Sherman Industries, Inc.

Robert Klaus

Sherman L Larson

Daniel J Del Prato

Dryer equipment for an automatic car wash includes at least one proximity sensing system for maintaining a forced-air stripping nozzle within a predetermined range of the surface of the vehicle. Each sensing system includes a pair of associated triple-beam photoelectric switches, each of said triple beams being adjusted to focus at a different focal point at a different distance from the nozzle. Electronic circuitry responds to signals developed by the sensing system to control an air/oil power system which operates hydraulic cylinders to maintain the nozzle within a relatively narrow range from the vehicle surface. The range is determined by the difference between the focal points of the triple beams of the two associated photoelectric switches. Preferably, .at least two proximity sensing systems are provided--one for the top of the vehicle and the other for the passenger side of the vehicle. An ultrasound detector is also provided for the top system for raising the nozzle when a windshield is detected as being proximate.

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Barrington, NJ, United States of America

Robert Klaus