US3683441A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle cleaning device
Assignee: HANNA DANIEL C dba HANNA INDUSTRIES
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Filing: 1970-01-13
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-01-13
Abstract
Abstract This rotary mopping device to remove residual dirt and scum from top and upper side surfaces of an automobile in a machine-wash establishment comprises a multiarm rotor, with each arm supporting an array of mop-like strips hung at a succession of points along the length of the arm and graduated in length as a function of radial position along the arm. With the outermost strips being the longest and being so located in terms of radial distance from the upright rotation axis of the rotor as to lie beyond the sides of the widest automobile to be washed. Preferably in each array there are two strips of different length at each of the successive mounting points along the length of the arm, with the leading strips being the shorter of the two.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard H Fromme
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04; B60S3/06; B60S3/063; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S15/00; Y10S15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
Automobile washing apparatus for use in a machine wash establishment through which automobiles are moved along a defined path, said apparatus comprising a rotor assembly, means to advance an automobile progressively lengthwise along said path to, beneath and beyond said rotor assembly, means mounting said rotor assembly to turn on a vertical axis in an elevated position above and approximately centered laterally in relation to said path, said rotor assembly comprising a plurality of mop strips of limply flexible organic material relatively thin and wide in cross-section freely suspended into the path of an automobile from said rotor assembly from different locations thereon above the automobile and varying in their radial distances from said axis, the radially outermost strips hanging lower than the radially innermost strips, the rotation paths of the suspension locations of the redially innermost strips lying laterally at all times within the space between and above the sides of the automobile and the rotating paths of the suspension locations of at least the radially outermost strips ranging laterally beyond the opposite sides of the automobile, said outermost strips adapted to slide freely down and off the sides of the automobile and to be drawn back against the same so as to slide up and over the automobile in the course of their rotation, and means operable to turn said rotor assembly unidirectionally about said axis as an automobile is being progressively advanced to, beneath and beyond the same along said path, the turning speed being maintained below speeds at which centrifugal force tends to swing the strips radially outward materially in their rotation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
Automobile washing apparatus for use in a machine wash establishment through which automobiles are moved along a defined path, said apparatus comprising a rotor assembly, means to advance an automobile progressively lengthwise along said path to, beneath and beyond said rotor assembly, means mounting said rotor assembly to turn on a vertical axis in an elevated position above and approximately centered laterally in relation to said path, said rotor assembly comprising a plurality of mop strips of limply flexible organic material relatively thin and wide in cross-section freely suspended into the path of an automobile from said rotor assembly from different locations thereon above the automobile and varying in their radial distances from said axis, the radially outermost strips hanging lower than the radially innermost strips, the rotation paths of the suspension locations of the redially innermost strips lying laterally at all times within the space between and above the sides of the automobile and the rotating paths of the suspension locations of at least the radially outermost strips ranging laterally beyond the opposite sides of the automobile, said outermost strips adapted to slide freely down and off the sides of the automobile and to be drawn back against the same so as to slide up and over the automobile in the course of their rotation, and means operable to turn said rotor assembly unidirectionally about said axis as an automobile is being progressively advanced to, beneath and beyond the same along said path, the turning speed being maintained below speeds at which centrifugal force tends to swing the strips radially outward materially in their rotation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the strips comprise polypropylene fiber mat material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein the strips are suspended in a plurality of radially extended angularly spaced arrays with the individual suspended strips oriented with their width dimensions oriented substantially in the planes of their respective arrays.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the strips graduate in length along the arrays.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
44 words
The apparatus defined in clam 4, wherein each array of strips comprises two radially extending rows of strips, with the strips in the array rows leading in the direction of rotation not hanging as far down as the respective strips which follow behind them.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
44 words
The apparatus defined in clam 4, wherein each array of strips comprises two radially extending rows of strips, with the strips in the array rows leading in the direction of rotation not hanging as far down as the respective strips which follow behind them.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising a second similarly defined rotor assembly similarly mounted in relation to said path at a position succeeding the first-mentioned rotor assembly along said path, and means to turn the second rotor assembly unidirectionally in a direction opposite the turning of the first rotor assembly and at approximately the same rotational speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein at least certain of the strips are closely followed in their rotation paths by companion strips which hang lower than do said certain strips respectively in the rotor assembly.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |