US3844480A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Car washing machine
Assignee: Ultrasonic Machines Ltd
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Filing: 1973-08-28
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1993-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle washing machine comprises a pair of uprights interconnected at their upper ends by a bracing structure. Each of the uprights supports a carrier on which a vertically spaced set of spray nozzles are mounted and which can be swivelled to direct the nozzles to either side of the plane defined by the uprights. One of the uprights supports for vertical movement a horizontal carrier for a set of horizontally spaced nozzles, and this carrier can also be swivelled to direct the sprays to either side of said plane. Simultaneously with the swivelling each of the carriers moves lengthwise of itself a distance equal to half the spacing of the nozzles. The machine bridges the vehicle to be washed and traverses backwards and forwards along the vehicle with the nozzles inclined in the direction of travel. At each end of the travel the horizontal carrier moves down and up again along the uprights to wash the front and back of the vehicle. The machine makes separate traversing movements, first with a washing fluid, secondly with a neutralizing fluid and finally with water. The swivelling of the carriers at each end of the traverse moves the carriers through half the nozzle pitch distance so that the nozzles spray along different paths during the return movement. The uprights may be mounted on separate bogies or may be mounted on a single bogie one of the uprights being supported in cantilever fashion.
Inventors
- 👤 J Taylor
- 👤 R Fitzpatrick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:11
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A vehicle washing machine comprising a frame for straddling a vehicle to be washed, two sets of spray nozzles, each set being vertically spaced and carried by the frame and directed inwardly towards each other, a third set of spray nozzles horizontallyspaced and carried by the frame and directed downwardly and extending between said two sets of vertically spaced spray nozzles, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for traversing the third set of nozzles upwards and downwards in the plane of the frame, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for swivelling the nozzles about a horizontal axis to direct them to either side of the general plane of the frame, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for shifting the third set of nozzles in the general direction of their spacing from each other during the swivelling of the nozzles, whereby the positions of the nozzles of the third set when swivelled to be directed to one side of the general plane of the frame are laterally staggered from their positions when swivelled to be directed to the other side of said plane, and means coupled to all of said nozzles for supplying liquid under pressure to the nozzles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A vehicle washing machine comprising a frame for straddling a vehicle to be washed, two sets of spray nozzles, each set being vertically spaced and carried by the frame and directed inwardly towards each other, a third set of spray nozzles horizontallyspaced and carried by the frame and directed downwardly and extending between said two sets of vertically spaced spray nozzles, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for traversing the third set of nozzles upwards and downwards in the plane of the frame, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for swivelling the nozzles about a horizontal axis to direct them to either side of the general plane of the frame, means coupled to said third set of nozzles for shifting the third set of nozzles in the general direction of their spacing from each other during the swivelling of the nozzles, whereby the positions of the nozzles of the third set when swivelled to be directed to one side of the general plane of the frame are laterally staggered from their positions when swivelled to be directed to the other side of said plane, and means coupled to all of said nozzles for supplying liquid under pressure to the nozzles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means coupled thereto for traversing the machine to and fro in a direction at right angles to the general plane of the frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said two sets of vertically spaced nozzles are swivellable about respective vertical axes into first and second positions in which the axis of the spray from each nozzle is inclined at an acute angle to said direction, the said two sets of nozzles being interlinked to be directed to the same side of the general plane of the frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises two bogies, two uprights respectively supported by the bogies, and a cross-bar connected to the upper ends of the uprights, said two vertical sets of nozzles being respectively mounted on the two uprights and the third set of nozzles being mounted on the cross-bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
133 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a linkage interconnecting the uprights, said linkage including a pair of radius arms of fixed length extending transversely between the cross-bar and the respective uprights, each arm forming a universal connection between the associated member and the cross-bar, the radius arms extending at an angle to each other at the same side of the cross-bar, and a pair of elements which are universally connected to the respective members at one end and which have their other ends in telescoping engagement with the cross-member, each of said elements incorporating an abutment which limits the telescoping thereof with the cross-bar to prevent the angle between the cross-bar and the associated member at the side remote from the radius arms from becoming less than a right angle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a single bogie supporting an upright, a cantilever structure connected by one end to the upper end of the upright and projecting laterally of the bogie, and a seocnd upright suspended from the other end of the cantilever structure, said two sets of vertically spaced nozzles being respectively mounted on the two uprights and said third set of nozzles being mounted on the cantilever structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said two sets of vertically spaced nozzles are swivellable about respective vertical axes into first and second positions in which the axis of the spray from each nozzle is inclined at an acute angle to a direction at right angles to the general plane of said frame, the said two sets of vertically spaced nozzles being interlinked to be directed to the same side of the general plane of the frame as each other, and wherein the nozzles of the third set of horizontally-spaced spray nozzles are arranged to be directed to the same side of said plane as the nozzles of the first and second sets, means being provided to initiate swivelling movement of the nozzles of all the sets substantially simultaneously.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the nozzle of each set are evenly spaced from each other and are mounted to be movable in said general direction of the spacing of the nozzles of the set from each other into one of two end positions which are spaced apart by an uneven multiple of half the distance between adjacent nozzles projected onto a line extending in said general direction, and wherein motor means is provided for moving the nozzles of each set in said general direction and simultaneously actuating said swivelling movement of the nozzles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the nozzles of each of said two vertical sets are mounted to be movable relative to the frame in the general direction of the spacing of the nozzles of the set from each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nozzle of each of said two vertical sets are evenly spaced from each other and are mounted to be movable in the general direction of the spacing of the nozzles of the set from each other into one of two end positions which are spaced apart by an uneven multiple of half the distance between adjacent nozzles projected onto a line extending in said general direction.
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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) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |