Automatic cattle trailer wash system

A wash system for a cattle trailer having an automatic side car having a base with a horizontal rail, a support wheel on the horizontal rail driven by a locator motor, a vertical rail supported on the horizontal rail, a shuttle vertically movable on the vertical rail driven by a shuttle motor. The system includes a wand having a nozzle at one end slidably disposed on the shuttle and driven by a wand motor. The system includes a vision system having a camera on the shuttle, a point depth sensor, and a control box electrically connected to the vision system, the locator motor, the shuttle motor, and the wand motor to accept information from the vision system and use the information accepted from the vision system to direct the locator motor, the shuttle motor, and the wand motor to locate the nozzle within the cattle trailer.

BACKGROUND

The wash process for cattle trucks currently is a manual process. The process uses operators using hand held hoses to spray the inside and outside of the cattle truck to ensure cleaning on both sides of the trailer of a cattle truck.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure includes a wash system for a cattle trailer having an automatic side car having a base with a horizontal rail, a support wheel on the horizontal rail driven by a locator motor, a vertical rail supported on the at least one horizontal rail, a shuttle vertically movable on the vertical rail driven by a shuttle motor. The system includes a wand having a nozzle at one end slidably disposed on the shuttle and driven by a wand motor. The system includes a vision system having a camera on the shuttle, a point depth sensor, and a control box electrically connected to the vision system, the locator motor, the shuttle motor, and the wand motor to accept information from the vision system and use the information accepted from the vision system to direct the locator motor, the shuttle motor, and the wand motor to locate the nozzle within the cattle trailer.

Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method of washing a cattle trailer including driving into a wash area, activating the automatic wash system, positioning a side car at a distance from the front of the cattle trailer by sensing the location of the trailer by a vision system disposed on the side car and activating a locating motor to urge a support wheel disposed on the side car to a predetermined position, positioning a vertical position of a wand by sensing the location of a hole on the side wall of the cattle trailer using the vision system, and activating a shuttle motor to urge a shuttle to a predetermined vertical position, positioning a lateral position of a nozzle of the wand by sensing the location of a hole on the side wall of the cattle trailer using the vision system, and activating a wand motor to urge the wand to a predetermined lateral position. Then spraying pressurized water out of the nozzle and against the inside of the cattle trailer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented inFIG.1. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. The terms “cattle truck” and “cattle trailer” is used within the disclosure but is not meant to be limiting and may be used interchangeably with “livestock trailer” or any other name known in the art.

The device disclosed automates the washing of both the inside and outside of the side walls14of a cattle truck or trailer10. The cattle trucks include side walls14having holes12that allow for airflow through the cattle truck. According to the disclosure, at least about 80% of the side wall wash process is automated as measured by wash surface area, leaving only about 20% or less to be washed by a human operator.

The cattle trucks10typically are about 13′6″ high (±3″), about 8′6″ wide (±3″) and up to 9′8″ with mirrors, and up to about 53′ long. The lower height of the wash surface can be as low as 2′ above ground level. The cattle trailer wash can accommodate holes12in the truck side walls14as small as 3″ by 4″, and may accommodate single and double decker trucks10. Objects inside the truck10like internal walls and cattle gates18aand18bmay be accommodated as well.

The washing process is intended to be performed in less than 30 minutes from when the truck is in position and the operator presses the start button (not shown). Trucks may enter one end of the wash area and exit from the other end as shown inFIG.1such that there is no need for the truck to back up. A signal (not shown) may be provided to the driver to indicate when the wash is in progress and when the wash is complete. The wash may use hot water (165° F.) without detergents, and comply with the ISO 14121 (Safety of Machinery) standard.

As shown inFIG.1, a cattle trailer or cattle truck10is driven into the wash area with at least one side car20, preferably at least two side cars20(second side car not shown), one on either side of the trailer10. The side cars20may move independently along the full length of the truck's trailer10. An inverted-V rail16may be installed on one or both sides of the wash area, covering the full length of the trailer10. The rails16support the weight of the side cars and ensure their alignment with the trailer10.

Each side car20may have at least one, but preferably four V-groove wheels36, mounted on two axes, which correspond to and roll on the inverted-V rails. One of the V-groove wheel axes on each side car may be driven by an electric motor mounted on the side car via a chain drive, a belt drive, or the like. Internal wash is achieved by inserting wands22into the interior of the trailer10via the trailer's holes12in the trailer side walls14. External wash is achieved using six rotating sprinklers with two nozzles each.

As shown inFIG.3, each side car20may have a single vertical axis24with at least one shuttle26. In an embodiment, there may be two shuttles26. The shuttles26may be driven by a pulley and gear motor and are capable of moving independently to the extent that they are mounted on the same vertical supports. The shuttles26cover a vertical range of about 11′.

Each of the vertical shuttles26has a horizontal wand22capable of being driven horizontally in and out of the trailer over a range of about 8′. Each shuttle26can also move its wand along the length of the trailer over a distance of about 2′ to allow more precise wand22positioning than that provided by the overall side car20movement. Each wand22may be supported by a diamond shaped (non-rotating) support structure28housing a circular rotating pipe, which is the wand22. The rotating pipe or wand22delivers the wash fluid via a nozzle30mounted on the end of the rotating pipe22. The horizontal movement of the wand22in and out of the trailer10is driven by at least one friction wheel32with a gear motor and the circular motion of the wand22is driven by an electric motor34located on a back side of the shuttle26.

