US3680164A

US3680164A - Low level washing and dusting apparatus for aircraft and the like

Info

Publication number: US3680164A
Application number: US45394A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter Edward Thornton-Trump
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-06-12
Filing date: 1970-06-11
Publication date: 1972-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-01
Also published as: CA921663A

Abstract

An aircraft washing and dusting device consisting of a small three wheeled vehicle having a boom that can be raised and lowered, with a brush on the end of the boom. The brush consists of two large diameter cylindrical halves spaced slightly apart along an axle. The axle is journelled in a housing and is rotated hydraulically, and the housing is mounted on the end of the boom for rotation *by another hydraulic motor) about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle. The housing and brush are levelled by a levelling rod as the boom is raised and lowered. By rotation of the housing the brush can wash vertical surfaces, the underside of horizontal surfaces, and sloping surfaces.

Description

United States Patent Thornton-Trump [451 Aug. 1,1972

[54] LOW LEVEL WASHING AND DUSTING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE [72] lnventor: Walter Edward Thornton-Trump, 1544 Knareswood Dr., Port Credit, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: June 11, 1970 [21 Appl. No 45,394

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 12, 1969 Great Britain ..29,960/69 [52] US. Cl ..l5/21 E, l5/DIG. 2, 15/49 C [51] Int. Cl. ..B60S 3/06 [58] Field of Search...l5/2l R, 21 D, 21 E, 49, 49 C, l5/50, 50 C, 97, 98, 320

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1969 Rhinehart et al ..l5/2l E 3,439,372 4/1969 Collier ..l5/2l E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,038,924 8/1966 Great Britain 1 5/49 C Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte [5 7] ABSTRACT an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle. The housing and brush are levelled by a levelling rod as the boom is raised and lowered. By rotation of the housing the brush can wash vertical surfaces, the underside of horizontal surfaces, and sloping surfaces.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDws '1 i972 SHEET 1 0F 4 INVENIUR.

WALTER E. THORNTON-TRUMP P'ATENTEmuc 1 m2 3.68 0. 1 64 sum 2 BF {1 MW in v a 1 n) M 1 k FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

WALTER E. THORNTONTRUMP 3 2 awn, RM

PATENTEDAUB "'1 m2 3.680.164

SHEET 0F- 4 FIG. 6

1 NVENTOR. F I G 8 WALTER E. THORNTON-TRUMP LOW LEVEL WASHING AND DUSTING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE I This invention relates to washing and dusting apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to washing and dusting apparatus suitable for use on the lower surfaces of aircraft.

Washing aircraft has in the past presented serious problems. It has been impossible to provide simple assembly-line apparatus equivalent to an automobile car wash, because aircraft differ much more widely than automobiles in size and shape. The practice in the past has been largely manual operation. Attempts have been made to build aerial powered brush devices, but these have generally proved unworkable because of their high cost and complex nature, and because of their bulk, which made them difficult to maneouver in cramped quarters beside and beneath an aircraft.

Accordingly, the present invention in a preferred embodiment provides a simple cylindrical brush mounted on the end of a boom for brush rotation in two mutually perpendicular directions, with levelling means provided to keep the orientation of the brush constant as the boom is raised and lowered. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the boom is part of a small self-propelled three-wheeled vehicle of the type commonly used in orchards, thus providing an inexpensive and extremely maneouverable combination highly suitable for use in washing and dusting the lower portions of aircraft.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of apparatus according to the invention, showing the boom and brush in two different positions;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing how the boom of FIG. 1 is mounted on the chassis of a vehicle;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the details of the brush mounting of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a section along lines 77 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a partly sectional view showing a modification of the invention.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 to 3, which show a brush according to the invention mounted on a selfpropelled three-wheeled vehicle of the type described and illustrated in my Canadian Pat. No. 647,340 issued Aug. 28, 1962. The vehicle, indicated generally at 2, includes a frame 4 (FIGS. 1 and 3) shaped generally in the form of a V as viewed from above and made of tubular steel. Mounted on the frame 4 are a pair of spaced front drive wheels 6 and a rear wheel 8 pivotally mounted at 9. The wheel 8 is hydraulically steered by means (not shown) controlled by a steering lever 10 on a control panel 11. The front drive wheels 6 are driven by individual hydraulic motors 12 FIG. 3) mounted on the frame and carrying spur gears 13 which engage in rim gears (not shown) around the inside periphery of the hubs of wheels 6. The motors 11 are controlled in unison by an on-off foot pedal 14. The direction of the motors 11 (for forward or reverse) is controlled by a foot pedal 15 (FIG. 3) which provides forward motion when up and reverse motion when depressed.

