US3859686A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scrubbing apparatus for vehicles
Assignee: Sherman Car Wash Equipment Co
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Filing: 1973-05-23
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Granted: 1975-01-14
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Expires: 1993-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A friction scrubbing apparatus having sections of curtain-likescrubbing elements disposed from a support across a path determined by relative movement between the vehicle and support. A dual operating system couples the sections with the support and provides the sections with a forward and backward motion both horizontally and vertically facilitating a flicking action by the curtain elements generally paralleling the path, on parts of the vehicle. A phase relationship of the systems is selected to provide movement of one section in one direction along the path while another moves in the opposite direction during a substantial portion of the operating cycle. During movement in the same relative direction as the vehicle the sections provide an action which is one simulating an overtaking of the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald E Breish
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:45
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S15/00; Y10S15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
302 words
Scrubbing apparatus for vehicles comprising a frame having an opening therein adapted to receive a vehicle for passage therethrough by relative movement between said frame and vehicle along a path lengthwise of the vehicle, at least two scrubbing members carried by said frame and disposed in said opening side by side transversely of said lengthwise path, each scrubbing member comprising a rigid oscillatory support element carried by said frame, a plurality of scrubbing curtains suspended from said support elemEnt and a plurality of substantially rigid mounting pieces, at least one for each said curtain fixedly mounting said curtains to said support element, said curtains being arranged on said support element in spaced generally parallel relationship with each curtain extending transversely of said lengthwise path and having an end portion that will extend beyond a side of the vehicle, and each curtain presenting a row of closely related elongated flexible scrubbing strips normally freely hanging when the scrubbing members are beyond the ends of the vehicle and substantially in continuous contact with the vehicle during oscillations of the support element when said members are over the vehicle, and there being means for oscillating said scrubbing curtains of said scrubbing members through said support elements in said lengthwise path whereby the scrubbing strips thereof may act on the top, side, front and rear surfaces of a vehicle and the lower portions of bumpers and recessed window wells of a vehicle with a scrubbing and flicking action to clean the same, and relatively positionable means for controlling the oscillations of said support elements and scrubbing curtains in a manner that the oscillations of the support elements and scrubbing curtains of one half the number of said scrubbing members are out of phase with those of the other half of said number of said scrubbing members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
302 words
Scrubbing apparatus for vehicles comprising a frame having an opening therein adapted to receive a vehicle for passage therethrough by relative movement between said frame and vehicle along a path lengthwise of the vehicle, at least two scrubbing members carried by said frame and disposed in said opening side by side transversely of said lengthwise path, each scrubbing member comprising a rigid oscillatory support element carried by said frame, a plurality of scrubbing curtains suspended from said support elemEnt and a plurality of substantially rigid mounting pieces, at least one for each said curtain fixedly mounting said curtains to said support element, said curtains being arranged on said support element in spaced generally parallel relationship with each curtain extending transversely of said lengthwise path and having an end portion that will extend beyond a side of the vehicle, and each curtain presenting a row of closely related elongated flexible scrubbing strips normally freely hanging when the scrubbing members are beyond the ends of the vehicle and substantially in continuous contact with the vehicle during oscillations of the support element when said members are over the vehicle, and there being means for oscillating said scrubbing curtains of said scrubbing members through said support elements in said lengthwise path whereby the scrubbing strips thereof may act on the top, side, front and rear surfaces of a vehicle and the lower portions of bumpers and recessed window wells of a vehicle with a scrubbing and flicking action to clean the same, and relatively positionable means for controlling the oscillations of said support elements and scrubbing curtains in a manner that the oscillations of the support elements and scrubbing curtains of one half the number of said scrubbing members are out of phase with those of the other half of said number of said scrubbing members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said halves of said number of scrubbing members substantially always move in opposite directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the effective total width of the scrubbing members moving in one direction is substantially the same as the total width of the scrubbing members moving in the opposite direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein one half the number of said scrubbing members have their oscillations substantially 90* to 180* out of phase with those of the other one half of said scrubbing members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said out of phase relationship is substantially 90*.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said out of phase relationship is substantially 180*.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the linear speed of the members in one direction of their oscillations exceeds the linear speed of the frame and vehicle whereby to overtake them.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for oscillating the curtains and support elements of said scrubbing members comprises means pivotally coupling said support elements to said frame and means for operating said coupling means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said coupling means comprises lever means pivotally interconnecting each support element to the frame for swinging movement relative to the frame and wherein said operating and control means comprises motor means, rotatable crank means operable by said motor means, said crank means being relatively positionable for controlling the phase relationship of the oscillations of the scrubbing members, and connecting rod means pivotally interconnecting said lever means and crank means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said coupling means is rigidly connected to the support element and swingable about a single axis associated with said frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the support element is in shape substantially a segment of a cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for oscillating the curtains and support elements of said scrubbing members comprises motor means and dual operating systems of levers and links one system for each scrubbing member operably interconnecting the support elements and motor means and the support elements and frame.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
162 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claiM 1, wherein the means for oscillating the curtains and support elements of said scrubbing members comprises a plurality of pairs of oscillating levers, each pair coupling a different support element to the frame for oscillating movement relative thereto, a plurality of rotatable cranks, motor means for rotating said cranks and a plurality of links, each link coupling one of said cranks with one of the levers of a different pair thereof, and no link coupling with the same crank and wherein the means for controlling said out of phase oscillations of said scrubbing curtains comprises relatively positionable cranks whereby the cranks related to said side by side scrubbing members are in such a phase relationship to each other that during a substantial portion of the operation of said scrubbing members the scrubbing curtains of one of said side by side scrubbing members moves in one direction while those of the other move in the opposite direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the freely hanging elongated flexible scrubbing strips of said scrubbing curtains of a scrubbing member are narrow strips extending downwardly from its support element to below the bumpers of the vehicle to pass through said frame.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein the curtains of each scrubbing member are graduated in length, decreasing in length from a curtain intermediate the end curtains of a scrubbing member outwardly in both directions to the outermost curtains.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
Scrubbing apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including a plurality of jet sprays arranged above and within the plurality of curtains of a scrubbing member and over the width of such curtains, operable for flooding the curtains and vehicle with dirt loosening liquid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-13 | 1978-07-15 | 1979-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-13 | 1982-07-15 | 1983-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-13 | 1986-07-15 | 1987-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |