GB2215293A - Apparatus for pumping air and polishing a vehicle surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises upper and lower housing 1, 5, a wax container 2, a motor and gear box unit 3, an air pump 4 and a rotatable polishing device 6. An air distribution system supplies air from the pump to an air nozzle 76<3> for inflating a vehicle tyre, and also to a discharge nozzle 147 from which wax melted in the container is discharged in a spray onto the item to be polished by member 633. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING AIR AND POLISHING The invention relates to apparatus for pumping air, for example to inflate a vehicle tyre, and for polishing an item such as the bodywork of a vehicle.

An important factor affecting vehicle safety is the provision of correctly inflated tyres.

The operations of checking air pressure and if necessary pumping up the tyres are commonly done by a garage or a filling station, and cleaning and polishing a car is also frequently done by such organisations. On the other hand, people sometimes do such work themselves, using special equipment. However, a problem with conventional portable air pumps which are manual is that they need considerable strength to operate and are thus rather inconvenient for people to use. The alternative electric pumps which are available can be expensive in view of the fact that they perform only one function.

With regard to the operations of cleaning and polishing a car, these take rather a long time and work if done manually, and although an electric polisher can save time it generally has only one function whilst requiring significant storage space.

Thus although it is useful for a car owner to have equipment for pumping air and polishing it may not be worth acquiring separate items of equipment for carrying out these operations.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for pumping air and polishing, comprising an air pump arranged to supply air to a first outlet to provide a source of pressurised air, a polishing member, means for supplying polish to an item to be polished by said member, and a second air outlet arranged to be supplied by said air pump and operable to discharge the polish in a spray.

with such an arrangement the same air pump is used to provide a source of pressurised air, for example to inflate a vehicle tyre, and to discharge polish in a spray onto an item to be polished, such as vehicle bodywork. Thus the apparatus may be relatively compact and will generally be portable and easy to handle.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises a heater for heating air supplied from the Pump, and a third air outlet for directing such heated air towards the item to be polished. Thus the air pump performs a further operation which enhances the quality of polish obtained on the item.

The apparatus will normally include an air distribution system for directing air from the pump to the regions where it is required. Thus the aparatus may include a first valve for directing air selectively to the first air outlet or to a second valve, such second valve being arranged to direct air selectively to the second air outlet or to the third air outlet. The valves may be manually operated by appropriate switches provided on a housing of the apparatus.

When pumping a vehicle tyre it is useful to obtain an indication of the tyre pressure without using a separate gauge. Preferably, therefore, the apparatus further comprises a pressure gauge in communication with the first air outlet. In order to assist linking of the apparatus up to a tyre or the like where pressurised air is required, the apparatus may include a flexible air line for connection to the first air outlet to enable pressurized air to be provided remote from the rest of the apparatus.

The polish may be in liquid form or in the form of a wax which is preferably melted before being supplied to the item to be polished. Thus the apparatus may include a storage receptacle for polish and heating means for heating the polish.

There is preferably provided a passage for transferring the heated polish to the second outlet where it is discharged in a spray.

The polishing member is preferably rotatably driven, and the apparatus may therefore conveniently include a motor and gear box unit arranged to drive the air pump and to rotate the polishing member.

Preferably a small output gear is arranged to be driven by the motor and engages a large intermediate gear on an intermediate shaft, and a crank member is provided on the intermediate shaft and is arranged reciprocably to drive a connecting rod of the air pump. The air pump may be in the form of a piston slidably mounted in a cylinder and arranged to be driven by the connecting rod to produce pressurised air. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises a small gear on the intermediate shaft engaging a large output -gear on an output shaft, the polishing member being driven by the output shaft at an angular velocity less than that of the intermediate shaft which drives the air pump. Thus by suitable gearing the pump and the polishing member are driven by the same motor at appropriate speeds.

It may be desirable to provide means for heating the polishing product in the region of the polishing member. In a preferred arrangement the polishing member is attached to a securing plate arranged to be rotatably driven, the plate having an electrically conductive ring arranged to remain in electrical contact with a stationary terminal during rotation of the plate, so as to supply electric power to a heater mounted on the polishing member, the heater being arranged to supply heated air to the item to be polished.

