TRANSLATABLE SUCTION CLEANING VEHICLE

• US 3,753,265 A
• Filed: 09/10/1971
• Issued: 08/21/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley S. Wulc
• Original Assignee: Stanley S. Wulc
• Inventors: Wulc, Stanley S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/179,515
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 15/1.7,319
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

Abstract

An improved translatable suction cleaning vehicle which is adapted to moveably interface with a bottom surface of a pool and remove extraneous particulates therefrom. The improved cleaner incorporates suction inlet mechanisms, driving and sensing means for cooperation with logic and control mechanisms within a control box located external to and substantially displaced from the main body of the cleaner vehicle. An improvement to the cleaning vehicle provides for a plurality of mercury switches to act as the sensing means. When an obstacle is struck, the mercury switches are inclined and actuate the remotely positioned logic and control mechanisms. A further improvement to the vehicle provides for a driving mechanism which is manually controlled by an operator wherein the appropriate logic circuitry is removed from the logic and control mechanism.

Claims

1. A translatable suction cleaning vehicle adapted to movably interface with a bottom surface of a tank, comprising:

a. a base having an openable cover forming a vehicle chamber therebetween, said base having a suction opening passing therethrough;

b. a plurality of obstacle contact sensing means movably secured to said base, said plurality of obstacle contact sensing means passing an electrical signal to said logic and control means when said sensing means is predeterminedly inclined to a vertical axis passing normal said bottom surface of said tank;

c. a plurality of independent drive means secured to said base;

d. liquid intake means being removable from said suction cleaning vehicle, said liquid intake means positionally located within said base cover forming a continuous particle path from said suction opening to an outlet in said base cover; and

, e. logic and control means for controlling translation of said cleaning vehicle in response to signals from said contact sensing means.

2. The suction cleaning vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said obstacle sensing means includes:

a. a pair of electrodes being positive and negative respectively, said electrodes electrically connected to said logic and control means; and

, b. an electrically conducting medium for forming an electrically conducting path between said positive and negative electrodes when said obstacle sensing means is inclined at a predetermined angle to said vertical axis.

3. The suction cleaning vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said obstacle contact sensing means comprises a plurality of mercury switches, said mercury switches being inclinable when contacting obstacles in said tank.

4. The suction vehicle as recited in claim 3 wherein said mercury switches are operationally conductive between the inclinable vertical angles of 5* and 45* with respect to said vertical axis passing normal said bottom surface of said tank.

5. The suction vehicle as recited in claim 4 wherein each of said mercury switches includes a weighted member rigidly secured to a bottom portion of each of said switches, said weighted members for maintaining said switches in a predetermined position during said vehicle translation before contacting a Next obstacle.

6. The suction vehicle as recited in claim 5 wherein said weighted members are spheroid in shape, said weighted members extending in a forward direction with respect to said vehicle movement direction for providing an impact bumper for said mercury switches.

7. The suction vehicle as recited in claim 6 wherein said mercury switches are flexibly mounted to said base and base cover for providing freedom of movement of said mercury switches.

8. The suction vehicle as recited in claim 7 wherein said flexible mounting is a pendulum suspension of said mercury switches with respect said base and base cover.