A SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING THE GRIPPING POWER OF A VEHICLE WHEEL ON A SUPPORT

Abstract: A system for improving the gripping power of vehicle wheels on a support, comprising nozzles (11, 13) provided near the wheels (2, 3), which nozzles are supplied with a liquid (19) from a container (5), as well as means (22, 6) for controlling the supply of liquid, preferably from the driver's seat (23) of the vehicle. In order to achieve a system that may be used for applying a sticky substance at the same time as said system should comprise means to clean said nozzles, it is suggested that the container holding a liquid (19, 19a) enhancing the gripping power of the wheels in the winter on a winter slippery surface, is connected with a dosing means (7) for dosed application of said liquid and with a source of compressed air (17) for application of liquid and cleaning the nozzles (13, 14). Said system, e.g. comprises a dosing reservoir (7) and a three-way valve (6), said container (5) being connected with a first branch (6a) of said valve (6), another valve branch (6b) being connected with said dosing reservoir (7) and a third valve branch (6c) being connected with nozzles (13, 14) at the same time as a first conduit (16) extends from compressor (17) for compressed air for application of said liquid, and a second conduit (18) extends for compressed air serving to clean said nozzles (13, 14). Alternatively, dosing may be carried out by the aid of time-controlling dosing directly from said container, and time-controlled supply of compressed air to the nozzles.

Description: A system for improving the gripping power of a vehicle wheel on a support The present invention relates to a system for improving the gripping power of a vehicle wheel on a support, comprising nozzles provided at the wheels and being supplied with liquid from a container, and means for controlling the liquid feed, preferably from the driver's seat in the vehicle. Vehicles haying tyres covered with a coating that inhibits the gripping power of said tyres represent a hazard and a disadvantage to common traffic, since it may become difficult to control such vehicles. Examples of covered tyres are to be found in winter in connection with vehicles driving onto roads that are not salted, but covered with snow and possibly ice. The gripping power of the tyres is considerably reduced and when driving on slippery slopes the vehicles, thus, often cause queues bacause of spin. In some cases the driver will stop his vehicle at the edge of the road, go out of the vehicle, and put on chains. Such a stop on the road or at the edge of the road, however, may cause some hazard as regards bumping or col¬ lision, and the parked vehicles also cause inconvenience to the other cars, etc. From German Offenlegungsschrift 27 16 110 a washing system for tractor tyres is known, said system being used to squirt out water onto the wheels, so that dirt and clay will be washed off. The water is expelled through nozzles provided on pipes which are, in turn, attached in the area of the vehicle tyres. Such a water based system, however, could not be used in the winter. If water is used for cleaning the tyres in the winter there will be a hazard of considerably reducing the gripping force of the tyres, and in some cases they might be rendered quite unsuitable for use. The known system can neither be used for applying any friction enhancing liquid, because liquids which are used in the winter usually are sticky and could easily clog the nozzles that are placed above the vehicle wheels. German Offenlegungsschrift 27 16 110, thus, does not disclose a system of applying r a sticky liquid, nor does it disclose means cleaning the nozzles after application. In German Offenlegungsschrift 31 07 219 a simultaneous application of an adhesive and a friction enhancing agent on vehicle tyres is disclosed. Only manual methods are pro¬ posed to apply such agents. In a first case it is suggested to use a spray container with a pipe- or hose-shaped con¬ nection. Said container contains an edhesive which is to adhere to the tyre as well as adhering to, e.g. sand par¬ ticles. According to said publication it is, furthermore, suggested to apply the adhesive by the aid of a brush. Alter¬ natively, a pistol-like means comprising a lever is proposed for applying adhesive and sand. This method, however, requires the driver to stop his vehicle at the edge of the road, leave the vehicle, and carry out the necessary operations, and such stops have the disadvantages mentioned above. Adhesives to be applied on a vehicle tyre are today also in the market in spray boxes. Such an adhesive, however, has a limited effect, dependent on the prevailing road con¬ ditions, and a spray box is very awkward in use, since it is necessary to leave the vehicle to spray the adhesive onto the tyres. In addition to the fact that one has to leave the vehicle in order to apply the adhesive, said ad¬ hesive is very sticky.' In more difficult conditions there is a great hazard of getting both hands and clothes fouled with the adhesive. It is an object of the present invention to remedy the above mentioned disadvantages. Thus, the object of the invention is to provide a system that can be activated from the driver's seat with the vehicle in motion and can be used for applying friction enhancing, sticky liquids without the nozzles of the system getting unnecessarily clogged. In a system of the kind stated above, the object of the invention is achieved by the fact that the container contains a liquid enhancing the gripping power of the wheels in the winter on a winter slippery surface, and that the container is connected with a dispensing means for applying the liquid in dosed quantities, and with a source of com¬ pressed air for applying liquid and cleaning the nozzles. This is a self-cleaning system, and each time only a dosed amount of liquid is applied. In a first embodiment said dispensing means comprises a dispensing storage means, said container being connected with a first branch of a three-way valve whereas another branch of said valve is connected with said storage means or reservoir, and the third branch of said valve is connected with the nozzles. Said reservoir may be connected with a compressor via a first conduit for ejecting liquid from said reservoir through the second and third valve branch, and from said compressor a second conduit may extend directly connected to the nozzles. This combination will result in a satisfactory distribution of the liquid on the vehicle tyres when the liquid is to be applied to the tread of the tyres, the conduit directly from said compressor ensuring reliable cleaning of the nozzles after the application. In another embodiment said dipensing or dosing means comprises a timing relay having two different time-adjust¬ ments, one first time interval guiding compressed air to the container and opening container valves to the nozzles, and another time interval being longer than the first mentioned and guiding the compressed air directly to the nozzles for distributing liquid and cleaning the nozzles. Below, the invention will be disclosed in more detail with reference to the figures of the drawing, showing an embodiment of the system according to the invention. Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view, partly transparent, of a vehicle provided with a first embodiment of the system according to the invention. Figure 2 is a sketch showing a steering wheel in two different positions. Figure 3 shows the principle of the connections of said first embodiment for the present application system. Figure 4 shows the principle of another embodiment of the present application system. In Figure 1 a vehicle, e.g. a private car, is designated 1, and its front wheels or steering wheels are designated 2 and its rear wheels or drive wheels are designated 3. In- the engine space 4 a container 5 is arranged for a liquid which in the winter will enhance the gripping power of the wheels on a winter slippery surface, e.g. a resinous agent diluted in alcohol. The container 5 is connected with a three-way valve 6 via a first valve branch 6a, whereas a second valve branch 6b is connected with a dosing reservoir 7. A third valve branch 6c is connected with a series of hoses or pipes 8 and 9, with hoses 8 extending to front nozzles 11 mounted above the front wheels 2, respectively. The other hose 9 branches out to nozzles 13, respectively, arranged one above each rear wheel 3. It will be understood that conduits 8 and 9 may comprise other branches than those shown in the figures, and it will be understood that it is possible to arrange more than one nozzle above each drive wheel. Nozzle 11 near the steering wheels 2 of the vehicle are placed in the area of the turning axes of the front wheels, indicated by phantom lines 14 in Figure 2. Thus, the jet from nozzle 11 will hit the area of the centre portion 15 of the tyre, irrespective of the turning position of wheel 2. As will appear from Figure 3, second valve branch 6b is connected with dosing reservoir 7, which, in turn, via a first conduit 16 is connected with a source of com¬ pressed air, e.g. a compressor 17, serving to force liquid from dosing reservoir 7, through second valve branch 6b and third valve branch 6c, as explained in more detail below. From conduit 16, extending between dosing reservoir 7 and compressor 17, another conduit 18 branches off. It bridges dosing reservoir 7 and valve 6, i.e. it is connected directly with nozzles 11, 13 for blowing through said nozzles after they are used to apply the friction enhancing liquid in container 5 or dosing reservoir 7, respectively. When the system is not used, the liquid 19 contained in container 5 will fill dosing reservoir 7 up to the equa¬ lizing level 20 determined by a relative mounting of container 5 and dosing reservoir 7. It will be understood that dosing reservoir 7 holds a smaller volume than liquid container 5 and is placed in the area of the container bottom, but with said first conduit 16 connecting reservoir 7 with com¬ pressor 17 projecting above the top 21 of container 5. Before the system is used, the sticky liquid contained in container 5 will thus fill up dosing reservoir 7 and the second conduit 16 to the same level 20 as in container 5, the valve 6 in this condition permitting an open way between liquid container 5 and dosing reservoir 7 via valve branches 6a and 6b, whereas the third valve branch 6c is closed. When the system is activated from the driver's seat, e.g. by the aid of switch 22 provided near the driver's seat 24, a signal via circuit 23 will close the valve con¬ nection with liquid container 5, i.e. valve branch 6a is closed, whereas valve branches 6b and 6c, i.e. the connection from dosing reservoir 7 to nozzles 13 and 14 are opened. Compressed air from compressor 17 will then force the liquid 19a in dosing reservoir 7 out into conduits 8, 9 and to nozzles 13, 14, at the same time as part of the compressed air is fed through conduit 18 directly to nozzles 11, 13 or to the conduits between valve 6 and nozzles 11, 13, as indicated in Figure 3. By the aid of the compressed air supplied by compressor 17 the liquid 19a will be well distributed at nozzles 11 and 13, and the compressed air will blow through the conduits and clean them after application. The system may be electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically driven, dependent on what is disposable on the vehicle. In the shown embodiment electrical drive is used. From a battery 25 a circuit extends to valve 6, and a fuse 27 is mounted in circuit 26. Such a system with a pressure tank and a double timing relay will suitably be used for private cars. A system with a dosage reservoir may suitably be used on trucks and other large vehicles. It is common to both systems that they dispense a certain amount at a time, and that the system at the same time is cleaned after use.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. A system for improving the gripping power of vehicle wheels on a surface, comprising nozzles (11, 13) provided near the wheels (2, 3), which nozzles are supplied with liquid (19) from a container (5), as well as means (22, 6) for controlling the liquid supply, preferably from the driver's seat of the vehicle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said container (5) holds a liquid (19) which in he winter enhances the gripping power of the wheels on a winter slippery surface, and that said container (5) is connected with a dosing means (7) for dosed application of the liquid and with a source of compressed air (17) for applying said liquid (19a) and for cleaning the nozzles (13, 14). 2. System as stated in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said dosing means comprises a dosing reservoir (7), said container (5) being connected with a first branch (6a) of a three-way valve (6), whereas a second valve branch (6b) is connected with said dosing reservoir (7), and a third valve branch (6c) is connected with said nozzles (11, 13). 3. System as stated in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said dosing reservoir (7) is connected with a compressor (17) via a first conduit (16) for forcing liquid (19a) out of dosing reservoir (7) through the second (6b) and third (6c) valve branches. 4. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a second conduit (18) extends from compressor (17) and is connected with nozzles (11, 13) either directly, or after said valve (6). 5. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said dosing reservoir (7) holds a smaller volume (19a) than said liquid container (5) and is placed in the area of the bottom of container (5), but with said first conduit (16) connecting said reser¬ voir (7) with compressor (17) projecting above the top (21) of container (5). 6. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there is a common dosing reservoir for the drive wheels of a vehicle or for all its wheels. 7. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there is a dosing reservoir for each wheel or pair of wheels. 8. System as stated in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said dosing means comprises a timing relay (35) with two different time adjust¬ ments, a first time interval guiding compressed air (31) to container (32) and opening container valves (33) between container (32) and nozzles (34), whereas a second time inter¬ val being longer than the first mentioned guides compressed air (31) directly to the nozzles (34) for distribution of liquid and cleaning of the nozzles (34). 9. System as stated in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said timing relay (35) is a double timing relay, one timing relay being con¬ nected with compressor (31), and the other relay being con¬ nected with container valves (33). 10. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that container (5) holds a liquid (19) comprising a resinous matter diluted in alcohol. 11. System as stated in one of the claims 1 to 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there are several containers each containing one kind of a friction enhancing liquid and that said containers are provided with means for selective use of liquid to the system dependent on weather and road conditions.

Inventors: EIKE EINAR, SKARELVEN RAGNVALD, EIKE, EINAR, SKARELVEN, RAGNVALD
Applicants: UC SYSTEM AS, UC SYSTEM A/S
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60B39
IPC codes: B60B39