Improved Vehicle Cleaning Device.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan., 1892-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Vehicle Cleaning Device.
1, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108, Victoria Chambers, 55 and
56 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by John
Henry Cook, of Washington, District of Columbia, U.S.A. Inventor,) to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to devices for cleaning vehicle wheels; and it consists
in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth and
claimed.
An oblong water-box is provided which is curved on the arc of a circle, so as to
conform to a greater or less degree to the curvature of the wheel, said box being
divided by a horizontal partition into two chambers, the bottom wall of the
chamber being provided with perforations. The box or chamber will advisably,
though not necessarily, be provided with rollers which are designed to rest upon
the tire of the wheel, and prevent the wear of the plate and to allow the wheel to
run as freely as possible, there being one of such rollers at each end of the box.
At its receiving end the box is provided with a threaded neck or nipple, which
is adapted to receive or be connected with a hose or other source of water-supply,
the water being diverted into the upper or lower chamber, according to the direction
in which the valve is turned.
Instead of arranging the valve with its axis vertical, it may be arranged
horizontally or in any other manner desired, provided, however, that it be so
constructed as to divert the water into cither one of the channels at will. The
lower chamber is closed at its end, and consequently all of the water which enters
said chamber must pass out through the perforations in the bottom wall thereof. The
upper chamber is provided with a threaded nipple which is adapted to receive a
nozzle.
The box is provided with a handle which may be cast integral with the box or
be made separate therefrom, as preferred; and it will be seen that by taking hold
of the handle and turning the cock or valve so as to direct the water into the upper
chamber, the cleaner can be lifted off the wheel and the water discharged through
the nozzle to wash off the body of the vehicle.
Brushes or equivalent cleaning devices are arranged parallel with the box so as
to act against the sides of the rim or felly of the wheel. The cleaning devices are
held in place by means of supporting-arms, which, in construction are carried in
under-cut grooves or seats cast in the top of the water-box. The inner ends of the
supporting-arms are turned upward and connected by means of an adjusting-screw,
so that the arms may be adjusted closer together or farther apart, as desired, to
carry the brushes toward or away from the sides of the wheel. If it is desired to
provide for further adjustment of the brushes, the arms will be made in two parts,
the horizontal part being slotted to receive a thumb-screw carried by the vertical
portion.
If desired, the cleaning devices may be composed of a backing of wood and a
facing of rubber, while the supporting-arms may be made also to serve as the axes
or shafts of the rollers, the cleaning devices being adjustable upon the arms to
compensate for the wear of the different widths of fellies.
As a substitute for the cleaning devices before described a stick wrapped with
cloth may be provided, which may be secured to the sides of the box by means of
spring arms, or in any other convenient manner.
Dated this 1st day of April 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Vehicle Cleaning Device.
1, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108 Victoria Chambers,
Chaucery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by John Henry
Cook, of Washington, District of Columbia, U.S.A. Inventor,) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to devices for cleaning vehicle-wheels; and it consists
in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth and
claimed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved cleaner in use;
Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the same;
Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view showing a modification of the arrangement for
securing the cleaning devices proper;
Fig. 4, a horizontal sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5, a top plan view showing a slightly-modified construction and arrange-
ment;
Fig. 6, a transverse sectional view of the same, and
Figs. 7 and 8 views illustrating further modifications.
A indicates an oblong water-box, which is curved on the arc of a circle, so as to
conform to a greater or less degree to the curvature of the wheel, said box being
divided by a horizontal partition a into two chambers b and c, as shown in
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, the bottom wall of the chamber e being provided with
perforations, as also shown in said figures. The box or chamber will advisably,
though not necessarily, be provided with rollers d, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 7,
which are designed to rest upon the tire of the wheel and prevent the wear of the
plate and to allow the wheel to run as freely as possible, there being one of such
rollers at each end of the box.
At its receiving end the box A is provided with a threaded neck or nipple e,
which is adapted to receive or be connected with a hose B or other source of water-
supply, the water being diverted into the upper or lower chamber, according to the
direction in which the valve C is turned.
Instead of arranging the valve C with its axis vertical, as represented in
Figs. 1, 2, and 4, it may be arranged horizontally or in any other manner desired,
provided, however, that it be so constructed as to divert the water into either one
of the channels cat will. It will be noticed, upon reference to Fig. 2, that the
lower chamber is closed at its end, and consequently all of the water which enters
said chamber must pass out through the perforations in the bottom wall thereof.
The upper chamber b is provided with a threaded nipple, which is adapted to
receive a nozzle D. (Shown in Fig. 1.)
C
The box A is provided with a handle E, which may be cast integral with the
box or be made separate therefrom, as preferred; and it will be seen that by taking
hold of the handle and turning the cock or valve C, so as to direct the water into
the upper chamber b, the cleaner can be lifted off the wheel and the water discharged
through the nozzle D to wash off the body of the vehicle.
FFFF³ indicate brushes or equivalent cleaning devices, which are arranged
parallel with the box A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, so as to act against
the sides of the rim or felly of the wheel. The cleaning devices F are held in place
by means of supporting-arms G, which, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
are carried in undercut grooves or seats cast in the top of the water-box A.
inner ends of the supporting-arms (i are turned upward and connected by means of
an adjusting-screw H, so that the arms may be adjusted closer together or farther
apart, as desired, to carry the brushes toward or away from the sides of the wheel.
The

page_text: If it is desired to provide for further adjustment of the brushes, the arms will be
made in two parts G' G², the horizontal part G¹ being slotted to receive a thumb-
screw I, carried by the vertical portion G2, such a construction being shown
in Fig. 3.
In Fig. 5 the arms G³ are shown as cast integral with the box A and threaded
to receive clamping-screws I, which pass through slotted arms G', secured to the
cleaning devices F. The cleaning devices represented in this figure are composed
of chamois-skin, with suitable backing of wood, which may obviously be substituted
for the brushes shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7.
In Fig. 6 the cleaning devices F are represented as composed of a backing of
wood and a facing g of rubber, while in Fig. 7 the supporting-arms G³ may be
made also to serve as the axes or shafts of the rollers d, the cleaning devices being
adjustable upon the arms Go to compensate for the wear and for the different widths
of fellies.
In Fig. 8 I have shown as a substitute for the cleaning devices represented in
the other figures a stick wrapped with cloth, which may be secured to the sides of
the box A by means of spring-arms G or in any other convenient manner.
In using this device the wheel is first raised off the ground, so as to turn free,
and the box placed upon the tire of the wheel. The wheel is then rotated rapidly
and the valve C turned so as to admit water into the lower chamber c, from which
it escapes through the perforations in the bottom wall thereof.
The water runs
through the perforations in the bottom of the chamber c and moistens the mud or
dirt adhering to the sides of the felly, from which it is removed by means of the
brushes or equivalent cleaning devices shown in the drawings, the device being
steadied in position by means of the handle.
The brushes or equivalent cleaning devices are so arranged as to be readily
removed to allow of the substitution of new cleaners.
The box A may be made of cast iron or of any other suitable material. It is
obvious that the box need not be curved, and it is also obvious that the perforations
need not necessarily be made in the bottom wall of the chamber c, as it is apparent
that they may be made in the side walls of said chamber alone, or in the side walls
and the bottom walls both, as in Fig. 3. So, too, it will be apparent that the
cleaning devices need not be applied to both sides of the box, as good results could
be secured by applying them to one side only; but such an arrangement
necessitates a reversal of the device in order to clean the inner and outer faces
of the felly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a device for cleaning vehicle-wheels, the combination, with a water-box
adapted to rest upon the periphery of a wheel and provided with perforations, of a
cleaning device extending downward from the side of the box in position to clean
the side face of the felly, all substantially as shown.
2. In a device for cleaning wheels, the combination, with a perforated box, of
cleaning devices applied to the sides of the box and adjustable one in relation to the
other, substantially as shown, whereby the space between the cleaning devices may
be varied to suit different-sized wheels.
3. In a device for cleaning wheels, the combination, with a perforated box
provided with laterally-extending arms, of cleaning devices carried by the arms,
and means, substantially as shown, for varying the space between the cleaning
devices.
4. In a device for cleaning wheels, the combination, with the box A, provided
with perforations in its lower face, of a cleaning device applied to the side of and
adapted to act in conjunction with the box, and rollers secured to the under side of
the box substantially as shown.
5. In combination with a box A, provided with separated chambers bc, the latter

page_text: closed at one end, a valve C, adapted to direct the water into either of the chambers
at will, and a cleaning device applied to the side of the box, as and for the purpose
set forth.
6. The box A, provided with threaded nipples e aud, and the separated
chambers, perforations in the bottom wall of chamber c, a valve C, adapted to
direct water into either of the chambers be at will, and a cleaning device applied
to the side of the box.
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1" T
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