US3554132A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle conveyor
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1967-05-19
•
Granted: 1971-01-12
•
Expires: 1987-05-19
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle conveyor suitable for a car wash is described wherein tire-engaging rollers are attached to a continuous chain positioned underneath the path of the vehicle. The rollers are normally carried by the chain in a nonengaging position below the vehicle track. Then, when movement of the vehicle is desired, a coin-actuated control or a manual control is actuated to move a cam into operative position to cam one of the rollers upwardly through a slot onto the top surface of the vehicle track where it engages the vehicle''s tire. The roller subsequently drops through a slot proximate the end of the conveyor course.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel C Hanna
- 👤 James S Richardson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:47
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/004; B61; B61B; B61B10/00; B61B10/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
262 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle including a conveyor and at least one member carried by said conveyor and adapted to engage said vehicle for moving said vehicle: said membEr normally following a path along said conveyor which is noncoincident with said vehicle; control means for selectively positioning said member into an engagement path with said vehicle along said conveyor; a slotted closure between the path of said vehicle and the normal path of said member; said control means being effective to urge at least a portion of said member past said closure into an engagement path with said vehicle, at least a portion of said member then extending through the slot in the closure; said slotted closure comprising a horizontal track along the top of which a tire of said vehicle is adapted to travel in the direction of the slot therein; said conveyor being disposed below said track and along said slot; said member including a roller means and an arm hingedly connecting said roller means to said conveyor wherein said arm is adapted to pass through the slot in the track; the slot in said track having an enlarged portion through which said roller means may be urged; said control means comprising lifter means for raising said roller means through said enlarged portion and onto the upper surface of said track; and said arm being provided with an additional roller positioned on said arm between the first-mentioned roller means and said conveyor for engaging the under surface of said track as said first-mentioned roller means engages a vehicle tire.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
262 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle including a conveyor and at least one member carried by said conveyor and adapted to engage said vehicle for moving said vehicle: said membEr normally following a path along said conveyor which is noncoincident with said vehicle; control means for selectively positioning said member into an engagement path with said vehicle along said conveyor; a slotted closure between the path of said vehicle and the normal path of said member; said control means being effective to urge at least a portion of said member past said closure into an engagement path with said vehicle, at least a portion of said member then extending through the slot in the closure; said slotted closure comprising a horizontal track along the top of which a tire of said vehicle is adapted to travel in the direction of the slot therein; said conveyor being disposed below said track and along said slot; said member including a roller means and an arm hingedly connecting said roller means to said conveyor wherein said arm is adapted to pass through the slot in the track; the slot in said track having an enlarged portion through which said roller means may be urged; said control means comprising lifter means for raising said roller means through said enlarged portion and onto the upper surface of said track; and said arm being provided with an additional roller positioned on said arm between the first-mentioned roller means and said conveyor for engaging the under surface of said track as said first-mentioned roller means engages a vehicle tire.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
196 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle comprising: a horizontal track along which tires of said vehicle are adapted to travel, said track being provided with a longitudinal slot extending in the direction of travel of said vehicle tire; a conveyor chain positioned for travel below said track and along said slot; means for driving said conveyor chain; a plurality of vehicle-engaging members rotatably connected to the said conveyor chain at spaced points therealong and movable therewith, each including an arm rotatably connected to said conveyor chain and adapted to pass through said slot, and each said arm carrying a vehicle tire-engaging roller means at a point thereon extended from the conveyor chain; at least a portion of said slot in said track being enlarged to pass the tire-engaging roller means from a position below said track to a position on the upper surface of said track; a controllable lifter member for camming said tire-engaging roller means through said enlarged portion to the upper surface of said track, said arm then extending through said slot; and said roller means including a first roller for riding on said track and a second roller for contacting a vehicle tire.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
