US3168247A - Pressure washing devices - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1965 Filed Sept. 24, 1962 H. F. SCHILD PRESSURE WASHING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HELMUTH FRED SCHIL D United States Patent 3,168,247 PRESSURE WASHING DEVICES Helmuth Fred Schild, Milwaukee, Wis. (2305 Sandy Beach Road, Fond du Lac, Wis.) Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,768 1 Claim. (Cl. 239127) My invention relates to pressurized washing systems for industrial equipment and the like. 1 t

It is manifest to anyone familiar with industrial equipment such as heating, cooling and air conditioning coils and cores, squirrel-cage fans and housings, refrigerator units and coils, as well as machine tools, that it cannot be readily dismantled or removed for cleaning. Itis the prime purpose of this invention to provide a simple means of cleaning these units while in their permanent location, while protecting adjacent equipment from the cleansing mediums employed.

A related purpose of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will permit industrial equipment to be cleaned under pressure, and while using cleansing chemicals and rinse water with the same spray nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to make the entire system portable for ease in transportation to any desired cleaning location.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pressurized system for a single cleaning nozzle together with valve equipment that permits manual flow control of both the cleaning medium and the rinsing water through the same nozzle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning system with a single pump for both a cleaning solution and rinse water without the danger of the cleansing liquid being backed up into the water supply.

Other and further objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, when taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device in use in combination with a protective funnel;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective outer view of the pump and valve assembly enclosure supporting a reservoir for the chemical solution, the entire unit being mounted onto a dolly for mobility and ease of transportation;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the assembled unit shown in FIGURE 2 and particularly illustrating the control panel; and

FIGURE 4 is a topview of the pump and valve arrangement disposed within the enclosure.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring specifically now to the same, the character designates an enclosure housing the actuating equipment. Enclosure 10 is on a wheeled dolly 11 to provide mobility so that the unit may be moved to any convenient location. A reservoir 12 is removably mounted onto the top of the enclosure 10, which reservoir acts as a tank or storage means for the liquid chemical employed in the cleaning operation. One side 10a of the enclosure 10 serves to support certain elements used in the unit. Reservoir 12 may simply rest on top of housing 10. It may have de pending flanges which overlap the side walls of housing 10 to prevent lateral displacement with respect to housing 10.

The housing has a hose 13 leading to it from a source of water supply. Another hose 14 leads from the housing. The outlet end of hose 14 has a manually operated spray gun 15 for directing a chemical cleansing solution or rinse water under pressure toward the mechanical equipment being cleaned (designated at 16 in FIGURE ice Nozzle 15 includes a manually operated on and otf valve to allow the user to start and stop flow through the nozzle.

FIGURE 1 shows a protective funnel type shield 17 suspended from the ceiling in any convenient or efficient manner by means of cords or cables 18. Shield 17 surrounds the bottom and sides of the equipment being cleaned and protects the equipment surrounding the device being cleaned during the spraying operation. The shield 17 terminates at its lower end in a depending tube 19 for conveying the runoff solution to a conventional drum or receptacle shown in phantom as 20. This drum 20 may also be mounted on a conventional hand truck or the like shown as 21 to permit it to be moved to any convenient location for emptying the runoff solution of chemicals, dirt and rinse water.

The funnel 17 and the tube 19 are preferably constructed of a pliable, moisture resistant and cleansing solution resistant material, and may be cleaned at periodic intervals. Rubberized fabric is suitable for this purpose.

, pressurized system are illustrated in FIGURE'4. Housing 10 includes a suitable pump 22 which is driven by a motor coupled thereto, which motor is supplied with current through a cable 23 leading from a switch 24 on the side panel 10:: of the unit. A power supply lead 1 25 is connected with the switch '24.

This same side of the housing includes a coupling 13 which is adapted to be coupled to the water supply hose 13. Coupling 13a is connected to a hose 13b in the housing, which hose 13b is connected to a hose 26 connected to an inlet line 26a for the motor driven pump 22. A check valve 27 is placed in the line 26, which check valve allows flow in the direction from line 26 to the pump 22 while preventing retrograde'flow. The housing also includes a hose 28 which is adapted to be coupled to an outlet fitting on reservoir 12 as by means of a coupling 28a and the hose 28 connects with a hose 29 which leads to and connects with the pump inlet conduit 26a. Conduit 29 also includes a check valve 30 which permits flow of the cleaning solution in the direction leading to the inlet side of the pump while preventing retrograde flow.

Pump 22 includes an outlet conduit 22a which leads to the aforementioned side of housing 10 and terminates in a coupling 14a to which hose 14 is detachably connected.

A bypass conduit 31 is connected between the pump outlet 22a and the pump inlet line 26a. Bypass 31 includes a pressure relief valve 32 which is constructed and arranged to open and allow flow from outlet 22a to the inlet 26a when the pressure in line 22a exceeds a predetermined maximum, as for example, when the valve at nozzle 15 is closed but with the pump operating at normal speed.

Housing 10 is so arranged that the control panel 10a, which forms one side thereof, has valves 33 and 34 mounted thereon with actuating levers accessible to the exterior of the housing. Valve 33 is in the line between the cleansing solution lines 28 and 29 Whereas the valve 34 is between the water supply lines 26 and 13b. This same control panel may include a pressure gauge having a line 26 connected to outlet 26a so as to enable observation of the pressure in the system from time to time.

The system as herein described is adaptable for use in many applications. Since the pressurized unit and cleansing solution reservoir are portable they may be easily transported from one cleaning location to another.

switch 24 so as to activate pump 22', then by opening 7 valve 33 the user may direct a cleaning solution, such as a detergent, throughthe outlet hose 14' and-by opening the valve at nozzle 15 the operator may direct a stream of high pressure cleaning fluid to the equipment being cleaned. After spraying the equipment with the detergent, the valve at nozzle 15 may be turned 01? and valve 33 then closed; The pump then circulates fluid through bypass 31. Valve 34 is then opened and the valve at. nozzle 15 again opened so as to direct a high pressure stream of rinse water through the nozzle 15.

The pump 22 may remain in operation while the valve at nozzle 15 is closed Without unduly, damaging the system. In this regard the pressure relief passage 31 allows the pump 22 to simply circulate fluid between the intake and outlet thereof duringsuch' instances.

The system is so arranged that even though the same pump is used for the cleansing solution and the rinse water, water cannot back upinto the solution reservoir arid cleansing solution cannot back up into the water supply line. Check valves 27 and 30 prevent such retro- The system is' so arranged that the user may easily initiate and control the operation o-fthe unit. In this regard, the provision of the controlling valves 63 .and 34, switch 24 and couplings13a and Much the single side of the encolsure allows the user to make the necessary connections,- pump activation and valve operation while at the same location.

Whereas I have shown and described an' operativeform of the invention, it should be understoodthat this modifications. in and to the invention-which will fall 4 within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claim.

I claim:

A cleaning apparatus including a wheel supported housing, a cleaning reservoir removably supported on top of saidhousing, a pump supported within said housing, one side of said housing having a pair of control valves mounted thereon, said one side of said housing also including a pair of couplings exposed to the exterior of said housing, one of said couplings having a conduit,

, connected to 'one of said valves and the other coupling being connected to an outlet conduit from said pump,

said one valve being connected to an inlet conduit for said pump so as to allow flow from the coupling associatedtherewith to the intake of said pump, the other valve being connected through aconduit to the inlet conduit of said. pump and to a supply conduit adapted to be detachably connected to said reservoir thereby allowing flow from said reservoir to the inlet conuit of said pump under control of said other valve, a pressure relief, passage between the 'outlet conduit of said pump and the inlet conduit therefor so as to allow circulation of fluid between the outlet and inlet of said pump when pressures in the outlet conduit of said pump exceed. a predetermined amount, and a nozzle and outlet conduit assembly connected to said second coupling so as to allow how of fluid therethrough from either of said conduits leading to the inlet conduit of said pump under the control of said valves and the forced circulation of said pump.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,498,672 6/24 Renner ISO--05 2,596,074 5/52 Hawes 239-127 2,686,695 8/54 Kelly 239-127 2,751,952 6/56 Mirus -O.5 3,037,707 6/62 Ligon 239-4 27

Images