Patent GB-1114418-A (GB)
Title: Improved vehicle cleaning appliance
Inventor: MAXWELL EUSTACE
IPC: B60S3/06
Filed: 1964-08-11
Abstract: 1,114,418. Vehicle cleaning apparatus. A.V.W. EQUIPMENT Ltd. 10 Aug., 1965 [11 Aug., 1964; 21 June, 1965], Nos. 32583/64 and 26074/65. Heading B7J. Car-washing apparatus comprises a gantry 2, 3 through which the car passes, a brush 4 rotated by a pneumatic motor 24 and horizontally mounted in arms 5 linked together by a transverse framework 6 and rotatably supported at the ends of arms 9 non-rotatably connected to a shaft 8 pivoted in bearings 7 and mounting spray nozzles 25. A gear-wheel 10 fixed to the shaft 8 is coupled to a gear 12 via chain lengths 14, 15 secured to the gears and to an adjustable bridge piece 16, the gear 12 being coupled to a pair of balance arms 13 and weights 13a so that as the arms 9 and brush 4 lift or lower, the chain lengths 14, 15 turn the gears 10, 12 and the arms 13 thus providing counterbalance. A piston and cylinder 17 connected to an air supply (not shown) via a valve 18 may be actuated by a cam 20 on an arm 21 pivotally connected to a rod 22 pivoted at 5a to an arm 5. The pivoting axes 8, 23, 21a and 5a form a parallelogram so that the arm 21 moves only when the arm 5 is defleeted from the vertical or pendant position. The brush motor 24 and control of the supply to the sprays 25 is effected by an electric vehicle sensing device 28 and supplies cease when the arms 9 are lowered. In operation, a vehicle approaching from the direction A lifts the brush, assisted by the counterbalancing, so that the brush follows closely the contour of the vehicle. If however the arms 5 are moved from the vertical then the piston 17 will augment the rate of rise of the brush. In Figs. 3-A (not shown), apparatus for cleaning the rear end of a vehicle comprises tracks 30 at each side supporting an endless chain 35 the upper run of which moves a brush support carriage 36 along a track 30a and the lower run of which moves a counterweight carriage 37 along track 30b. The brush 40 is rotatably mounted in frames 38 pivoted on a cross-bar 39, and is rotated by a motor 41 and drive 42. Weights 43 are just not sufficient to balance the brush and carriages 36 so that if the gears are free to rotate the brush will move down the inclined tracks. Rotation of the gear 33 is controlled by an electromagnetic clutch 44 and a non-reversible gear-box 45 and a motor 46. The clutch is energized by a switch 47 on one of the carriages 36 and a cam on an adjacent frame 38 bears against the switch so that any pivoting of the frame relative to the bar 39 from the pendant position actuates the clutch and raises the carriages 36 to the top of the tracks. A switch 48 stops the brush motor 41 when the brush is in its lowest position, and engages the clutch 44 to operate the motor 46 to raise the brush and carriages 36 to the top of the tracks. A switch 49 is engaged by the brush when it reaches the track top and stops the motor 46 but leaves the clutch engaged. In operation, the carriages 36 start off at the top of the tracks 30 and the motors 41, 46 and the sprays are off. When a vehicle approaches, a photo-electric device 50 starts the brush motor 41 and the sprays and releases the clutch 44 so that the brush and its carriages 36 move down the tracks under gravity and contact the vehicle until the pressure on the brush is sufficient to deflect the frames 38. This deflection operates switch 47 and engages the clutch 44 to arrest the fall of the brush and decrease its pressure. The switch 47 then releases the clutch so that the carriages move downwardly again. When the brush moves off the vehicle the switch 48 is operated and the sprays and the motor 41 stopped. Motor 46 is then energized to lift the carriages 36 to abut the switch 49 and cause the appliance to be placed in a re-set condition. A safety switch 51 may be actuated by a brush guard 52 to warn or stop a vehicle when the brush is lowered. In a modification the brush supporting carriages may be started in their lowest positions and be over-counterweighted so as to rise up the tracks when the clutch is disengaged.