US1611874A - Vehicle washer - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28 1926.

` 1,611,874 F. w. BECKER VEHICLE WASHER Filed April 16. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M ATTORNEYS Dec. 28 1926. 1,611,874

F. w. BECKER VEHICLE WASHER Filed April 16. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3d ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK W. BECKER, 0F EAST RUTHERFOYRD, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE WASHER.

Application led April 16, 1926. Serial No. 102,390.

My invention relates to an apparatus for washing or cleaning painted, varnished, enameled or lacquered surfaces, and while it is particularly designed for use in garages for the purpose of washing or cleaning automobiles, it is also adaptetd for pr1vat e use, and upon various vehicles, or 1n actor1es.

The object of my invent1on 1s to rovlde a device that may be convenlently eld 1n the hands of a workman and manipulated by him in cleaning and polishing automobiles or other vehicles or articles, and consists essentially in the combination of a water su ply pipe, a tank for holding cleaning iul s, tubular connections between the water supply pipe and said tank, a tubular casing communicating with the water supply pipe, a hollow7 shaft with spaced openings therein supported within said casing and jointedly connected at one end with the shaft of an electric motor by which it is rotated, and at its other end provided with a removable block or head to which is attached a brush or mop, the water and cleaning fluid being supplied to the brush through perforations in said head, in such quantit as may be desired, by the opening and c osing of valves arranged in the water supply plpe and tubular connections between the same and the fluid tank and casing.

The details of construction and operation are hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 illustrates my improved apparatus in elevation, the fluid tank being partly broken away, showing a portion of the brush carrying shaft and its tubular casing in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. L

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the broken line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the connection between the motor shaft and the brushcarryin shaft, and

Fi 8 is a view of a mo or polisher which may e substituted for t e brush.

Similar reference numerals denote like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates an electric motor, from the housingr of which extends a member 11 forming a hand grip 12. A feed water pipe 13, extends longitudinally of the motor and adajcent thereto.

Spaced clamping rings or bands 14 and 15, secured by solder or in any suitable manner to the pipe 13, encircle the motor casing, and are clamped tightly thereto by bolts 16 and 17 which pass throughholes in right angle lugs 18 and 19 formed at the free ends of the bands, there being tightening nuts 2O screwed upon the threaded ends of the bolts.

2l denotes a tank for holding a cleaning substance, such as liquid soap or soap powder. The tank is provided with an opening for the entrance of the cleaning substance,

which openinfr is closed by a plug 22 after the tank has lloeen supplied with such substance. The tank is connected to the pipe 13 by means of an arm 23, which is secured to both by solder or any other suitable means. The tank is further supported by means of a brace rod 24, one end of which is soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom of the tank and extends therefrom between the lugs 18 and 19, on the bands 14 and 15, there being holes in said brace rod through which the bolts 16 and 17 pass. It will thus be seen that the motor, feed water pipe and tank are supported and Secured in their proper relative pisitions.

25 indicates a tubular casing extending parallel with the feed water pipe 13, and adjacent the tank 21, the upper end of the feed water pipe being bent towards said casing and communicating therewith, so that water is admitted into the casing at that point, the su ply being re ulated by the valve 26, provi ed in the fee 'water pipe.

A hollow shaft 27 provided with a plurality of spacedopenings 28, is arranged centrally within the tubular casing 25, its lower end passing through an opening in the bottom of the casing and through a stulfing box 29 and locking nut 30, its extreme lower end being connected with the end of the motor shaft 31 by means of which the hollow shaft is continuously rotated while the motor is running.

In order to provide for any variation in the axial alignment of the shafts '27 and 31, I provide a transverse slot 32 in the end of the shaft 27 and a recess 33 back of the slot 35 substituted such as illustrated in into which recess the extreme end of the shaft 27 is enlarged cxteriorly, and provided with an annular flange 37, beyond which it is threaded on the exterior.

38 denotes a block of suitable material, preferably-wood and cone shaped, and provided with spaced transverse openings 39. This block is also provided with a central longitudinal bore 40 of predetermined diameter, into which is inserted a tube 41, corresponding in diameter with the shaft 2T. A nut 42 havinga central opening registering with the opening in the bottom of the tube 41 and the opening in the top of the shaft 27, and secured to the bottom of the block 38 in any suitable manner, is screwed over the enlarged upper end of the shaft 27, a stutiing box 43 being employed at the connection.

The tube 41 is provided with spaced openings 44 registering with the openings 39 in the block 38.

A cap or casing 45, of suitable material, preferably of metal is fitted over the block 38, and secured thereto by screws 46, or in any other suitable manner. rlhis cap'is also provided withspaced openings 47 in register with the openings 39 in the block. The outer surface 'of the cap 45 is covered with projecting bristles 48, secured to it by any suitable means. This construction provides a brush which is continuously rotated by the shaft 27 while the motor 10 is in operation.

While I prefer to form this brush of conical shape, it will be understood that the shape may be varied, and that when desired it may be detached by unscrewing the nut 42 from the shaft 27 and a mop or pplisher When the valve 26, in the feed water pipe 13, is open, the water will f iow from the feed pipe into the tubular casing 25, and from thereinto the hollow shaft 27,`through the openings 28 therein and will be forced by pressure through the opening in the nut 42 into the tube 41 and out through the openings 44, 39, 47 into the bristles 48.