The vehicle 2 is typically powered by an internal combustion engine 16 (FIG. 3) driving a hydraulic pump 18 which pressurizes the oil from a tank 20. The high pressure oil delivered by the pump 18 is used to operate the hydraulic motors 12 to drive the wheels 6 and is also used to power a boom 22 and brush assembly 24 now to be described.

The boom is mounted at the rear end of the machine, by means of an upstanding mast 26 (FIGS. 2, 4). The mast 26 is rotatably supported in a bottom collar 28 which in turn is mounted on a transverse cross member 30 extending between the tubular side frame members of the vehicle. The mast 26is rotatably supported near its upper end by a collar 32. The collar 32 is supported by a. downwardly and forwardly sloping beam 34 welded to the frame 4 at the apex of the frame and covered by a sloping hood 36 shaped generally in the form of a semi-cone.

The top of the mast 26 includes a forked extension 40. The boom 22 is mounted on the extension 40 by a pair of lower plates42, secured to the bottom end of the boom. The plates 42 overlap the forked extension 40 and are secured thereto by a pin 44. A pair of levelling rods 46 are also secured to the forked extension 40 by a pin 48.

The boom 22 is raised and lowered by a cylinder 50 containing a piston having its piston rod 52 pivotally connected to the lower part of the boom between the plates 42. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end of the cylinder 50 is pivotally secured to a plate 53 welded to the rotatable mast 26 above the collar 28, so that the cylinder 50 is free to rotate with the mast, thus enabling the boom 22 to be swung from side to side.

Side to side movement of the boom is provided by a cylinder 54 (FIG. 3) containing a piston having its piston rod 56 pivotally connected to a lever 58 secured to the mast 26. The base of the piston 54 is pivotally mounted at 60 to the frame of the vehicle. The piston and cylinder 54 enables side to side swinging of the boom 22 by about 30 on either side of the central position shown in FIG. 3. Up and down and side to side movements of the boom are controlled by control levers 61 which operate control valves controlling the flow of oil to the cylinders 50, 54 50; 54.

The brush assembly 24 at the upper end of the boom will next be described. Generally, the assembly includes a first arm 62 (FIG. 1) pivotally connected by a pin 64 to a pair of plates 66 extending from the upper end of the boom. The arm 62 includes an upwardly extending leg 68 pivotally connected by a pin 69 to the levelling rod 46, so that the orientation of the arm 62- will be kept constant as the boom is raised and lowered. The

pins

44, 48, 64, 69 define a parallelogram for this purpose.

The first arm 62 includes at its free end a hydraulic motor and worm gear housing 70, to which is connected a second arm 72. The second arm 72 is rotatable about its axis as indicated by arrows A--A (FIG. 1) and is driven by a hydraulic motor in housing 70, as will be described. Mounted on the free end of the second arm 72 is a brush connecting assembly 74 (FIGS. 2, 5) which connects and rotatably supports a pair of each about 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet long.