In the embodiment with a side car20on either side of the trailer10, the side cars20preferably operate independently from one another. Each side car20has its own onboard vision system, control system and water delivery system. The vision system on each side car20consists of a 2D camera, a 3D camera and two laser depth sensors. The point depth sensors are mounted on the wands22. The 2D and 3D cameras are mounted inside protective enclosures40(cameras not specifically shown) to make sure they stay clean during operation and to allow washing of the system itself during maintenance. These enclosures40are sealed to the environment and allow line of sight to the truck via a transparent pane of plastic. An actuated hatch of the enclosure40closes over the view port in such a way as to avoid debris build up and damage to the cameras. The hatch is opened only momentarily before the insertion of the nozzle(s) to capture the necessary images to guide the robot.

All onboard electronics, controls and drives are contained within an electrical panel50. The water delivery system mounted on each side car may include a 100 hp water pump skid and a 50-gallon insulated buffer tank52. The buffer tank52serves only to smooth out the demand because a constant supply of wash water is necessary to supply the wands22. The water pump (not shown) mounted on the side car20raises the pressure of the water delivered from the static supply52. Having the water pump on the side car20is beneficial because the pump need not pump the water at pressure through a long water line from a water supply all the way to the side car, but rather the insulated buffer tank may be filled at normal water pressures to keep the insulated buffer tank52full, while washing pressure is provided by the on-board water pump from the tank52to the wand22.

Each side car may have an “umbilical cord” (not shown) to deliver electrical power, hot water, and communications. The cabling and water delivery may be managed overhead by a festoon running the full length of the trailer in order to keep the lines from being run over by the side car20or any other vehicle operating in the area.

The side car structure is preferably epoxy painted steel enclosed in an aluminum case. This material and coating ensures that the side car or cars are strong enough and stable enough to reliably deliver the high pressure wash water, while still able to withstand the high moisture environment like a trailer wash area without rusting.

The “side car” concept provides a number of benefits in this situation. The wash system provides independent and simultaneous washing on each side of the truck. The wash system minimizes installation requirements by locating electrical and washing services onboard the side car. This location for these services maximizes in-factory integration and testing while minimizing the amount of time and resource required to perform the installation on-site. The system does not require any permanent structures installed at height like gantries or the like which facilitates easier and efficient maintenance as all working parts are accessible from the ground and, if required, the entire side car can be replaced.

FIGS.6-14are illustrations of an embodiment of the disclosure. The dimensions of the embodiment may be scaled up and down, or otherwise changed depending on the specific application.

FIG.6shown the base100of a side car. The base100includes horizontal or lateral rails102, with v-shaped wheels36coupled to the horizontal rails. The base100may also include brackets38that offer support for the vertical rails (detailed below) to be attached.

FIGS.7-9detail the vertical support120that is coupled to the base100. The vertical support120may include vertical rails122to provide the vertical structure for the wand22. A pulley system including a chain124and sprockets126is coupled to a motor (not shown) and attached to the shuttle26which moves the shuttle26vertically up and down.

FIG.12details the lateral movement system140that the wand support (seeFIG.11) couples to. The lateral movement system includes a motor130attached to a roller chain132. The wand support attaches to the roller chain and by can move left and right laterally for fine lateral location.

FIGS.13and14are detailed illustrations of the wand support160. The wand support is slidably attached to the vertical support120through the lateral movement system140. The wand support includes a rear support u-channel142and front support144that allows the wand22(not shown in this figure) to slide fore and aft (into and out of the cattle trailer). Fore/aft movement of the wand22is accomplished by coupling a motor130to a roller chain132coupled to the wand22.

FIGS.14and15are illustrations of the wand22itself. The wand22terminates with a nozzle30at its terminal end. The wand22may be rotated by a motor130and a belt and pulley system136-138on the rear side of a mounting bracket150. The wand22is coupled to the mounting bracket through a bearing152.

FIG.16is an illustration of the side car assembly20.

The preferred method of use of the system is as follows. A user pulls their cattle trailer10into a designated wash area. Either the user (the driver of the cattle truck) or another person initiates the automatic washing system to begin by pushing a start button on a control board, clicking a button on an app on a mobile device, or by some other way known in the art.

Once the process is initiated, the side car activates the visions system to find a first end of the cattle trailer. The first end may be the front or the rear. The system ensures that the buffer tank52is full, and locates itself laterally along the length of the cattle trailer10to begin wash. External nozzles begin spraying the outside of the cattle trailer10. A hole12is located in the side wall of the14of the cattle trailer10, and further minute location refinements are made by the side car.

The wand22may then be inserted through the hole12. An on-board water pump begins pumping the water from the buffer tank52through the wand22, and out of the nozzle30. The nozzle30directs the wash water back on the interior of the wall14of the trailer10, in effect washing the inside of the trailer10.

At the same time, a side car20is independently activated on the opposite side of the trailer10, and goes through the same sequence, washing the other side wall14of the trailer10. Once this sequence is complete, the side car20moves a lateral distance down (toward the front or rear, depending on where it started) and begins again. It repeats this sequence until the entire length of the trailer is washed.