Abstract:
A spray nozzle system for vehicle washing apparatus is disclosed featuring a modular construction in which nearly identical base oscillating nozzle spray units are used for the sides, top, and front and rear nozzle sets. Each spray unit includes a bracket module and attached motor-drive module, and an additional bracket module can be connected end to end to create a doubling of nozzle sets in the unit. The bracket module rotatably supports a nozzle set mounting spray nozzle manifold shaft of either single or double length, supplied by a rotary fluid coupling clamped in a bracket included in each bracket module. The spray nozzle module shaft is oscillated by the motor drive module.

Description:
This invention concerns vehicle Washing apparatus, i.e., car washes, of the type using high pressure spray jets to clean the exterior of the vehicle. Recent trends have been to reduce the use of brushes and scrubbers to minimize abrasion of the vehicle finish, and rely instead on chemical pretreatment and high pressure sprays. 
     These sprays currently involve arrays of spray nozzles distributed about the vehicle sides and top, as well as in the path of the vehicle directing sprays at the front and rear of the vehicle as it is moved along by the conveyor system. Typically, the nozzles are arrayed in a variety of manifold and piping configurations for each location. 
     Narrow angle orifice nozzles are often used, oscillated at high rates to provide effective coverage of the portion of the vehicle surface to be cleaned. 
     The variety of configurations of the manifolds and piping increase the cost of manufacture of the equipment apparatus, and also make it difficult to integrate existing equipment with later installed items. Furthermore, it is difficult to inventory parts for replacement due to the great number of different parts, thus reducing the ready availability of particular items. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a modular high pressure spray system for car washes in which a common module is employed for all locations about the vehicle. A limited number of common components may be assembled in varying configurations to provide flexibility in the particular application. 
     The base module includes a bracket base plate which can fixedly mount an oscillation motor housing and rotationally support a spray nozzle manifold shaft extending with its longitudinal axis parallel beneath the motor on a series of bracket plates fixed to the base plate. An end bracket plate is configured to clamp a swivel fitting for attachment of a water line to the spray nozzle shaft while accommodating oscillation of the shaft by a crank rotated by the oscillation motor and a link pinned to an arm clamped to the spray nozzle manifold shaft adjacent to one of the brackets. Nozzle &#34;trees&#34; are mounted in each of a pair of nozzle ports in the spray nozzle manifold shaft. 
     The base module may be oriented vertically for the front and rear cleaning installations, clamped to a bracket fixture installed on the edge of the car wash pit. The same base module is also installed horizontally alongside or over the vehicle, clamped to the side or top members of an arch so that the nozzle trees extend horizontally. 
     An array of fixed piping may also be installed on the arch to supply the oscillation motors and spray nozzle shafts. 
     An additional identical bracket base plate may be later assembled aligned end to end, with the first and second base plates bolted onto a connector plate, the second base plate brackets thereof rotationally supporting the out base end of a double length spray nozzle shaft able to supply four spray nozzle arrays, in order that oppositely inclined spray nozzles may be incorporated in the base module. 
     Thus, a limited number of common components may be used for all of the spray nozzle arrays, which components are combinable to form varying configuration spray nozzle units. The systems so formed can be readily added onto or modified at relatively low cost. The limited number of common components allow ready availability for replacement or addition. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a high pressure spray system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a base module incorporated as a top spray unit to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2A is a side elevational view of a base module with the auxiliary bracket plate and reverse nozzle manifold. shaft installed thereon. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base module installed as a front or rear spray nozzle unit. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of base modules used as the front and rear spray units installed in the system shown in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the oscillation motor, associated linkage and nozzle tree illustrating the oscillation induced by the oscillation motor. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the common parts incorporated in the base module according to the present invention and auxiliary configurations able to be used in vehicle washing spray systems. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims. 
     Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, an arch 10 is shown, which may be of conventional construction, i.e., sections of 4 inch square tubing 12, 14 of stainless steel, bolted together in vertical and horizontal sections by means of flanges 16 and mounted to the floor with flanges 18. 
     The spray system illustrated includes passenger side double spray unit 20 clamped to one vertical arch section 12A, a horizontal driver side double spray unit 22 clamped to the other vertical arch section 12B, a horizontal top double spray unit 24 clamped to the overhead arch section 14, and vertical front and rear base spray units 26A, 26B installed in the trough. 
     A fixed network of tubing sections 26 is fixed to the outside of each arch section 12, 14 to supply hydraulic fluid to the oscillation motors of each spray unit, including two sets of four tubes 26, each leading from the upper right hand corner of the arch, supported on clamping blocks 28 secured to the arch sections 12, 14. Four tubing sections 26 run to a point adjacent each spray unit 20, 22, 24 where flexible hose connections are made to oscillation motors 30 and to opposite ends of each spray nozzle manifold shafts 32 included in each double spray unit 20, 22, 24. Connections to external sources (not shown) are made at the upper right hand corner. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a base spray unit 34 incorporated in each of the double spray units 20, 22, 24, and comprising the spray units 26A, 26B, which includes a bracket base module 35 including a bracket plate 36 having a pair of parallel, spaced rotary bearing brackets 38, 40 fixed thereto as by welding. 
