A conveyor assembly for moving a vehicle along a path of travel, such as through the bay of a vehicle washing installation, including an endless, horizontally disposed conveyor chain mounted above the floor and a plurality of puller units carried by carriages mounted at spaced locations on the conveyor chain. Each puller unit includes a horizontal extending roller for engaging the rear portion of one of the vehicle wheels and is pivotally mounted on a carriage for pivotal movement relative to the carriage, about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, between an extended position where the roller extends generally perpendicular to the travel path and a retracted position where the roller extends generally parallel to the travel path. As a safety feature, each puller unit is releasably locked in the extended position by a locking mechanism on the respective carriage which, in the event the roller engages a person's foot or similar obstruction, releases the puller unit so it can pivot to the retracted position. In one embodiment, an actuator unit is provided near the entrance of the assembly for selectively moving the puller units from the retracted position to the extended position and a mechanism is provided near the exit end of the assembly for unlocking the puller units and moving them to the retracted position so that the assembly can be operated on an on-demand basis.

A guide rail assembly for use with a conveyor of an automatic conveyor car wash. The guide rail assembly is comprised of a main guide rail positioned outside the conveyor proximate the wheel portion of a vehicle, and a lower guide rail extending below and away from the main guide rail toward the conveyor such that the lower guide rail contacts the tire below the wheel portion to maintain a spaced apart relationship between the wheel portion and the main guide rail. The addition of the lower guide rail prevents scratching, marring, or any other structural damage to the wheel portion of the vehicle.

A conveyor for advancing a vehicle along a desired path by means of a wheel contacting pusher assembly. The conveyor base is adapted for placement on an unaltered concrete floor with abutting conveyor base sections, variable in number, being joined at the installation site to provide the necessary length. A continuous chain is confined within upwardly opening guideways with each pusher assembly coupled to a chain component in a manner permitting upward displacement of the pusher assembly about an axis parallel to the chain centerline. Replaceable wear components are associated with the guideways and each pusher assembly. Each assembly includes leading and trailing rollers imparting operational loads to the conveyor base while an intermediate raised roller bears against the vehicle rotating wheel.

An above the floor conveyor is provided for moving automobiles or the like, horizontally across the floor surface with a pair of the vehicle's tires positioned in a guided track. The conveyor includes a base for installation upon the floor and a conveyor drive and driven sprocket about which an endless chain extends to form a loop having a drive flight spaced outboard of the guided track and a return flight laterally spaced outward of the drive flight. A drive mechanism rotates the drive sprocket causing the portion of the chain in the drive flight to advance in the direction of the vehicle movement. A number of dollies are affixed to the chain in a spaced apart relation and are pivotably attached to the chain and shiftable about an axis parallel thereto. The dollies may be alternatively positioned in the drive flight in an active position in which the dolly extends inwardly into the guide track for engagement with a vehicle tire and in an inactive position above the floor surface in which the dolly is pivoted out of the guided track sufficiently to provide clearance for the vehicle. An actuator is provided for selectively shifting the dollies between the active and inactive position on demand.

An above the floor conveyor is provided for moving automobiles or the like, horizontally across the floor surface with a pair of the vehicle's tires positioned in a guided track. The conveyor includes a base for installation upon the floor and a conveyor drive and driven sprocket about which an endless chain extends to form a loop having a drive flight spaced outboard of the guided track and a return flight laterally spaced outward of the drive flight. A drive mechanism rotates the drive sprocket causing the portion of the chain in the drive flight to advance in the direction of the vehicle movement. A number of dollies are affixed to the chain in a spaced apart relation and are pivotably attached to the chain and shiftable about an axis parallel thereto. The dollies may be alternatively positioned in the drive flight in an active position in which the dolly extends inwardly into the guide track for engagement with a vehicle tire and in an inactive position above the floor surface in which the dolly is pivoted out of the guided track sufficiently to provide clearance for the vehicle. An actuator is provided for selectively shifting the dollies between the active and inactive position on demand.