Double wraparound brush assembly for vehicle washing apparatus

In a vehical washing apparatus including a frame having a longitudinal axis coinciding with the path of movement of the vehicle through the apparatus, a double wraparound brush assembly comprising:

• a. a control arm having first and second ends,
• b. mounting means pivotally supporting said first end upon said frame for pivotal movement of said control arm about a first vertical axis,
• c. a brush arm having first and second ends,
• d. means connecting the first end of said brush arm to the second end of said control arm for relative, pivotal movement about a second vertical axis,
• e. a brush beam having opposite ends,
• f. means journalling the middle portion of said brush beam to the second end of said brush arm for free rotary movement about a third vertical axis,
• g. rotary brush means journaled at each end of said brush beam for rotary movement about vertical brush axes,
• h. means for driving said brush means,
• i. biasing means constantly urging said brush arm toward said control arm, said biasing means yielding to the pressure exerted between the vehicle moving along said path against said brush means to force said brush means to move from the front of said vehicle along the side of said vehicle,
• j. positioning means to position said control arm at a substantially outboard position while said brush means is in front of, and engaging the side of, said vehicle,
• k. means for swinging said control arm to a substantially longitudinal inboard position causing said brush means to swing across the rear surface of said vehicle as the vehicle moves forward along said path, and
• l. a rotary position sensor adapted to be actuated by the change in rotary movement between said brush beam and said brush arm as said brush means moves from the front of the vehicle, moving forward along said path, to a position engaging the side of said forward-moving vehicle, said rotary position sensor being operatively connected to said means for swinging said control arm, so that actuation of said sensor causes said control arm to swing toward its inboard longitudinal position.