WO1987004912A1

WO1987004912A1 - High rise servicing systems

Info

Publication number: WO1987004912A1
Application number: PCT/AU1986/000160
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arthur Romanous
Original assignee: Empires Cleaning Contractors Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1986-02-19
Filing date: 1986-06-04
Publication date: 1987-08-27

Abstract

Service systems which supply services to buildings from a single Master Station (11A). Services provided can include Steam Cleaning, Window and Upholstery Cleaning, Pest Control Surface Treatments. The system provides for security accessed outlets (9-14) and mobile servicing plant (1).

Description

- I -

HIGH RISE SERVICING SYSTEMS ^"

THIS INVENTION relates to service systems and more part¬ icularly to such systems for supplying services to buildings from a single master station.

The services envisaged include suction and other cleaning services; various chemical and like treatments; and build¬ ings to which these services can be supplied include single-storey and multi-level residential, commercial and industrial buildings, hospitals and other institutions, manufacturing plant and the like structures, etc.

Conventional service systems usually involve the movement of heavy portable machinery between areas and/or floors which, especially in multi-level commercial and residential build¬ ings, results in the creation of noise and obstruction, to the invariable inconvenience, annoyance and discomposure of both customers and tenants alike. Conventional cleaning and treatment machinery generally uses the building's standard utility services, such as, say, hot and/or cold water and electricity but, however, such use may cause water pressure drop, and the risk of overloading electrical circuitry to thereby cause damage to other electrical equipment such as computers and word processers. The operation of steam cleaning using the portable equipment presently available creates a great deal of noise which is aggravated by the length of time taken for a complete steam clean of the large areas often found in multi-level buildings. Previously, centrally-ducted suction-cleaning systems have been provided in many buildings but the problems associated with such services as steam cleaning still largely exist.

It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages by the provision of a system for supplying services to a building from a single master station. To this end, thereore, there may be provided, according to t_he present invention, a service system for a building, the system comprising a plurality of conduits for supply and withdrawal of cleaning and treatment means; said conduits having clustered inlets and outlets at one or more service locations within the building, for connection to cleaning and treatment devices; and the conduits being connectable, at a master location, to a supply of the cleaning means and to a supply of the treatment means. The cleaning and treatment means may be a combination of, or any of:-

steam cleaning chemicals, carpet and upholstery cleaning chemicals, pest control chemicals, protective treatment chemicals, and preservative treatment materials; and suction, steam, hot water, cold water and electricity.

Preferably the master location is disposed at, or adjacent, a ground-accessible region of the building, and the cleaning and treatment means may well be supplied to the conduits, at the master location, from a mobile service facility.

Advantageously, each inlet and outlet may have means for sealing it when not in use, and a single master inlet of the master location may supply more than one service location outlet.

While each inlet and outlet is perhaps individually^'lockable by an attached security means,, ideally, the inlets and outlets are clustered, at each service location, within a service box recessible into a wall of a said building, the service box having a lockable, hinged cover.

In order that the reader may gain a better understanding of the present invention, hereinafter will be described a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- FIGURE 1 is a general side view of an inventive service system for a building;

FIGURE 2 is a closer view, showing the disposition of conduits on a wall of a building;

FIGURE 3 show inlets and outlets clustered in a typical service box; and

FIGURE 4 shows multiple usage of an inventive service location.

At this point it may be as well to state that in the process of steam cleaning, the first step is to sprinkle a known cleaning chemical onto the fabric to be cleaned. This chemical, combined with dirt in the fabric, forms a slurry upon addition of steam. Thus, the provision of an apparatus, connectable to conduits terminating in an inventive service location, and adapted to firstly spray the cleaning chemical, then applying steam and finally removing the resulting slurry by suction, will greatly reduce the time and disturbance of a steam cleaning operation.

Referring now to the drawings, a mobile service facility such as a motor vehicle, generally referenced 1, is fitted with a steam producing unit or generator 2, a suction apparatus 3, a steam cleaning chemical supply 4, and various other chemical supply sources, as 5. These sources are connectable, via suitable hoses, into a multiple conduit system, generally referenced 6 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is disposed externally on the wall 7 of .a building to be serviced. These conduits 6 are to be seen in greater detail in Figure 2 and are affixed to the outside of wall 7 by conventional saddles 7A. To provide access to each floor of a multi-level building, T-pieces 8 lead off fro the conduits into the interior of the building through wall 7 thereof. The multiple conduit system may include, say, a 50mm diameter PVC suction conduit 9, a steam supply conduit 10 and a steam cleaning chemical conduit 11. The hoses leading from the mobile service facility enter the service system via a master location 11A which, as shown in Figure 1, is perhaps disposed at, or adjacent, a ground- accessible region of the building. Alternatively, this master location could well be in the basement, or a service area of the building, as will be better appreciated later.

While Figures 1 and 2 show the conduits running up the out¬ side wall of a building, they might equally well be disposed in such as a plumbing well inside a building, in which case a basement location of the master connections 11A will be the most suitable arrangement.

Each floor of, or desired area in, a building has one or more service locations, at which conduit inlets and outlets are clustered, so that it will be appreciated that a single master inlet of the master location 11A will thus supply more than one service location outlet. In order that flow can occur only at selected inlets and outlets, each may be provided with means for sealingly closing it when not in use. A simple way of achieving this which immediately springs to mind is to provide each conduit end with a captive plug, but a more elegant solution will be a co-acting pair of mating bayonet fittings, one on the end of each portable hose 16 (see Figure 4) and the other on the end of an appropriate conduit. When the bayonet fitting male end is inserted, a spring-biased operculum is pushed away from its seating to permit flow. In particular, for a satisfactory vacuum to be achieved, all outlets of conduit 9 not in use must be effectively sealed off in this manner; with the suction appliances presently available, up to five outlets can be simultaneously in operation. Each inlet and - - outlet may be lockable by suitable security means attached individually thereto.

Needless to say, other conduits may be installed alongside conduits 9, 10 and 11 for supply of such as pest control chemicals, protective treatment materials, such as "SCOTCHGARD", preservative treatment materials and wall and glass cleaning treatments, for connection to appropriate devices at the outlets.

If so desired, and if machines are compatible and have provision therefore, then conduits such as those which supply steam, hot water, etc., can be utilised to convey various other chemicals, however, once operations with such other chemicals have been completed, purging or cleaning of the conduits is necessary for safety. It would not be advisable to use a conduit which has conveyed one chemical for conveyance of another, unless it is known that the chemicals do not react with each other. If care is taken, then, a minimum number of conduits can be utilised for supply of different materials.

Figure 3 shows a particularly favoured embodiment in which all the inlets and outlets to the conduits are clustered, at each service location, within a service box - generally referenced 12 - which is recessed into an inner wall 12A of a building; other inlets/outlets, as those referenced 13 and 14 may also serve additional conduits. Service box 12 is ideally provided with a hinged cover 15, preferably lockable and accessible only to authorised personnel.

As has been previously stated, mobile service facility 1 may also include an electrical current source for the operation of cleaning and other apparatus to be connected into the system. This will mitigate strain on the electrical supply of the existing building as well as preventing the possib- il ty of damage to delicate electronic circuitry and comp¬ onentry in such devices as computers, word processers and the like. Moreover, the mobile service facility with.its attendant machinery, power source, steam generator and suction apparatus connects to the system outside the building and at ground level, thus placing noise in the open and eliminating the movement of obstructing, heavy portable equipment within the building. The system, being more powerful than available portable equipment, produces a better result, reduces the time and labour factors, and also reduces the "recovery" time of that cleaned or treated.

The number of service locations required for each area or floor is a function of the length of portable hose 16 which connects the system with the particular cleaning or treating device 17; thus it will be clear that the system has great versatility.

The system of the present invention lends itself to the construction of new buildings and is of particular advantage if such is installed during the construction stage; however, if it is to be built into an existing building, then minor modifications to the exterior can be carried out to permit access of the conduits to the internal cavities, wells or ducts.

The present invention is also more efficient than the heavy and bulky portable equipment presently in general use because more powerul suction units may be utilised, together with steam supplied at higher temperatures and pressures.

The abovegoing describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and modifications and variations carried out by those skilled in the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS;-

1. A service system for a building, sai system comprising, in combination, a plurality of cond its for supply and withdrawal of cleaning and treatment means; said conduits having clustered inlets a ≤ outlets at one or more service locations within said fcuailding, for connection to cleaning and treatment devices; said conduits being connectable, at a master location, to a supply of the cleaning means and to a supply of the treatment means.

2. The service system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said cleaning and treatment means includes any one of, or any combination of:- steam cleaning cher icals, carpet and upholstery cleaning chemicals, pest control chemicals, protective treatment materials and preservative treat¬ ment materials; and suction, steam, hot water, cold water and electricity.

3. The service system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said master location is disposed at, or adjacent, a ground-accessible region of said buidling.

4. The service system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cleaning and treatment means are supplied to said conduits, at said master location, from a mobile service facility.

5. The service system as claimed in any one of said preceding claims, wherein each said inlet and outlet is provided with means for sealingly closing it when not in use.

6. The service system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a single master inlet of said master location supplies more than one service location outlet.

7. The service system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said inlets and outlets are each lockable by security means attached individually thereto.

8. The service system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein said inlets and outlets are clustered, at each said service location, within a service box recessible into a wall of said building, said service box having a lockable, hinged cover.

9. A service system for a building, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.