Automatic surface polishing system

Abstract

An automatic surface polishing system utilizing strips of material to apply polish to a finished surface and strips of material to subsequently buff that surface. Fabric strips are attached about the periphery of rotating drums. Polish is applied to the strips and is then applied by the strips to the surface and rubbed-in by intermittent contacts between the strips and the surface. The polished surface is caused to dry and is then buffed by additional dry fabric strips which make intermittent contact with the surface.

I claim: 
     
       1. An automatic surface polishing apparatus comprising an applicator having a rotatable drum with one end of a fabric connected therewith, means for applying polish to said fabric, a polisher having a rotatable drum with one end of a fabric connected therewith, said fabric having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a surface to be polished, means for effecting relative movement between a surface to be polished and said applicator and said polisher, means for automatically moving said applicator fabric into contact with a surface to be polished during relative movement between said surface and said applicator to apply polish to said surface by said applicator fabric making intermittent contact with said surface while said applicator drum is being rotated, and means for automatically moving said polisher fabric into contact with said surface during relative movement between said surface and said polisher to polish said surface by said polisher fabric making intermittent contact with said surface while said polisher drum is being rotated. 
     
     
       2. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said fabric is a matted, predominately cotton fabric having a resilient backing. 
     
     
       3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of fabric strips are affixed to said applicator drum along the longitudinal extent of said drum. 
     
     
       4. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of fabric strips are affixed to said polisher drum along the longitudinal extent of said drum. 
     
     
       5. An automatic surface polishing apparatus comprising, a rotatable applicator drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, means to rotates said applicator drum, means adapted to apply polish onto said fabric strips while said drum is being rotated, a rotatable polisher drum having one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said fabric strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a surface to be polished, means to rotate said polisher drum, and means for effecting relative movement between said applicator drum and a surface to be polished and between said polisher drum and said surface, whereby a portion of said applicator fabric strips receive polish and apply polish to said surface by intermittent contact therewith during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement with said surface, and a portion of said polisher fabric strips intermittently contact and polish said surface during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement with said surface. 
     
     
       6. A multiple stage automatic vehicle polishing apparatus comprising: a first stage having a rotatable applicator drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said applicator drum, means to rotate said applicator drum, and means adapted to apply polish onto said strips while said drum is being rotated; a second stage having a rotatable polisher drum with one end of each of a plurality of strips of flexible material affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, said strips extending along the longitudinal extent of said polisher drum, said strips having a substantial surface area closely adjacent to the vehicle surface to be polished, and means to rotate said polisher drum; and means for effecting relative movement between a vehicle to be polished and each of said stages; said applicator strips receiving polish and applying polish to said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said applicator strips and said vehicle during rotation of said applicator drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said first stage, and said polisher strips polish said vehicle by intermittent contact between portions of said polisher strips and said vehicle during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said second stage. 
     
     
       7. The invention set forth in claim 6 with the addition of means to independently vary the spacing between said applicator drum and said vehicle, and the spacing between said polisher drum and said vehicle, and the rotational speeds of each of said drums. 
     
     
       8. The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said first stage includes a plurality of applicator drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said applicator drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said first stage. 
     
     
       9. The invention set forth in claim 8 with the addition of means to control the operation of the top applicator drum independently of the others. 
     
     
       10. The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said second stage includes a plurality of polisher drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said polisher drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said second stage. 
     
     
       11. The invention set forth in claim 6 with the addition of a third stage having a rotatable polisher drum with one end of each of a plurality of fabric strips affixed thereto at spaced intervals about its circumference, whereby said third stage affects a further polishing action by intermittent contact between said vehicle and said third stage fabric strips during rotation of said polisher drum and relative movement between said vehicle and said third stage. 
     
     
       12. The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein the distance between said first and second stages is greater than the distance between said second and third stages. 
     
     
       13. The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said third stage polisher drum is spaced farther from said vehicle and is rotated faster than said second stage polisher drum. 
     
