the side of the vehicle when said L-shaped arm is swung into operative position, the pin on said vertical portion of said inverted L-shaped arm being swung out of contact with said brush arm during this movement and permitting the movement of said brush-carrying arm toward the vehicle when said inverted L-shaped arm is in operative position.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4: and in which a. a brush guard is secured to said brush-carrying arm and is positioned with respect to said brush shaft so as to contact any portion of the vehicle that lies in the line of travel of said brush shaft as said carriage travels around the vehicle, said guard contacting such vehicle portion before said brush shaft reaches it and swinging said brush-carrying arm in a direction for causing this arm to swing said brush shaft clear of the portion.

6. A car washing apparatus including a carriage mounted for movement along a predetermined path to wash a vehicle parked in said path, said apparatus comprising: a. a spray arm mounted on said carriage and having nozzles; b. a fabric-carrying arm mounted on said carriage and being swingable from an inoperative position where the fabric is held clear of the vehicle into an operative position where the fabric will contact the vehicle and trails the spray arm; c. a side brush-carrying arm swingably mounted on said fabric-carrying arm, a brush rotatably carried by said brush-carrying arm, said fabric-carrying arm having means for contacting and holding said brush arm in inoperative position when said fabric-carrying arm is in inoperative position for holding said brush away from the vehicle; d. means for swinging said fabric-carrying arm from inoperative to operative position, the swinging of the fabric-carrying arm into operative position moving said means out of contact with said brush arm so that the latter is free to swing said brush into contact with the vehicle; e. yielding means operatively connected to said brush arm for yieldingly holding said brush in contact with the side of the vehicle when said fabric-carrying arm is in operative position; and f. means for rotating said brush when It is in operative position.