Paul Elwin Northcutt

US Patent:

43833446, May 17, 1983

Filed:

May 7, 1981

Appl. No.:

6/261481

Inventors:

Charles R. Scraggs - College Park GA
Paul E. Northcutt - Smyrna GA

International Classification:

B60S 306

US Classification:

15 53A

Abstract:

A vehicle rear vertical surface washing system comprising a horizontally movable carriage positionable within a frame adjacent the rear vertical surface of a vehicle and a vertically movable carriage which carries a rotary brush that washes and sweeps the rear vertical surface of the vehicle. Limit switches provide control signals to sequential logic implemented by relays and initiate the forward motion of the horizontal carriage toward the rear vertical surface of the vehicle at an appropriate point in the washing cycle. The light beam of an electric eye is broken when the carriage has moved adjacent the vertical surface, and provides a signal to halt the forward motion of the carriage. The rotary brush assembly mounted on the vertical carriage then travels downwardly washing and sweeping the vertical surface, and then reverses its direction and travels upwardly while rinsing and sweeping the vertical surface. The apparatus thus is independent of the length of the vehicle and the position of the vehicle within the frame, provided that the rear vertical surface has stopped within the limits of movement of the horizontal carriage.