Patent US3645282A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3645282A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sonic carwash system and apparatus
Assignee: Sonar International Inc
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Filing: 1970-07-22
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Granted: 1972-02-29
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Expires: 1990-07-22
Abstract
Abstract The present disclosure is directed to a carwash system in which a boom is installed centrally on the ceiling of a vehicle wash bay and a tractor unit moves a carrier back and forth on the boom. The carrier supports a vertical and horizontal wash means each of which may be moved independently toward or away from the carrier to compensate for varying sizes of vehicles. The carrier has a swivel mounting between itself and the tractor for rotating the carrier in a horizontal plane. The vertical and horizontal wash means each have sonic transducers for establishing a sonar beam between the two means which will be broken by the presence and made by the absence of a vehicle in the wash bay beneath the boom. The sonic beam controls relay circuits for sequentially energizing and driving the tractor unit and the swivel drive on the carrier to move the wash means about the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 George K Kurronen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:32
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S3/00; B60S3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
369 words
A sonic-controlled carwash comprising a. a central overhead track means adapted to be placed in a wash stall along the centerline of vehicles to be washed. b. carrier means mounted for back-and-forth movement along said track means, c. vertical wash means carried by said carrier means, d. horizontal wash means mounted for vertical movement on said vertical wash means, e. means connected between said vertical wash means and said carrier means for moving said vertical wash means toward and away from said carrier means, f. means connected between said vertical wash means connection to said carrier and said horizontal wash means for moving said horizontal wash means toward and away from said carrier means, g. tractor means on said carrier means connected to drive said carrier means back and forth along said track means, h. swivel drive means on said carrier means connected to rotate said carrier means horizontally below said tractor means, i. a first sonic means carried by said vertical wash means proximate its base and being in circuit with said tractor means and swivel drive means, j. a second sonic means carried proximate the free end of said horizontal wash means and being in circuit with said tractor means and said swivel drive means so that a sonic beam is established between said first and second sonic means when no vehicle is in the wash stall and the system is not operative but which will be broken when a vehicle is in the stall causing the tractor to move the vertical and horizontal wash means along one side and the top of the vehicle until they clear the vehicle at which time the beam is reestablished causing the tractor means to stop and the swivel drive means to rotate the vertical and horizontal wash means 180* breaking the sonic beam stopping horizontal rotation and energizing the tractor means to move the vertical and horizontal wash means along the opposite side of the vehicle until the front is reached reestablishing the sonic beam which stops the tractor means and energizes the swivel drive means which moves the vertical and horizontal wash means about the front of the car returning to the origin point of the wash cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
369 words
A sonic-controlled carwash comprising a. a central overhead track means adapted to be placed in a wash stall along the centerline of vehicles to be washed. b. carrier means mounted for back-and-forth movement along said track means, c. vertical wash means carried by said carrier means, d. horizontal wash means mounted for vertical movement on said vertical wash means, e. means connected between said vertical wash means and said carrier means for moving said vertical wash means toward and away from said carrier means, f. means connected between said vertical wash means connection to said carrier and said horizontal wash means for moving said horizontal wash means toward and away from said carrier means, g. tractor means on said carrier means connected to drive said carrier means back and forth along said track means, h. swivel drive means on said carrier means connected to rotate said carrier means horizontally below said tractor means, i. a first sonic means carried by said vertical wash means proximate its base and being in circuit with said tractor means and swivel drive means, j. a second sonic means carried proximate the free end of said horizontal wash means and being in circuit with said tractor means and said swivel drive means so that a sonic beam is established between said first and second sonic means when no vehicle is in the wash stall and the system is not operative but which will be broken when a vehicle is in the stall causing the tractor to move the vertical and horizontal wash means along one side and the top of the vehicle until they clear the vehicle at which time the beam is reestablished causing the tractor means to stop and the swivel drive means to rotate the vertical and horizontal wash means 180* breaking the sonic beam stopping horizontal rotation and energizing the tractor means to move the vertical and horizontal wash means along the opposite side of the vehicle until the front is reached reestablishing the sonic beam which stops the tractor means and energizes the swivel drive means which moves the vertical and horizontal wash means about the front of the car returning to the origin point of the wash cycle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 further comprising limit switch means carried by each of said vertical and horizontal wash means and being in circuit to actuate moving each vertical and horizontal wash means for moving same toward or away from said carrier means to compensate for vehicles of varying height and width.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vertical wash means and said horizontal wash means are combined in a substantially inverted L-shaped member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier means includes a motor which drives a pinion in mesh with a gear rack carried by said overhead track means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 wherein said swivel drive means is a motor driving a worm in mesh with a worm ring gear which will cause said carrier to rotate in a horizontal plane beneath said tractor means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 further comprising sonic transient damping means in circuit with said first and second sonic means to delay response to making and breaking of the sonic beam for a predetermined interval until said vertical and horizontal wash means have actually cleared the terminal length of the vehicle being washed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A sonic-controlled car wash as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving both of said wash means toward or away from the carrier means are hydraulic cylinders and rams in fluid circuits controlled by limiT switches.
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) | 1975-02-28 | 1975-08-30 | 1976-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-28 | 1979-08-30 | 1980-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-28 | 1983-08-30 | 1984-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |