Wrap-around brush system for conveyor car wash

A wrap around car wash structure comprising:

• a. a support structure mounted overhead of a car wash lane and having first and second portions which are longitudinally offset from one another along the car wash lane;
• b. first and second horizontal booms pivotally mounted on the respective offset portions of the support for angular displacement about respective vertical axes, the angular displacement of each said boom extending between a first position in which the boom extends across the wash lane and a second position in which the boom is approximately parallel to the wash lane.
• c. first and second carriages mounted on respective first and second booms for movement along the booms between extended positions and retracted positions wherein the retracted position is closer to the pivot axis of the boom;
• d. first and second brushes, supported by the first and second carriages respectively and having substantially vertical axes of rotation;
• e. a power cylinder mounted between each boom and the respective carriage thereon;
• f. each power cylinder further having the first actuation condition in which it drives its associated carriage toward the extended position and the second actuation condition in which it drives its associated carriage toward the retracted position;
• and
• g. a control structure mounted on each boom including a valve which toggles the respective power cylinder between the first and second actuation conditions.

A control system for triggering actuation of a car wash function (such as energizing a power cylinder to extend a brush along a boom) in response to a pre-determined degree of angular movement of a pivotally mounted brush support boom from a variable position of full deflection relative to a fixed support structure comprising:

• a. a limit switch with an actuator wand mounted on the fixed support structure;
• b. a trigger mechanism mounted for pivotal movement with the pivotal boom and for independent movement relative to the pivotal boom about a common pivot axis, the trigger mechanism being arranged to contact the limit switch wand when the pivotally mounted brush support boom moves toward an extended position;
• and
• c. a reset structure mounted on the fixed support structure for bi-directionally limiting the degree of angular travel of the trigger mechanism to less than the full allowable angular deflection of the pivotally mounted boom, thereby to maintain a fixed degree of angular displacement or difference between the trigger and the limit switch want needed to bring the trigger into contact with the wand irrespective of the degree of total deflection of the pivotal boom away from the extended position.

A trigger mechanism for use in combination with a car wash structure of the type including a pivotally mounted boom which is moveable between an extended position and a fully deflected position relative to a fixed support structure comprising:

• a. A trigger plate mounted for limited angular movement with the boom around the pivot axis of the boom, by means of a lost-motion connection;
• b. a limit switch mounted on die fixed structure and having an actuator extending into a position where it is contacted by the trigger plate or a rod extending upwardly from the trigger plate when the boom and plate move from a deflected position toward the extended position;
• and
• c. means for limiting the degree of angular travel of the trigger plate such that when the boom moves toward the deflected position and releases the limit switch actuator, the degree of movement of the boom and trigger plate in the opposite direction;
• ie., toward the extended position, needed to bring the trigger rod back into contact with the limit switch actuator is the same regardless of the extent to which the boom moves in the direction toward the deflected position beyond the limit imposed on the trigger rod.