Overhead washer for automatic car washes

An overhead washer for use in automatic car wash installations utilizes washing curtains slit at their lower edges to provide rectangular washing panels positioned transversely of the curtains that are shorter in length and greater in width than has heretofore been known.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , our overhead washer 10 preferably comprises six generally rectangular curtains 12 . The upper edge 14 of each curtain 12 is folded over a pipe rod 16 to form a 3½ inch loop 18 sewn to form a secure attachment. The rods 16 are bolted to a curtain frame 20 comprising a pair of angle members 22 supported by a pair of generally H-shaped arm members 24 pivotally depending from a pair of cross-beams 25 supported by a header beam 26 . The members 22 and 24 define a carriage 28 that is supported by the cross-beams 25 and header beam 26 . The carriage 28 is transversely reciprocable by a drive mechanism comprising an electric motor 30 and a crank arm 32 . The curtains 12 are suspended into the path of a vehicle (not shown) and are movable transversely across the path of the vehicle to wash it as it is drawn through the apparatus by the usual car wash conveyor. The curtains 12 comprise the usual {fraction (5/16)} inch thick, flexible, felt-like material sold under the trademark Ozite®. Each of the curtains 12 hangs a distance A, for example, 86 inches, from its supporting rod 16 into the path of the vehicle. Each curtain 12 is slit in a novel manner that is markedly different from what has been heretofore known. A slit 34 is positioned a distance B, for example five inches, from the left transverse edge 36 of the curtain (the edge adjacent the driver's side of the vehicle). The slit 34 commences a distance C, for example 30 inches, from the supporting rod 16 and extends to the lower edge 38 of the curtain. Thus, the panel 46 in this example is 56 inches long. This longer panel is provided to accommodate radio antennas that extend on the driver's side of the vehicle. Another slit 40 is positioned a distance D, for example, again five inches, from the right transverse edge 42 of the curtain (the edge adjacent the passenger's side of the vehicle). The slit 40 also commences at the distance C from the rod 16 and extends to the lower edge 38 , thus making panel 48 also 56 inches long. A further slit 44 is positioned inwardly of the curtain 12 a distance E, for example, again five inches, from the slit 40 . The slit 44 in this example also commences at the distance C from the rod 16 and extends to the lower edge 38 . In this example, the slits 34 , 40 and 44 thus provide panels 46 , 48 and 50 that are each 56 inches long and five inches wide. Having two such elongated panels at the transverse edge of the curtain at the passenger's side of the vehicle, but only one at the driver's side, provides for radio antennas that are positioned on the passenger's side of vehicles that are of varying widths. The typical conveyor that pulls a vehicle through a car wash installation maintains the driver's side of all vehicles at the same relative position with respect to the washer 10 . Differences in vehicle width thus occur at the passenger's side of the washer. Thus, the washer 10 in this example has one elongated panel at the left side of the vehicle and two such elongated panels at the right side. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 , a plurality of shorter washing panels 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 are formed intermediate the panels 46 and 50 . Such intermediate panels may be, but are not necessarily all of the same length. However, they are substantially shorter and wider than have been used heretofore. Generally, such intermediate panels are greater than about nine inches in width and less than about 24 inches in length. As shown in FIG. 3 , each curtain 12 may be slit along lines 60 , 62 and 64 , each commencing a distance F, for example 18 inches, from the lower edge 38 , so as to form panels 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 that are all 18 inches long. Slit 60 is positioned a distance G, for example 19 inches, from slit 34 such that panel 52 is 19 inches wide. Slit 62 is positioned a distance H, for example 12 inches, from slit 60 such that panel 54 is also 12 inches wide. Slit 64 is positioned a distance I, for example 12 inches, from slit 62 such that panel 56 is also 12 inches wide. Inasmuch as the total width W of the curtain is, in this example, 72 inches, the total width of panels 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 is 57 inches and the width of the remaining intermediate panel 58 is 14 inches. FIG. 3A illustrates a curtain 12 slit in a manner wherein the panels 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 are of unequal length. In FIG. 3A slit 60 is made 12 inches long. Slit 62 is made 18 inches long. Slit 64 is made 12 inches long. Thus panels 52 and 58 are each 12 inches long along their inward sides (along slits 60 and 64 , respectively). The panels 54 and 56 are 18 inches long on their common side (along slit 62 ). Each is 12 inches long on its outward side (along slits 60 and 64 , respectively). It should be noted that irrespective of the differences in their lengths, the lower edges of panels 46 , 48 , 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 all lie in a straight line when the curtain is at rest. In some installations it may be preferred to eliminate the longer panels 46 , 48 and 50 , thereby to have only shorter panels. An embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 shows a curtain 66 of width W 1 , for example 57 inches, slit along lines 68 , 70 of length L 1 , for example 18 inches. Such achieves three panels 72 , 74 and 76 of substantially equal widths K, L, and M, each 19 inches. A similar embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 , that also eliminates the longer panels, shows a curtain 78 of width W 2 , for example, also 57 inches, slit along lines 80 , 82 and 84 of length L 2 , for example 18 inches. Such achieves four panels 86 , 88 , 90 and 92 of substantially equal widths N, O, P and Q, each 14¼ inches. Another similar embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 , also omitting the longer panels, shows a curtain 94 of width W 3 , for example 57 inches, slit along lines 96 , 98 , 100 and 102 of length L 3 , for example 18 inches. Such achieves five panels 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , and 112 of substantially equal widths R, S, T, U and V, each 11.4 inches. Another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 also utilizes only shorter panels, but here the panels are unequal in width. A curtain 114 of width W 4 , for example 57 inches, is slit along lines 116 , 118 and 120 of equal length L 4 , for example 18 inches. The slits, however, are spaced apart to achieve unequal width panels 122 , 124 , 126 , and 128 of widths W, X, Y and Z, for example 19 inches, 12 inches, 12 inches and 14 inches, respectively. Another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 also utilizes only shorter panels, but in this example the panels are unequal in length as well as in width. Illustratively, a curtain 130 of width W 5 , for example 57 inches, is slit along lines 132 , 134 and 136 to achieve panels 138 , 140 , 142 and 144 . Such panels have widths the same as the intermediate panels 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 in FIG. 3 A, namely 19 inches, 12 inches, 12 inches and 14 inches, respectively. In this example, as in the example illustrated in FIG. 3 A, slit 132 is 12 inches long, slit 134 is 18 inches long, and slit 136 is 12 inches long. Thus panels 140 and 142 are 18 inches long on their common side along slit 134 , and each is 12 inches long on their other sides, along slits 132 and 136 , respectively. We have found that overhead washers utilizing the invention herein illustrated and described achieve markedly superior cleaning in comparison with previously known washers. It should be understood, however, that the described arrangements are to be deemed simply illustrative of the principles of the invention. Those skilled in the art may devise other arrangements that will embody the principles of the invention and will fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.