US 6,615,434 B1 · Bowling lane cleaning machine and method

Abstract

As the cleaning machine travels along the lane from the foul line toward the pin deck area, cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the lane surface in periodic discharges of relatively short duration. A soft, thin web of cloth material immediately behind the spray nozzles is looped under a transverse cushion or backup member and is pressed against the wetted lane surface to spread and meter out the liquid into a thin film that passes beneath the cushion as a bead or shallow pool of the liquid is pushed along ahead of the cushion. The film is subsequently lifted entirely off the lane surface to remove all traces of moisture, oil, and grime by a combination squeegee and vacuum head assembly immediately behind the spreading web assembly. Programmable controls on the machine permit the cleaning functions to be carried out in relation to the position of the machine on the lane.

Claims24

Dependent claims

In a machine for cleaning materials from the surface of a bowling lane, the improvement comprising:

an applicator for applying a cleaning liquid to the lane surface as the machine moves along the lane;
a pickup in trailing relationship to the applicator for removing the liquid and extraneous materials from the lane;
and
a wiper between the applicator and the pickup, said wiper including a transversely extending backup member and a web of absorbent material looped under said backup member for engaging the wetted lane surface and metering the applied liquid into a thin even film before it is removed by the pickup and for removing a small portion of the applied liquid before the remainder of the applied liquid is removed by the pickup.

1 more element

In a machine for cleaning materials from the surface of a bowling lane, the improvement comprising:

an applicator for applying a cleaning liquid to the lane surface as the machine moves along the lane;
a pickup in trailing relationship to the applicator for removing the liquid and extraneous materials from the lane;
and
a wiper between the applicator and the pickup in disposition for engaging the wetted lane surface and spreading the applied liquid into a thin film before it is removed by the pickup, said wiper including a transversely extending backup member and a web absorbent material looped under said backup member, said wiper further including a supply roller for holding a fresh supply of the web, a takeup roller for holding used portions of the web, and control mechanism operably coupled with said supply roller and said takeup roller for periodically causing a fresh portion of the web to be paid out to the backup member and a previously used portion to be shifted from the backup member onto the takeup roller.

1 more element

In a machine for cleaning materials from the surface of a bowling lane, the improvement comprising:

an applicator for applying a cleaning liquid to the lane surface as the machine moves along the lane, said applicator including a spray nozzle disposed to project a spray of cleaning liquid onto the lane surface at periodic intervals in advance of the machine as the machine moves along the lane;
a pickup in trailing relationship to the applicator for removing the liquid and extraneous materials from the lane said pickup including a backing suction head having an inlet disposed for movement along the lane surface in closely vertically spaced relationship to the surface and a resilient, transverse skimmer blade located closely behind said inlet in disposition for engaging the lane surface and skimming the liquid film and extraneous material into the inlet;
and
a wiper between the applicator and the pickup in disposition for engaging the wetted lane surface and spreading the applied liquid into a thin film before it is removed by the pickup, said wiper including a web of non-woven, compressed cloth looped under a transversely extending backup member in disposition for engaging the lane surface as the machine moves alone the lane,
said web of cloth being provided with mechanism for periodically paying out a fresh section of the cloth for engagement with the lane surface and for taking up used sections of the cloth,
said vacuum head and skimmer blade having apparatus operably associated therewith for shifting the head and blade as a unit between operative and inoperative positions;
said machine further including control means operably coupled with said spray nozzle, said cloth payout and takeup mechanism, and said vacuum head and skimmer blade shifting apparatus for actuating the nozzle, mechanism and apparatus at predetermined points in the movement of the machine along the lane.

4 more elements

In a machine for cleaning extraneous materials from the surface of a bowling lane, an improved wiping cloth assembly comprising:

a transversely extending backup member;
a web of absorbent material looped under said backup member in position for wiping engagement with the lane surface as the machine moves along the lane;
a supply roller for holding a fresh supply of the web;
a takeup roller for holding used portions of the web;
and
control mechanism operably coupled with said rollers for periodically causing a portion of the web to be paid out to the backup member and a previously used portion of the web to be shifted from the backup member onto the takeup roller,
said backup member being rotatable in a direction tending to feed the web toward the takeup roller,
said control mechanism including means for paying out slack from the supply roller to one side of the backup member when the machine halts its movement along the lane in a forward direction,
said backup member being drivable in said feeding direction by the lane surface through a small amount of rotational movement during initial movement of the machine in a reverse direction along the lane whereby to pull the slack out of the web on said one side of the backup member and advance a used portion of the web as slack on the opposite side of the backup member,
said control mechanism further including means for actuating the takeup roller in a manner to take up the slack on said opposite side of the backup member following rotation of the backup member.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bowling lane cleaning machine and method

Life of this patent

Bowling lane cleaning machine and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24