US3684184A

US3684184A - Vehicle washing system

Info

Publication number: US3684184A
Application number: US88918A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tom Lafferty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-11-12
Filing date: 1970-11-12
Publication date: 1972-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-15

Abstract

A system is disclosed for washing vehicles, and particularly large commercial vehicles such as trucks, which includes means for adding treatment fluids such as pickling acid or liquid soap to the wash water by means of fluid eductors. A variable amount of air may be entrained within the treatment fluid line to reduce the suction effect of the eductor, and hence draw a greater or lesser amount of treatment fluid to be mixed with the wash water. The amount of air entrained may be controlled by solenoidactuated valves associated with the air inlet. A single pump is provided for pressurizing all of the fluid lines; additionally, a bypass is provided for the pump whereby the system may be drawn off any source of water under pressure, such as a city watermain.

Description

United States Patent Lafferty 51 Aug. 15, 1972 [54] VEHICLE WASHING SYSTEM Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. [72] Inventor: Tom Lafferty, Route 6, Box 147, Asslstam 'i f i Gram North Little Rock, Ark 721 18 AttorneyJac0b1, Lllhng & Siegel 22 Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 57 ABSTRACT Appl. No.: 88,918

US. Cl ..239/311 [51] Int. Cl ..'A62c 5/04 [58] Field of Search...'...239/303, 304, 305, 310, 317, 239/335, 311

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,763,046 6/1930 Heimburger ..239/304 3,103,312 9/1963 Damrow ..239/304 X 3,433,417 3/1969 Poppitz ..239/304 3,058,668 10/1962 Harmes et al 239/305 3,438,583 4/1969 Lawrence ..239/305 A system is disclosed for washing vehicles, and particularly large commercial vehicles such as trucks, which includes means for adding treatment fluids such as pickling acid or liquid soap to the wash water by means of fluid eductors. A variable amount of air may be entrained within the treatment fluid line to reduce the suction effect of the eductor, and hence draw' a greater or lesser amount of treatment fluid to be mixed with the wash water. The amount of air entrained may be controlled by solenoid-actuated valves associated with the air inlet. A single pump is provided for pressurizing all of v the fluid lines; additionally, a bypass is provided for the pump whereby the system may be drawn off any source of water under pressure, such as a city watermain.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Treatment Fluid PATENTEDAus 15 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR TOM LAFFERTY BY Jamal, BBQ/060M, Uum $5M ATTORNEY PATENTEDAUB 15 m2 SHEET 2 OF 2 N QFK INVENTOR TOM LAFFERTY BY Jacdz Dav/o Lilli ATTORNEY VEHICLE WASHING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to fluid systems for washing vehicles, and particularly to such a system which includes means to mix a treatment fluid, such as soap or a pickling acid solution, to the water used for washing.

Systems for washing vehicles are well known in the art, and may range in complexity from a simple water hose or the like, including means for applying soap, to fully-automated installations which wash, rinse and brush the vehicle and include means to convey the vehicle through the installation. Such systems generally include as a minimum, means to selectively apply soap to a vehicle either through a separate conduit from that used for the water, or added to the water flow.

It is further known, particularly when washing large commercial vehicles such as trucks, that the addition of a solution of a pickling acid to the water has proven advantageous in removing scale and oxide deposits from vehicle bodies, particularly aluminum truck bodies, encrusted with such deposits and brightening in appearance the vehicle body. In known installations for washing such commercial vehicles where means for addition of acid solution were provided, such means generally comprised various types of metering solenoid valves for metering a desired proportion of the acid solution into the wash water. Due to the corrosive nature of the acid solution used, such metering solenoid valves were required to be constructed of corrosion-resistant materials, thus substantially increasing the expenses required in constructing and maintaining such installations. Frequently, the cost of including such acid-treating means thus proved prohibitive.

In the event that comparatively non-corrosive treatment fluids such as liquid soap were added to the wash water, such known washing systems have generally required complicated interlocking of pumps and valves to effect proportioning of the additive treatment fluids with the water. Thus, a plurality of pumps were required for the various water supply lines and the treatment fluid lines. This also has resulted in increased costs related to construction and maintenance of such known systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the above background in mind, it is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a vehicle washing system which overcomes the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a vehicle washing system which comprises a simple val-ving arrangement.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a vehicle washing system which requires only a single source of pressurized water, and preferably includes a single pump for pressurizing all lines.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a vehicle washing system including means to add a corrosive additive fluid, such as a pickling acid solution, without the need for corrosion-resistant construction of pumps and solenoid valves.

These as well as other objects of the invention which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are implemented by the present invention, characterized by a system for washing vehicles, and particularly large commercial vehicles such as trucks, wherein a treatment fluid such as a pickling acid solution is selectively added to the wash water by mean of eductors. At least one air inlet is connected to the treatment fluid line by a solenoid valve whereby the negative pressure induced within the treatment fluid line by its respective eductor may be reduced to correspondingly lower the amount of treatment fluid added to the wash water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown schematically a typical vehicle washing system constructed in accordance with the present invention. A vehicle is moved through the system in the direction indicated by arrow 10; the vehicle may be either driven under its own power or may be conveyed by suitable conveying means, not shown. The vehicle passes sequentially through a wheel wash station 12, a tractor wash station 14, a wheel rinse station 16, an acid wash station 18, and'a final high pressure rinse station 20. Additionally, the vehicle may thereafter pass through a further brush and rinse station and drying station, not shown. At the entrance to the installation, adjacent the wheel wash station 12, there is further located a bug sprayer unit 22a by means of which a bug remover solution may be selectively applied to the vehicle.

Incoming water is submitted to the system by means of inlet conduit 22 which may, for example, be connected to a standard city watermain or the like. The water than passes through a booster pump 24, which raises the pressure of the incoming water to a suitable level for use in the remainder of the system. A bypass line 26 is provided around the pump 24, and the bypass line 26 and pump 24 are provided with valves 28 and 30, respectively, by which the incoming water may be routed either through the pump or through the bypass line.

From the pump 24, the incoming cold water passes through a first cold water conduit 32 to the final rinse station 20, and through a second cold water conduit 34 to the wheel rinse station 16. A branch conduit 36 leads from the pump to a suitable hot water tank 38, which heats the water to an elevated temperature for use in these treatment stations requiring hot water. From the hot water tank, hot water passes by means of a first hot water conduit 40 to the acid rinse station 1 8, through the second hot water conduit 42 to the tractor wash station 14, and through a third hot water conduit 44 to the wheel rinse station 12 and the bug sprayer unit 22a. In

this manner, it will be seen that the pump 24 pressurizes all of the cold water lines and hot water lines to ensure a proper delivery of water at each of the respective treatment stations.

Preferably, each of the wash stations l2, l4 and 18, as well as the bug sprayer unit 22a, includes means for introducing a treatment fluid into the water to provide a suitable mixture for treating the vehicle being washed. Thus, for example, a liquid soap may be introduced to the wheel wash station 12 and the tractor wash station 14, and a solution of pickling acid may be added to the acid wash station 18. In FIG. 2, there is shown a preferred arrangement for introducing the treatment fluid into the water conduit in a desired concentration. in this Figure, the treatment fluid-addition arrangement is shown specifically for adding a pickling acid solution to the hot water conduit 40 of acid wash station 18, although it will be understood that the same general arrangement is used for adding liquid soap to wash stations 12 and 14, or bug sprayer solution to bug sprayer unit 22a. In this Figure, hot water from the hot water tank enters through hot water conduit 40 and passes into a second conduit 46 in which there is located a solenoid control valve 48 and a one-way check valve 50 for preventing reverse flow of the water. From check valve 50, the conduit 46 branches in two directions to conduits 52 and 54, each of which is in communication with one of the fluid eductors 56 and 58, respectively, which eductors, in known manner, create a venturi-effect reduced pressure within a supply conduit 60 connected to a source of treatment fluid, in this case a pickling acid solution. The conduit 60 branches into two

conduits

62 and 64, which conduits are respectively connected by T-

fittings

66 and 68 to I treatment fluid supply lines 70 and 72. These supply lines 70 and 72 respectively communicate with the above-mentioned eductors 56 and 58, respectively, and are provided with one-

way check valves

74 and 76 to prevent backflow of the water-treatment fluid mixture into the lines 70 and 72.

From the eductors 56 and 58, the conduits 52 and 54, now carrying the treatment fluid-water mixture, may again join to form a single discharge conduit 78 as illustrated, which, in turn, communicates with individual

discharge nozzle lines

80, 82 and 84, which, as best seen in FIG. 1, direct the discharge mixture through suitable discharge nozzles onto the vehicle front, sides, and rear, respectively. Alternatively, the discharge mixture could be directed through only one of the

discharge nozzle lines

80, 82 or 84, additional eductor arrangements being separately provided for the other discharge nozzle lines. Furthermore, and as should be apparent, conduits 52 and 54 need not join to form the single discharge conduit 78 but instead may remain as separate conduits communicating with different discharge nozzle lines of the system.

In any event, and again referring to the illustrated embodiment, it will be appreciated that water entering through conduits and 46, branches through conduits 52 and S4 to the eductors 56 and 58, and entrains the treatment fluid passing through conduits 70 and 72. The mixture then passes outwardly through discharge conduit 78 to the respective

discharge nozzle lines

80, 82 and 84 and is sprayed upon the vehicle.

Relative proportions of the treatment fluid and the water may be varied to permit selection of a desired concentration of the mixture. For this purpose, solenoid valve-controlled air inlet means are provided communicating with each of the T-

fittings

66 and 68, and hence the respective treatment fluid lines and 72. As shown at the left side of FIG. 2, a first air conduit connects with T-fitting 66 and branches to communicate at its other end with a first solenoid valve 88 and air intake 90, and a second solenoid valve 92 and air intake 94. In similar manner, a second air conduit 96 communicates at one end with T-fltting 68 and branches at its other end to a third solenoid valve 98' and air intake 100 and fourth solenoid valve 102 and air intake 104; it will be understood that all of the air intakes 90, 94, 100 and 104 are open to the outside air. It will befurther seen from the drawing that the two air intakes and 94 associated with air conduit 86 are of different diameters, and likewise the two air intakes and 104 associated with air conduit 96 are of two different diameters. In this manner, opening one or the other or both of the

solenoid valves

88 and 92, or one or the other or both of the

solenoid valves

98 and 102, will permit a varied amount of air to be admitted into the respective air conduit 86 or 96, and hence into the respective treatment fluid lines 70 or 72. It will be appreciated that as a greater amount of air is admitted into the respective treatment fluid line, the negative pressure effect of the respective fluid eductor 56m 58 will be consequently reduced, and accordingly, the amount of treatment fluid introduced into the respective eductor and mixed with the water will be correspondingly reduced. Thus, by varying the amount of air admitted, the concentration of the discharge fluid may be controlled. Suitable control means 106 are associated with the

solenoid valves

88, 92, 98 and 102, so that the two small air intakes 94 and 100, or the two large air intakes 90 and 104, or none, or all of the intakes may be opened, thus varying the amount of air introduced to the system.

It will be appreciated that a single fluid inlet and eductor, as well as a single treatment fluid line and associated solenoid valve, may be utilized; however, the use of two eductors connected in parallel to each other is preferred, inasmuch as smaller eductors may then be used for a given volume of fluid handled, it being well known that such eductors are more efficient when such small diameters are utilized. With the use of two such eductors 56 and 58, it therefore becomes desirable to use two separate fluid inlet lines 70 and 72, and their associated air inlets, in order to maintain a substantially uniform flow of treatment fluid to each of the eductors 56 and 58.

