Expandable guide rail for an automatic car wash conveyor
US4981151A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 26, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jan 1, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 26, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60S3/004
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A guide rail apparatus to be used within an automatic car wash including two parallel rails for directing the travel of the car tires along the conveyor within the car wash. The gap between the rails is expandable for accepting a range of wide and narrow tires as found on various cars. At least one of the two rails includes a series of rigid tubular rail portions which are attached to a biasing apparatus. The biasing apparatus may include a pivot which is supported with respect to a fixed surface by an elastomer material. The portions of the pivoting rail are connected by a flexible member so as to form a continuous rail length and to permit pivoting of one portion of the rail while an adjacent portion along the length remains in its normal inwardly biased position. The biasing apparatus may also include a projecting rod that pivotally supports the ends of the tubular rail positions. The inward bias of the rail of the present invention towards the gap positions a relatively smaller tire in contact with the pusher roller portion of the car wash conveyor and prevents the tire from turning sideways and running out of the conveyor track.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.