Combined grinder and water blaster for stripe removal system

Abstract

A self-propelled mobile marking removal system which comprises a mobile vehicle assembly including a chassis, a high pressure liquid pump in fluid connection with a liquid reservoir contained within said chassis, said high pressure liquid pump is further in fluid connection with a blast head, said blast head having at least one high pressure nozzle for delivering liquid at high pressure to a marked surface, a waste removal hose fluidly coupled with said blast head and a sump for collection of liquid and debris, said blast head positionable along a left or a right side of said chassis, a mechanical abrasion means, said mechanical abrasion means positionable along a left or a right side of said chassis in front of said blast head, said mechanical abrasion means is constructed and arranged to substantially remove marking material protruding above said marked surface and said blast head constructed and arranged to substantially remove any marking material extending below said marked surface. As a result of this arrangement the self-propelled vehicle can travel at speeds up to approximately 25 MPH.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

While the novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, the invention, both as to organization and content, will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in section, of one embodiment of the instant invention with the blast head and abrasion means in the operational position;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the prime mover and the drive line of one embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 illustrating the positions of the blast heads and abrading devices;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention with the blast head and abrading device in their operational positions.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the second transmission of the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a spray or blast head and

FIG. 7 is a top sectional view of a abrading device.

Claims

1. A self-propelled mobile marking removal system comprising: a mobile vehicle assembly including a chassis, a high pressure liquid pump in fluid connection with a liquid reservoir contained within said chassis, said high pressure liquid pump is further in fluid connection with a blast head, said blast head having at least one high pressure nozzle for delivering liquid at high pressure to a marked surface, a waste removal hose fluidly coupled with said blast head and a sump for collection of liquid and debris, said blast head positionable along a left or a right side of said chassis, a mechanical abrasion means, said mechanical abrasion means positionable along a left or a right side of said chassis in front of said blast head, whereby said mechanical abrasion means is constructed and arranged to substantially remove marking material protruding above said marked surface and said blast head constructed and arranged to substantially remove any marking material extending below said marked surface.

2. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 including a debris removal device in fluid connection with said mechanical abrasion means and also further in fluid connection with a container for collection of air and debris, said container in fluid connection with a vacuum pump, said container further including means to separate debris from air.

3. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 wherein liquid is pumped from said reservoir to said to said blast head and exits said at least one high pressure nozzle onto said marked surface thereby substantially removing marking material extending below said marked surface, said liquid and debris being collected by said blast head and transported to said sump, said sump containing a means to separate said liquid from said debris.

4. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 wherein said mechanical abrasion means includes at least one cylindrical grinder, a housing substantially surrounding said at least one cylindrical rotatable grinder, a debris removal hose in fluid connection with said mechanical abrasion means and further in fluid connection with a container for collection of air and debris generated by said mechanical abrasion means.

5. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 4 wherein an outlet from said container being in fluid connection with a vacuum pump and said container further including means to separate debris from air.

6. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 wherein said sump comprises a vacuum chamber, a high power vacuum pump connected to said vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber having a rigid outside wall defining an interior, a wire mesh screen in said interior spaced inwardly of said rigid outside wall and forming an enclosure, said vacuum chamber having an inlet connected to said waste removal hose, said vacuum chamber having an outlet for the liquid, said outlet connected to said liquid reservoir for re-circulation of the liquid, whereby liquid is pumped through a hose from said liquid reservoir and exits said blast head onto said marked surface thereby removing marking material therefrom, said liquid and marking material are transported through said waste removal hose by the vacuum generated in said vacuum chamber, the marking material is separated from said liquid and said liquid is returned to said liquid reservoir.

7. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 6 wherein said liquid reservoir, said high pressure liquid pump, said sump, said vacuum pump, are mounted on a mobile chassis, said mobile chassis forms an integral part of a truck having a bed and a cab, said truck being self-propelled.

8. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 4 wherein said mechanical abrasion means includes two cylindrical grinders mounter parallel to each other, one cylindrical grinder being mounted in front of the other grinder in the direction of travel of the mobile marking removing system.

9. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 8 wherein said front mounted cylindrical grinder is slightly elevated from said marked surface with respect to the other the other grinder and still engaging said markings for removal thereof.

10. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 further including a second blast head mounted rearwardly of said blast head, said second blast head having at least one high pressure nozzle for delivering liquid from said high pressure liquid pump onto a marked surface, a second water removal hose fluidly coupled with said second blast head and fluidly coupled at the other end thereof with said sump for the collection of liquid and debris.

11. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 wherein said blast head is attached to a wheeled chassis to maintain said blast head at a constant distance from said marked surface as said blast head is maneuvered over various terrains.

12. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 10 wherein said blast head and said second blast head are attached to a wheeled chassis to maintain said blast heads at a constant distance from said marked surface as said blast head is maneuvered over various terrains.

13. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 4 wherein said mechanical abrasion means includes means to position said at least one cylindrical grinder a constant distance from said marked surface as said mechanical abrasion means is maneuvered over various terrains.

14. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 13 wherein said means to position said at least one cylindrical grinder comprises a rub strip connected to said housing.

15. The self-propelled marking removal system of claim 13 wherein said means to position said at least one cylindrical grinder comprises a wheeled chassis attached to said housing.

16. The self-propelled marking removal system of claim 4 including hydraulically actuated means to rotate said at least one cylindrical grinder, said hydraulically actuated means being in fluid connection with a hydraulic pump.

17. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 16 including a debris removal device in fluid connection with said mechanical abrasion means and also further in fluid connection with a container for collection of air and debris, said container in fluid connection with a vacuum pump, said container further including means to separate debris from air.

18. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 17 wherein said hydraulic pump and said vacuum pump are driven off the same side of a transmission.

19. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 18 wherein said high pressure liquid pump is driven off the opposite side of said transmission.

20. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 1 wherein said mechanical abrasion means and said blast head are mounted on both sides of said chassis.

21. The self-propelled mobile marking removal system of claim 10 wherein said mechanical abrasion means, said blast head and said second blast head are mounted on both sides of said chassis.