196 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle comprising: a horizontal track along which tires of said vehicle are adapted to travel, said track being provided with a longitudinal slot extending in the direction of travel of said vehicle tire; a conveyor chain positioned for travel below said track and along said slot; means for driving said conveyor chain; a plurality of vehicle-engaging members rotatably connected to the said conveyor chain at spaced points therealong and movable therewith, each including an arm rotatably connected to said conveyor chain and adapted to pass through said slot, and each said arm carrying a vehicle tire-engaging roller means at a point thereon extended from the conveyor chain; at least a portion of said slot in said track being enlarged to pass the tire-engaging roller means from a position below said track to a position on the upper surface of said track; a controllable lifter member for camming said tire-engaging roller means through said enlarged portion to the upper surface of said track, said arm then extending through said slot; and said roller means including a first roller for riding on said track and a second roller for contacting a vehicle tire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first and second rollers are mounted for opposite rotation on a single shaft secured to said arm, said first roller being larger in diameter than said second roller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein an enlarged portion of said slot is located proximate one end of the conveyor chain and wherein said track slot has a second enlarged portion near the opposite end of said conveyor chain through which said roller means may drop after being transported along the top surface of said track intermediate said enlarged portions by said conveyor chain.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said controllable lifter member comprises at least one camming arm rotatable upon a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said track; said rotatable camming arm being positioned below the enlarged portion of said slot; and said arm being rotatable into the path of said vehicle-engaging member with an upper portion of said arm adjoining said track near the edge of said enlarged portion farthest from said tire-engaging roller means to cause said tire-engaging roller means to travel upwardly along said rotatable camming arm onto the top surface of said track.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 including two rotatable camming arms wherein such rotatable Camming arms are disposed on either side of said conveyor chain and affixed to a shaft passing below the upper course of the conveyor chain, and further including a controllable means for rotating said shaft for lifting said camming arms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said vehicle-engaging members include a second roller means located between said tire-engaging roller means and said conveyor chain adapted to engage the under surface of said track as said tire-engaging roller means engages a tire of said vehicle; each said tire-engaging roller means being formed in two parts, one on either side of said arm, for travel upon the upper surface of said track on either side of said slot, each part of said tire-engaging roller means including rollers for bearing on the track and smaller diameter rollers for bearing on a vehicle tire; wherein each said second roller means is also formed in two parts with one part carried on each side of said conveyor chain, said tire-engaging roller means having a total longer longitudinal dimension than said second roller means; and said track bearing rollers being engageable by a pair of said rotatable camming arms at longitudinal portions of said track bearing rollers beyond the longitudinal extent of said second roller means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 further including takeup means at one end of said conveyor chain.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 further including guide rails on either side of said track.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
218 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle comprising: a horizontal track along which tires of said vehicle are adapted to travel, said track being provided with a longitudinal slot extending in the direction of travel of said vehicle tire; a conveyor chain positioned for travel below said track and along said slot; means for driving said conveyor chain; a plurality of vehicle-engaging members rotatably connected to the said conveyor chain at spaced points therealong and movable therewith, each including an arm rotatably connected to said conveyor chain and adapted to pass through said slot, and each said arm carrying a vehicle tire-engaging roller means at a point thereon extended from the conveyor chain; at least a portion of said slot in said track being enlarged to pass the tire-engaging roller means from a position below said track to a position of the upper surface of said track; a controllable lifter member for camming said tire-engaging roller means through said enlarged portion to the upper surface of said track, said arm then extending through said slot; and said vehicle-engaging members including a second roller means located between the tire-engaging roller means and said conveyor chain, said second roller means being adapted to engage the under surface of said track as said tire-engaging roller means engages a tire of said vehicle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
218 words
Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle comprising: a horizontal track along which tires of said vehicle are adapted to travel, said track being provided with a longitudinal slot extending in the direction of travel of said vehicle tire; a conveyor chain positioned for travel below said track and along said slot; means for driving said conveyor chain; a plurality of vehicle-engaging members rotatably connected to the said conveyor chain at spaced points therealong and movable therewith, each including an arm rotatably connected to said conveyor chain and adapted to pass through said slot, and each said arm carrying a vehicle tire-engaging roller means at a point thereon extended from the conveyor chain; at least a portion of said slot in said track being enlarged to pass the tire-engaging roller means from a position below said track to a position of the upper surface of said track; a controllable lifter member for camming said tire-engaging roller means through said enlarged portion to the upper surface of said track, said arm then extending through said slot; and said vehicle-engaging members including a second roller means located between the tire-engaging roller means and said conveyor chain, said second roller means being adapted to engage the under surface of said track as said tire-engaging roller means engages a tire of said vehicle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 further provided with a supporting channel along and under the upper course of said conveyor chain and along which said second roller means normally travels when the tire-engaging roller means do not engage a tire.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3058433A
Cited
US3225896A
Cited
US3196806A
Cited
US3260219A
Cited
US3329255A
Cited
US3403635A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |