Car washing apparatus

Claim 2

In a car washing apparatus, a plurality of nozzles, mounting means mounting the nozzles in a row, supply means for supplying fluid under pressure to the nozzles, the nozzles serving to direct diverging streams of the fluid impinging on the adjacent surface of a car moved in a predetermined direction past the row of nozzles, and drive means for oscillating the nozzles angularly relative to said direction to cause the sprays to cover swaths which are inclined relative to the direction of movement of the automobile so that the swaths overlap each other as the automobile is moved past the nozzles, the mounting means including a pair of side pipes mounted at the sides of the path at opposite inclinations to the normal to the direction of movement of the car, and a top pipe extending from the upper end of one of the side pipes to the upper end of the other side pipe and inclined relative to a plane normal to the direction of movement, the nozzles being mounted on the pipes, the supply means supplying the pipes with liquid under pressure, the drive means serving to oscillate the pipes about the longitudinal axes thereof.

Claim 3

The car washing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means includes means drivingly interconnecting the adjacent ends of the pipes, and means for oscillating one of the pipes.

Claim 4

The car washing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means is variable from a first condition oscillating the pipes in a range in which the nozzles are directed primarily rearwardly and a second range in which the nozzles are directed primarily forwardly.

Claim 5

In a car washing apparatus, means for guiding a car in a predetermined direction along a predetermined path, a pair of generally vertical side pipes mounted at the sides of the path, a top pipe extending from the upper end of one of the side pipes to the upper end of the other side pipe, a plurality of nozzles mounted in substantially parallel positions on the pipes, means for supplying the pipes with liquid under pressure, means drivingly interconnecting the pipes, shiftable drive means for oscillating one of the pipes, coin-operated means for connecting the means for supplying power to the lamps one after another, proceeding from the entrance end of the rails toward the exit end thereof, a source of soapy water under pressure, means for connecting the Spray means in the washing arch to the source of soapy water under pressure as a car driven in accordance with the lighting of the lamps travels through the washing arch, a source of hot water under pressure, the timing means including means operable in accordance with the lighting of the lamps adjacent the rinsing arch for connecting the source of hot water under pressure to the nozzles in the rinsing arch so that the car is rinsed as it travels through the rinsing arch.

Claim 6

In a car washing apparatus, means for guiding a car in a predetermined direction along a predetermined path, a pair of generally vertical side pipes mounted at the sides of the path, a top pipe extending from the upper end of one of the side pipes to the upper end of the other side pipe, a plurality of nozzles mounted in substantially parallel positions on the pipes, means for supplying the pipes with liquid under pressure, means drivingly interconnecting the pipes, shiftable drive means for oscillating one of the pipes, coin-operated means for connecting the means for supplying power to the lamps one after another, proceeding from the entrance end of the rails toward the exit end thereof, a source of soapy water under pressure, means for connecting the Spray means in the washing arch to the source of soapy water under pressure as a car driven in accordance with the lighting of the lamps travels through the washing arch, a source of hot water under pressure, the timing means including means operable in accordance with the lighting of the lamps adjacent the rinsing arch for connecting the source of hot water under pressure to the nozzles in the rinsing arch so that the car is rinsed as it travels through the rinsing arch.

Claim 7

The car washing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the drive means for oscillating one of the pipe includes a motor, and eccentric means driven by the motor and drivingly connected to said one of the pipes.

Claim 8

The car washing apparatus of claim 5 wherein the shifting means includes a plate supporting the motor, means mounting the plate pivotally adjacent the pipes for movement between said first position in which the pipes are oscillated in a first range and said second position in which the pipes are oscillated in the second range, and power means for pivoting the plate between said first position and said second position.

Claim 9

The car washing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the power means includes a cylinder device for shifting the plate, and means connected to the supply means for supplying water under pressure to the cylinder device.

Claim 10

In a car washing apparatus, means for directing a car along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction, means for applying soapy water to the car at a first point along said path, a plurality of nozzles, means for supplying rinsing water under pressure to the nozzles, each of the nozzles serving to emit water in a divergent, fan-like spray therefrom, mounting means mounting the nozzles at a subsequent point along said path in positions in which the nozzles direct the sprays onto the car to form generally parallel swaths on the car as the car is advanced therepast, shifting means for shifting the mounting means from a first position in which the nozzles are directed somewhat rearwardly relative to the direction of movement of the car to a second position in which the nozzles are directed somewhat forwardly relative to said direction, and timing means for actuating the shifting means to shift the mounting means from the first position to the second position when most of the top of the car has been flushed completely.

Claim 11

In a car washing apparatus, means for directing a car along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction, means for applying soapy water to the car at a first point along said path, a plurality of nozzles, means for supplying rinsing water under pressure to the nozzles, each of the nozzles serving to emit water in a divergent, fan-like spray therefrom, mounting means mounting the nozzles at a subsequent point along said path in positions in which the nozzles direct the sprays onto the car to form generally parallel swaths on the car as the car is advanced therepast, shifting means for shifting the mounting means from a first position in which the nozzles are directed somewhat rearwardly relative to the direction of movement of the car to a second position in which the nozzles are directed somewhat forwardly relative to said direction, and timing means for actuating the shifting means to shift the mounting means from the first position to the second position when most of the top of the car has been flushed completely.

Claim 12

The car washing apparatus of claim 8 including, a pair of rails extending along said predetermined path having an entrance end and an exit end and between which rails the wheels on one side of a car are adapted to travel to guide the car along the path in a predetermined direction, a plurality of incandescent lamps, a lamp housing mounting the incandescent lamps in a row extending along the rails substantially at the same height as the head of the driver of the car, a washing arch having a pair of legs and supporting the lamp housing on one of the legs thereof, a plurality of spray devices, the spray devices including spray nozzles mounted in the washing arch, a rinsing arch having a pair of legs and supporting the lamp housing on one of the legs thereof, the spray devices also including nozzles mounted in the rinsing arch, the means for lighting the lamps including means for supplying power to the lamps, the control means including driven timing shaft, a plurality of cams on the shaft and a plurality of switch means actuated by the cams for actuating the cleaning devices and the pacing means.

Claim 13

In a car washing apparatus, guide means for guiding a car along a predetermined path as the car is driven, a plurality of cleaning devices spaced along said path for cleaning the car when the car is adjacent thereto, control means for actuating the cleaning devices sequentially one after another in accordance with a timed program, and pacing means adapted to provide a lighted signal movable along the path in syncHronism with the operation of the actuation of the cleaning devices, the lighted signal being positioned at the side of the driver''s side window and at a level visible to the driver through the side window, the control means serving to actuate the cleaning devices for operation on the car while the car is adjacent to each cleaning device when the car is moved to keep the head of the driver abreast of the signal light, and means for shifting the drive means between a first position in which the pipes are oscillated in a first range in which the nozzles are directed rearwardly and a second position in which the pipes are oscillated in a second predetermined range and in which the nozzles are directed forwardly.

Claim 14

In a car washing apparatus, guide means for guiding a car along a predetermined path as the car is driven, a plurality of cleaning devices spaced along said path for cleaning the car when the car is adjacent thereto, control means for actuating the cleaning devices sequentially one after another in accordance with a timed program, and pacing means adapted to provide a lighted signal movable along the path in syncHronism with the operation of the actuation of the cleaning devices, the lighted signal being positioned at the side of the driver''s side window and at a level visible to the driver through the side window, the control means serving to actuate the cleaning devices for operation on the car while the car is adjacent to each cleaning device when the car is moved to keep the head of the driver abreast of the signal light, and means for shifting the drive means between a first position in which the pipes are oscillated in a first range in which the nozzles are directed rearwardly and a second position in which the pipes are oscillated in a second predetermined range and in which the nozzles are directed forwardly.