US3731332A — Automatic car wash apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 330 words

Automatic vehicle washing apparatus comprising a frame having a first side, a second side and a top; driving means carried by said frame for moving said frame in first and second opposite directions; top brush means; a top brush support assembly including a rectangular support having parallel opposite side members pivotally supported on said top of said frame, a first end member transversely secured to said side members at one end thereof and a second end member transversely secured to said side members at an end thereof opposite said one end, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said first end member rotatably supporting said top brush means, a counter balancing weight carried by said second end member, and adjustable balancing weight means mounted on one of said side members and movable along said one side member intermediate the ends thereof; motor means for rotating said top brush means mounted on the side member of said rectangular support opposite said one side member carrying said adjustable balancing weight means such that said rectangular support is laterally balanced; first and second side brush means; first and second side brush support assemblies pivotally mounting said first and second side brush means on said first and second sides of said frame, respectively, each of said first and second side brush support assemblies including a first member having a first end pivotally supported on the respective side of said frame and a second end, a clevis member pivotally mounted on said second end of said first member and including a pair of arms supporting the respective side brush means, and a connecting rod having an invariable length pivotally secured to the respective side of said frame and said clevis member to control the position of the respective side brush means during movement of said side brush assemblies; and motor means mounted on said clevis member of each of said first and second side brush assemblies for rotating said first and second side brush means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 330 words

Automatic vehicle washing apparatus comprising a frame having a first side, a second side and a top; driving means carried by said frame for moving said frame in first and second opposite directions; top brush means; a top brush support assembly including a rectangular support having parallel opposite side members pivotally supported on said top of said frame, a first end member transversely secured to said side members at one end thereof and a second end member transversely secured to said side members at an end thereof opposite said one end, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said first end member rotatably supporting said top brush means, a counter balancing weight carried by said second end member, and adjustable balancing weight means mounted on one of said side members and movable along said one side member intermediate the ends thereof; motor means for rotating said top brush means mounted on the side member of said rectangular support opposite said one side member carrying said adjustable balancing weight means such that said rectangular support is laterally balanced; first and second side brush means; first and second side brush support assemblies pivotally mounting said first and second side brush means on said first and second sides of said frame, respectively, each of said first and second side brush support assemblies including a first member having a first end pivotally supported on the respective side of said frame and a second end, a clevis member pivotally mounted on said second end of said first member and including a pair of arms supporting the respective side brush means, and a connecting rod having an invariable length pivotally secured to the respective side of said frame and said clevis member to control the position of the respective side brush means during movement of said side brush assemblies; and motor means mounted on said clevis member of each of said first and second side brush assemblies for rotating said first and second side brush means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 61 words

The automatic vehicle washing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said top brush support assembly includes a fluid motor having a cylinder mounted on said top of said frame and a piston rod controlled by said cylinder attached to said second end of said rectangular support such that movement of said piston rod controls movement of said top brush means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 65 words

The automatic vehicle washing apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein each of said first and second side brush support assemblies includes a fluid motor having a cylinder moUnted on said side of said frame and a piston rod controlled by said cylinder attached to said first member such that movement of said piston rod controls movement of said first and second side brush means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The automatic vehicle washing apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said top brush support assembly includes stop plate means mounted on said frame and having angled sides to about said side members of said rectangular support and limit pivotal movement of said rectangular support.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 240 words

Automatic vehicle washing apparatus comprising a frame having first and second sides; driving means carried by said frame for driving said frame in first and second opposite directions first side brush means; a first support assembly carrying said first side brush means mounted on said first side of said frame, said first support assembly being arranged to extend said first side brush means more than half the distance between said first and second sides of said frame; second side brush means; a second support assembly carrying said second side brush means and mounted on said second side of said frame, said second support assembly being arranged to extend said second side brush means more than half the distance between said first and second sides of said frame; motor means for rotating said first and second side brush means; and control means including first means for operating said driving means to position said frame adjacent an end of a vehicle to be washed and second means responsive to said first means to move said first support assembly to extend and return said first side brush means to wash more than half of the end of the vehicle and, after commencement of movement of said first support assembly, to move said second support assembly to extend and return said second side brush means to wash more than half of the end of the vehicle without interfering with said first side brush means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 240 words

Automatic vehicle washing apparatus comprising a frame having first and second sides; driving means carried by said frame for driving said frame in first and second opposite directions first side brush means; a first support assembly carrying said first side brush means mounted on said first side of said frame, said first support assembly being arranged to extend said first side brush means more than half the distance between said first and second sides of said frame; second side brush means; a second support assembly carrying said second side brush means and mounted on said second side of said frame, said second support assembly being arranged to extend said second side brush means more than half the distance between said first and second sides of said frame; motor means for rotating said first and second side brush means; and control means including first means for operating said driving means to position said frame adjacent an end of a vehicle to be washed and second means responsive to said first means to move said first support assembly to extend and return said first side brush means to wash more than half of the end of the vehicle and, after commencement of movement of said first support assembly, to move said second support assembly to extend and return said second side brush means to wash more than half of the end of the vehicle without interfering with said first side brush means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 81 words

The invention as recited in claim 5 wherein said control means includes third means for causing said first side brush means to wash the end with a forward stroke while rotating in a first direction and with a return stroke while rotating in a second direction opposite said first direction, and said second side brush means to wash the end with a forward stroke while rotating in said second direction and with a return stroke while rotating in said first direction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 39 words

The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said third means includes means for starting the forward stroke of said second side brush means in response to said first side brush means being fully extended on said forward stroke.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

The invention as recited in claim 5 wherein said control means includes detecting means disposed on said frame to determine the position of said frame relative to the vehicle, said detecting means including means for actuating said second means when the end of the vehicle is detected.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said first and second support assemblies includes a first member pivotally mounted on the respective side of said frame and a second member pivotally on said first member and supporting the respective side brush means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 137 words

The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said frame has a top pivotally carrying top brush means, said control means includes fourth means actuated in response to return of said second side brush means after completion of washing of the end of the vehicle said first means being responsive to said fourth means to energize said driving means to drive said frame past the vehicle in said first direction after the end of the vehicle is washed and said second means being responsive to said fourth means to cause said first and second side brush means to make rotating contact with the sides of the vehicle, and said control means further includes fifth means for causing said top brush means to make rotating contact with the vehicle as said frame is driven in said first direction.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

The invention as recited in claim 10 wherein said detecting means includes means for actuating said second means when the other end of the vehicle is detected such that said first side brush means washes more than half of the other end and said second side brush means washes more than half of the other end.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 100 words

The invention as recited in claim 11 wherein said control means includes sixth means actuated in response to return of said second side brush means after completion of washing of the other end of the vehicle and seventh means responsive to said sixth means for energizing said driving means to drive said frame past the vehicle in said second direction after the other end of the vehicle is washed, said second means being responsive to said sixth means to cause said first side brush means and second side brush means to make rotating contact with the sides of the vehicle.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 52 words

The invention as recited in claim 12 wherein spraying means are disposed on said frame to spray washing fluid on the vehicle when said driving means drives said frame in said first direction and to spray rinsing fluid on the vehicle when said driving means drives said frame in said second direction.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 37 words

The invention as recited in claim 13 wherein said detecting means includes a high frequency transmitter disposed on said first side of said frame and a high frequency receiver disposed on said second side of said frame.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-05-07	1976-11-06	1977-05-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-05-07	1980-11-06	1981-05-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-05-07	1984-11-06	1985-05-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic car wash apparatus

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