Patent Application
20140041691
Traffic barriers, such as concrete traffic barriers, are commonly located along roads and highways to separate lanes of traffic. In many applications, such barriers are permanently constructed or are placed into long-term service. Over time, traffic activity can cause concrete barriers to become heavily saturated and coated with contaminants that can cause the concrete to deteriorate. In order to prevent deterioration, concrete barriers can be cleaned, such as by pressure washing with a sprayer wand. However, many cleaning processes utilized to date are time consuming and often cause long disruptions in traffic flow and a corresponding increase in risk exposure for cleaning personnel. Improvements are desired.
A mobile washing apparatus is disclosed. The mobile washing apparatus can have a mobile chassis including a plurality of wheels to easily move the mobile chassis along a floor or ground. The mobile chassis may have a first spray head assembly that can include a first spray head with a top plate and a side skirt that together define an interior space. The first spray head can also include a first rotating sprayer wand located within the interior space of the first spray head. A first adjustable support structure can be used to support the first spray head assembly from the mobile chassis. The first adjustable support structure may be configured such that the first spray head assembly is positionable in a horizontal direction and positionable in a vertical direction. Additional spray head assemblies and adjustable support structures are also disclosed.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the appended claims.
A mobile washing apparatus 100 is presented for cleaning contaminated surfaces. The surfaces to be cleaned may include walls, buildings, angular surfaces, and the like. One type of surface to be cleaned is a roadway barrier 200. Roadway barriers 200 can include a variety of types, including, but not limited to, Jersey barriers, constant slope barriers, step barriers, and F-shape barriers. The roadway barriers 200 may be painted or non-painted. Roadway barriers 200 can be made of different material. One popular material used to make roadway barriers 200 is concrete. Although a concrete barrier is shown as an example of a roadway barrier 200 to describe a mobile washing apparatus 100 in accordance with the principles of the disclosure, it is understood that other materials and material combinations, such as plastic barriers filled with water, can be used.
Referring now to
As shown, the mobile washing apparatus 100 has three spray head assemblies. It is to be understood that fewer or more spray head assemblies may be used without departing from the principles disclosed herein. As shown, the mobile washing apparatus 100 has three adjustable support structures, each of which supports a spray head assembly from the mobile chassis 10. The adjustable support structures may be arranged and configured to position the spray head assemblies in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. In one embodiment, the adjustable support structures include a vertical directing mechanism and a horizontal directing mechanism. The mobile washing apparatus 100 is described in more detail below.
In one aspect, a first spray head assembly 14 can be mounted to the mobile chassis 10. The first spray head assembly 14 may include a first spray head 16a and a second spray head 16b configured adjacent to each other and supported by a first rotatable bar 6. Although two spray heads are shown, the configuration may have more or less spray heads. The first and second spray heads 16a, 16b can each include a top plate 17a, b, and a side skirt 19a, b that together define an interior space, which may help to keep the spray contained and directed towards the surface to be cleaned. The first and second spray heads 16a, 16b can each include first and second rotating sprayer wands 18a, b within the interior space of the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b, as shown in
Referring again to
The first adjustable support structure 7 may also be configured such that the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b are independently adjustable in a horizontal direction and/or a vertical direction. A configuration in which independent horizontal adjustment of the spray heads using inner and outer rods is provided is presented at
The first support structure can also be configured to allow for the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b to have independently adjustable face angles. In one embodiment, the first and second inner rods 506, 508 supporting the spray heads 16a, 16b can be mounted to a first and second pivot connection 510, 512, respectively. The pivot connections 510, 512 allow for the spray heads 16a, 16b to be rotatable with respect to the inner rods 506, 508. Many configurations of pivot connections are possible. In the embodiment shown, the first and second pivot connections 510, 512 can include a first and second frame 514, 516, that may be mounted on the first and second inner rods 506, 508, and a first and second bracket 518, 520, that can be mounted on a side of the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b. The first and second frames 514, 516 and the first and second brackets 518, 520 may each define slot openings 522, 523, 524 and 525. As shown, the slot openings 522, 523, 524 and 525 are on both sides of each of the first and second frames 514, 516 and the first and second brackets 518, 520. However, it is possible to provide only a single slot opening in either the frames 514, 516 or the brackets 518, 520 while still providing for a pivoting function. As shown, the first and second brackets 518, 520 are configured to be positioned over the first and second frames 514, 516 and connected at the slot openings 522, 523, 524 and 525 using a fastener, such as set screw 26. As shown, the first and second brackets 518, 520 and the first and second frames 514, 516 are U-shaped and are connected together such that the brackets 518, 520 extend over the frames 514, 516. The arrangement and shape of the brackets 518, 520 and frames 514, 516 can vary according to principles of the disclosure.
The position of the face angle can be fixed in a desired position by fasteners, such as set screws 26, by securing the first and second brackets 518, 520 to the first and second frames 514, 516. As shown, the first and second brackets 518, 520 can be attached to the first and second frames 514, 516 and positioned along the overlapping slot openings 522, 523, 524 and 525. The first and second pivot connections 510, 512 can each pivot about a pivot point thereby providing for an adjustable spray head face angle. In one embodiment, a pivot point is provided by a fixed set screw 527, 529 in the first and second pivot connections 510, 512. As shown, the fixed set screws 527, 529 connect the first and second brackets 518, 520 to the first and second frames 514, 516. In one embodiment, the face angle of the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b, as determined by the placement and length of the slot openings, can have an adjustable range between a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position. In one embodiment, and as shown, the face angle of the spray heads 16a, 16b is adjustable from about vertical to about a 45 degree angle with respect to the ground. Accordingly, the face angle of one (or both) of the spray heads 16a, 16b can be adjusted to face a bottom pitch of a roadway barrier 200 while the other spray head can be adjusted to face the main portion of the roadway barrier 200, or other surface. Because the face angle adjustment of each spray head is independent of the other, the washing apparatus can be configured to simultaneously clean surfaces having compound angles, such as the bottom pitch and the main surface of a roadway barrier.
The first horizontal directing mechanism 20 may include a first horizontal adjustment sleeve 22 and a first horizontal support rod 24. The first horizontal support rod 24 can be arranged and configured to slide in and out of the first horizontal adjustment sleeve 22 and rotate therein to position the first spray head assembly 14 as desired. The first vertical directing mechanism 28 may include a first vertical adjustment sleeve 30 and a first vertical support rod 32. The first vertical support rod 32 can be arranged and configured to slide in and out of the first vertical adjustment sleeve 30 and rotate therein to position the first spray head assembly 14 as desired. It is to be understood that the first vertical and first horizontal directing mechanisms 20, 28 can be configured in a variety of ways without departing from the concepts presented herein. The first adjustable support structure 7 enables the first spray head assembly 14 to be positioned as desired along a surface to be cleaned, i.e. a facing side of the roadway barrier 200.
In another aspect, the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b may define a face angle such that the first adjustable support structure 7 can be configured to adjust the face angle of the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b relative to a surface to be cleaned, i.e. roadway barrier 200. The first adjustable support structure 7 can also be configured to position the first spray head assembly 14 in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. In rotating the first rotatable bar 6, the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b may be configured substantially vertical to one another, substantially horizontal to one another, or at an angle relative to one another. The position of the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b can be configured such that the surface to be cleaned is contacted by both spray heads 16a, 16b in an overlapping arrangement. This configuration allows the spray heads 16a, 16b to be adjusted to have a cleaning height that matches the height of the barrier 200 such that cleaning can be accomplished in a single pass. Additionally, where contamination is especially heavy, the arrangement allows for each spray head 16a, 16b to be arranged such that the contaminated surface cleaned twice in a single pass of the washing apparatus 100, such as would be the case when the spray heads 16a, 16b are placed in a horizontal orientation.
The positions of the first horizontal directing mechanism 20 and the first vertical directing mechanism 28 can be fixed by a fastener, such as, but not limited to, a set screw 26. As shown, two set screws 26 are used, but any number can be included. It is understood that other fasteners may be used, for example, a threaded fastener, a thumbscrew, a pin, a bolt, a dowel, a latch, a collet and the like.
In another aspect, the first adjustable support structure may further include a lift arm 4, as shown in
In another aspect, a second spray head assembly 34 can be mounted to the mobile chassis 10. The second spray head assembly 34 may include a third spray head 36a and a fourth spray head 36b configured adjacent to each other and supported by a second rotatable bar 8. Although two spray heads are shown, any number of spray heads can be used according to the principles disclosed. The third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b can each include a top plate 17c, d and a side skirt 19c, d that together define an interior space, which may help to keep the spray contained. The third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b can each include third and fourth second rotating sprayer wands 18c, d located within the interior space of the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b, as shown in
A second adjustable support structure 9 can be used to support the second spray head assembly 34 from the mobile chassis 10. The second adjustable support structure 9 may include a second horizontal directing mechanism 38 and a second vertical directing mechanism 44. As shown, the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b can be positioned as desired using the second horizontal directing mechanism 38 of the second adjustable support structure 9 and the second vertical directing mechanism 44 of the second adjustable support structure 9.
The second support structure 9 may also be provided with a pivot mechanism and independent horizontal and/or vertical positioning of the spray heads 36a, 36b similar to those described for the first adjustable support structure 7. Accordingly, many of the concepts and features for the second support structure 9 are similar to the first adjustable support structure 7 shown in
The second horizontal directing mechanism 38 may include a second horizontal adjustment sleeve 40 and a second horizontal support rod 42. The second horizontal support rod 42 can be arranged and configured to slide in and out of the second horizontal adjustment sleeve 40 and rotate therein to position the second spray head assembly 34 as desired. The second vertical directing mechanism 44 may include a second vertical adjustment sleeve 46 and a second vertical support rod 48. The vertical support rod 48 may define a vertical adjustment slot 80 therein to receive the second vertical adjustment sleeve 46. The second vertical adjustment sleeve 46 can be arranged and configured to slide up and down within the vertical adjustment slot 80 of the second vertical support rod 48 to position the second spray head assembly 34 as desired. Other mechanism can be used to move the spray heads 36a, 36b according to the principles disclosed. The second spray head assembly 34 can be arranged and configured opposite the first spray head assembly 14 to face a surface to be cleaned opposite therefrom, i.e. roadway barrier 200.
In another aspect, the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b may define a face angle such that the second adjustable support structure 9 can be configured to adjust the face angle of the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b relative to a surface to be cleaned, i.e. roadway barrier 200. The second adjustable support structure 9 can be configured to position the second spray head assembly 34 in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. In rotating the second rotatable bar 8, the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b may be configured substantially vertical to one another, substantially horizontal to one another, or at an angle relative to one another. The position of the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b can be configured such that the surface to be cleaned is contacted by both spray heads 36a, 36b in an overlapping arrangement.
The positions of the second horizontal directing mechanism 38 and the second vertical directing mechanism 44 can be fixed by a fastener, such as, but not limited to, a set screw 26. As shown, two set screws 26 are used, but any number may be included. Other fastening devices and arrangements can be used in accordance with the principles disclosed.
Referring to
A third adjustable support structure 55 can be used to support the fifth spray head assembly 50 from the chassis 10. The third adjustable support structure 55 may include a third horizontal directing mechanism 54 and a third vertical directing mechanism 60. As shown, the fifth spray head 52 can be positioned as desired using the third horizontal directing mechanism 54 of the third adjustable support structure 55 and the third vertical directing mechanism 60 of the third adjustable support structure 55. The third adjustable support structure 55 may also be configured similarly to the first and second support structure 7, 9 such that the fifth spray head 52 is pivotable like the first, second, third or fourth spray heads. Accordingly, the features of the pivoting mechanism described above for the first support structure 7 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety to the third adjustable support structure 55.
The third horizontal directing mechanism 54 may include a third horizontal adjustment sleeve 56 and a third horizontal support rod 58. The third horizontal support rod 58 can be arranged and configured to slide in and out of the third horizontal adjustment sleeve 56 to position the third spray head assembly 50 as desired. The third vertical directing mechanism 60 may include a third vertical adjustment sleeve 62 and a third vertical support rod 64. The third vertical support rod 64 can be arranged and configured to slide in and out of the third vertical adjustment sleeve 62 to position the third spray head assembly 50 as desired. Other mechanism can be used to move the fifth spray head 52 according to the principles disclosed.
In one aspect, the fifth spray head 52 may define a face angle such that the third adjustable support structure 55 can be configured to adjust the face angle of the firth spray head 52 relative to a surface to be cleaned, i.e. roadway barrier 200. The third adjustable support structure 55 can be configured to position the third spray head assembly 50 in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. The positions of the third horizontal directing mechanism 54 and the third vertical directing mechanism 60 can be fixed by a fastener, such as, but not limited to, a set screw 26. As shown, two set screws 26 are used, but any number may be included. Other fastening devices and arrangements can be used in accordance with the principles disclosed.
In another aspect, guide wheels 88 can be mounted on the mobile chassis 10 and configured to ensure consistent clearance between the first and second spray heads 16a, 16b and a surface to cleaned, i.e. roadway barrier 200 and the third and fourth spray heads 36a, 36b and a surface to be cleaned, i.e. roadway barrier 200. The clearance between the spray heads and the surface to be cleaned is about 1-2 inches due to the guide wheels. It is to be understood that the clearance can vary according to the principles of the disclosure. As shown, there are two guide wheels 88 mounted to the chassis 10, although more or fewer wheels 88 could be used. The guide wheels 88 can be oriented horizontally to contact a wall or surface to be cleaned. The guide wheels 88 can also provide proper tracking along a surface to be cleaned to keep the mobile washing apparatus 100 aligned while in motion. The third spray head assembly 50 can be arranged and configured to clean a top surface to be cleaned, i.e. top of the roadway barrier 200.
Referring now to
Referring now to
As shown, the wheel assembly 602 includes three fasteners 610 in the form of two front bolts 610a and one rear bolt 610b, which can be used to mount the wheel assembly 602 to the chassis 10. Other fastener arrangements are possible. In one example, the two front bolts 610a connecting the wheel assembly 602 to the chassis 10 can be positioned in either radial slots or enlarged holes in order to adjust a steering angle θ (shown in
It is to be understood that the steering angle θ can vary according to the principles disclosed. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the angle adjustment is adjustable such that the mobile chassis 10 may be placed on either side of a surface to be cleaned while still obtaining a toe-in configuration. This feature is beneficial because the mobile washing apparatus 100 may be placed and operated on either side of a roadway barrier or other surface to be cleaned. All the wheels 12 can be positioned to have the same steering angle θ or alternatively all the wheels 12 can have different steering angles θ. For example, each of the wheels 12 are preferably adjusted to have a toe-in steering angle of about 1½-2 degrees such that the wheels guide the chassis 10 towards the surface to be cleaned when moving the chassis 10 in the cleaning direction. Once the desired steering angle θ is obtained, the two front bolts 610a can be securely fastened to the chassis 10 and the adjustment screw members 604a, 604b can be likewise tightened.
The mobile chassis 10 can be pushed or pulled manually or by a vehicle, or the mobile chassis 10 can be self-propelled through the use of a drive system 400. The drive system 400 can be an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or an engine. As shown, drive system 400 is a hydraulic motor powered by the pressurized water source that powers the spray heads. The mobile chassis 10 can also be attached to a vehicle 300, such as, but not limited to, a water tank truck, by the hitch 78 to have supply of pressurized water delivered to the mobile washing apparatus 100. The pressurized water delivered can be delivered at about 0-50 gallons per minute and can have a pressure of about 0-40,000 PSI. The mobile chassis 10 can also be attached to a vehicle 300 configured to pull the mobile washing apparatus 100 by the pressurized water hose 84.
The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the claims attached hereto. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure.