Preferably, the polishing member is ring shaped and the heater is arranged to supply heated air to the region enclosed by the ring. Thus there may be three stages of heat applied to the polish: first, melting of the polish; second, blowing heated air from the pump onto the item where the melted product has been sprayed; and third, the use of heated air supplied from the heater mounted on the rotating polishing member.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of apparatus for pumping air and polishing in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus showing particularly its features used for polishing; Figure 2-1 is top plan view of the apparatus showing particularly its features used for air pumping; Figure 3 is a diagram of the air distribution system used in the apparatus; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

The illustrated apparatus comprises a combined air pump and polisher and includes an upper housing 1, a wax container 2, a motor and gear box unit 3, an air pump 4, a lower housing 5 and a polishing device 6 as its main parts, as shown in Figure 1.

The upper housing 1 has a handle 15 on which an electric switch 151 is provided, and an opening 13 (Fig 2-1) for receiving a pressure gauge 72, to be described later. As Figure 1 shows, the upper housing 1 also has in its upper surface two holes 11, 12 and a recess 14 defined by a re-entrant wall 141 for receiving the wax container 2. A heater 142 projects into the recess 14 so as to be in close proximity to the wax container. The wax container has a lid 22 and in its base a round hole 21 arranged to feed heated wax to a wax transfer tube 144. At its downstream end the wax transfer tube 144 is connected to a blowing tube 146 which has a wax discharge nozzle 147 extending out of the upper housing 1.An air inlet tube 143 is arranged to direct pressurized air over a lower part of the heater 142 and a downwardly directed air outlet 145 is arranged to discharge air which has passed over the heater; thus the air inlet tube 143 and air outlet 145 are connected with each other, the air outlet 145 extending out of the upper housing 1.

The motor and gear box unit 3 comprises a motor 31 and a gear housing 32. The output shaft of the motor is arranged to drive a small gear 33 which meshes with a larger gear 34 mounted on an intermediate shaft 35 carried by the gear housing 32. At its upper end the intermediate shaft 35 is connected to a crank member 36 which has an upward projection 361 for connection to the air pump 4 via a side opening 321 in the gear housing 32. The gear housing has a plurality of screw holes 322 to enable the air pump 4 to be secured to the gear housing, as described below.

At its lower end the intermediate shaft 35 is connected to a small gear 331 which is engaged with a larger gear 341 mounted on an output spindle 61 for driving the polishing device 6.

The air pump 4 comprises a connecting rod 41 having at one end a hole 411 which receives the upward projection 361 of the crank member 36.

The connecting rod is thus arranged reciprocably to drive a piston 412 in a cylinder 42 the end of which is closed by a cylinder cap 43 secured by screws 44 which pass through holes 431 of the cap and engage the screw holes 322 of the gear housing 32.

A lower housing 5 is provided with holes 54 for connection to the upper housing 1 by means of screws 80. A U-shaped cushion 55 is disposed at the front of the apparatus and is secured by being clamped between the upper housing 1 and the lower housing 5. The lower housing includes in its central region an upwardly projecting housing portion 51 in which the small gear 33 and larger gear 341 are accommodated. The housing portion 51 includes a hole 52 and conduit 53 through which the output spindle 61 extends from the motor and gear box unit 3 to the polishing device 6.

The polishing device 6 includes the aforementioned spindle 61 which is connected at its end remote from the motor and gear box unit 3 to a securing plate 62 for attachment of a polishing wheel 63.

The spindle 61 is formed at its upper and lower ends with flat faces 611 for respective engagement with the large gear 341 of the motor and gear box unit 3 and with a correspondingly shaped passage 622 defined in a central upright post 621 of the securing plate 62. The spindle 61 is also formed at its upper and lower ends with respective ring grooves 612. The lower ring groove is arranged to be engaged by a ring projection 623 provided at the lower end of the passage 622, whereby the securing plate is removably secured to the spindle 61. The upper ring groove 612 is arranged to be engaged by a C-clip 342 to retain the gear 341 on the output spindle 61.

On its upper face the securing plate 62 has a copper ring 624 for electrical contact with a terminal 81 in the form of a brush fixed to the lower housing 55. This enables transmission of power to a heater 631 located inside the polishing wheel 63. A large number of air holes 632 are provided below the heater 631 for transmission of heat to the region which is to be polished by a velvet cloth 633 or other suitable material extending round the outer periphery of the polishing wheel 63. The polishing wheel is attached to the securing plate by means of screws 70 which pass through holes 625 formed in the plate.

Figure 3 shows diagramatically the air flow system of the combined air pump and polisher.

