Bowling lane conditioning machine with single head dispenser

• US 5,729,855 A
• Filed: 06/11/1996
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kegel, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Kegel Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, John M
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/661,366
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 15/4, 15/50.1, 15/50.3, 15/51, 15/52, 15/98, 15/99, 15/103.5, 15/320, 118/207, 118/244, 118/249, 118/269
• US Class Current: 15/50.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/10 Apparatus for cleaning balls, pins, or alleys
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/188 with cylinder- or belt-type tools
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/28 for grinding wood

Abstract

A bowling lane maintenance machine includes a shiftable head operable for discharging successive streams of lane dressing during successive passes along the length of an applicator assembly in order to apply lane dressing to a bowling lane according to a predetermined pattern. The preferred embodiment includes a positive displacement pump that delivers successive equal volumes of lane dressing so that the resulting streams are precisely controlled despite variations in the viscosity of the lane dressing.

Claims

1. A bowling lane maintenance apparatus comprising:

dressing means operable for applying lane dressing to a bowling lane as said apparatus is propelled therealong;

drive means operable for propelling said apparatus along the bowling lane; and

control means for controlling the operation of said dressing and drive means,

said dressing means including

a lane dressing reservoir,

applicator means operable for receiving lane dressing and for applying lane dressing so received to the bowling lane as said apparatus is propelled therealong, said applicator means presenting a longitudinal axis extending transversely relative to the direction of movement of said apparatus and thereby transversely to the bowling lane, and

delivery means for delivering lane dressing from said reservoir to said applicator means including

a single delivery head longitudinally shiftable relative to said applicator means and having structure defining a nozzle configured for discharging lane dressing onto said applicator means as said head shifts therealong,

shifting means for controllably shifting said head and nozzle along substantially the entire length of said applicator means, and

pump means for controllably pumping lane dressing from said reservoir to said nozzle,

said control means including means for controlling said shifting means and pumping means in order to coordinate said shifting and pumping thereof for delivering lane dressing to locations on said applicator means, and thereby to the bowling lane, in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said control means including means for controlling said shifting and pumping means for delivering a succession of continuous streams of lane dressing between selected locations on said applicator means during successive passes of said nozzle along said applicator means in order to apply lane dressing in accordance with said predetermined pattern.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said pumping means including

a pump coupled with said reservoir for receiving lane dressing and having a discharge for discharging lane dressing therefrom,

a conduit interconnecting said discharge and said nozzle, and

a valve interposed in said conduit shiftable between a recyclable position in which lane dressing discharged from said pump is recycled to said reservoir through a recycle line and a delivery position in which lane dressing discharged from said pump is delivered to said nozzle,

said pump being a volumetric pump operable for discharging lane dressing at a constant volumetric rate despite variations in the viscosity of the lane dressing.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said pump being a positive displacement pump operable for discharging successive volumes of lane dressing, said pumping means further including an elastomeric tube interposed in said conduit and configured for minimizing pressure variations in the lane dressing delivered to said nozzle.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said locations on said applicator means corresponding to lane boards on the bowling lane.