US 4,726,388 A · Automatic vehicle washing equipment

Abstract

Equipment for automatically washing a vehicle as it is being moved by a conveyor through a treatment area. A horizontal spray bar is movably mounted on the vertical legs of an inverted U-shaped frame for vertical movement along the frame to maintain a generally constant spacing from the vehicle surface as it is being moved beneath the spray bar by the conveyor. The spray bar frame is pivotally mounted on a main stationary support frame to enable the spray bar to pivot out of the path of a moving vehicle in the event of malfunction of the spray bar raising mechanism. A sensing station having a plurality of vertical spaced sensors is located at the entrance to the treatment area and directs a plurality of horizontal sensing beams across the path of the vehicle. The beams are broken and closed in relationship to the profile of the moving vehicle and send signals to a programmable controller. The controller also receives signals from the conveyor representing the linear horizontal movement of the vehicle caused by movement of the conveyor. The combination of the signals from the conveyor and sensors is correlated by the controller which supplies signals to the spray bar drive motor to control the vertical movement and speed of the spray bar to maintain the predetermined maximum efficient spacing of the spray bar from the vehicle surface. Signals are also sent by the controller to a second motor which rotates the spray bar so that the spray nozzles are maintained generally perpendicular to the vehicle surface in addition to the desired spacing to obtain the maximum cleaning results.

Claims30

Dependent claims

Automatic vehicle washing equipment for use with a washing system of the type having vehicle conveyor means for conveying a vehicle along a path, said equipment including:

(a) a vertically movable horizontal spray bar having a plurality of nozzles mounted in spaced relationship thereon for spraying fluid under pressure perpendicularly onto the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle moving along its path transverse to the spray bar as the bar moves vertically to permit the vehicle to pass beneath the spray bar;
(b) means for connecting the spray bar to a source of fluid to be sprayed on the moving vehicle;
(c) frame means located adjacent the path of the moving vehicle for movably mounting the spray bar thereon for vertical and rotational movement;
(d) first drive means connected to the spray bar for vertically moving the spray bar in discrete steps along the frame means;
(e) second drive means connected to the spray bar for rotating the spray bar in discrete steps through an angle of at least 90 degress about a horizontal axis;
and
(f) fixed and second sensing means, said first sensing means being operably connected to the conveyor for detecting the location of the vehicle as it moves along the conveyor, and said second sensing means which includes a plurality of fixed vertically spaced first sensors that are located a predetermined distance in advance of the spray bar, are operably connected with the first and second drive means for controlling the discrete vertical and rotational movement of said spray bar in relationship to the profile of the moving vehicle whereby the nozzles maintain a predetermined generally constant spaced distance from and angular relationship with respect to the vehicle surface throughout the changing profile of said vehicles by the discrete verticle and rotational movement of the spray bar.

4 more elements

Equipment for use in an automatic vehicle washing system of the type having a vehicle conveyor for moving a vehicle along a path, wherein said equipment includes:

(a) vertically movable in a single vertical plane and rotatable about a horizontal axis a generally horizontal applicatior means for applying a fluid perpendicularly onto the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle moving along its path transverse to and beneath the applicator means;
(b) means for connecting the applicator means to a source of fluid to be applied to the moving vehicle;
(c) frame means located adjacent the path of the moving vehicle for rotatably and vertically movably mounting the applicator means thereon;
(d) drive means connected to the applicator means for rotating and for vertically moving said applicator means in a series of discrete steps on and along the frame means;
(e) programmable controller means for controlling the discrete rotation and vertical movement of the appliator means in relationship to the linear movement of the vehicle along the conveyor and in relationship to the profile of said vehicle;
(f) first sensing means adapted to be operatively connected to the conveyor for detecting the movement of the vehicle along the conveyor and generating signals in relationship to said movement and for supplying said signals to the controller means;
and
(g) second sensing means including a plurality of fixed vertically spaced sensors for generating a plurality of fixed horizontal beams of radiant energy across the path of the vehicle upstream from the applicator means, said sensors generating signals in relationship to the profile of the passing vehicles, which signals are supplied to the controller means for actuating the drive means in a predetermined sequence of discrete steps in relationship to the signals supplied to the controller means by the first sensing means to maintain the applicator means at a predetermined rotational position and spacing above the vehicle surface as it passes beneath said applicator means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic vehicle washing equipment

Life of this patent

Automatic vehicle washing equipment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30