VEHICLE WASHING SYSTEM

• US 3,684,184 A
• Filed: 11/12/1970
• Issued: 08/15/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tom Lafferty
• Original Assignee: Tom Lafferty
• Inventors: Lafferty, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, Edwin D.
• Application Number:
  US05/088,918
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 239/303,304,305,310,317,335,311
• US Class Current: 239/311
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/04 for exteriors of land vehicles B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006

Abstract

A system is disclosed for washing vehicles, and particularly large commercial vehicles such as trucks, which includes means for adding treatment fluids such as pickling acid or liquid soap to the wash water by means of fluid eductors. A variable amount of air may be entrained within the treatment fluid line to reduce the suction effect of the eductor, and hence draw a greater or lesser amount of treatment fluid to be mixed with the wash water. The amount of air entrained may be controlled by solenoidactuated valves associated with the air inlet. A single pump is provided for pressurizing all of the fluid lines; additionally, a bypass is provided for the pump whereby the system may be drawn off any source of water under pressure, such as a city watermain.

Claims

1. A vehicle washing system comprising a source of water under pressure, at least one discharge nozzle for directing water upon the vehicle being washed, fluid conduit means connecting said source of water to said nozzle, eductor means located in said fluid conduit for mixing treatment fluid with the water in said conduit, a source of treatment fluid, treatment fluid conduit means communicating said source of fluid with said eductor means, and control means for varying the proportion of treatment fluid mixed with the water in said eductor;

said control means comprising a pair of air intakes in communication with said treatment fluid conduit means, and solenoid valve means within each of said air intakes for selectively admitting air to said treatment fluid conduit means and thereby reducing the amount of treatment fluid drawn into said eductor; and

said air intakes being of different diameters, whereby one or both of said air intakes may be selectively put in communication with said treatment fluid conduit means.

2. A vehicle washing system as defined in claim 1, wherein said two of said eductors are provided, said fluid conduit means branching to communicate with each of said eductors and rejoining following said eductors into a single discharge conduit, and said treatment fluid conduit means likewise branching to communicate with each of said eductors.

3. A vehicle washing system as defined in claim 2, wherein two pairs of said air intake means are provided, each of said air intake means comprising a large diameter intake and a small diameter intake, and each of said air intake means communicating with one branch of said treatment fluid conduit means.