Conveyor for vehicle washing unit

Claim 2

A conveyor system for a vehicle washing unit, comprising a foundation, an endless conveyor chain mounted for travel on the foundation and disposed to travel in a horizontal plane, an entry station located adjacent one end of the path of travel of said conveyor chain, a series of roller units attached at spaced intervals to the conveyor chain, each roller unit being pivotally connected to the chain about a horizontal axis whereby the roller unit can pivot in a vertical plane, each of said roller units including arm means pivotally connected to the chain and a guide roller journalled for rotation on the end of said arm means and disposed to ride on the foundation, each of said roller units also including a main roller journalled on said arm means and located between the guide roller and the pivotal connection of said arm means to said conveyor chain, said main roller disposed to engage the vehicle tire when the guide roller is riding on the foundation to thereby convey the vehicle through the washing unit, said roller unit also including means for spacing the main roller above the foundation when said guide roller is riding on said foundation, passage means formed in the foundation beneath the entry station, and bypass means for selectively diverting the roller units through said passage means and beneath said entry station whereby the main roller will not engage the vehicle tire located at said entry station.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1, wherein said arm means includes an arm pivotally connected to the conveyor chain, and said main roller is journalled on said arm, said arm means also includes a link disposed at an angle to said arm, said guide, roller being journalled on said link.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1, and including a guide track to guide the conveyor chain in travel.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3, wherein the guide track is an I-beam having a central vertical web, said conveyor chain traveling on one side of said web during travel in one direcTion and traveling on the other side of the web during travel in the opposite direction.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4, and including wear means extending vertically from the conveyor chain and disposed to ride against said guide track to prvent wear of said chain.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1, and including a series of driven rollers disposed transversely of the path of travel of the conveyor chain, the periphery of said driven rollers extending slightly above the foundation in position to be engaged by the vehicle tire to thereby spin the vehicle tire, and guide means disposed to be engaged by the roller unit to move the roller unit to an elevated position above said driven rollers so that said roller unit will not contact said driven rollers.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6, wherein said guide means includes a fixed guide member located above said driven rollers and disposed to be engaged by said roller unit to elevate said roller unit.

Claim 9

A conveyor system for a vehicle washing unit, comprising a foundation having a pit therein, a guide track mounted on the foundation adjacent the pit, an endless conveyor mounted for movement on the track and having a path of travel extending from an entry station to a discharge station, a series of conveying units attached at spaced locations to the conveyor, each conveying unit including an arm pivotally connected to the conveyor about a horizontal axis, and having a conveying member attached to said arm, a plate mounted on the foundation and partially covering said pit with the edge of said plate being spaced from the track to provide a clearance therebetween, said arm being disposed in vertical alignment with the clearance, each conveying unit being pivotable about said axis from an upper conveying position, in which the conveying member is located above the foundation and is adapted to engage the tire of a vehicle located at the entry station to convey the vehicle to the discharge station, to a lower by-pass position in which the arm extends downwardly through said clearance and said conveying member is located beneath the level of the foundation, said plate being provided with a pair of spaced openings located in alignment with said path of travel, a first of said openings being located adjacent the entry station and the second of said openings being located downstream in the direction of vehicle movement from said first opening, means for biasing each conveying unit to said lower position as the conveying unit approaches the entry station so that the conveying member travels beneath the plate to by-pass the vehicle tire located on the plate between said openings, means disposed adjacent said second opening for moving said conveying unit from the lower to the upper position with said conveying member passing through the second opening and onto the foundation, and means located adjacent the first opening for selectively moving said conveying unit from the lower position to the upper position with the conveying member passing through said first opening and onto said plate, whereby the conveying member will then engage the vehicle tire and convey the vehicle to the discharge station.

