US3775804A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Window wall washing device for high-rise buildings
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-02-28
•
Granted: 1973-12-04
•
Expires: 1992-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A wall washing device is provided with self contained liquid spray means, wall and window surface scrubbing means such as brushes or sponges and means for providing a curtain of high velocity, in-rushing air around a wall washing sight. This air serves to dry the freshly laundered wall and window surfaces and also to confine the washing liquids and retard their egress from the wall washing sight. The high velocity, in-rushing air curtain is delivered through a perimeter aperture which is spaced-apart from the window/wall surfaces, in accordance with a first embodiment; and is provided by forceably drawing atmospheric air inwardly at the perimeter of the wall washing sight in accordance with a second embodiment. The device is adapted to ascend and descend between a pair of vertical mullions of the building. The device is further adapted to provide its wall and window washing function during either the ascending or descending runs or both. The device moreover is intended for remotely controlled operation.
Inventors
- 👤 R Hoener
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 07:55
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L1/00; A47L1/02; A47L2201/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
In a building exterior wall washing device, the combination of a housing comprising a boundary wall having a forward edge, and a rear wall cooperating with said boundary wall to define a chamber; a sight disposed in an essentially vertical plane defined by the said housing and being essentially unobstructed at the said forward edge of said housing; liquid distributing means within said chamber for directing liquid through the said sight; spacing means for maintaining the said housing in a spaced-apart relation from the said exterior wall; means for providing a high velocity in-rushing gas curtain at the said forward edge of the said housing to preclude substantial egress of said liquid between the said forward edge and the said exterior wall; means for removing liquid from said chamber; and conduit means for extracting at least a portion of the said gas from the said chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
In a building exterior wall washing device, the combination of a housing comprising a boundary wall having a forward edge, and a rear wall cooperating with said boundary wall to define a chamber; a sight disposed in an essentially vertical plane defined by the said housing and being essentially unobstructed at the said forward edge of said housing; liquid distributing means within said chamber for directing liquid through the said sight; spacing means for maintaining the said housing in a spaced-apart relation from the said exterior wall; means for providing a high velocity in-rushing gas curtain at the said forward edge of the said housing to preclude substantial egress of said liquid between the said forward edge and the said exterior wall; means for removing liquid from said chamber; and conduit means for extracting at least a portion of the said gas from the said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said spacing-means comprises mullion engaging elements which maintain the said sight at a selected distance from the said exterior wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for providing a high velocity in-rushing gas curtain comprises a hollow perimeter duct defined in part by the said housing and extending around the said housing; aperture means disposed along said forward edge of the said housing and communicating with the said hollow perimeter duct outboard of said site; and delivery means for delivering gas through said aperture means and at a suitable inclination angle as said gas curtain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 3 wherein the said inclination angle of the said gas curtain converges at an angle from about 5* to about 20* with respect to the normal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 3 wherein the said delivery means for delivering gas is connected to the said conduit means whereby at least a portion of the said gas delivered through the said aperture means is recirculated through the said delivery means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 5 wherein the said delivery means is a centrifugal fan.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 6 wherein the said centrifugal fan has an axis of rotation inclined with respect to the generally vertical plane of the said sight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 5 wherein a moisture removing device is disposed within the said conduit means between the said chamber and the said delivery means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the said device includes mechanical scrubbing elements positioned within the said chamber and having wall engaging elements extending forwardly through the said sight to engage the said exterior wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are mounted for oscillation in a generally horizontal locus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are rotatable about an axis which is generally horizontal and is also generally parallel with the generally vertical plane of the said sight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are bristle containiNg brushes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the said liquid distributing means are disposed both above and below the said mechanical scrubbing elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The device of claim 9 including platform means for supporting said mechanical scrubbing elements for reciprocal movement through the said sight between a scrubbing position and a retracted position spaced from the said scrubbing position; and resilient means for urging the said mechanical scrubbing elements through the said sight into the said scrubbing position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 14 including motor means operable at the termination of a washing cycle for moving the said mechanical scrubbing elements to the said retracted position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 14 including motor means responsive to reduced liquid pressure within said liquid distributing means for moving the said mechanical scrubbing elements to the said retracted position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for providing high velocity in-rushing gas curtain comprises fan means connected to the said conduit means for evacuating the said chamber whereby atmospheric air is forceably drawn between the said forward edge of the said housing and the said exterior wall, into the said chamber as the said high velocity, in-rushing gas curtain.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 17 wherein the said fan means is a centrifugal fan.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 18 wherein the said centrifugal fan has an axis of rotation parallel with the general vertical plane of the said sight.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device of claim 17 including second conduit means for extracting at least a portion of the gas discharged from the said fan means; and second aperture means disposed above and outboard of the said sight and communicating with the said second conduit means for delivering a supplementary high velocity gas curtain at a suitable inclination angle against the said exterior wall.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 20 wherein the said second conduit means includes a discharge opening communicating with the atmosphere; and proportioning valve means for controlling the volume of extracted gas delivered to the said second aperture means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 17 wherein an entrained liquids removing device is disposed within the said conduit means between the said chamber and the said fan means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said boundary wall of the said housing presents flexible forward portions at the said sight.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the said boundary wall of the said housing presents rigid forward portions at the said sight.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a building exterior wall washing device, the combination of a perimeter duct; a sight disposed in an essentially vertical plane defined by said perimeter duct; a chamber defined in part by said perimeter duct and extending rearwardly of said sight; liquid distributing means within the said chamber for directing liquid through the said sight; said sight being essentially unobstructed at the forward side of said perimeter duct; spacing means for maintaining the said perimeter duct in spaced apart relation from the said exterior wall; aperture means disposed along the forward side of the said perimeter duct and communicating with the said perimeter duct outboard of the said sight; delivery means for delivering gas through said aperture means at a suitable velocity and inclination angle so as to preclude substantial egress of said liquid between the said perimeter duct and the said exterior wall; means for removing liquid from said chamber; and conduit means for extracting at least a portion of the said gas from the said chamber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a building exterior wall washing device, the combination of a perimeter duct; a sight disposed in an essentially vertical plane defined by said perimeter duct; a chamber defined in part by said perimeter duct and extending rearwardly of said sight; liquid distributing means within the said chamber for directing liquid through the said sight; said sight being essentially unobstructed at the forward side of said perimeter duct; spacing means for maintaining the said perimeter duct in spaced apart relation from the said exterior wall; aperture means disposed along the forward side of the said perimeter duct and communicating with the said perimeter duct outboard of the said sight; delivery means for delivering gas through said aperture means at a suitable velocity and inclination angle so as to preclude substantial egress of said liquid between the said perimeter duct and the said exterior wall; means for removing liquid from said chamber; and conduit means for extracting at least a portion of the said gas from the said chamber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 25 wherein the said delivery means for delivering gas is connected to the said conduit means whereby at least a portion of the said gas delivered through the said aperture means is recirculated through the said delivery means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 26 wherein the said delivery means is a centrifugal fan.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 27 wherein the said centrifugal fan has an axis of rotation inclined with respect to the generally vertical plane of the said sight.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 26 wherein a moisture removing device is disposed within the said conduit means between the said chamber and the said delivery means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 25 wherein the said device includes mechanical scrubbing elements positioned within the said chamber and having wall engaging elements extending forwardly through the said sight to engage the said exterior wall.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 30 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are mounted for oscillation in a generally horizontal locus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 30 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are rotatable about an axis which is generally horizontal and is also generally parallel with the generally vertical plane of the said sight.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 30 wherein the said mechanical scrubbing elements are bristle containing brushes.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 30 wherein the said liquid distributing means are disposed both above and below the said mechanical scrubbing elements whereby the device will perform its wall washing function during both ascending and descending movement.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 25 wherein said spacing means comprises mullion engaging elements which maintain the said sight at a selected distance from the said exterior wall.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 25 wherein the said inclination angle of the gas converges at an angle from about 5* to about 20* with respect to the normal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2916761A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |