Abstract:
A car wash conveyor including a simplified and improved track structure using cut out flat support plates for mounting three tiers of tracks. The support plates allow equal widths of an intermediate and lower track, and incorporation of integral stanchions for support of tire guide rollers. The chain take up mechanism and the roller control mechanism together form an assembly able to be installed into the conveyor or removed for service as a single unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention concerns car wash conveyors of the type using a chain driven pusher rollers selectively elevated to engage a tire of a vehicle to advance the vehicle along a track on which the vehicle tires roll.  
           [0002]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,936 describes a particular roller assembly, conveyor track section, and chain tensioner-ramp assembly for a car wash conveyor of this type. The conveyor track sections have intermediate and lower tracks for idle and return travel of the rollers, so that three tracks are provided including the upper track on which the activate rollers roll.  
           [0003]    The track structure described therein has a frame of upright angles welded to longitudinal steel angle members forming upper and lower tracks. An intermediate track comprised of thick plastic angles resting on steel angles and are bolted through holes in the upper and vertical leg of the steel angle. Separate upper pieces support lateral tire guides.  
           [0004]    The use of vertical angles as the main frame support establishes that the intermediate and lower tracks to be of equal width. Since the intermediate track is defined by the combination of a single steel angle and a plastic angle, the lower track, which is constructed of a steel angle alone, is somewhat wider. This allows the chain to wander, increasing chain wear by the lack of confinement of the chain rollers.  
           [0005]    This construction also involves extra labor in locating and drilling holes for the plastic angles, as well as in separately constructing and attaching the upper tire guide support pieces. The longitudinal members also vary in length, adding to the complexity of fabricating the track structures.  
           [0006]    The entrance section of such conveyors includes a chain tension take up mechanism, including a take up drum around which the conveyor chain passes the take up drum mounted on slides and spring urged outwardly to establish proper chain tension. A roller control mechanism is also located at the entrance section for causing a selected roller to move up a ramp onto the upper track where it can engage a vehicle tire. The roller control includes a pair of ramp members connected to form a pivoted fork, which when raised by an actuator, diverts the rollers on one end of the next roller assembly to be guided up to the upper track for engagement with the next vehicle&#39;s tire.  
           [0007]    These mechanisms are mounted to two of the longitudinal frame pieces extending between vertical angle pieces. If maintenance is required on either mechanism, this location makes it difficult to work on, and/or to remove the mechanisms for service.  
           [0008]    The fork member in the roller control mechanism has rubber cushions installed on impacting portions to quiet the operation, but these cushions typically become dislodged such that noisy operation results.  
           [0009]    The take up drum is mounted on bearings which are located within the frame and are difficult to reach for routine maintenance and subjects them to water and dirt dripping down from the car wash sprays and dirt curved down with the spray water.  
           [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simpler, track construction for a car wash conveyor which can also easily provide properly spaced track sections for the lower track.  
           [0011]    It is another object to provide a tension take-up and roller control fork mechanisms for a car wash conveyor which allows easier access for maintenance, and improves the performance of those mechanisms in service.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    These and the other objects of the present invention which will become apparent upon reading of the present specification and claims are achieved by constructing the track structure with the use of support frames cut out from plate stock to have webs for supporting the top, intermediate, and lower tracks.  
           [0013]    The support frames allow the opening for the intermediate track to be wider to compensate for the thickness of the plastic angles and the lower track opening narrower to provide close guidance of the conveyor chain and rollers.  
           [0014]    The support frames have integral tire guide roller supports to eliminate the need for separate pieces.  
           [0015]    The upper track comprises inverted angles which are spaced from an upper leg of an intermediate track support angle to form a lengthwise slot on each side of the track structure.  
           [0016]    The plastic track angles are fastened by bolts passed through the slot and holes in the plastic tracks to eliminate the need for drilling holes in the metal pieces aligned with the holes in the plastic track angles.  
           [0017]    The roller control and chain take up mechanisms are mounted at the entrance of the conveyor as a self contained a unit comprised of two pairs of parallel rods connected at each end to a respective end plate. The entrance track section is configured to allow easy removal of this unit without disturbing the track structure.  
           [0018]    The take up drum support shaft is rotatably mounted on a pair of side support plates each slidable on journals received on respective one of the pairs of the rods. Bearings for the drum support shaft are installed on the outside of the side support plates to enable ready access and to minimize exposure to the water spray and drippage.  
           [0019]    The fork of the roller control mechanism is carried on a pair of support side plates which are adjustably mounted on the four rods of the unit assembly. Two sets of cushioning stops are securely mounted to side and end plates located to engage fork members to quiet the operation thereof.  
