Building Cleaning System

Abstract

A cleaning device to be used on vertical surfaces such as windows that includes a horizontal row or number of horizontal rows of pressure washing nozzles. The nozzles are to be aimed at the surface to be cleaned and so protrude orthogonally from a horizontal pipe. The pipe is to be supported with a structure such as tubing or truss and winched or otherwise pulled up and down the surface of the building. A stability system can be provided to tension the guide cables that guide the cleaning device while constraining excessive horizontal movement of the stability system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning apparatus for buildings comprising:
 (A) a pipe structure configured to receive a supply of fluid from a hose;   (B) a support structure configured to support the pipe structure in a substantially horizontal configuration;   (C) a plurality of nozzles provided in the pipe structure and configured to spray fluid from the pipe structure onto a vertical building surface;   (D) a lifting arrangement configured to raise and lower the support structure; and   (E) at least one guide cable provided at at least one end of the support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support structure is substantially horizontal and supports the pipe structure horizontally. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  comprising a guide cable at each end of the support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the lifting arrangement comprises a winch cable that connects to the support structure between the two guide cables. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the plurality of nozzles are pluggable. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of connectable support structure sections that enable the length of the support structure to be configured on site. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 6  comprising at least one elbow connector for connecting two adjacent support structure sections at a non-straight angle. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of connectable pipe structure sections that enable the length of the pipe structure to be configured on site. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 8  comprising at least one elbow connector for connecting two adjacent pipe structure sections at a non-straight angle. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pipe structure comprises a first length of pipe and a second length of pipe supported by the support structure above the first length of pipe, wherein the first length of pipe and the second length of pipe are configured to spray water through a respective plurality of nozzles and wherein the first length of pipe and the second length of pipe are configured to spray water at different pressures to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a stability system comprising a tensioning weight that connects to a bottom end of the at least one guide cable, wherein the tensioning weight is constrained by the stability system to prevent horizontal movement of the tensioning weight. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the stability system comprises:
 (A) a frame; 
 (B) a plurality of vertical guide channels supported by the frame; and 
 (C) a beam extending between the vertical guide channels and configured for vertical movement guided by the vertical guide channels, wherein the beam is configured to attach to the bottom end of the at least one guide cable; wherein the tensioning weight is operatively attached to the beam. 
 
     
     
         13 . A cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (A) pipe means for spraying water onto a vertical building surface;   (B) support means for horizontally supporting the pipe means;   (C) lift means for lifting the support means up and down the outside of the vertical building surface; and   (D) guide means disposed at at least one end of the support means for guiding the support structure in vertical movement.   
     
     
         14 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  comprising tensioning means for tensioning the at least one guide means. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the tensioning means comprises:
 (A) weight means; 
 (B) weight support means for supporting the weight means; and 
 (C) guide means for vertically guiding the weight support means and constraining movement of the weight support means. 
 
     
     
         16 . A stability system for tensioning a cable of a building cleaning system, the stability system comprising:
 (A) a frame;   (B) at least one tensioning weight adapted to connect at a bottom end of a cable and hang on the cable to tension the cable; and   (C) a constraint system adapted to operatively engage the tensioning weight to allow movement of the tensioning weight while constraining a limit of the movement of the tensioning weight.   
     
     
         17 . The stability system of  claim 16  comprising:
 (A) a plurality of vertical guide channels supported by the frame; and 
 (B) a beam extending between the vertical guide channels and configured for vertical movement guided by the vertical guide channels, wherein the beam is configured to attach to the bottom end of the at least one guide cable; wherein the tensioning weight is operatively attached to the beam, wherein the disposition of the beam within the vertical guide channels constrains horizontal movement of the tensioning weight while allowing vertical movement of the tensioning weight. 
 
     
     
         18 . The stability system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one tensioning weight comprises a fillable container.