Rollover Car Wash for Large Vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle washer of the rollover type especially suitable for washing large vehicles such as buses and trucks. The washer includes an overhead carriage moving along an overhead guide rail structure and including opposed L-shaped spray arms adapted to wash top and side surfaces of the vehicle as the carriage moves along the guide rail and move in butterfly fashion as the carriage reaches a respective end of the vehicle whereby to wash that end of the vehicle. A recirculating arrangement insures that the hot water arriving at the carriage from the equipment room is at a predetermined hot temperature; a flexible carrier folds and unfolds in a trough along the rail structure and threadably receives the various supply conduits to provide effective transport of the required wash elements to the carriage; a compound bearing structure on the carriage efficiently journals the pivotal ends of the very large and heavy spray arms required to process large vehicles; a unique splicing arrangement allows the provision of a long guide rail structure having an uninterrupted upper surface to allow smooth carriage movements; and a customized windshield washer assembly on the carriage allows effective washing of even the recessed windshields of large vehicles having long hoods.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . A frame structure for supporting a carriage for reciprocal movement over a vehicle wash area, the frame structure comprising:
 a plurality of gantries positioned at longitudinally spaced locations over the vehicle wash area and each including vertical members upstanding from a floor surface and an upper cross member interconnecting upper ends of the vertical members; and   a pair of parallel carriage guide rails mounted on the gantries in a position passing beneath the upper cross member of one of the gantries by a distance sufficient to allow a carriage moving along the guide rails to pass beneath the upper cross member of the one gantry.   
   
   
       7 . A frame structure according to  claim 6  wherein the guide rails are mounted on the one gantry by a pair of connector frame members each including a horizontal leg extending inboard for connection to a respective one of the guide rails. 
   
   
       8 . A frame structure according to  claim 7  wherein:
 each connector frame member has an L-configuration and further includes a vertical leg connected to and extending downwardly from the upper cross member of the one gantry; and   the vertical leg of each connector frame member is mounted on the upper cross member for laterally adjustable movement.   
   
   
       9 . A frame structure according to  claim 7  wherein:
 each guide rail includes a first longitudinal section and a second longitudinal section having an end butted against an end of the first section to form a splice joint; and   the horizontal leg of each connector frame member is connected to the respective guide rail at the splice joint.   
   
   
       10 . A frame structure according to  claim 9  wherein:
 each guide rail has a hollow aspect;   the inboard end of each horizontal leg is butted against an outboard face of the respective guide rail proximate the splice joint;   coacting wedge members are positioned in the hollow aspect of each guide rail proximate the splice joint; and   the coacting wedge members are relatively moveable by rotation of a threaded fastener member carried by the inboard end of the horizontal leg of the respective connector frame member.   
   
   
       11 . A frame structure according to  claim 10  wherein:
 each wedge member is elongated and includes a first portion positioned in the first longitudinal section of the respective guide rail and a second portion positioned in die second longitudinal section of the respective guide rail.   
   
   
       12 . A frame structure according to  claim 11  wherein:
 there are three wedge members positioned in each guide rail including an upper member positioned against an upper face of the respective guide rail, a lower member positioned against the lower face of the respective guide rail, and a central member positioned between the upper and lower members and having upper and lower wedge faces wedgingly coacting respectively with a lower wedge face of the upper member and an upper wedge face of the lower member.   
   
   
       13 . A frame structure comprising:
 a rail having a First longitudinal section and a second longitudinal section having an end butted against an end of the first section to form a splice joint, the rail sections having a hollow aspect, to define a hollow aspect extending along the rail through the splice joint;   a frame member butted against the rail at the splice joint;   coacting wedge members positioned in the hollow aspect of the rail at the splice joint; and   a threaded fastener member carried by the frame member and operative in response to rotation of the fastener member to relatively move the wedge members into wedging engagement with the rail.   
   
   
       14 . A frame structure according to  claim 13  wherein each wedge member is elongated and includes a first portion positioned in the first longitudinal section of the guide rail and a second portion positioned in the second longitudinal section of the guide rail. 
   
   
       15 . A frame structure according to  claim 14  wherein:
 there are three wedge members positioned in the guide rail including an upper member positioned against an upper face of the guide rail, a lower member positioned against a lower face of the guide rail, and a central member positioned between the upper and lower members and having upper and lower wedge faces wedgingly coacting respectively with a lower wedge face of the upper member and an upper wedge face of the lower member.   
   
   
       16 - 24 . (canceled)