The details of the brush connecting assembly 74 are best shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting assembly 74 includes a hydraulic motor 78 bolted inside the free end of the second arm 72. The assembly 74 also includes a housing 80 bolted to the free end of the arm 72. The housing 80 contains conventional tapered roller bearings 82 secured in mounts 84 forming part of housing end plates 86. The bearings 82 rotatably retain a stepped shaft 88 which projects about 7 inches from each end of the housing 80. The projecting ends of the shaft 88 are splined as shown at 90.

Each brush 76 includes a deep pile 92 secured to, a central tubular shaft 94. THe inside surface of the shaft 94 is broached at its inner end so that it fits nonrotatably on the splines 90 at the ends of the shaft 88, and the shaft 94 is secured to the shaft 88 by set screws 96.

Drive for the brushes 76 is provided by a shaft 98 from the hydraulic motor 78. Shaft 98 carries a bevel gear 100 which engages a bevel gear 102 mounted on the shaft 88. In practice, the brushes 76 will typically be driven at a speed of between 60 and 120 rpm.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 6 and 7, which show the mechanism for rotating the second arm 72 relative to the first arm 62. As shown,secured to the first arm 6 is a plate 1 forming part of the housing 70. Projecting from the plate 1 10 is a stepped shaft 112 having another plate 114 bolted to its free end. The shaft 112 is rotatably held in fixed axial relation to the arm 72 by a pair of tapered

roller bearings

115, 116. Roller bearing 115 is held between the plate 114 and a flange 118 in the inner surface of the arm 72, while the roller bearing 116 is located in a recess in the end of the arm 72 and is held in position by a gear wheel 120 held to the end face of the arm 72 by bolts 121.

The gear wheel 120 is driven by a hydraulic motor 122 (FIG. 7) mounted in the housing 70. A shaft 124 extends from the hydraulic motor and mounts a worm gear 126 which engages the teeth of the gear wheel 120, so that when hydraulic motor 122 is actuated, the gear wheel 120 and the entire arm 72 will rotate about their common axis. Seals 128 between the housing 70 and the arm 72 prevents oil from leaking from the housing 70. The rotation of the arm 72 is typically limited (by stops, not shown) to about 120 on either side of the position shown in FIG. 1, to prevent damage to the oil lines leading to the brush rotation motor 78.

If desired, the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 could be reversed, i.e. the wheel gear 120 could be mounted on the end of the first arm 62, and the housing 70 and hydraulic motor 122 could be mounted on the second arm 72. I

Oil is delivered to the hydraulic motor 122 to rotate the arm 72, and to the. hydraulic motor 78 to drive the brushes 76, via the levelling rods 46. To this end, each levelling rod 46 consists of two concentric pipes, one inside the other. The ends of the pipes of each levelling rod are sealed and are held by connecting fittings 134 at each end, so that they can be pivotally connected to the mast extension 40 and to the first arm 62. Fittings 136, l38 are welded to the pipes so that oil can be conducted into and from the pipes. Four oil lines 140 are connected to the lower fittings 136. Two of the oil lines 140 are the pressure and return lines for the brush positioning motor 78 and extend to a control valve (not shown) operated by a control lever 142, and then to the oil tank 20 and pump 18. The remaining two oil lines 140 are for brush rotation, the direction of which is always the same, and one of these oil lines extends directly to the tank 20, while the other extends to a control valve (not shown) operated by a control lever 143 and then extends to the oil pump 18. Similar oil lines 144 (FIG. 3) are provided at the top fittings 138 of the levelling rod and extend to the

hydraulic motors

122,78.

Lights 144 are provided on the vehicle and on the boom to assist the operator in event of night operation. The operator will normally sit on a seat 146 mounted by struts 148 to the frame of the machine. The seat 146 is positioned so that the operators bands will reach the control levers 10, 61, 142 and 143, and so that his feet will reach the

foot pedals

14, 15 to control the forward and rearward motion of the machine. The

pedals

14, 15 are mounted on a floor 149.-

The front portion of the vehicle will preferably contain a tank 150 which contains a detergent solution. A cabinet 152 at the side of the machine contains a detergent hose and gun.

In use, the vehicle will typically be driven to a location beneath or adjacent the lower surfaces of an aircraft to be washed. An attendant will then remove the detergent hose and gun from the cabinet (the detergent hose is connected to the tank 150) and spray the surfaces of the aircraft to be washed. A detergent pump, not shown, will be provided in the vehicle for this purpose. The operator, sitting on the seat 146, will then operate control handles 61 to raise and swing the boom to the required position, and he will then operate the brush positioning lever 142 to rotate the brush about the axis of the arm 72 until the longitudinal axis of the brush lies parallel to the surface to be washed. He will then operate the brush on-off lever 14310 initiate brush rotation and will then swing the boom until the brush engages the surface of the aircraft. The operator will then move the vehicle and the boom so as to move the brush over the lower surfaces of the aircraft, i.e., over the under surfaces of the wing and tail wing and over the lower part of the fuselage, typically up to the windows. The ready maneuverability of the machine, together with the deep pile adjustable position brush, facilitate fast and efficient washing or dusting of the aircraft.

If desired, the arm 72 can be made telescopic, as shown in FIG. 8, where primed reference numerals indicate parts corresponding to those of FIGS. 1 to 7. The only difference between the FIG. 8 embodiment and the embodiment previously described is that in FIG. 8, the arm 72' includes an inner portion connected in the manner shown in FIGS. 6, 7 to the arm 62, and a tubular housing 162 extending parallel to the portion 160 and rigidly connected thereto. The tubular housing 162 slidably houses a tube 164 which can be extended from or retracted into the housing 162 by a cylinder 166 connected to the housing 162. The cylinder 166 contains a piston having its rod connected to the tube 164 to provide the desired stroke which will typically be 3 or 4 feet. Power is provided through hoses 168. The top of tube 164 is connected to the brushes in the same manner as shown for the tip of arm 72 in the FIGS. 1 to 7 embodiment.

If desired, the-hydraulic system for the machine may include relief valves for the lift and swing cylinders 50, 54 (and also for the brush positioning hydraulic motor 78), to limit excessive pressure on the aircraft surfaces being washed. In addition, if desired a sensing servo system may be installed to control the operation of the lift and swing cylinders 50, 54, and of the brush positioning motor 78, and of the movement of the vehicle, so that the brush will automatically track along the aircraft surfaces, thus reducing the amount of control needed by the operator.

What I Claim As My Invention ls:

1. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising:

a. a boom,

b. means supporting said boom for up and down movement of said boom, and power means for raising and lowering said boom,

c. an arm mounted at the end of said boom,

. generally cylindrical brush means having a longitudinal axis,

e. mounting means mounting said brush means on said arm for rotation of said brush'means about its longitudinal axis and for rotary movement of said brush means about a second axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis,

f. said mounting means including first motor means for rotating said brush about its longitudinal axis, a second motor means for rotating said brush about said second axis,

g. and levelling means for 5 the orientation of said arm constant as said boom is raised and lowered.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said brush means comprises two cylindrical brush portions, connecting means located between and connecting said brush portions with said brush portions being in coaxial and axially spaced relation, said mounting means including a second arm connected to said connecting means and extending at right angles to the axis of said brush portions, the extent of said connecting means in a direction radially of said brush portions being substantially less than the diameter of said brush portions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means comprises a shaft coaxial with said brush portions and connecting the same, a housing having means journalling said shaft for rotation in said housing, said housing being connected to said second arm, said first motor means being located adjacent the connection of said housing with said second arm, and gear means connecting said shaft with said first motor means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first motor means is a hydraulic motor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said mounting means includes means mounting said second arm on said first arm for rotation of said second arm relative to said first arm about said second axis.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means mounting said second arm on said first arm includes a wheel gear mounted on and coaxial with one of said arms, and a worm gear engaging said wheel gear, said second motor means being mounted on the other of said arms and being drivingly connected to said worm gear.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for levelling said first arm comprises a levelling rod connected to said first arm and to said means supporting said boom.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for levelling said first arm comprises a levelling rod connected to said first arm and to said means supporting said boom, said first and second motor means being hydraulic motors, said levelling rod comprising at least three fluid conduits for conducting hydraulic fluid to and from said motors.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means supporting said boom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, said vehicle having a forward end having two independently driven wheels mounted thereon, and a rear end having a central caster mounted wheel thereon, said boom being mounted near said rear end for side to side swinging movement.

10. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means supporting said boom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, said vehicle having a forward end having two independently driven wheels mounted thereon, and a rear end having a central caster mounted wheel thereon, said boom being mounted near said rear end for side to side swinging movement, said apparatus further including first control means for controlling operation of said boom and vehicle and second control means for controlling operation of said brush, said first control means including a set of hand control levers and said second control means including a pair of foot pedals, and an operator seat positioned on said vehicle for an operator sitting on said seat to reach both said levers and said pedals.

11. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said brush portions are each approximately 3 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter, and the spacing between said brush portions is between 6 and 12 inches.

12. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising:

a. a housing having first and second ends,

b. a rotatable shaft means in said housing having first and second ends extending outwardly through said first and second ends of said housing respectively, first and second cylindrical brushes secured to said first and second ends of said shaft means respectively, said brushes having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of said housing,

a tubular arm means rigidly secured at one end to said housing and extending in a direction at right angles to the axis of said-brushes,

. a motor means enclosed in said tubular arm means at said one end operatively connected to said shaft means in said housing for rotating said brushes about the axis thereof,

f. a second housing secured to the other end of said tubular arm means,

. a second arm means secured to said second housing and being disposed in a parallel relationship to said tubular arm means and being rotatable with respect thereto,

and a second motor means in said second housing for rotating said tubular arm means about a second axis perpendicular to the axis of said brushes.

Claims

1. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising: a. a boom, b. means supporting said boom for up and down movement of said boom, and power means for raising and lowering said boom, c. an arm mounted at the end of said boom, d. generally cylindrical brush means having a longitudinal axis, e. mounting means mounting said brush means on said arm for rotation of said brush means about its longitudinal axis and for rotary movement of said brush means about a second axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, f. said mounting means including first motor means for rotating said brush about its longitudinal axis, a second motor means for rotating said brush aboUt said second axis, g. and levelling means for 5 the orientation of said arm constant as said boom is raised and lowered.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said brush means comprises two cylindrical brush portions, connecting means located between and connecting said brush portions with said brush portions being in coaxial and axially spaced relation, said mounting means including a second arm connected to said connecting means and extending at right angles to the axis of said brush portions, the extent of said connecting means in a direction radially of said brush portions being substantially less than the diameter of said brush portions. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means comprises a shaft coaxial with said brush portions and connecting the same, a housing having means journalling said shaft for rotation in said housing, said housing being connected to said second arm, said first motor means being located adjacent the connection of said housing with said second arm, and gear means connecting said shaft with said first motor means.

12. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising: a. a housing having first and second ends, b. a rotatable shaft means in said housing having first and second ends extending outwardly through said first and second ends of said housing respectively, c. first and second cylindrical brushes secured to said first and second ends of said shaft means respectively, said brushes having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of saId housing, d. a tubular arm means rigidly secured at one end to said housing and extending in a direction at right angles to the axis of said brushes, e. a motor means enclosed in said tubular arm means at said one end operatively connected to said shaft means in said housing for rotating said brushes about the axis thereof, f. a second housing secured to the other end of said tubular arm means, g. a second arm means secured to said second housing and being disposed in a parallel relationship to said tubular arm means and being rotatable with respect thereto, h. and a second motor means in said second housing for rotating said tubular arm means about a second axis perpendicular to the axis of said brushes.