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US 3,940,821 AGranted
Car dryer
OwnerFred R. Moraninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cylindrical drum is rotatably mounted to a frame above the path of a car in an automatic car wash system. A plurality of towels are connected to the peripheral surface of the drum at spaced circumferential points to depend downwardly from the drum. A car passing under the drum is thereby successively wiped by the towels. Rotation of the drum positions successive towels for wiping action. A heater is positioned adjacent the upper portion of the drum for warming and drying the towels passing under the heater as a consequence of rotation of the drum.
Claims8
A car dryer for use in automatic car wash systems, including, in combination:
- a. frame means positioned over the path of travel of a car through the car wash system;
- b. a cylindrical horizontal drum rotatably mounted to the frame means above the path so that a car may pass under the drum, the axis of the drum extending transversely to the path of the car and the drum having an axial length at least equal to the width of the car;
- c. motor means coupled to the drum for rotating it when energized;
- and,
- d. a plurality of towel means coupled to the device and depending from its peripheral surface at circumferentially spaced points, each of said towel means including a large rectangular fabric material defining a curtain;
- a transverse rod extending parallel to the axis of the drum adjacent to the cylindrical surface thereof and coupled to opposite end portions of the drum at corresponding circumferential points, said rod supporting the upper end of said curtain;
- and towels individually removably fastened to the lower end of said curtain and depending therefrom whereby a car passing under the drum is successively wiped by the towel means, rotation of the drum positioning successive towel means for wiping action, and whereby should any one or more of said towels become snagged when a car is being wiped thereby, it is pulled free from said curtain without interference with the remaining towels.
4 more elements
A car dryer for use in automatic car wash systems, including, in combination:
- a. frame means positioned over the path of travel of a car through the car wash system;
- b. a cylindrical horizontal drum rotatably mounted to the frame means of the path so that a car may pass under the drum, the axis of the drum extending transversely to the path of the car and the drum having an axial length at least equal to the width of the car;
- c. motor means coupled to the drum for rotating it when energized;
- d. a plurality of towel means coupled to the device and depending from its peripheral surface at circumferentially spaced points so that a car passing under the drum is successively wiped by the towel means, rotation of the drum positioning successive towel means for wiping action;
- and,
- e. heating means coupled to said frame means in a position to apply heat to the towel means as they successively pass over the top cylindrical portion of the drum as a result of rotation of the drum, said heating means comprising an iron press shaped to define an arcuate chamber having a concave exterior surface extending along the length of the drum in juxtaposed relationship to an upper convex cylindrical surface portion of the drum periphery, said towel means passing between said concave exterior surface and convex cylindrical surface;
- a gas tube having lateral openings passing through the interior of the chamber such that burning of gas passing out the lateral openings heats said concave exterior surface;
- and means pivoting the iron press to said frame means for swinging movement about an horizontal axis spaced from and parallel to the drum axis whereby said concave exterior surface can be brought into pressing engagement with said upper convex cylindrical surface to provide a squeezing force on the towel means simultaneously with the applying of heat to the same as they successively pass under said iron press.
5 more elements
In a car wash dryer:
- a. frame means positioned over the path of travel of a car through a car wash system;
- b. endless carrier means rotatably mounted on the frame means so that a car may pass under the carrier means;
- c. motor means coupled to the carrier means for advancing it when energized;
- d. a plurality of towel means coupled to the carrier means and depending therefrom at spaced points so that a car passing under the carrier means is successively wiped by the towel means, advancement of the carrier means positioning successive towel means for wiping action;
- and,
- e. heating means coupled to said frame means in a position to apply heat to the towel means, said heating means comprising an iron press shaped to define an arcuate chamber having a concave exterior surface extending across the width of the carrier means in juxtaposed relationship to an upper convex cylindrical surface portion, said towel means passing between said concave exterior surface and convex cylindrical surface;
- a gas tube having lateral openings passing through the interior of the chamber such that burning of gas passing out the lateral openings heats said concave exterior surface;
- and means pivoting the iron press to said frame means for swinging movement about an horizontal axis whereby said concave exterior surface can be brought into pressing engagement with said upper convex cylindrical surface to provide a squeezing force on the towel means simultaneously with the applying of heat to the same as they successively pass under said iron press.
5 more elements
In a car wash dryer:
- a. frame means positioned over the path of travel of a car,
- b. endless carrier means mounted on the frame means;
- c. a plurality of curtain means secured to the carrier means at spaced points therealong;
- d. a plurality of towels;
- and
- e. a plurality of releasable connecting means securing the towels individually to the free ends of the curtain means whereby any towel snagged by a car is pulled loose from the curtain means without interference with the remaining towels.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.