Mobile pressure cleaning unit

• US 4,821,958 A
• Filed: 09/03/1987
• Issued: 04/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sparkle International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sparkle Wash Incorporated
• Inventors: Shaffer, Detmer B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trainor, Christopher G.
• Application Number:
  US07/092,617
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 239/130, 239/131, 239/172, 239/304, 239/307, 239/305, 239/312, 200/81.9 R, 200/82 R, 137/624.18, 137/112, 137/604, 137/607, 137/351, 137/624.2
• US Class Current: 239/131
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0205 Bypass pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0258 Multiple lance high pressure cleaning station
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/026 Cleaning by making use of hand-held spray guns; Fluid preparations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/04 for exteriors of land vehicles B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/002 Arrangements for cleaning building facades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2567 Alternate or successive inflows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6881 Automotive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86445 Plural, sequential, valve actuations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator

Abstract

A mobile cleaning unit for providing high pressure cleaning and rinsing sprays, comprising a van-type vehicle with separate sources of water and cleaning and treating solutions. The sprays may be heated by a self-contained water heater with a fuel ignitor operated by low voltage direct current. The separate solutions are selected by a pressure switch sensitive to an increase in spray line pressure caused by stopping the spray by operation of a valve at the spray applicator. The pressure switch acts to sequentially open a supply valve for each solution in turn.

Claims

1. A washing and treating unit comprising a water source;

a plurality of liquid additive tanks;

a water and additive mixing means connected to the water source;

an additive selection means, wherein said selection means communicates sequentially with the additive tanks in a known repeating sequence, said selection means also communicating with the mixing means;

a main pump communicating with the mixing means, whereby liquid is drawn from the water source and one of said additive tanks;

a main pump unloader pressure-sensitive valve communicating with the main pump output, said valve causing the output of the main pump to recirculate to the main pump input when the output pressure of the main pump exceeds a known value;

a spraying means communicating with the unloader valve, whereby liquid under pressure from the main pump may be sprayed; and

a pressure sensing means operably connected to the unloader valve and the selection means, said pressure sensing means being an integral portion of said unloader valve, whereby a pressure change in the output of the main pump causes the selection means to advance to the next position in the sequence.

2. A device according to claim 1, additionally comprising a rinse pumping means connected between the water source and an additional spraying means, whereby rinse water under pressure from the rinse pumping means may be sprayed.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the main pumping means and the rinse pumping means share a single driving means which is operatively connected thereto.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said main pumping means comprises an internal combustion engine as the sole driving means for the washing and treating unit.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the valve, acting as the pressure sensing means, is operatively connected to an electrical switch, said switch switching an electrical signal operating to advance the selection means to the next position in the sequence.

7. A device according to claim 2, additionally comprising a rinse pumping means connected between the water source and an additional spraying means, said heating means being insertable between the water source and the additional spraying means.

12. A device according to claim 7, wherein the fuel pumping means and the main pumping means share a single driving means which is operatively connected thereto.

6. A washing and treating unit comprising a water source;

a plurality of liquid additive tanks;

a water and additive mixing means connected to the water source;

an additive selection means, wherein said selection means communicates sequentially with the additive tanks in a known repeating sequence, said selection means also communicating with the mixing means;

a main pumping means communicating with the mixing means, whereby liquid is drawn from the water source and one of said additive tanks;

a spraying means communicating with the main pumping means, whereby liquid under pressure from the main pumping means may be sprayed; and

a liquid heating means insertable between the main pumping means and the spraying means, said heating means comprising a heating fuel ignition means having an electrical oscillator powered by low voltage direct current, a step-up transformer operably connected to the output of the oscillator, and a spark gap means operably connected to the output of the transformer, whereby a high voltage spark is supplied to ignite heating fuel.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein the heating means further comprises a combustion air blower means.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the blower means and the main pumping means share a single driving means which is operatively connected thereto.

10. A device according to claim 6, wherein said main pumping means comprises an internal combustion engine as a driving means.

11. A device according to claim 6, wherein the heating means further comprises a fuel pumping means.

13. A mobile cleaning and treating unit contained in a self-propelled vehicle comprising a water source;

a plurality of liquid additive tanks;

a water and additive mixing means connected to the water source;

an additive selection means, wherein said selection means comunicates sequentially with the additive tanks in a known repeating sequence, said selection means also communicating with the mixing means;

a main pumping means communicating with the mixing means, whereby liquid is drawn from the water source and one of said additive tanks;

a spraying means communicating with the main pumping means, whereby liquid under pressure from the main pumping means may be sprayed;

a pressure sensing means operably connected to the output of the main pumping means and the selection means, whereby a pressure change in the output of the main pumping means causes the selection means to advance to the next position in the sequence; and

a liquid heating means insertable between the main pumping means and the spraying means, said heating means comprising a heating fuel ignition means, wherein said ignition means is powered by low voltage direct current, the ignition means having an electrical oscillator powered by low voltage direct current, a step-up transformer operably connected to the output of the oscillator, and a spark gap means operably connected to the output of the transformer whereby a high voltage spark is supplied to ignite heating fuel.

14. A device according to claim 13, additionally comprising a rinse pumping means connected between the water source and an additional spraying means, whereby rinse water under pressure from the rinse pumping means may be sprayed, wherein said heating means is operably insertable between the rinse pumping means and the additional spraying means.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein said main pumping means comprises a pump and a pump unloader valve, said valve comprising a movable member, the member moving to cause the output of the pump to recirculate to the pump input when the output pressure of the pump exceeds a known value, the movable member being operably linked to an electrical switch, said switch switching an electrical signal operating to advance the selection means to the next position in the sequence, the valve thereby embodying the pressure sensing means.

16. A device according to claim 14, wherein the heating means further comprises a combustion air blower means and a fuel pumping means, wherein the fuel pumping means, the main pumping means, the rinse pumping means and the air blower means share a single driving means which is operatively connected thereto.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said driving means comprises an internal combustion engine.

18. A washing and treating unit comprising a water source;

a plurality of liquid additive tanks;

a water and additive mixing means connected to the water source;

an additive selection means, wherein said selection means communicates sequentially with the additive tanks in a known repeating sequence, said selection means also communicating with the mixing means;

a main pump communicating with the mixing means, whereby liquid is drawn from the water source and one of said additive tanks;

a main pump unloader valve communicating with the main pump output, said valve causing the output of the main pump to recirculate to the main pump input when the output pressure of the main pump exceeds a known value;

a spraying means communicating with the unloader valve, whereby liquid under pressure from the main pump may be sprayed;

a pressure sensing means operably connected to the unloader valve and the selection means, said pressure sensing means being an integral portion of said unloader valve, wherein a pressure change in the output of the main pump causes the selection means to advance to the next position in the sequence;

a rinse pump connected between the water source and an additional spraying means, whereby rinse water under pressure from the rinse pump may be sprayed; and

a liquid heating means insertable between the water source and the spraying means, said heating means comprising a combustion air blower, a fuel pump, and a heating fuel ignition means having an electrical oscillator powered by low voltage direct current, a step-up transformer operably connected to the output of the oscillator, and a spark gap means operably connected to the output of the transformer, whereby a high voltage spark is supplied to ignite heating fuel, wherein said main pump, rinse pump, blower, and fuel pump share a single driving means which is operably connected thereto.