           [0020]    The entire assembly is readily detachable to be removed from the entrance track section as a complete unit for convenient servicing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entrance conveyor section of an auto wash conveyor incorporating the improvements of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an intermediate conveyor section of an auto wash conveyor according to the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a reverse side prespective view of an exit conveyor section for an auto wash conveyor.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is an end view of an auto wash track structure incorporated in each of the conveyor sections shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is an end view of the auto wash track structure shown in FIG. 3 with the chain and pusher rollers installed.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of an intermediate track structure showing the chain and pusher rollers installed thereon.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a take up and roller control mechanism unit installed in the conveyor entrance section.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the conveyor entrance section from above, with the chain take up and roller control unit removed.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is an enlarged frontal perspective view of the conveyor entrance section as shown in FIG. 8 with the unit removed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0030]    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.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 1, an entrance section  10  for an auto wash conveyor is shown, which includes a three tier frame structure  12 . A chain take up mechanism  14  and roller control mechanism  16  are mounted as a unit  15  at the entrance end of the entrance conveyor section  10  as will be described below in additional detail.  
         [0032]    An upper track  18  is defined by two separate angles  20  separated to form a slot  22  through which an elevated roller assembly  80  extends. A car&#39;s tires roll along the flat surface defined by the top of each angle  20 , pushed along by an elevated roller assembly having one roller set moving along on the top of the angles  20  as to engage the car&#39;s tire to push the same down track by the pull of the roller chain.  
         [0033]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,936 describes one type of suitable roller assembly, while pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/260/321 filed Mar. 1, 1999 describes another roller assembly design. Other roller assembly designs are commercially available and well known.  
         [0034]    A lower track  24  provides a return track for the roller assemblies  80 , and an intermediate track  26  receives roller assemblies  80  which are being pulled in a forward direction but have not been activated by causing one end to be diverted up to the top track by selective operation of the roller control mechanism  16  in the well known manner.  
         [0035]    The nature of the track structure is best understood by reference to FIGS.  2 - 4 . An intermediate conveyor section  28  (FIG. 2) is used between the entrance conveyor section  10  and an exit conveyor section  30  (FIG. 3) each having the upper track  18 , lower track section  24 , and intermediate track  26 .  
         [0036]    A series of flat steel support plates  32  are cut out by such processes as plasma cutting, water jet cutting, etc. into the modified “H” contour shown, comprised of a pair of legs  34  connected at the bottom by a lower web  36  and an intermediate web  38 .  
         [0037]    The upper track  18  includes the pair of steel angles  20 , each having one leg lying horizontally and spaced apart to define the slot  26 . The angles  20  extend between two support plates  32  located at a respective end of a track segment of the entrance conveyor section  10 , the entire length of the intermediate conveyor section  28 , and a mid point location of the exit conveyor section  30 . Modified flat plate supports  32 A and  32 B are used in the entrance section  10  on either end of the chain take-up mechanism  14  and roller control mechanism  16 .  
         [0038]    Each support plate has a series of holes  42  for bolting adjacent conveyor sections together, and in the case of supports  32 A,  32 B to mount the unit  15 .  
         [0039]    The entrance section  10  has a transition segment  44  supported by a flat plate support  32 A and  32 C, which transition segment has a downwardly sloping lower track  24 A to properly position the roller assemblies (not shown) to be able to pass around the chain take up mechanism  14 .  
         [0040]    The intermediate conveyor section  28  has an additional plate support  32  at a point intermediate the ends of the section  28  (which does not require the holes  42 ).  
         [0041]    The exit conveyor section  30  (FIG. 3) has a straight segment  46  and a transition segment  48  to a chain drive mounting structure  50 , comprised of a welded angle/plate construction for housing a conventional chain sprocket drive and exit trap door (neither shown).  
         [0042]    The flat plate supports  32  are welded to lengthwise extending downturned angles  20  defining upper track  18 , upturned angles  52  supporting UHMW plastic angles  54  forming the intermediate track  26  (FIG. 4), and upturned angles  56  forming lower track  24 .  
         [0043]    The downturned legs  58  of angles  20  and upturned legs  60  of the angles  52  are spaced to form a longitudinal slot  52  which is able to receive screw and nut attachments  65  for the UHMW angles  54  without the need for locating and drilling holes in the steel structure.  
         [0044]    The plate supports  32  and  32 B each have upwardly projecting portions  64  (FIG. 4) serving as stanchions for steel rods  66  on which are received a series of UHMW plastic rollers  68  serving as tire guides extending alongside the conveyor sections.  
         [0045]    A series of extra intermediate stanchions  74  are welded to the downturned leg  58  of the upper track angles  20  to provide additional support.  
         [0046]    An upright angle  710  is welded atop the other side of the supports  32 , to which a steel bar  72  is welded, serving as an inside tire guide.  
         [0047]    The use of the plate supports  32 ,  32 A,  32 B,  32 C for the tracks  18 ,  24 ,  26  has a particular advantage in that the width of the upper cut out  76  can be made greater than the width B of the lower cut out  78  (FIG. 4), since straight angle members are not used and any contour can be cut in fabricating the supports  32 ,  32 A,  32 B,  32 C. Thus, the inside spacing C between the angles  52  may be set to be slightly wider than the width B of the lower cut out  78  to set the track width A the same, and to closely confine the chain  82  and roller assemblies  80  (FIGS. 5, 6,  8 ) along both the intermediate track  26  and lower track  24 , which in turn reduces chain wear.  
         [0048]    Also, as seen in FIG. 5, a toe plate  84  is welded to the inside of the projections  64  stanchions  74  to block a person&#39;s toes from entering the space above the track  18 , needed for safety considerations.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 7 shows the separate unit  15  removed from the conveyor track structure as a self contained unit.  
         [0050]    Four parallel stainless steel rods  86  are arranged in a rectangular pattern symmetrical with respect to the axis of the chain  82 , attached at either end to H-shaped end plates  88  by couplings  90  having cross bolts (not shown) to secure the shaft ends therein.  
         [0051]    The chain take up mechanism  14  includes a take up driver  94  rotatably mounted by a shaft  96  supported on bearings  98  located on the outer side of a respective one of a pair of mounting plates  100 .  
         [0052]    The mounting plates  100  are each slidable on the shafts  86  by means of pairs of slider journals  102  on each shaft  86  (using UHMW bearing sleeve  104 ).  
         [0053]    A tension spring  106  is compressed between spring seat  108 , fixed to a plate  110  extending between the side plates  100  to move therewith, and spring seat  112  fixed to end plate  88 .  
         [0054]    The roller control mechanism  16  selectively raises the unattached end of a roller assembly  80  to the upper track  18  to engage the tire of a car to be driven in the well known manner.  
         [0055]    The roller control mechanism  16  includes a pair of fork members  114  mounted on a cross shaft  116  pivotally supported with bearings  117  on side plates  118 . Side plates  118  are each adjustable on the rods  86  by pairs of collars  120  secured in an adjusted position by set screws installed in the collars  120 .  
         [0056]    A direct drive actuator  122 , as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,936, is directly connected to shaft  116  with a coupling  122  so that power pivoting of the shaft can be executed to move the fork members  114  to the up position shown, which causes the set of free end rollers to be routed up through the trap door  124  (FIG. 1) onto the upper track section  18 .  
         [0057]    The fork members  114  have lightening openings  126  to reduce their mass.  
         [0058]    Cushioning stops  128  and  130  are located to quiet the impact of the fork members  114  moving to the up and down positions.  
         [0059]    A handle (not shown) can be placed over exposed lever  132  for manual operation.  
         [0060]    The entire unit  15  can be installed or removed from the conveyor for easier maintenance.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIGS. 8 and 9 show that the entrance section  10  is specially configured to allow removal of the unit  15  without disturbing the track structure. The intermediate track  26 , and lower track  24  both terminate at the entrance end to create a cavity  134  bounded by support plates  32 A,  32 B. The upper track  18  extends over the cavity  134  and is supported by plate  32 B. An opening  136  is provided overlain by the trap door  124  (FIG. 1). The chain  82  solely supports the roller assemblies  80  in this region.  
         [0062]    A short segment  26 A is supported of support plates  32 A,  32 C, is configured to slope downwardly and with the angles  52 ,  54  diverging from each other as shown in FIG. 9. This geometry insures recapture of the roller assemblies  80  as they move onto the intermediate track  26 A after being supported solely by the chain  82  in passing over the unit  15 . Thus, the slight sag of the chain  82  in that region can be accommodated.  
         [0063]    The absence of the intermediate track section  26  and lower track  24  in that region allows a completely separate packaging of the chain take up and roller control in the unit  15 , to enable its removal together as a separate assembly.  
         [0064]    Accordingly, a lower cost fabrication cost can be achieved with the above described features by a reduction in labor. At the same time, improved performance in several respects also results as described.