Vehicle conveyor

Abstract

A vehicle conveyor suitable for a car wash is described wherein tire-engaging rollers are attached to a continuous chain positioned underneath the path of the vehicle. The rollers are normally carried by the chain in a nonengaging position below the vehicle track. Then, when movement of the vehicle is desired, a coin-actuated control or a manual control is actuated to move a cam into operative position to cam one of the rollers upwardly through a slot onto the top surface of the vehicle track where it engages the vehicle's tire. The roller subsequently drops through a slot proximate the end of the conveyor course.

We claim:  .[.1. Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle including a conveyor and at least one member carried by said conveyor and adapted to engage said vehicle for moving said vehicle: 
     
        vehicle..].  .[.11.  The apparatus according to claim 10 further provided with a supporting channel along and under the upper course of said conveyor chain and along which said second roller means normally travels when the tire-engaging roller means do not engage a tire..]. .Iadd. 12. Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle including a conveyor and at least one member carried by said conveyor and adapted to engage said vehicle for moving said vehicle: said member normally following a path along said conveyor which is noncoincident with said vehicle;   control means for selectively positioning said member into an engagement path with said vehicle along said conveyor;   a slotted closure between the path of said vehicle and the normal path of said member;   said control means being effective to urge at least a portion of said member past said closure into an engagement path with said vehicle, at least a portion of said member then extending through the slot in the closure;   said slotted closure comprising a horizontal track along the top of which a tire of said vehicle is adapted to travel in the direction of the slot therein;   said conveyor being disposed below said track and along said slot;   said member including a roller means and an arm hingedly connecting said roller means to said conveyor wherein said arm is adapted to pass through the slot in the track;   the slot in said track having an enlarged portion through which said roller means may be urged;   said control means comprising lifter means for raising said roller means through said enlarged portion and onto the upper surface of said track;   said arm being provided with an additional roller positioned on said arm between the first-mentioned roller means and said conveyor for engaging the under surface of said track as said first-mentioned roller means engages a vehicle tire;   said first-mentioned roller means being formed in two parts, one on either side of said arm, for travel upon the upper surface of said track on either side of said slot, each part of said first-mentioned roller means including rollers for bearing on the track and smaller diameter rollers for bearing on said vehicle tire;   wherein said additional roller is also formed in two parts with one part carried on each side of said conveyor, said first-mentioned roller means having a total longitudinal dimension longer than said additional roller; and   said track bearing rollers being engageable by said lifter means at longitudinal portions of said track bearing rollers beyond the   
     
     
        longitudinal extent of said additional roller. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, further provided with horizontal track means positioned along and under the upper course of said conveyor and along which said additional roller normally travels to support said conveyor when said first-mentioned roller means do not engage a tire. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. Conveyor apparatus for transporting a vehicle comprising: a horizontal track along which tires of said vehicle are adapted to travel, said track being provided with a longitudinal slot extending in the direction of travel of said vehicle tire;   a conveyor chain positioned for travel below said track and along said slot;   means for driving said conveyor chain;   a plurality of vehicle-engaging members rotatably connected to the said conveyor chain at spaced points therealong and movable therewith, each including an arm rotatably connected to said conveyor chain and adapted to pass through said slot, and each said arm carrying a vehicle tire-engaging roller means at a point thereon extended from the conveyor chain;   at least a portion of said slot in said track being enlarged to pass the tire-engaging roller means from a position below said track to a position on the upper surface of said track;   a controllable lifter member for camming said tire-engaging roller means through said enlarged portion to the upper surface of said track, said arm then extending through said slot;   said roller means including a first roller for riding on said track and a second roller for contacting a vehicle tire;   said controllable lifter member comprising at least one camming arm rotatable upon a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said track;   said rotatable camming arm being positioned below the enlarged portion of said slot;   said camming arm being rotatable into the path of said vehicle-engaging member with an upper portion of said arm adjoining said track near the edge of said enlarged portion farthest from said tire-engaging roller means to cause said tire-engaging roller means to travel upwardly along said rotatable camming arm onto the top surface of said track;   said vehicle-engaging members including a second roller means located between said tire-engaging roller means and said conveyor chain adapted to engage the under surface of said track as said tire-engaging roller means engages a tire of said vehicle;   each said tire-engaging roller means being formed in two parts, one on either side of said first-mentioned arm, for travel upon the upper surface of said track on either side of said slot, each part of said tire-engaging roller means including rollers for bearing on the track and smaller diameter rollers for bearing on a vehicle tire;   wherein each said second roller means is also formed in two parts with one part carried on each side of said conveyor chain, said tire-engaging roller means having a total longitudinal dimension longer than said second roller means; and   said track bearing rollers being engageable by a pair of said rotatable camming arms at longitudinal portions of said track bearing rollers beyond the longitudinal extent of said second roller means. .Iaddend.