US2781592A

US2781592A - Snow removing machine

Info

Publication number: US2781592A
Application number: US397150A
Authority: US
Inventors: Abner S Mckee
Original assignee: DAVID J MCKEE
Current assignee: DAVID J MCKEE
Priority date: 1953-12-09
Filing date: 1953-12-09
Publication date: 1957-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1957 A. s. MOKEE 2,781,592

. snow REMOVING MACHINE.

Filed Dec. 9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. AB/VER S. MEKEE ATTORNEY A. s. MOKEE 2,781,592

SNOW REMOVING MACHINE Feb. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1953 IIIIIIIIJIIIEZIIIQE EDI-2:1 :3:

4 INVENTOR. ABA/ER 5. Mil/(E5 A T TORWE Y United States Patent Office ,7 2,781,592 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 SNOW REMOVING MACHINE Abner S. McKee, Paonia, Colo., assignor of one-half to David J. McKee, Denver, Colo.

This invention relates to snow removing machines and particularly to such a machine that is constructed and designed for clearing streets and highways.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a mobile machine which can be moved on a street or highway and remove snow therefrom and then subsequently cause such to be melted and discharged as water to the side of the highway or street where it can flow away.

Another object of my invention is to produce a snow removing machine which will have a high capacity for melting picked up snow and will accomplish the melting without the necessity of any pulverizing' Yet another object is to produce a snow removing machine employing a hollow rotating drum member so constructed that it can exteriorly pick up the snow and cause it to be melted by high heat from the interior of the drum as the drum rotates.

A further object is to produce a snow removing machine of the drum type above referred to which will be provided with a surrounding casing structure which can be adjusted to control the amount of snow moving onto the drum to be melted.

A still further object is ,to produce an improved snow melting structure employing a rotating drum having exterior trough-like means for carrying the snow and high heat producing means for the inside of the drum for causing rapid melting while the drum is rotating, together with means for removing heating and exhaust gases and vapors from the interior of the drum in a manner to increase the rapidity of the melting operation and means for removing the water created by themelting.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side view of a snow removing machine embodying my invention and being particularly constructed for use on streets and highways, said view having some parts broken away and tion in order to show details;

Figure 2 is a top view of the base frame structure of the burner and melting section of the machine with the rotating drum and surrounding casing being shown in longitudinal cross section at d-rum axis;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of Figure 2 showing an end bearing for the drum and the drive therefor;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the snow pick-up blade on the drum; and

Figure 5 is a front view of a part of the blade and drum showing the adjustable blade for the exhaust slot in the drum.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first to Figures 1. and 2, my improved snow removing machine, as disclosed by way of example, comprises a frame generally designated by the letter F which is made up of two spaced apart side structures and 11 connected together at their rear by a cross frame structure 12. The front end 7 others shown in sec- 1 of the side frame structure 10 is anannular support34 of this frame is unobstructed so that snow can readily pass into the space between the two side frame structures as the machine is moved forwardly on a street, highway or other surface desired to be cleaned of snow. At the forward end of the side frame structure 10 is a wheel 13 and a like wheel 14 is carried at the forward end of the other side frame structure 11. Both of these wheels have a short axle structure suitably mounted in the side frame structure so there will not be any cross axle for interfering with movement of snow into themachine. At the rear of the frame are mounted two other wheels 15'and 16 carried on the ends of an axle 17 frame and is suitably supported by the rear ends of the two side frame structures 10 and 11. With these four wheels the machine can be readily moved down a highway or any other surface from which it is desired to remove snow. The forward end of the two side frame members 10 and 11 also carry adjustable wings indicated at 18 and 19, which thus provide suitable chute means to assist in guiding the snow to be removed into the machine between the two side frame structures.

A very important feature of my snow removing machine resides in the use of a rotating heated drum D which is mounted for rotation between the two side frame structures 10 and 11 of the machine. This drum is hollow and of special construction and surrounding the drum is a casing structure, generally indicated by the letter C and having two

parts

20 and 21, the former being a stationary casing part and the latter a movable casing part, the purpose of which will become apparent. The hol low drum D has a corrugated surface to form alternate valleys 22 and ridges 23, both extending axially of the drum. Each ridge has mounted thereon a blade 24 which, in the form shown, is so curved that its outer edge'will extend in the direction of rotation of the drum indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the curved blades are arranged to be detachable, so in the event they become worn or broken they can be replaced. A suitable arrangement for making the attachment comprises an elongated plate member 25 welded or. otherwise secured to each ridge part of the drum and so constructed as to have an outwardly extending rib 26. The blade will be.

Just forward of eachblade and between said blade and the bottom of the valley ahead of the blade, the drum is provided with a plurality of longitudinally aligned openings or slots 30 which will permit heat and exhaust gases from burned fuel to pass out of the interior of the drum into the valleys where snow will have become positioned as the drum rotates and the machine moves forwardly on its wheels. It may be desirable to vary the heat passing through the slots in the drum and to ac-. complish this there can be provided an adjustable plate 31 carried on the surface of the drum adjacent the aligned slots. Each plate will be provided with av plurality of cross slots 32 (see FigureS) and a stud bolt 33 will extend through each slot into the drum wall to clamp the plate tightly onto the drum surface. 7 If the slots 30 are desired to be varied, all that needs to be done is loosen the holding bolts 33 for the plate and move this plate toward or awayfrom the slots to decrease or increase their area of opening as desired.

As best seen in Figure 2, the drumtis supported in suitable bearings at each of its ends. Fixed on the inside having a conical inner surface and a cylindrical outer surface. A like support is carried by the inside of the other side frame structure 11. The drum is closed at its opposite ends by plates 36 and 37, with these plates hav ing suitable annular flanges which, will receive, bearings 383C? as to journal'the ends of tlie drum onthe two end support members 34 and 35.

ith this mounting of the drum ends by. means of annular supports, it is. possiblet o supply heat in large volumes and at high temperaturestdthe inside of the drum to accomplish melting of "snow which has been picked up by the blades as the drum rotates in the direction of the arrow of Figure l and the machine moves forwardly so that snow; will be fedto the drum in a continuous manner. The heat will be furnished by burners B, there being one attached to each side framestructure at the outer end of the" annular supports. The burners maybe of any suitable type, but are preferably of a forced draft type whereby the heat fromthe burners will be causedto flow rapidly through the annular supports 34-a'nd? 35 intothe,interiorof the drum. Fuel is supplied'to the burners through. conduits 39 and forced air will be supplied to the burners through the conduits 40, these conduits being suitably connected to a blower which is indicated at 41' and mounted adjacent the rear of the machine as showninFigure 2.

The blower is shown as being drivenby a cross driving'shaft'42 journaled on the frame, and driven by a suitable engine 43, This driving shaft 42 is also arranged to drive an electric generator 44 to supply electricity to the machine to perform some of the operations. The shaft 42 also drives an hydraulic pump 45 which will supply hydraulic pressure to perform certain-other operations which will be later referred to. The engine 43 n ot only furnishes a drive for all the equipment, but alsois employed to rotate the drum D of the snow remover. This is accomplished by providing on one end of the shaft 42 a sprocket 46and connecting this sprocket to a sprocket 47 which will be secured to theendclosure plate 37 of the drum, the connection being accomplished by a sprocket chain. 48. i l

The casing C surroundingthe drum isfemployed to confine theheat so it will be eifective upon the drum surface and a body of hot surroundingair willlbe present, partofthisair being heated, bytransfer ofheat directly through the walls of the drum and other. heat being.

furnished by hot gases escaping through the numerous V slots 30 in thedru'm, wall. Thestationary part.20. 0f the casingj'encloses approximately the. r'earQone-half .of the; and the movable section. 21 covers a. major poitionpfithe forwardpart of thejdrum. The;rear. section along its lower edge, which is substantially vertical below the drum, carries a trough 49 (see Figure: l) which will extend the whole length. of the drum and be inclined towardone end of the casing in order that water from melted snow running down the interior wall of the casingsectionjtlfwill be collectedandcausedto flow to one end of the trough, whereby a conduit 50 will"convey the water rearwardly and outwardly. to one side for disposal. The forward movable section 21 of the casing extends downwardly over the drum to a point below the front part of the drum, thus leaving an opening 51 through which snow can be caused to be fedinto the casing whereby it will be pick ed'up by the rotatingblades of the drum and then under the action. of theQhigh heat causedlto be melted. a

As bestshown in Figure 1, there is aheadof the easing andsuitably carried by the frame structure.,an,inclined scraper 52 extending across the machine between the two side frame structures. The forwarclendof the scraper is arranged to be closely positioned to the highway surface to be cleaned. With this, inclined scraper it will be seen that as the machine moves forwardly, the front'edge of the scraper moves beneath the snow. on the surface and causes it. to be conveyed upwardly to. the scrapers rear edge, which will be positioned closely 7 moving the tractor.

adjacent the path of rotation of the outer ends of the curved blades as the drum rotates. Thus, snow moving over the rear edge of the scraper will be picked up by the curved blades and as the blades continue to move upwardly and around with the drum to the rear side, heat which is present in the casing and also heat from the highly heated walls of the drum will cause the snow to slide into the valleys and be melted. The melting will take place during the time the drum moves from a point where a blade picksup a body of snow to a point where the bladereaches the lower rear edge of the fixed rear section 20 of the casing which carries the runoff trough. The snow pickup blade is arranged to be adjusted with respect to, the highway surface being cleaned and this is shown as being accomplished by an electric reversing motor 53 having a small reel 54 on its shaft, said reel being connected by a cable 55 to the scraper. This motor will be suitably controlled by the operator of the machine and merely by causing the motor to rotate in either one direction or the other, the blade can be raised or lowered as desired.

Some snow being picked up by the blades otfthe rear cndofthesnow pickup scraper no doubt will fall, on the exterior surface of the movable section 21 of the casing and become melted. To carry off this resulting water, the lower edge of the. movable blade section 21 can also be provided with a longitudinally extending trough 56 having only a small angle of slope whereby the water can be conveyed into the disposal conduit 50 to which one of its ends can be connected.

The movable section 21 of the casing is arranged, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to have its upper ends supported by suitable rollers on the forward upper end of the fixed casing section 20 and the ends of the movable section 21 will be supported upon fixed end closure walls 57 and 58 .for the casing. This support arrangement is such as to permit the forward section to be movable thereon to vary the opening through which the snow moves into the casing by way of the inclined scraper 52. A suitable way of accomplishing. the moving of the forward section 21' is byan electric motor 59 mounted upon a superstructure 60 of the machine. The shaft ofjhis motor will have a reel 61 and from this drum to the movable section of the casing there will be provided a cable connection v62. The motor 59 will be of the reversing type, the same asthe. motor 53 for controlling the scraper, and this motor will be controlled ,by the operator. in his cab by suitable switches. Electric power for the motor will be supplied through the generator 44 already referred to.

Provision is also made on the machine for raising and.

lowering its front end relative to the highway surface when such is found desirable. The front wheels 13 and 14 will be spring mounted to the frame by large coil spring 63 and-associated ,with these springs is an hydraulic device having a piston 64 engaging one end of the spring and arranged tomove'in a chamber 65. This chamber can have hydraulic fluid under pressure supplied or removed therefrom through the line 66. The source of hydraulic pressure is provided by the hydraulic pump 45 already referred to. Tocontrol, the. hydraulic pressure to and from the chamber. 65, suitable operator control valves (not shown) will be provided.

The snow removing machine just described is arranged to be pushed by a tractor T shown in Figure l, which may be of anysuitable construgtion. This tractor will havewheels, as shown, and be provided with an engine-for be arranged to be coupled to the rear end of the frame -F of thesnow removing machine. by any suitable coupling 67. The, operators cab 68for the tractorand snow machine. will be positioned. atxa highpoint thereonso the operator can look forwardly across the top of thessnown melting drum andsee the road ahead of the, snow remov ingrnachine. In this cabwiltbe all the necessarycom,

The front end of this tractor will trols for the snow removing machine, that is, the controls for the two reversing

motors

53 and 59 and the hydraulic valves for controlling the raising and lowering of the forward end of the snow machine. Also in this tractor will be provided a steering control which will extend forwardly by means of a steering column 69 to a steering gear 70 at the front of the snow removing machine and mounted on its upper structure. From this gear there will be a shaft 71 by means of which the two front wheels 13 and 14 can be steered. The steering column 69 will be made so it can be divided whenever it is desired to disconnect the tractor from the snow removing machine. The tractor will also carry a large storage tank 72 for furnishing fuel to the burners for supplying heat to the interior of the drum. All connecting structure such as electric cables, conduits, etc. between the tractor and snow machine will be provided with suitable connecting joints so that uncoupling of the tractor and machine can be accomplished if desired.

The operation of my improved snow removing machine is believed to be obvious from the foregoing detailed description of structure embodying the invention. Briefly described, however, this operation consists of driving the drum from the engine 43 at a desired slow speed, this speed being determined by the amount of snow which is going to be melted and the rate of forward movement of the machine on the highway. The burners will be set in operation before the machine moves so that required heat will be generated inside the drum and outside the drum but within the casing. When the machine is heated properly it can be caused to move forwardly and by proper regulation of the height of the snow machine and the pickup scraper, snow will be fed into the casing and picked up by the blades on the drum as the drum rotates in the direction of the arrow of Figure l. The amount of incoming snow will be regulated by the movement of the movable casing section 21, which will be set in accordance with the speed of rotation of the drum and the rate of forward movement of the machine. As the snow is picked off the inner end of the scraper by the blades 24 on the drum, the snow will immediately begin to melt by the high heat to which it is subjected. If any snow or water, during the melting, should go into the interior of the drum through the slots 30, it will immediately be changed to steam and then forced out again through the slots by movement of air and gases. The drum will be rotating slowly and the machine will move forward slowly. By the time the drum has caused a blade to move from a point where it picks up snow to a point closely adjacent the trough 49, all the snow will be melted and the resulting water will run into the trough 49 where it can be conveyed by the discharge conduit 50 to a point at the side of the highway. The two burners will be of such size and capacity as to maintain a very high temperature, as for example, about 900 degrees F., within the drum and at the drum walls. If the drum has approximately feet in diameter, then with this high heat snow can be cleaned from a highway and changed to water at a fairly rapid rate. Of course, the rate will vary, depending upon the depth of snow to be removed and other factors. However, it is estimated that on an average depth of snow on the highway, the snow removing machine can be caused to move and clear same at a rate of about one to one and one-half miles per hour. Of course, if the snow is light, the machine can be moved faster than this. Throughout the specification and claims my machine is referred to as a snow removing machine, but it is obvious that it also will melt any ice that can be picked up and caused to be placed on the drum.

I am aware of the possibility of many modifications in the machine disclosed by way of example and also many changes in structure and devices involved to accomplish my improved results, all without departing from the fundamental principles of my invention, and therefore I desire it to be understood that the scope of my invention is not to be limited except in accordance with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a snow removing machine, a wheeled frame sttucture for movement on a surface, a hollow member forming a drum rotatably mounted on the frame structure and constructed to have circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting blades on its surface extending longitudinally thereof, a casing of substantial cylindrical configuration surrounding a substantial and major part of the hollow member and spaced therefrom to provide an annular passage for snow, said casing having a snow receiving opening, means for rotating the hollow member relative to the casing in a direction to have the blades move from the front of the drum over the top to the back, means for causing the blades on the front side of the drum to pick up snow as the machine is moved forward, means for maintaining a high temperature within the hollow member to thereby melt the snow picked up by each blade as the hollow member rotates to move the blade from front to back, said hollow member being provided with a plurality of openings in its wall between said blades to permit the escapeof gases and vapors from the interior of the hollow member and contact with the snow picked up by the blades, and means for varying the size of each opening.

2. The snow machine of claim 1 wherein the drum has an exterior corrugated surface with the ridges and furrows extending in the longitudinal direction of the drum and the blades are curved to have their edges extending in the direction of drum rotation and are mounted on the ridges.

3. The snow machine of claim 2 wherein the hollow member extends transversely of the frame and the member is journaled in annular supports provided with enlarged conical openings communicating with openings in the member whereby large volumes of heat in the form of gases and vapors may be supplied to the interior of the hollow member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 155,007 Churchman Sept. 15, 1874 343,353 Wright June 8, 1886 1,469,046 McDonald Sept. 25, 1923 1,529,147 Snook Mar. 10, 1925 2,387,959 Wandscheer Oct. 30, 1945