Patent GB-676045-A (GB)
Title: Vehicle washer
Inventor: FISHER DAVID
IPC: B60S3/04
Filed: 1950-05-15
Abstract: 676,045. Washing vehicles. WASHMOBILE CORPORATION. May 15, 1950, No. 12103/50. Class 138 (i). A vehicle washer comprises a movable U- shaped casing, means being associated with the casing for supplying air and water under pressure to the casing, and having means on the casing for spraying detergent under pressure and water under pressure against a vehicle positioned within the casing. As shown in Fig. 1 the U-shaped casing comprises a top member 3 and side members 1 and 2, and is provided with flanged rollers 15, 16 by which it is movable back and forth along rails 17, 18, by the operator grasping an encircling rail 22 around an enlarged portion 2a of the side member 2. A pair of spaced pipes 19, 20 each provided with spaced nozzles 21 throughout their lengths are held by clamps adjacent the inside walls of the casing. Provided on the side members 1, 2 are hoses 58, 57, having valve controlled spray heads 59, which hoses are connected with the source of water supply under pressure. Also each side member is provided with a hose 60 carrying a common type of head (not shown), each hose 60 communicating with the source of air under pressure. The casing is connected by a hose 54 to the source of air under pressure from a hose 50, and a hose 53 to the source of water under pressure in a tank 41. The hoses 53, 54 are carried by a block 55 on an overhead cable 56. Referring to Fig. 2 the tank 41 is provided with a drop valve 43 and an upper cylindrical skirt 44. Water from a supply main is supplied through a pipe 46 controlled by a float operated valve 45 and enters the tank 41 until when this is full the valve 43 closes, and after the water level reaches a certain height in the skirt 44 the valve 45 shuts-off the water supply. Air under pressure supplied through the hose 50 is admitted to the tank 41 through a pipe 48 on operating a two-way valve 49 by a lever 51. When the handle 51 is moved to the right air enters the pipe 48 but on moving the lever 51 to the left air is bled from the tank 41 to allow water to rise therein. Water under pressure in the tank 41 is supplied through a pipe 52 to the hose 53 and thence to a pipe 32 within the side member 2. Water is thus supplied to a member 29, provided with a pressure gauge 30, through a one way valve 28 and member 27 to a pipe 24 connected through a metering valve 26 to a detergent tank 23, so that the detergent is placed under pressure. Detergent may therefore be supplied through a pipe 37 through a pressure controlled valve 38 and metering valve 39 to a mixing chamber 36 the upper end of which communicates with the spray pipe 19. The pipe 32 also connects with a three-way valve 33, one outlet of which connects with the mixing chamber 36 by a pipe 35 and the other outlet of which connects by a member 34 with the spray pipe 20. The pressure controlled valve 38 is connected by a pipe 40 to the pipe 35, so that the valve opens only when water flows through the pipe 35. Valves 26, 39 and 33 are controlled by handles 63, 62 and 37 respectively (see Fig. 1). In operation the operator moves lever 51 to the right to supply air under pressure to the tank 41. Water under pressure is then supplied to the tank 23 and to the valve 33. By moving the handle 37 to the right in Fig. 1 water under pressure is directed through the pipe 35 to the mixing tank 36 to mix with the detergent entering therein when the valve 38 opens and directs the detergent into the pipe 19 and thus through the nozzles 21 thereon, on to the vehicle.' At the same time the casing is moved back and forth along the rails 17, 18 from end to end of the vehicle. By moving the handle 37 to the left the spraying of detergent is stopped, since no water is flowing through pipe 35 and rinsing water is supplied to the pipe 20 and thus through the nozzles 21 thereon on to the vehicle. When the handle 37 is in the vertical position both spraying systems are inoperative. The vehicle is then dried by the air under pressure from either of the hoses 60. The apparatus in the side member 2 may be duplicated in the side member 1 and either or both side members may be enlarged (as shown at 2a for the member 2) for housing all the' apparatus shown in Fig. 1. An air chamber 25 is provided above the fitting 27 to prevent disconnection of the hose 53 upon a sudden air surge caused by sudden shifting of the valve 33.