Automatic surface polishing system

Claim 2

An automtic surface polishing apparatus comprising an applicator having a rotatable drum with one end of a fabric connected therewith, means for applying polish to said fabric, a polisher having a rotatable drum with one end of a fabric connected therewith, said fabric having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a surface to be polished, means for effecting relative movement between a surface to be polished and said applicator and said polisher, means for automatically moving said applicator fabric into contact with a surface to be polished during relative movement between said surface and said applicator to apply polish to said surface by said applicator fabric making intermittent contact with said surface while said applicator drum is being rotated, and means for automatically moving said polisher fabric into contact with said surface during relative movement between said surface and said polisher to polish said surface by said polisher fabric making intermittent contact with said surface while said polisher drum is being rotated.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said fabric is a matted, predominately cotton fabric having a resilient backing.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of fabric strips are affixed to said applicator drum along the longitudinal extent of said drum.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of fabric strips are affixed to said polisher drum along the longitudinal extent of said drum.

Claim 6

An automatic surface polishing apparatus comprising, a rotatable applicator drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed therEto at spaced intervals about its circumference, means to rotates said applicator drum, means adapted to apply polish onto said fabric strips while said drum is being rotated, a rotatable polisher drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said fabric strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a surface to be polished, means to rotate said polisher drum, and means for effecting relative movement between said applicator drum and a surface to be polished and between said polisher drum and said surface, whereby a portion of said applicator fabric strips receive polish and apply polish to said surface by intermittent contact therewith during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement with said surface, and a portion of said polisher fabric strips intermittently contact and polish said surface during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement with said surface.

Claim 7

An automatic surface polishing apparatus comprising, a rotatable applicator drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed therEto at spaced intervals about its circumference, means to rotates said applicator drum, means adapted to apply polish onto said fabric strips while said drum is being rotated, a rotatable polisher drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said fabric strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a surface to be polished, means to rotate said polisher drum, and means for effecting relative movement between said applicator drum and a surface to be polished and between said polisher drum and said surface, whereby a portion of said applicator fabric strips receive polish and apply polish to said surface by intermittent contact therewith during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement with said surface, and a portion of said polisher fabric strips intermittently contact and polish said surface during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement with said surface.

Claim 8

A multiple stage automatic vehicle polishing apparatus comprising: a first stage having a rotatable applicator drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said applicator drum, means to rotate said applicator drum, and means adapted to apply polish onto said strips while said drum is being rotated; a second stage having a rotatable polisher drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said polisher drum, said strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to the vehicle surface to be polished, and means to rotate said polisher drum; and means for effecting relative movement between a vehicle to be polished and each of said stages; said applicator strips receiving polish and applying polish to said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said applicator strips and said vehicle during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said first stage, and said polisher strips polish said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said polisher strips and said vehicle during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said second stage.

Claim 9

A multiple stage automatic vehicle polishing apparatus comprising: a first stage having a rotatable applicator drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said applicator drum, means to rotate said applicator drum, and means adapted to apply polish onto said strips while said drum is being rotated; a second stage having a rotatable polisher drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said polisher drum, said strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to the vehicle surface to be polished, and means to rotate said polisher drum; and means for effecting relative movement between a vehicle to be polished and each of said stages; said applicator strips receiving polish and applying polish to said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said applicator strips and said vehicle during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said first stage, and said polisher strips polish said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said polisher strips and said vehicle during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said second stage.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 6 with the addition of means to independently vary the spacing between said applicator drum and said vehicle, and the spacing between said polisher drum and said vehicle, and the rotational speeds of each of said drums.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said first stage includes a plurality of applicator drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said applicator drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said first stage.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 8 with the addition of means to control the operation of the top applicator drum independently of the others.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said second stage includes a plurality of polisher drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said polisher drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said second stage.

Claim 14

The invention set forth in claim 6 with the addition of a third stage having a rotatable polisher drum with one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, whereby said third stage affects a further polishing action by intermittent contact between said vehicle and said third stage fabric strips during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said third stage.

Claim 15

The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein the distance between said first and second stages is greater than the dIstance between said second and third stages.

Claim 16

The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said third stage polisher drum is spaced farther from said vehicle and is rotated faster than said second stage polisher drum.

Claim 17

The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said third stage includes a plurality of polisher drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said polisher drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said third stage.

Claim 18

The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said second stage polisher drum is spaced farther from said vehicle and is rotated faster than said first stage applicator drum.