The erection of different types of built-on-site washing halls intended for washing vehicles requires a relatively long time, especially because of the bearing foundations of the hall which are cast from concrete. This type of hall is always a permanent building, which cannot, in practice, be moved from one place to another.

A requirement often set for a washing hall is that it must be very quick to erect at the installation site, even as fast as within a few hours, and it should also be possible to move the hall to another place, if necessary.

Halls meeting the above requirements do exist as such. An example of such a hall is disclosed in US patent publication 5,033,489. This type of halls are, however, usually very small in size and mounted entirely above ground, that is, halls transferred as complete ready-to-use units, which do not necessarily meet the requirements set for washing halls in other respects, especially halls equipped with automatic washing equipment.

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle washing hall meeting the above-mentioned requirements.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in such a way, and the washing hall relating to the invention is characterised in that, the washing hall comprises a basin part which is arranged to form the bearing foundation of the hall, whereby the basin part is arranged to be delivered to the installation site and lowered into the hole dug for it as a ready-made unit to embed the basin

part at least partly into the ground, and that the walls and the roof are arranged to be installed so as to be supported on the basin part fitted in place.

The basin part of the washing hall relating to the invention forms an integrated self-supporting entity, which can easily be moved into a pre-dug foundation hole with a levelled bottom. On the already heat insulated basin part can then easily be mounted walls and a roof, and the necessary water, drain, electrical and data connections can be made, after which the surroundings of the hall can be filled and levelled.

In the washing hall relating to the invention, the underground foundation of the washing hall, the supporting structures of the washing hall above ground, and the operational tank and separator structures and their fittings are connected to the same readily movable construction in which the necessary auxiliary devices, electrification, pipework and automation have been built as factory installations. The technical space required by the washing/separation systems is preferably a fixed part of the basin part forming the foundation.

The hall is as easily disassembled as it is erected. Where transporting distances are short, the hall can even be transported in the erected form.

The basin part is preferably made essentially the shape of a hexahedron, which means that it can easily be welded of rectangular plates, for example, steel plates. As such, the basin part may also be of a different shape. The basin part may also be made of a different material, for example, fibreglass, plastic, concrete, etc.

The width or length of the basin part does not necessarily have to be equal to the width or length of the washing hall. Especially for reasons of transportation, it is preferable for the width of the basin not to exceed the particular maximum dimension permitted. Therefore, according to the invention is preferably arranged so that lateral supporting beams are arranged to project from the upper part of the basin part in order to rest the walls and the roof on the basin

part by means of the said lateral supporting beams. This type of lateral beams are preferably attached to the basin part in a detachable manner so that, if necessary, they do not have to be installed in place until at the erection site of the hall itself.

In the basin part is preferably formed a number of tanks and separation chambers which constitute fixed parts of the basin part, the said tanks or chambers being formed by separating them from the basin part by means of fixed separating walls. The upper surface of the basin part is preferably formed into a floor provided with inclinations to guide the liquids used in washing into the tanks or separation chambers desired. The floor is made an integrated part of the basin part, or of one or more tanks or separation chambers formed in the basin part, whereby the best possible rigidity and strength are achieved for the basin part.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the appended drawings, in which Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the washing hall relating to the invention as an exploded view.

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically the washing hall shown in Figure 1, in which the basin part and the structures mounted on top of it are shown assembled.

Figure 3 shows diagrammatically a horizontal section of the washing hall relating to the invention (section along line A-A of Figure 4).

Figure 4 shows a section along line B-B of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a section along line C-C of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows components of the washing hall relating to the invention when loaded on a transportation vehicle.

Under the hall part proper of the washing hall shown as a diagrammatic perspective view in Figures 1 and 2 and as a section in Figures 3 to 5, is arranged a basin part referred to generally by reference numeral 1. The basin part 1 consists of, for example, a welded plate structure and it forms the bearing foundation of the hall. The basin part 1 is arranged to be delivered to the installation site and lowered into the hole dug for it as a ready-made unit to embed the basin part at least partly into the ground. The walls 16,17 and the roof 18 are arranged to be installed so as to be supported on the basin part 1 fitted in place.

In the Figure, the basin part 1 has been formed into a steel structure of rectangular shape, but both its shape and material may also be different.

Lateral supporting beams 2 of, for example, L-profile shape are arranged to protrude from the upper part of the basin part 1 in order to support the walls 16, 17 and the roof 18 on the basin part 1 by means of the said lateral supporting beams 2. One branch of the L-profile is fixed horizontally to the vertical wall of the basin part 1 and the other branch is arranged to protrude perpendicularly to the said vertical wall. The lateral supporting beams 2 fixed to the basin part 1 by means of bolts can be detached from the basin part 1 for the duration of transportation.

The basin part 1 is divided by means of fixed separating walls 10 into several tanks and/or separation chambers 9,12,13,14,26. The upper surface of the basin part 1, which at the same time forms the lid part of the said tanks and chambers, is formed into a floor 6 with an inclination to guide the liquids used in washing into the desired tanks and chambers. The floor 6 forms a welded entity together with the basin part 1 and the tanks or chambers belonging to it, whereby the basin part 1 forms an extremely rigid, case-like structure.

The floor 6 is provided with a sufficient number of service hatches 30 via which maintenance procedures and inspections of the tanks can be carried out.

The machine room 7 of the washing hall can also be arranged in a tank formed in the basin part 1, which room is thus fitted under a watertight lid, in an air- conditioned and heated space.

The floor 6 with an inclination is provided with suitable supporting structures (not shown) for a floor of grating which forms an even floor surface for the washing hall.

Figure 6 further shows components of the washing hall relating to the invention when loaded on a transportation vehicle. All components are ready assemble at the factory, which means that only simple procedures for connecting the components to each other and for connecting the washing hall to water, sewage, electrical and data networks have to be carried out at the construction site.

A desired number of washing halls can be connected in succession if necessary, for example, to form a vehicle washing street.

The main parts of the washing hall shown in the drawings are : 1. A rectangular steel construction framework which acts simultaneously as the foundation of the hall, a tank construction, a transportation unit and a mounting face for the vehicle washing machine to be installed and the overground wall and roof constructions, as well as a shielding pool.

2. The washing hall's lateral supporting beam made of steel and provided with a bolt attachment, which beam can be detached for the duration of transportation, and on which beam the walls, roof and vehicle washing machine rest.

3. A detachable washing hall base of grating made of zinc-coated driving level grating, the base providing an even floor surface and easy cleaning of the incline floor below.

4. The frame member of the vehicle washing hall is founded on a bearing, even base and insulated from the base with insulation plate.

5. On the centre line of the hall is a water channel integrated in the framework and provided with staggered pouring, which channel collects the water from the incline floor of the washing hall and separates the coarsest solids from the waste water.

6. The incline floor integrated in the tank/foundation construction consists of the upper part of the tank structures, and especially of the supporting structure of the floor of grating, by means of which supporting structure the loads of the vehicles are distributed over the foundation construction.

7. The technical space required by the vehicle washing hall is located in an air-conditioned and heatable space, under a watertight lid which can be opened. Alternative locations for the technical space are the side of the hall or the overground part of the hall.

8. The pump, filtering and air/water treatment equipment required by the washing machine of the vehicle washing hall are installed in the machine room (technical space) already at the production plant, before transporting the element to the installation site.

9. A sand separator integrated in the framework.

10. Separating wall for tank space.

11. The piping required for waste water treatment is integrated in an underground element.

12. A tank section acting as an oil separator.

13. An oil separation unit of honeycomb construction.

14. A waste water recirculation chamber.

15. The internal piping of elements required by the vehicle washing machines and tank/separation systems are pre-installed at the production plant.

16. The end wall element of the washing hall is delivered pre- fabricated to the installation site.

17. The side wall element of the washing hall is delivered prefabricated to the installation site.

18. The roof element of the washing hall is delivered prefabricated to the installation site.

19. The water pipeline, waste water, electricity and telecommunications connections are made at the factory to make rapid installation possible.

20. The underground tank/foundation construction is insulated against ground frost in cold areas.

21. The lateral supporting beam is made frost-proof at the factory.

22. Ground level in a ready-fitted vehicle washing hall.

23. Underground ground frost proofing (in cold areas).

24. Staggering the water collection channel with detachable spacer plates makes possible easy maintenance and emptying.

25. The automatic vehicle washing machine is mounted on pre-fitted fasteners.

26. The tank space of the foundation construction can be used, for example, for storing waste oil, solvents and detergents.