A ipe 49 connected with the feed water pipe 13 below the valve 26 extends to the top of the tank 21, and communicates therewith. A valve 50 is provided in this pipe 49, and when this valve 50 is open, the water will also ow from the feed pipe through the pipe 49 into the tank 21 andmix with the 1quid soap, soap powder or other similar material. 58 and the pressure of waterwill force this cleaning substance into the pipe 51 also'connected with the tank and feed water pipe, and will pass into the casing 25, and into the hollow shaft 27 through the openings therein, and be carried to the brush bristles 48 by the pressure of water from the feed pipe.

When water alone is desired to be made use of in washing a vehicle or other articles, the valve 50 will be closed, and the valve 26 ppened, but when it is desired to mix the cleaning substance with the water both valves will be open at the same time. Both of these valves are hand operated and can be opened or closed intermittently for regulating both the supply and mixture These valves may e of any suitable construction. I have however, shown'them as' operated by levers 52 and 53 and may also employ swinging yokes 54 and 55, by which the valves 26 and 50, or either of themV may be held open for any desired period of time, by swinging such yokes into the detents 56 or 57 in the levers 52 and 53 after such levers have been depressed. A cock 59 is provided in the pipe 51 which remains closed when water only is being used for washing purposes.

Where a surface to be cleaned is stained or discolored, it may be advantageous to employ-a cleaning liquid stronger than the soapy substance ordinarily made use of, and in such cases the soapy substance is removed from the tank 21, and kerosene, or other suitable Acleaning liquid substituted, in which case, all the-valves are closed, and the cock 59 opened, the cleaning fiuid being forced from the tank through the pipe 51,.into the tubular casing 25, hollow shaft and to the brush through the communicating openings, by means of a hand operated air pump 6() shown in Fig-1.

The free end of the feed Water pipe 13 is connected in any suitable manner such as by a coupling nut 61 with a hose 62 leading from the source of water supply.

63 indicates a switch for operating the motor l0.

The cable 64 carrying the conductor wires leading from the motor is preferably held in close proximity to the hose 62 by means `of a band or ring 65.

I claim as my invention: 1. A vehicle washer comprising a Water su ply pipe, a tank for holding a detergent,

tu ular connections between the water supply pipe and said tank, a tubular casing communicating with the Water supply pipe, another pipe connected to said casing and extending therefrom to and in communication with said tank, a hollow shaft with s aced openings therein arranged within sai casing, means for rotating said hollow shaft, and a brush removably attached to the free end of said shaft.

,2. A vehicle washer comprising a water supply pipe, a tank for holding a detergent, tubular connections between the water supply pipe and said tank, a tubular casing communicating with the water supply pipe, another pipe connected to said casing and extending therefrom to and in communication with said tank, a hollow shaft provided with spaced openings arranged centrally within said casing, means for rotating said shaft, a brush removably attached to the free end of said shaft, and means for regulating the supply of water and detergent to the brush.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising an electric motor, means for supporting the same, a shaft extending from t.. e motor and rotated thereby, a hollow rotative shaft provided with spaced openings, one end of said shaft being jointedly connected to the motor shaft, a brush detachably con- F nected to the other end of said hollow shaft,

a tubular casing in which said hollow shaft iscentrally supported, a feed Water pipe communicating with-said casing, a tank for holding a detergent, a pipe connected to said tank and extending therefrom to and communicating with said casing, and tubular connections between said tank and feed water pipe.

f 4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a hollow shaft providedV with spaced openings, a brush detachably connected to one end of said shaft and consisting of a block provided with spaced openings, a central longitudinal tube within said block rovided with openings registering with die openings in the block with bristles covering said block, means for rotating said shaft, a tubular casing for said shaft, a feed water pipe communicating with said casing, a tank for holding a detergent, a pipe connected to said tank and extending therefrom to and communicating with said casing, and tubular connections between said tank and feed water pipe.

5. A vehicle washer comprising a hollow shaft provided with a plurality of spaced openings, a tubular casing for the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a brush detachably secured to one end of the shaft, a feed water pipe communicating with said casing, a hand operated valve in said pipe, a tank for holding a cleaning substance, means for supporting the tank in predetermined relation to the feed water pipe, a water pipe connected with the feed water pipe, and extending therefrom to and in communication with said tank, a hand opei-,

ated valve in said water pipe, another pipe connected at one end to the top of said tank and extending therefrom in an inclined position to and in communication with said tubular casing, and a cock in said inclined pipe.

6. A vehicle washer comprising a hollow shaft provided with spaced openings, a brush detachably connected to one end of said shaft and -consisting of a block provided with spaced openings, a central longitudinal tube within said block also provided with openings registering with said openings in the block, and a cap covering said block with openings registering with the openings therein and provided with bristles on its exterior, an electric motor, a shaft extending therefrom and rotated thereby, to which the other end ofsaid hollow shaft is connected, means for supporting the motor, a tubular casing in which said hollow shaft is centrally supported, and a feed water pipe communicatmg with said casin Signed b me this 2 day of April, 1926.

' iREDERICK W. BECKER.

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