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US3867735A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Side brush operating means for a vehicle cleaning apparatus

Assignee: Takeuchi Tekko KK
•
Filing: 1973-03-22
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Granted: 1975-02-25
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Expires: 1993-03-22
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Abstract

Abstract A pair of motored side brush carriages are mounted on a motored trolley, supported on a pair of inclined side rails, and capable of travelling forwardly by a force exerted by an advancing vehicle and backwardly under the drive of a motor. Said side brush carriages are mounted on respective aligned guide tracks, formed on said trolley for movement toward and away from each other. With this arrangement, the side brushes are automatically operated to follow the contour of the vehicle, at all times under the same pressure of contacting engagement with the vehicle irrespective of its speed, relative to the vehicle cleaning apparatus.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shigeo Takeuchi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:47
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04; B60S3/06; B60S3/063; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S15/00; Y10S15/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 124 words
A vehicle cleaning apparatus of the type including a portal frame through which a vehicle to be cleaned progresses, said apparatus comprising: a pair of fixed guide rails arranged on the opposite sides of said portal frame in spaced parallel relation to each other and extending forwardly downwardly in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a trolley mounted on said fixed guide rails, a motor for driving said trolley along said pair of fixed guide rails, said motor being capable of operating continuously to exert a constant torque even when forced to stop rotation under a predetermined load above a predetermined level, and a pair of side brush units mounted on said trolley for movement toward and away from each other lengthwise thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 124 words
A vehicle cleaning apparatus of the type including a portal frame through which a vehicle to be cleaned progresses, said apparatus comprising: a pair of fixed guide rails arranged on the opposite sides of said portal frame in spaced parallel relation to each other and extending forwardly downwardly in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a trolley mounted on said fixed guide rails, a motor for driving said trolley along said pair of fixed guide rails, said motor being capable of operating continuously to exert a constant torque even when forced to stop rotation under a predetermined load above a predetermined level, and a pair of side brush units mounted on said trolley for movement toward and away from each other lengthwise thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 103 words
A vehicle cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said trolley carries a pair of aligned guide tracks extending lengthwise thereof and inclined downwardly toward each other, and in which each of said side brush units includes a wheeled carriage mounted on the respective one of said aligned guide tracks, a side brush tiltably suspended on said wheeled carriage, and a drive motor associated with said side brush so as to start with tilting movement thereof to drive said wheeled carriage upwardly along said guide track and to stop when said wheeled carriage reaches the upper end of said guide track.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3233264A Cited
US3662419A Cited
US3601833A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-02-24 1978-08-26 1979-02-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-02-24 1982-08-26 1983-02-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-02-24 1986-08-26 1987-02-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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