US717561A - Snow-plow and road-icer. - Google Patents

Description

No. 711,561. y PATENTBD JAN. 6,1903.

` M. FERGUSON.

SNW PLOW AND ROAD ICBR. APPLIGATION FILED 1501.18', 1901.

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UNiTnn STATES MICHAL FERGUSON, OF MUNISNG, MICHIGAN.

SNOW-PLOW AND ROAD-lCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,561, dated January '6, 1903.

Application iiled Otober 18,1901. Serial No. 79,120. (No model.)

To all whom t ntcty concer-nf Be it known that I, MICHAL FERGUSON, residing at Munising, in the county of Alger and State of Michigan, (which is my post-cnice address,) have invented a new and useful Snow-Plow and Road-leer, by means of which snow can be cleared from the roads in the northern latitudes, preventing delay in hauling heavy loads, and at the same time icing the roads and thereby facilitating travel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a device for removing snow from lumbering roads and other roads in northern latitudes during or immediately after a snowstorm by the use oli' steam, thereby blowing away the snow-from the track and also melting the same thereon, thus sprinkling the roads, icing the same when freezing, and preventing delayin hauling aiterheavy snowstorms, and at the saine time also icing the roads, enabling lumbermen or other travelers to haul heavierloads than could be done Without other road-sprinklin g.

My device consists of a heavy sleigh provided with hollow metallic runners which are turned up at both ends and are about six inches in diameter or such other size as desired. The ends of these hollow runners are closed by means of metallic plugs having a thread meshing with a thread in the ends of the runners. On the top of the sleigh, which is covered with plank, is a steam-boiler resting upon masonry placed upon the top of the plank. The boiler has metallic-pipe connections with both runners, conveying steam into said runners. The metallic plug screwed in the end of each runner is provided on the outer end with an eyebolt, by means of which the roller and tongue of the sleigh can be attached to either end of the sleigh and removed from one tothe other with ease. Near the end of each runner at the outer side and near the center is a threaded quarterinch hole therein, which is provided with a threaded metallic screw. When this device is in use, the screws in the front end of the runners as drawn are removed and the steam, forced through said quarter-inch holes from the boiler, blows away or melts the snow in front and along the sides of the sleigh, thereby blowing the snow away or melting the same upon the track, making a clear road and icing the same by the freezing of the snow Thus melted.

I have found this device of great assistance in my lumbering operations in northernlatitudes,

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention.. 'Fig 2 is a view of the upper side of the sleigh complete, on which the steam-boiler rests, and showing where it does rest and how the hollow metallic runners project at each end vand where the caps close the same. Fig. 3 is an end View of my invention, showing how steam-boiler with lire-hole rests upon the sleigh supported by masonry; also the manner that the hollow runners at each end are turned up with caps on the end, and how the quarter-inch hole is placed in the center of the metallic runner on the front side, through which the steam is forced when the machine is in operation; also showing, in connection with thev other drawings, how the steam-pipes carry the steam from the boiler to the hollow runners and how the boiler is guyed to the foundation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of A E, showing how the caps mesh with the runners.

A is a round hollow metallic runner provided with caps orplugsE and'Ef, as desired, which are screwed onto or into the end of A by means of threads inside or outside of the runner, as desired, meshing with a thread on the' inside of the caps or outside of the plugs. 8

B is a portable steam-boiler resting upon planks F.

D and D are iron plates with circular groove in the bottom meshing with the runner A and upon which rest the cross-timbers C and C.

F represents the planks that are spiked upon the cross-timbers C and C.

G is the mason-work, consisting of brick or stone, on which the boiler B rests.

H and H are the steam-pipes through which the steam is taken from the upper end'of the boiler down each side of the boiler to the runners.

I is the smoke-stack of the boiler.

J is the roller attached to the tongue K and which hooks into E and E' by means of an eyebolt.

K is the tongue, mortised into roller J.

L and L are chains fastened in the eyebolt in the end of the runners at one end and at the other end to bolts M and M', Which pass through foundation-timbers C and C for the purpose of strengthening the runners and keeping them in place.

N, as shown in Fig. 3, is a fire-hole into the fire-box, which rests upon masonry G.

O represents guy-lines holding the boiler and other connections in place.

Pand P' are quarter-inch holes in the ceuter of the curvature at the ends of each runner, through Which the steam is forced when my invention is in use, the corresponding holes at the opposite ends-namely, the rear of the sleigh as in use-being closed by screws. Cock K is the means by Which the steam generated in boiler B is let into the pipes I-I and H and thence down into runners A.

ItWill be noticed thatthe efficiency and value of this device is that by its use heavy snows may be cleared promptly and With slight eX- pense as the snow is falling or immediately after it has fallen by forcing steam from the holes P and P', blowing the light snow from off the track and at the same time melting a portion of the same, which will run down over the road-bed, freezing and coating the road with ice to such an extent as to improve the hauling facility from time to time as the roads become rough and Worn by use.

This device can be constructed at moderate cost and is an improvement over any other device Within my knowledge for clearing roads promptly during and after heavy snowstorms in northern latitudes. Especially is this so on lumbering roads in northern latitudes, and this device is superior to any other for that purpose now in use Within my knowledge.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, is-

In a snow-plow and road-icer, the combination of hollow sleigh-runners A and A', each provided with threaded caps E and E meshing with threads on the ends of said runners; in connection with cross-timbers C and C', resting ou iron plates D and D covered and held in place by planks F bolted or spiked thereto; in connection with boiler B pro-` vided With foundation of masonry G resting on planks F; said boiler provided With lirehole N, guys O, smoke-pipe I; in connection With steam-pipes H and I-I, provided with cock K, substantially as shown and described.

DatedSeptember 18, 1901.

his MICHAL FERGUSON. mark In presence of- ANTHONY FERGUSON, THOMAS MILLER.

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