Patent US3765043A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3765043A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic car wash
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-04-30
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Granted: 1973-10-16
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Expires: 1991-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A car washing apparatus having a plurality of flexible strips of scrubbing material suspended from a frame in rows aligned substantially parallel to the direction of movement of a vehicle through the frame. The strips of flexible material are oscillated back and forth along the longitudinal dimension of the vehicle as it passes through the frame with the oscillations having an up and down component. This combined up and down and back and forth motion is achieved by securing a plurality of the flexible strips to each of a number of parallel aligned, flexible supports, such as, for example, rope. Each end of the flexible supports are secured to a reciprocating drive arm supported by the frame. The reciprocating drive arm pulls the flexible strip supports over idler rollers positioned at each end of the frame as it moves back and forth, thereby causing the flexible strip material to oscillate back and forth. The strip material also oscillates up and down since the reciprocating arm pulls the flexible strip supports upward over each idler roller once each cycle. The longitudinally disposed strips insure a thorough scrubbing of the vehicle being washed for a substantial portion of the time the vehicle is within the frame of the car wash.
Inventors
- 👤 J Lesser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:58
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S15/00; Y10S15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An automatic car washing apparatus comprising a frame through which passes a vehicle being washed, a plurality of flexible scrubbing strips, a plurality of elongated continuously flexible support means for suspending said strips from said frame, means for securing a plurality of said strips to said support means, and means supported by said frame for oscillating said flexible strips back and forth with an up and down motion on the top surfaces of said vehicle, against the side windows and side wall surfaces of said vehicle along the direction of movement of said vehicle, said oscillating means including a means for raising a portion of said flexible strips while another portion thereof is being lowered into its place.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
An automatic car washing apparatus comprising a frame through which passes a vehicle being washed, a plurality of flexible scrubbing strips, a plurality of elongated continuously flexible support means for suspending said strips from said frame, means for securing a plurality of said strips to said support means, and means supported by said frame for oscillating said flexible strips back and forth with an up and down motion on the top surfaces of said vehicle, against the side windows and side wall surfaces of said vehicle along the direction of movement of said vehicle, said oscillating means including a means for raising a portion of said flexible strips while another portion thereof is being lowered into its place.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
130 words
An automatic car washing apparatus comprising; a frame through which passes a vehicle being washed, a plurality of flexible scrubbing strips, a plurality of elongated flexible support means aligned substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said vehicle through said frame for suspending said strips from said frame, means for securing a plurality of said strips to each support means and means supported by said frame for oscillating said flexible strips back and forth with an up and down motion on the top surfaces of said vehicle, against the side windows and side wall surfaces of the vehicle along the direction of movement of said vehicle, said oscillating means including means for raising a portion of said flexible strips while another portion thereof is being lowered into its place.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
130 words
An automatic car washing apparatus comprising; a frame through which passes a vehicle being washed, a plurality of flexible scrubbing strips, a plurality of elongated flexible support means aligned substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said vehicle through said frame for suspending said strips from said frame, means for securing a plurality of said strips to each support means and means supported by said frame for oscillating said flexible strips back and forth with an up and down motion on the top surfaces of said vehicle, against the side windows and side wall surfaces of the vehicle along the direction of movement of said vehicle, said oscillating means including means for raising a portion of said flexible strips while another portion thereof is being lowered into its place.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for oscillating said flexible strips comprises: a drive arm reciprocally mounted on said frame, means for securing each end of said flexible support means to said drive arm, and means for reciprocating said drive arm, said support means and said flexible strips oscillating back and forth with an up and down motion when said drive arm is reciprocated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a pair of idler rollers rotatably mounted proximate the ends of said frame above the upper most portion of said vehicle so that said vehicle can pass thereunder, said support passing over said idler rollers in spaced relationship to one another as said drive arm reciprocates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for reciprocating said drive arm comprises a source of rotational motion and linkage means for converting said rotational motion of said source to said reciprocal motion of said drive arm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said flexible strips are comprised of a water absorbent material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said water absorbent strips of material are strips of carpeting and wherein said plurality of support means are a plurality of ropes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for securing said strips of carpeting to said rope comprises: a plurality of slip knots formed in said rope through each of which passes a strip of carpeting, said knot gripping said strips proximate the mid portion thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for wetting said carpet strips and said vehicle to be washed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
US3487490A
Cited
US3504394A
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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) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |