US2178068A - Mechanism for preventing formation of ice on windshields - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, 1939. F. CORDOVA MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING FORMATION OF ICE ON WINDSHIELDS Filed Sept. 1Q, 1938 INVENTOR /sW/f 550.00m?

ATTORNEY Patented oet. 31, 1939 PATENT yorrlcr.

MCHANISM FOR PREVENTING FRMATION OF ICE ON WINDSHIELDS Frank Cordova, Hempstead, N. Y.

Application September 10, 1938, Serial No. 229,241

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for preventing the formation of ice on airplane windshields.

Ice forms so rapidly, particularly when airplanes are operated at high speed and high altitude, that transport planes carry hammers in the pilots cockpits for smashing the glass in case of severe icing. So far as I am aware, no satisfactory way of preventing formation of ice on airplane windshields has so far been devised.

According to the present invention, the formation of ice on windshields is prevented by feeding an anti-freeze fluid to the outside surface of the Windshield, and by distributing this fluid over a given area of the windshield by means of a rapidly rotating blade. y

Features, objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out or become apparent in connection with the following detailed description of mechanism illustrating the invention, refer- Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4

on enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. "1.

In the drawing, there is shown at I a section of a glass windshield mounted in a suitable frame II. A bracket I2, which is secured at one end to the frame II, supports a housing I3 for a bearing I4 in which is mounted a shaft I5. On the outer end of shaft I5, which extends through the windshield, there is secured, for instance byl means of squared end 20 and nut 2l, a rotatable member I8. v To this member I 8 there are secured blades I9, preferably set back from the leading edge of the member I 8. These blades are ar-v ranged so that they lie close to the outside surface of the glass. To assist in preventing ice from collecting on the member I8, this member may contain, if desired, electric heating elements 28, to which current may'besupplied through wires 29 and brushes 30.

Suitable means are provided for rotating the shaft I at high speed, such as 1000 to 2500 R. P. M. This may be accomplished by means of a pulley I6 and belt Il driven from any convenient source of power (not shown) or an electric motor 3l, mounted on bracket 32, may drive the shaft I5 directly, as shown in Fig. 3.

An anti-freeze fiuid is fed to the outside of the windshield, adjacent the axis of rotation of the blades I9. For this purpose the shaft I5 is hollow and its inner wall is preferably ried as shown at 22. An anti-freeze fluid is fed into the interior of the shaft I5 through a stationary pipe under control of a valve 25. Any desirable antifreeze fluid may be employed, for instance a mixture of glycerine and alcohol. As best shown in Fig. 5, the shaft I5 is provided with diametrically opposed openings 24, adjacent the outside of the windshield, through which the uid is fed to the leading sides of the blades I9, with respect to the direction of their rotation. The rotation of the blades Wipes the anti-freeze fiuid over the desired area. f

The present invention thus provides a simple and effective means for preventing the formation of ice on windshields, through the centrifugal action of the rapidly rotating blades on the anti-freeze fluid. The blades rotate fast enough so that they do not interfere with the pilots visibility. When the freezing conditions are not severe, the device can be operated without the anti-freeze fluid by closing the valves 25. Thus.

the device has utility as a windshield wiper in addition to preventing the formation of ice.

While the invention has been developed particularly for use in connection with airplanes, it will be understood that it is also applicable to automobiles and other vehicles.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such termsy and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism of the character described, com prising a Wiper mounted for rotation close to the outside surface of a windshield, a hollow shaft on which said rotatable wiper is mounted, means to rotate said shaft at a speed such that said wiper is -practically invisible, and means to supply an anti-freeze liquid through said shaft to the sur-'- face of said wiper, whereby the liquid is distributed over the outside' surface of the windshield by centrifugal force.

2. A device of the character described for a vehicle windshield, comprising a rotatable blade, a shaft on which said blade is mounted, means including a port near the axis of rotation for feeding liquid into the path of the blade near the inner end thereof, and means to rotate the blade at a speed such that it is practically invisible, whereby the liquid is distributed over the outside survface of the windshield by centrifugal force.

3. An anti-icing device of the character described, comprising a rotatable wiper blade, a shaft on which said blade is mounted, means including a port near the axis of rotation for feeding anti-freeze liquid to the leading surface of said blade near the inner end thereof,- and means anti-freeze liquid over the area traversed by the Y y blade.

4. A windshield wiper of the character described, comprising rotatable blades, a shaft on which said blades are mounted, means including ports at the inner ends of said blades for feeding liquid into the path of the blades, and means to rotate said blades at a speed such that the liquid is distributed outwardly along said blades and over the area of the windshield traversed by said blades.

FRANK CORDOVA.

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