Claim 10

A conveyor system for a vehicle washing unit, comprising a foundation having a pit therein, a guide track mounted on the foundation adjacent the pit, an endless conveyor mounted for movement on the track and having a path of travel extending from an entry station to a discharge station, a series of conveying units attached at spaced locations to the conveyor, each conveying unit including an arm pivotally connected to the conveyor about a horizontal axis, and having a conveying member attached to said arm, a plate mounted on the foundation and partially covering said pit with the edge of said plate being spaced from the track to provide a clearance therebetween, said arm being disposed in vertical alignment with the clearance, each conveying unit being pivotable about said axis from an upper conveying position, in which the conveying member is located above the foundation and is adapted to engage the tire of a vehicle located at the entry station to convey the vehicle to the discharge station, to a lower by-pass position in which the arm extends downwardly through said clearance and said conveying member is located beneath the level of the foundation, said plate being provided with a pair of spaced openings located in alignment with said path of travel, a first of said openings being located adjacent the entry station and the second of said openings being located downstream in the direction of vehicle movement from said first opening, means for biasing each conveying unit to said lower position as the conveying unit approaches the entry station so that the conveying member travels beneath the plate to by-pass the vehicle tire located on the plate between said openings, means disposed adjacent said second opening for moving said conveying unit from the lower to the upper position with said conveying member passing through the second opening and onto the foundation, and means located adjacent the first opening for selectively moving said conveying unit from the lower position to the upper position with the conveying member passing through said first opening and onto said plate, whereby the conveying member will then engage the vehicle tire and convey the vehicle to the discharge station.

Claim 11

The system of claim 8, wherein said last named means comprises a ramp located beneath said first opening, and operating means for pivoting said ramp between a generally horizontal position and an inclined position, said conveying member disposed to ride up the inclined ramp and through the first opening.

Claim 12

The system of claim 9, wherein said operating means is a fluid cylinder connected to said ramp.

Claim 13

The system of claim 12, and including a hinged door enclosing each of said openings, said doors being biased to the closed position and being disposed to be pivoted to the open position by the conveying member.

Claim 14

The system of claim 9, and including means responsive to the vehicle tire being moved by the conveying member to a position downstream of said second opening for actuating said operating means and pivoting said ramp from the inclinEd to the horizontal position.

Claim 15

The system of claim 8, and including guide means connected to the guide track and disposed to be engaged by the conveying unit to move the conveying unit to a third elevated position above said conveying position.

Claim 16

A conveyor system for a vehicle washing unit, comprising a foundation, an endless conveyor chain mounted for travel on the foundation and disposed to travel in a horizontal plane, an entry station located adjacent one end of the path of travel of said conveyor, a series of roller units attached at spaced intervals to said conveyor chain, each roller unit being pivotally connected to the conveyor chain about a horizontal axis whereby the roller unit can pivot in a vertical plane, passage means formed in the foundation beneath the entry station, bypass means for selectively diverting the roller units through said passage means and beneath said entry station whereby the roller units will not engage the vehicle tire located at said entry station, each roller unit including an arm pivotally connected to the conveyor chain and also including a main roller journalled for rotation on said arm and disposed to engage the vehicle tire, and means on said conveyor chain for preventing lateral deflection of the outer end of the arm when the main roller is disposed in engagement with the vehicle tire. L DEFLECTION OF THE OUTER END OF THE ARM WHEN THE MAIN ROLLER IS DISPOSED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VEHICLE TIRE.

Claim 17

A conveyor system for a vehicle washing unit, comprising a foundation, an endless conveyor chain mounted for travel on the foundation and disposed to travel in a horizontal plane, an entry station located adjacent one end of the path of travel of said conveyor, a series of roller units attached at spaced intervals to said conveyor chain, each roller unit being pivotally connected to the conveyor chain about a horizontal axis whereby the roller unit can pivot in a vertical plane, passage means formed in the foundation beneath the entry station, bypass means for selectively diverting the roller units through said passage means and beneath said entry station whereby the roller units will not engage the vehicle tire located at said entry station, each roller unit including an arm pivotally connected to the conveyor chain and also including a main roller journalled for rotation on said arm and disposed to engage the vehicle tire, and means on said conveyor chain for preventing lateral deflection of the outer end of the arm when the main roller is disposed in engagement with the vehicle tire. L DEFLECTION OF THE OUTER END OF THE ARM WHEN THE MAIN ROLLER IS DISPOSED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VEHICLE TIRE.