Patents Examined by Jorge S. Bocanegra
  • Patent number: 5884840
    Abstract: Retrofit systems are provided to convert existing automated vehicle washing systems from using conventional car wash chemicals to highly concentrated chemicals. The retrofit systems enable a car wash operator to control the feed volume of concentrated chemicals that are fed to a spray arch where the chemicals are mixed with water before being sprayed on a vehicle. The system provided enables the operators of existing car washes to convert from conventional chemicals to highly concentrated chemicals without purchasing an excessive amount of new equipment or carrying out extensive modifications of existing equipment. A novel feature of the present invention includes the use of a concentrate feed control block for controlling the volume of highly concentrated chemicals delivered to the spray arch of the car wash where the chemical is diluted with water before being applied to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Turtle Wax, Inc
    Inventors: Thomas J. Bagnara, Thomas J. Gibney
  • Patent number: 5878958
    Abstract: A fuel pumping apparatus is disclosed which comprises a pumping plunger reciprocable within a bore. A spill valve communicates with the bore. A pilot piston is exposed to the fuel pressure within the bore, the pilot piston being arranged to move under the action of the fuel pressure to supply a pilot quantity of fuel to an injector. The pilot piston is arranged so that, in one position, only part of an end face thereof is exposed to the fuel pressure within the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited
    Inventor: Malcolm David Dick Lambert