     
       14. The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said third stage includes a plurality of polisher drums each having fabric strips affixed thereto, said polisher drums being positioned in proximity to the top and both side surfaces of a vehicle during relative movement between said vehicle and said third stage. 
     
     
       15. The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said second stage polisher drum is spaced farther from said vehicle and is rotated faster than said first stage applicator drum. .Iadd. 16. An automatic vehicle surface polishing apparatus comprising: a. an applicator having a plurality of elongated, relatively narrow, flexible, fabric applicator surfaces, terminating in free ends and having opposite ends, respectively,   b. a polisher having a plurality of elongated, relatively narrow, flexible, fabric polisher surfaces, terminating in free ends and having opposite ends, respectively,   c. rotary means,   d. mounting means fixing said opposite ends to said rotary means so that each of said fabric surfaces has a substantial surface area closely adjacent to a vehicle surface to be polished, during rotation of said rotary means,   e. said opposite ends of said fabric applicator surfaces and of said fabric polisher surfaces being circumferentially spaced about said rotary means and aligned, substantially edge-to-edge, in rows parallel to the rotary axis of said rotary means,   f. means for effecting relative movement between a vehicle to be polished and said applicator and said polisher,   g. means for supplying polish between said vehicle surface and said fabric applicator surfaces,   h. means for driving said rotary means to automatically move the substantial surface areas of said fabric applicator surfaces into contact with the vehicle surface to be polished during relative movement between said vehicle surface and said applicator to apply polish to said vehicle surface by said substantial surface areas of said fabric applicator surfaces making intermittent contact with said vehicle surfaces, and to automatically move the substantial surface areas of said fabric polisher surfaces into contact with a vehicle surface to be polished during relative movement between said vehicle surface and said polisher to polish said vehicle surface by said substantial surface areas of said fabric polisher surfaces making intermittent contact with said vehicle surface.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 17.  The invention according to claim 16 further comprising means for controlling the speed of said rotary means whereby the substantial surface area of each fabric applicator surface rubs the polish into said vehicle surface causing said polish to interact with the finish of said vehicle surface to remove discoloration and other blemishes from said finish. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The invention according to claim 17 further comprising means for controlling the speed of said rotary means whereby the substantial surface area of each fabric polisher surface slaps and is dragged over said polished vehicle surface without burning or scratching the finished vehicle surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The invention according to claim 16 further comprising means for controlling the speed of said rotary means whereby the substantial surface area of each fabric polisher surface slaps and is dragged over said polished vehicle surface without burning or scratching the finished vehicle surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The invention according to claim 16 in which said means for mounting said opposite ends to said rotary means comprises means for pivotally mounting each of said opposite ends to said rotary means about pivotal axes parallel to the rotary axis of said rotary means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. The invention according to claim 16 in which each of said fabric surfaces consists of a material having the nonscratching texture of cotton carpeting. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The invention according to claim 16 in which the circumferential spacing of said opposite ends and the rotary movement of said fabric surfaces is sufficient to provide an effective air fan to facilitate drying whereby said vehicle surface is dry and polished when said means for effecting relative movement between said vehicle surface and said polisher surfaces have caused said polisher surfaces to move relative to said vehicle surfaces. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. The invention according to claim 16 in which the circumferential spacing of said opposite ends and the rotary movement of said fabric surfaces is sufficient to provide intermittent contact of said free ends with said vehicle surface to permit heat to escape from said vehicle surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 24. The invention according to claim 16 in which the distance between each of the free ends of said fabric applicator surfaces and said fabric polisher surfaces and the rotary axis of said rotary means is substantially longer than the closest distance between the rotary axis of said rotary means and said vehicle surface, so that each of said flexible fabric surfaces flexes as said respective fabric surfaces engage said vehicle surface and said substantial surface area of each of said applicator and said polisher surfaces is in wiping contact with said vehicle surface as each of said fabric surfaces relatively moves past said vehicle surface. .Iaddend.