Cleaning device

• US 4,233,703 A
• Filed: 04/16/1979
• Issued: 11/18/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John C. Clyne, Ronald T. Nicholls, William G. Steel
• Original Assignee: John C. Clyne, Ronald T. Nicholls, William G. Steel
• Inventors: Clyne, John C., Steel, William G., Nicholls, Ronald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US06/030,590
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 15/DIG. 2, 15/2 A, 15/53 B, 15/58, 15/88
• US Class Current: 15/53.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/042 Wheel cleaning devices integral with vehicle B60S1/00

Abstract

A device for use in cleaning the wheels of golf buggies. The device comprises driven rollers which are arranged to support the vehicle'"'"'s wheels and to induce rotation of the wheels by peripheral engagement. A brush is located between the rollers for contacting and wiping the wheels of the vehicle when the vehicle is mounted to the rollers, the brush being driven to rotate with a peripheral velocity different from that which is imparted to the vehicle wheels by the driven rollers. Subsidiary driven brushes are mounted to the device for use in cleaning golfing accessories, such as golfclubs, and golfer'"'"'s shoes.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for use in cleaning the wheels of a vehicle which has wheels which are rotatable about a common axis, the device comprising:

an enclosure which is provided with two openings in an upper horizontal surface thereof, the openings defining cleaning zones, two pairs of spaced-apart substantially parallel rollers located within the enclosure, the rollers being disposed within the cleaning zones to support respective wheels of the vehicle, means for driving at least one roller of each pair whereby rotation of vehicle wheels is induced when the vehicle is supported by the rollers, a wiper element in the form of a rotatable brush located between the rollers of each pair and having an axis of rotation disposed parallel to the axes of rotation of the rollers, the wiper element being disposed within the cleaning zones and being arranged to contact and wipe the vehicle wheels when mounted to the rollers, means for imparting rotational drive to the wiper element, and at least one fixed brush located within each of the cleaning zones, the fixed brushes being located immediately below the respective openings in the enclosure and having bristles extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the wiper element.

2. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotatable brush is driven to rotate with a peripheral velocity which is different from the peripheral velocity of the driven rollers.

3. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein rotation is imparted to the brush in a direction opposite that which is imparted to the vehicle wheels by the driven rollers.

4. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein rotational drive is imparted to the rollers and the rotatable brush by an electric motor which is energised by way of a coil-freed switching mechanism.

5. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two said rotatable brushes, one being exposed by each of the openings.

6. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the rotatable brushes are mounted to a shaft which extends throughout the length of the enclosure and beyond end walls thereof and wherein subsidiary rotatable brushes are mounted outside the enclosure and to respective ends of the shaft.

7. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least one of the subsidiary brushes has radially and longitudinally projecting bristles.

8. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device includes ramps which extend upwardly to the horizontal surface of the enclosure.

9. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein collector trays are located within the enclosure, one below each of the cleaning zones.

10. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the collector trays are removable from the enclosure.