An auxiliary treatment fluid line may also be provided for connection to a flexible hose or the like, for treating parts of the vehicle which may not be readily accessible from the

stationary nozzle lines

80, 82 and 84. For this purpose, an auxiliary treatment fluid line 108 branches from the treatment fluid inlet conduit 60, and an auxiliary water inlet line 112 branches from the

water inlet conduits

40 and 46, these two lines passing through an auxiliary eductor 110, which eductor functions in the same manner as eductors 56 and 58 previously described. From eductor 110, the mixture then passes through discharge conduit 114, which may, for

example, comprise a flexible hose or the like for directing the mixture fluid to any desired location. A foot valve 116 may be provided in the auxiliary treatment fluid line 108 for controlling the flow of fluid therefrom.

As is fairly conventional in vehicle washing installations, a take-off fitting and valve indicated as 118 (FIG. 1) may be connected to any convenient water line, in this case indicated as conduit 34. This take-off may be connected to a flexible hose or the like for use in cleaning the overall installation.

Inasmuch as only a single pump 24 is provided for the entire system, which pump is located in'the water intake line, it is clear that this pump may be of conventional construction and need not be of corrosion-resistant construction, inasmuch as the corrosive pickling acid solution or the like is added to the water conduits by means of eductors and hence no pumping means is needed for the treatment fluid per se. Similarly, since the control means for the concentration of the treatment fluid comprises solenoid valves in the air intakes thereof, there is no need for these valves to be of corrosion-resistant construction. Thus, it will be seen that the only corrosion-resistant construction needed is in the actual conduits used for the treatment fluid lines, and to some extent, the discharge nozzle lines, although to a lesser extent inasmuch as the mixture in the latter is considerably diluted.

By constructing a vehicle washing system as described above, it will become apparent that all the objects set forth at the outset of the specification have been successfully fulfilled.

What is claimed is:

l. A vehicle washing system comprising a source of water under pressure, at least one discharge nozzlefor directing water upon the vehicle being washed, fluid conduit means connecting said source of water to said nozzle, eductor means located in said fluid conduit for mixing treatment fluid with the water in said conduit, a source of treatment fluid, treatment fluid conduit means communicating said source of fluid with said eductor means, and control means for varying the proportion of treatment fluid mixed with the water in said eductor; said control means comprising apair of air intakes in communication with said, treatment fluid conduit means, and solenoid valve means within each of said air intakes for selectively admitting air to said treatment fluid'conduit means and thereby reducing the amount of treatment fluid drawn into said eductor; and said air intakes being of different diameters, whereby one or both of said air intakes may be selectively put in communication with said treatment fluid conduit means.

2. vehicle washing system as defined in claim 1, wherein said two of said eductors are provided, said fluid'conduit means branching to communicate with each of said eductors and rejoining following said eductors into a single discharge conduit, and said treatment fluid conduit means likewise branching to communicate with each of said eductors.

3. A vehicle washing system as defined in claim 2, wherein two pairs of said air intake means are provided, each of said air intake means comprising a large diameter intake and a small diameter intake, and each of said air intake means communicating with one branch of said treatrpen; flu id c ond uit means.

Claims

1. A vehicle washing system comprising a source of water under pressure, at least one discharge nozzle for directing water upon the vehicle being washed, fluid conduit means connecting said source of water to said nozzle, eductor means located in said fluid conduit for mixing treatment fluid with the water in said conduit, a source of treatment fluid, treatment fluid conduit means communicating said source of fluid with said eductor means, and control means for varying the proportion of treatment fluid mixed with the water in said eductor; said control means comprising a pair of air intakes in communication with said treatment fluid conduit means, and solenoid valve means within each of said air intakes for selectively admitting air to said treatment fluid conduit means and thereby reducing the amount of treatment fluid drawn into said eductor; and said air intakes being of different diameters, whereby one or both of said air intakes may be selectively put in communication with said treatment fluid conduit means.

2. A vehicle washing system as defined in claim 1, wherein said two of said eductors are provided, said fluid conduit means branching to communicate with each of said eductors and rejoining following said eductors into a single discharge conduit, and said treatment fluid conduit means likewise branching to communicate with each of said eductors.

3. A vehicle washing system as defined in claim 2, wherein two pairs of said air intake means are provided, each of said air intake means comprising a large diameter intake and a small diameter intake, and each of said air intake means communicating with one branch of said treatment fluid conduit means.