MACHINE FOR TREATING FACADES

Abstract: Machine intended to dose and apply chemical products to vertical walls, such chemical products being for example water, soap, detergent, pickling agents, enamels, paints, primers, waterproofers, polishers, bactericides, combinations of the same and other chemical, biological products having functions such as cleaning, protection, preparation and/or decoration of façades, said products being then processed by means of a roller in order to clean, wash, brush, sand, polish, enamel, etc. and finally dry the treated surface. The machine applies the above mentioned products and other products having similar characteristics, process them by means of various accessories and finally dries them; all these operations are automated.

Description: This invention relates to a machine for building front treatment according to the preamble of claim 1. A machine of this type is known from e.g. FR-A-2 654 652 or JP-A-09-206259. Also, the invention relates to a method for building front treatment which makes use of such machine. The object of the construction of this machine is to give an automatic and suitable treatment to the building fronts or façades. The treatment will be made by the application and processing of chemical or biological products, for cleaning, protection, preparation and/or decoration of the building outer faces. As the main use of the machine to be described it is considered the automatized cleaning of the building fronts where the outer material. is glass or the like. Besides the above, other equally important uses are: cleaning of building fronts made of another material, as well as application of water, soap, detergent, bactericides, pickling agents, paints, primers, waterproofing agents, enamels, polishers, decontaminating agents and other chemical or biological products with similar purposes to said vertical facings. For carrying out the described function, the machine can make use of the cranes installed on the roofs of the buildings, or one crane can be installed for such purpose. Due to the multiple applications of the treating machine, it is convenient to point out that, apart from the mentioned functions and using as a basis the described machine, it is possible to make specific models for carrying out special treatments in each individual case. STATE OF THE ART Currently, the cleaning and maintenance of the building fronts is made by providing the same with a crane that holds a bucket or gondola, thereby carrying the workers who do the job manually. This system currently in use has the inconvenience of the risk derived from having the workers located in the hanging gondolas for carrying out the relevant work. A wall surface cleaning machine is known from JP-A-9206259, wherein a frame is provided that incorporates at least one horizontal tube having a series of nozzles for spraying liquids which come from tanks through pipes under the propulsion of a pump. The cleaning machine also comprises a rotating brush roller for brushing the wall surfaces under the action of an engine, and a tank for collecting the excess liquids on the lower part of the cleaning machine so that they can be prevented from reaching the ground and be able to be reused for further cleaning. FR-A-2 654 652 describes an automatic cleaning arrangement for cleaning building walls comprising a vehicle movable relative to the building wall and a cleaning modul having at least a rotating brush and suspended from the wall by means of cables, the brush being driven by an electric motor. A feed pump delivers a washing product to a washing product jetting ramp through a hose. The cleaning modul can be moved along the wall surface to be cleaned by means of wheels and is provided with guide means cooperating with cables laid down between the roof and base of the building. The systems of the discussed prior art are not fully satisfactory in their performance, and this is the reason why the owners of the invention, Mr. Javier Sánchez García and Mr. Antonio Ballano Garcia, have created a machine able to do the task automatically, and which also totally avoids the risk of the workers to be suspended inside a gondola, mostly at a long distance up from the ground. EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION The above discussed problem is solved in accordance with the invention by the machine as defined in claim 1 and by the method as defined in claims 2. Particular embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The present machine has one or several structures -according to the model- where the various functional elements are located. The main structure moves by means of a crane placed on the building roof, which is adapted to move the machine along the whole façade. In this way it is run over the zone to be treated. The machine has several tanks where the products to be applied are stored. The products are carried by dosing pumps to nozzles, and from there to the building front. If it is necessary, injection methods can also be used for this function. These products can be water, soap, detergent, bactericides, pickling agents, paints, primers, waterproofing agents, enamels, polishers, decontaminating agents and other chemical or biological products which carry out façade cleaning and/or treatment functions. Subsequently, the applied product is spreaded and processed by a rotating roller, drived by an engine. Depending on the kind of use of the machine, the roller can be provided with bristles made of metal or plastic, sandpaper, chamois skin, foam, etc. Once the treatment of the surface is made, it is dried by a ventilation system, although, in optional embodiments, systems of aspiration, compressed air, infrared radiation, racket, cloth, or a combination of same can be incorporated. The machine has a tank for collecting the remaining used materials. When the applied products are recyclable materials, such as water or cleaning products, they are collected inside the tank by rubber flaps or a liquid suction apparatus, and by making use of suitable filters they can be reutilised. The machine rests on the building front by a wheel system, which can be simple or multiple, so that the machine moves against the front once the crane eases the rope. In the case of building fronts that are not totally flat, the machine has a system with multiple wheels which are used to overcome the obstacles. In the case of buildings having cranes of low power, the machine is divided in two parts: a fixed one and a movable one. The fixed part has the pumps and the tanks for the liquids, and it is placed on the building roof. The movable part has the remaining elements of the machinery. In this way, the weight of the movable part of the machine is reduced, and it is the fixed part which doses the products. All the models are provided with the necessary devices for complying with the safety requirements established by the current legal provisions. The system is managed by a custom-made microcontroller, and optionally can include standard industrial systems, such as industrial computers, robots, remote controls or the like. Thus, the machine can be given several governing controls such as the dosage of the used different products, autodiagnosis, remote control, crane, sensor control, signalling and security systems. The machine is the result of the above circuit combination, the circuits being multiple, which means that every circuit can be multiplicated so many times as desired. Also, several sets can be mixed in the same machine, made of the different combinations of the described circuits, which originates different models of the machine. In case of necessity, the electric systems can be replaced with pneumatic systems that make the mentioned tasks. All the components forming part of the circuits of the machine are standard elements of the general industry, so that they can be of national or foreign manufacture. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As an example of a practical embodiment, attached are drawings showing the main parts of the machine. Figure 1 shows the sub-assembly which transports the liquids that are projected to the building front, meaning: 1. Liquid tank 2. Liquid dosing pump 3. Nozzle support tube 4. Nozzles Figure 2 shows the sub-assembly which carries out the liquid treatment to the front, meaning: 5. Roller 6. Roller core 7. Roller axle 8. Cotter 9. Pulleys 10. Driving belt 11. Bearings 12. Roller driving engine Figure 3 shows the circuit which dries the treated surface by blowing, meaning: 13. Motor fan 14. Air inlets 15. Air mixer Figure 4 shows the main assembly where the most representative elements of a typical machine can be found, meaning: 1. Liquid tank 2. Liquid dosing pump 3. Nozzle support tube 4. Nozzles 5. Roller 6. Roller driving engine 7. Air driving fan 8. Air mixer DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT FORM The function of this concrete model is basically in accordance with the following process: 1.- It pours water to get the surface ready. 2.- It applies a chemical-biological combination, with cleaning and decontaminating agents. 3.- It passes a rotating brush made with nylon bristles which rubs the surface with the applied product. 4.- It sprinkles a chemical solution to protect the treated surface. 5.- It dries the surface by blowing air that comes from a fan. The construction of this machine is the result of the combination of several important parts, as described below: LIQUID TRANSFER CIRCUIT The liquids that will be applied over the surface to be treated are contained in corresponding tanks (figure 1, position 1). From these tanks and by means of dosing pumps (figure 1, position 2) the liquids are sucked and conveyed by pipes to tubes (figure 1, position 3) where the nozzles (figure 1, position 4) are located. It is in this point where the relevant liquid comes out, propelled against the surface to be treated. The circuits can be independent, so that they do not mix the liquids, or a whole that mixes the liquids at the time of the application of same. TREATMENT CIRCUIT Once the surface to be treated is cleaned and the desired product applied, the treatment of said surface starts. It is carried out by means of a rotating brush (figure 2, position 5) arranged on a core (figure 2, position 6), which is in turn attached to an axle (figure 2, position 7). This axle is connected by a transmission (composed by the cotter (figure 2, position 8), pulleys (figure 2, position 9) and the driving belt or chain (figure 2, position 10)) to an engine (figure 2, position 12). This engine on starting moves the brush and turns the same so that when the brush gets in contact with the building front, it treats this surface with the product applied in the prior stage. To avoid frictions, the axle is mounted on suitable bearings (figure 2, position 11). DRYING CIRCUIT After the application of the products and the treatment of the façade with the roller, the surface drying process starts. In the first machinery model, a fan will be arranged on the machine (figure 3, position 13) which will carry out this function. The air driven by this fan flows through pipes, and is carried to air entries (figure 3, position 14). These entries are connected to a mixer which has a diffusing groove (figure 3, position 15), which will blow the air to the surface to be dried. RECYCLING OF PRODUCTS The whole area of the surface to be treated is protected by rubber flaps with two aims: to protect the surfaces close to the treatment area from possible splashes and to collect the remaining product. These flaps or lips guide the remaining liquid to a recycling tank, and using the system described in paragraph "LIQUID TRANSFER CIRCUIT", and including a proper filter, that product is thrown against the surface again, with the consequent saving in the used raw material.

Claims: Machine for building front treatment of the kind used for cleaning fronts, with all the necessary elements inside the machine, able to clean all kinds of fronts, either smooch or with small projections, without a special fastening rail, comprising: a frame; horizontal parallel tubes (3) where a series of nozzles (4) are installed for spraying liquids which come from tanks through pipes, propelled by pumps (2); a rotating roller (5) for brushing the fronts moved by an engine (6); and a tank for collecting the remaining liquids on the lower part of the machine so that they can be reused by means of the pumps (2), tubes (3) and nozzles (4); characterized by further comprising, in combination: an electric remote control system with a microcontroller and sensors that control the whole machine so that it can be handled from the ground; a wheel system which helps overcome the small projections that may be found on the building front; several tanks (1) with different liquids for application to the surfaces to be treated; and an air mixer (8) driven by a ventilator engine (7) to dry the front. Method for building front treatment using the machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine uses the following "sequential" combination of functions: firstly, it projects liquid over the front by means of a pump (2) which carries it from a liquid tank (1) housed inside of it to tubes (3) which have nozzles (4); in this way, the machine makes a "pre-washing"; then it projects cleaning product by means of a system like the former one, so that the machine "soaps" the front; subsequently, it scours the soap and water applied to the front under the action of a rotating brush (5) moved by an engine (6), carrying out a "brushing"; afterwards, a further pump sprays water which is carried to the tubes having the nozzles, and a "rinse" of the building front is effected; finally, the machine blows on the surface by means of a ventilator engine (7), which brings air from outside to an air mixer (8), where it is mixed and projected against the building front, causing a "drying" thereof and taking the remaining liquid to a reutilization tank, where it is used to carry out a pre-washing. Method for building front treatment according to claim 2, characterized in that the product of the "soap phase" is replaced with chemical and biological products to "decontaminate" the building front. Method for building front treatment according to claim 2, characterized in that the product of the "soap phase" is replaced with chemical and biological products to give a "surface treatment" such as a polishing or waterproofing of the building front.

Inventors: BALLANO GARCIA ANTONIO, SANCHEZ GARCIA FRANCISCO JAVIE, BALLANO GARCIA, ANTONIO, SANCHEZ GARCIA, FRANCISCO JAVIER
Applicants: BALLANO GARCIA ANTONIO, SANCHEZ GARCIA FRANCISCO JAVIE, BALLANO GARCIA, ANTONIO, SANCHEZ GARCIA, FRANCISCO JAVIER
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B08B1
IPC codes: E04G23, A47L1, B08B3, A47L11, B08B1