Hand car wash machine

• US 5,098,023 A
• Filed: 08/19/1988
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper Leslie A New York NY
• Original Assignee: Leslie A. Cooper
• Inventors: Burke, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, KAREN MERRITT
• Application Number:
  US07/234,349
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 239/200, 239/207, 239/273, 239/279, 239/304, 239/305, 239/391, 239/397, 239/443, 239/444, 239/549, 134/56 R, 134/57 R, 134/58 R, 134/123, 15/DIG. 2, 15/312.2
• US Class Current: 239/273
• 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: Y10S 15/02 Car cleaning plants

Abstract

An apparatus for assisting in the hand washing of cars. Several tubes semi-surround a vehicle path. Each tube has nozzles directed at the path. Each tube may be supplied with a different washing fluid. The tubes are mounted in a housing. A radio remote control actuates each fluid separately.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting in the hand washing of cars comprising a plurality of tubes semi-surrounding a vehicle path, each tube having a plurality of nozzles directed at said vehicle path, separate means for supplying each tube with a respective washing fluid;

singular housing means mounting said plurality of tubes in close side-by-side adjacency and actuator means for separately actuating respective ones of said separate supplying means;

said actuator means comprising radio remote control means operable by the person washing the car from within the car for controlling said supplying means;

said plurality of tubes comprising at least three tubes and in which at least three said separate supplying means respectively supply three of said plurality of tubes with water, soapy water and deionized water;

said plurality of tubes further comprising a fourth tube and a fourth separate supplying means which supplies a surfaced sealant from said supplying means;

said plurality of tubes further comprising a fifth tube and a fifth separate supplying means which supplies a solvent such as cosmoline remover from said supplying means;

electronically controlled valve means for directing tap water to one or more of said tubes;

said separated supplying means further comprising tanks in which fluids are directed to said nozzles by the actuation of submersible pumps in said tanks.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for mixing air with the water and deionized water supplied to said nozzles from said supplying means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said actuator means comprises a radio transmitter capable of actuating a plurality of distinguishable signals;

a transceiver capable of receiving and distinguishing such plurality of signals;

a plurality of actuator controllers, each capable of being actuated individually by the transmitter through the transceiver, said actuator controllers each actuating a respective one of said separate supplying means on command of the transmitter.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a first filter comprising a mixed bed of cationic and anionic resin and a second filter similar to the first, said first and second filters comprising means through which tap water is passed for deionizing the tap water.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the tap water is taken from a reservoir and pressurized by a separate pump.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 including a power supply to said transceiver, said power supply being regulated by a ground-fault interrupter and a radio interference filter.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 in which said housing means is mounted on roller means for transporting said apparatus to various laterally and longitudinally spaced locations.

8. An apparatus for assisting in the washing of cars comprising:

a support structure semi-surrounding a vehicle path;

a plurality of at least three tubes mounted on said support structure;

a plurality of nozzles on each said tube, said nozzles directed at said vehicle path;

means for supplying each said tube with a single fluid from the group consisting of water, soapy water, deionized

water, surface sealant and solvent;

means for actuating said supplying means;

means for controlling said actuating means by radio remote control from within the car;

said supplying means comprising;

a plurality of tanks;

a submersible pump in each said tank, each said pump in fluid communication with its respective tank and with one of said tubes so as to pump said fluid from said tank to said nozzles;

each said pump activated by said actuating means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of flexible hoses;

means for suspending said hoses above said vehicle path such that one end of each said hose dangles above said vehicle path;

means for supplying said hoses with compressed air of a pressure effective in inducing dancing movement in said hoses.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising:

support means for supporting said suspending means;

said suspending means comprising;

a hollow cylinder rotatably mounted on said support means and having an axis of rotation parallel to the curved wall of said cylinder;

said axis of rotation above and across said vehicle path;

a plurality of rims defining openings in the curved walls of said cylinder;

said hoses each having one end attached to the curved wall of said cylinder about one of said rims such that the core of each hose is in gaseous communication with the interior of said cylinder; and

wherein the interior of said cylinder is in gaseous communication with said pressurized air supplying means.