The motor 31 is arranged to drive the air pump 4 which has an outlet 432 for supplying pressurised air to a flexible tube 71. A branch connection from flexible tube 71 leads to the pressure gauge 72. Flexible tube 71 is connected to a T-valve 73 to which flexible tubes 74, 75 are separately connected. Flexible tube 74 is connected to an air outlet 763 (see Figure 2-1) on which is mounted an air nozzle 76 secured by a clip 762. An air line 761 extends from the nozzle 76 to another nozzle 76 also having a clip 762 enabling attachment to a tyre valve or the like. The air line 761 with nozzles 76 at each end thereof enable air pumping remote from the apparatus and may be stowed when not in use in an appropriate compartment of the upper housing 1.

The other flexible tube 75 extending from the T-valve 73 is connected to a further T-valve 77 to which flexible tubes 78, 79 are separately connected. Flexible tube 78 supplies the blowing tube 146 with pressurised air, while flexible tube 79 supplies the air inlet tube 143 for directing air to the heater 142. The T-valves 73, 77 are mounted in the holes 11, 12 formed in the upper surface of the upper housing 1. The full extent of the air flow system is omitted from Figures 2 and 2-1 for clarity.

The operation of the combined polisher and air pump will now be described. The motor and gear box unit 3 operates simultaneously to drive the air pump 4 to produce pressurised air and to drive the polishing device 6, thereby performing a double function. The heater 142 projecting into the recess 14 operates to warm wax contained in the wax container 2 so as to produce liquid wax which flows downwardly through hole 21 into wax transfer tube 144 which leads to nozzle 147 through which the wax is sprayed under the influence of pressurised air supplied via the blowing tube 146.

If air is directed by the air inlet tube 143 over the heater 142, the resulting hot air is discharged from the air outlet 145 so that wax sprayed onto a surface to be polished may be heated further.

The electric terminal in the form of brush 81 maintains engagement with the copper ring 624 of the securing plate 62 whether it is rotating or stationary so that the heater 631 in the polishing wheel may be operated to heat up the air in the region enclosed by the circular cloth 633 and such hot air contributes to the shining effect of wax sprayed onto the surface being polished.

It will thus be seen that the combined polisher and air pump has a number of advantages. The apparatus provides a dual function of polishing and air pumping in a single unit; pressurised air supplied from the air pump may be used separately either for pumping into a tyre or for spraying the wax and blowing hot air onto the surface being polished; in addition to the provision of such hot air, a separate heater may be provided in the polishing wheel further to warm up the wax sprayed on the surface being polished and thus improve the shining result; and the apparatus is low in cost, simple to use and easy to carry.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or the prosecution of any divisional application based thereon. Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass, either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations thereof.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for pumping air and polishing, comprising an-air pump arranged to supply air to a first outlet to provide a source of pressurised air, a polishing member, means for supplying polish to an item to be polished by said member, and a second air outlet arranged to be supplied by said air pump and operable to discharge the polish in a spray.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heater for heating air supplied from the pump, and a third air outlet for directing such heated air towards the item to be polished.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising first valve for directing air selectively to the first air outlet or to a second valve, such second valve being arranged to direct air selectively to the second air outlet or to the third air outlet.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, further comprising a pressure gauge in communication with the first air outlet.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a flexible air line for connection to the first air outlet to enable pressurized air to be provided remote from the rest of the apparatus.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a storage receptacle for polish and heating means for heating the polish.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a passage for transferring the heated polish to the second outlet where it is discharged in a spray.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a motor and gear box unit arranged to drive the air pump and to rotate the polishing member.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein a small output gear is arranged to be driven by the motor and engages a large intermediate gear on an intermediate shaft, a crank member being provided on the intermediate shaft and being arranged reciprocably to drive a connecting rod of the air pump.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the air pump comprises a piston slidably mounted in a cylinder and arranged to be driven by the connecting rod to produce pressurised air.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, further comprising a small gear on the intermediate shaft engaging a large output gear on an output shaft, the polishing member being driven by the output shaft at an angular velocity less than that of the intermediate shaft which drives the air pump.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the polishing member is attached to a securing plate arranged to be rotatably driven, the plate having an electrically conductive ring arranged to remain in electrical contact with a stationary terminal during rotation of the plate, so as to supply electric power to a heater mounted on the polishing member, the heater being arranged to supply heated air to the item to be polished.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the polishing member is ring shaped and the heater is arranged to supply heated air to the region enclosed by the ring.

14. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the acompanying drawings.