     Each bracket 38, 40 has a nozzle manifold shaft clearance bore 42 formed therein, here shown as receiving a short length spray nozzle manifold shaft 44. An annular plastic bearing 46 is affixed to opposing inside faces of the brackets 38, 40 slidably fit to the shaft 44 so as to provide a spaced rotary support therefore. Such bearings are well known, constructed of very high molecular weight (HMW) plastic, attached with four screws received in threaded holes in each bracket 38, 40. 
     A motor module 47 is mounted to the bracket module 35, the motor module 47 including an oscillation motor housing 48 extending over bracket 38 and a split clamping bracket 50 at one end of the bracket plate 36. The motor housing 48 is mounted by a flange plate 52 extending beneath bearing 46 and attached to intermediate bracket 38. A hydraulic oscillation motor 54 is received in the open end 56 of the housing 48 and fastened against the inside face of the flange plate 52. A pair of access ports 58 allow connection of hydraulic lines to the hydraulic motor 54. 
     The spray nozzle manifold shaft 44 has a longitudinal axis and is mounted with its axis in parallel alignment with the motor 54, disposed spaced therebelow has an internal passage drilled therein communicating with a pair of threaded outlets 60 receiving nipples 62. The nipples 62 in turn have nozzle &#34;trees&#34; connected thereto, comprised of a series of plumbing fittings, each tree 64 mounting and supplying a set of spray nozzles 66 inclined at an angle towards the approaching vehicle. A rotary coupling 68 is clamped in the split bracket 50, secured with screws 70, which enables a flexible hose connection to supply wash solution to the spray nozzles 66. 
     The spray nozzle manifold shaft 44 is oscillated by the motor 54 by means of a crank and linkage system 68, including an annular crank 70 secured to the output shaft 72 of the motor 54 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spray nozzle shaft 44. The crank 70 has a projection 74 affixed thereto having an axial connection hole 76 drilled therethrough, spaced radially outward from a second connection hole 78 drilled axially through the wall of the crank 70. This provides alternate connection points for one end of a line 80, each point eccentrically located to varying degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the motor shaft 72 to create a varying extent of oscillations of the spray nozzle manifold shaft 44. This oscillation is caused by connection of the other end of the link 80 to an arm 82 clamped by means of split sleeve 84 to the shaft 44. The clamping attachment allows adjustment of the position of the shaft 44 relative the angular position of the motor shaft 72 to properly orient the nozzles 66. 
     The nozzles 66 may be set to provide a relatively narrow jet, since the shaft 44 is oscillated to provide coverage. Preferably the nozzles 55 on the spray unit on the side remote from the conveyor are set at 5 degrees to produce tighter jets than the nozzles 66 on the spray unit on the conveyor side, i.e., 15 degrees for example, since the distance between the vehicle surface and the nozzle 66 varies much less. The nozzles 66 should also be tight on the overhead units, i.e., 5 degrees to allow for varying size vehicles. 
     An oscillation rate on the order of 100 cycles per minute has been found to provide adequate coverage. 
     The base unit 34 is clamped to an arch section 12A, 12B or 14 by means of a series of bolts 86 passing through holes in the plate 36 and holes in a clamping plate 88 positioned on the far side of the arch section. 
     The base unit 34 is readily converted to another double nozzle set configuration, having four sets of nozzles 66, as shown in FIG. 2A, in which a second bracket module 35A comprised of a bracket base plate 36A is mounted on a connector plate 92, also fixed to the first bracket base plate 38 by bolts to position the first and second bracket base plates 36, 36A aligned end to end but spaced apart. The hole pattern used to directly clamp the bracket base plate 36 to an arch section is advantageously used to secure to the connector plate 90. The second bracket module 35A is identical to the base module 34. 
     Spaced brackets 38A, 40A, and clamping bracket 50A are welded to the bracket base plate 36A, with annular bearings 46A affixed to one side of each bracket 38A, 40A. 
     A double length spray nozzle manifold shaft 92 is here used, extending the complete length of the assembly of the first and second bracket modules 35, 35A. A second rotary coupling is secured in clamping bracket 50A. The interior of the double length shaft is formed with oppositely extending internal passages which terminate short of each other to provide independent supply circuits for nozzle trees 64, 64A. The second set of nozzles 66A would normally be oppositely angled from the nozzles 66 of the first set to obtain enhanced coverage by the washing jets. 
     The connector plate 90 is used to clamp the entire assemblage to the arch section with bolts received in a central hole pattern of the connector plate 90. 
     The base unit 34 is employed as the front and rear spray units 36A, 26B, in a vertical orientation as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the bracket base plates 36 each clamped to a square section 94 of a mounting bracket 96 installed on the edge of the trough of the system. 
     Accordingly, by means of a few simple parts assembled into bracket modules and motor modules, an entire system can be assembled. The design allows adding units or auxiliary nozzles at any time, or to add these units to spray wash systems of other designs. 
     Additional spray units may be employed, such as a second side unit on either side arch section 12A, 12B at a higher level. In this case a linkage connection can be employed to oscillate the higher level unit by the motor of the lower unit.