US782191A - Snow and ice melter. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED FEB. '7, 1905.

J. W. DANIELS.

SNOW AND ICE MELTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21,1904;

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PATENTED FEB. '7, 1905.

J. W. DANIELS.

SNOW AND ICE MBLTER.

APYLIOATION FILED APR.21,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

luveu l'oz Jmes Wan l/witnesses a Ito-Lung NITED STATES Patented February 7, 1905;

JAMES DANIELS, OF PATERSON, NE\V JERSEY.

SNOW AND ICE MELTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,191, dated February '7, 1905,

Application filed April 21, 1904. Serial No. 204,188.

To (tl/ 10/10/12, it Duty concern.-

be it known that l, J AMES Daxrnns, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow and Ice Melters, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in snow and ice melting machines of that class wherein the snow is taken up by a shovel or other means and delivered to a conveyor or carrier and by the latter delivered to a tank or receptacle where it is melted by artificial heat properly applied.

The present invention has for its objects, among others, to provide an improved device of this general character by which the collection and melting of the snow may be more successfully and rapidly accomplished.

A further object is to provide a machine of this class which shall be capable of performing the same functions whether going in one direction or the other. In other words, the machine as preferably constructed is a doubleender, being equipped alike at both ends, for an obvious purpose.

Still a further object is to provide for the inclosure of the carrier and the tank and the heating devices, whether they be gas, gasolene, crude oil, electricity, or any other artificial heating appliances.

Still a further object is to provide means whereby the snow or ice as it is being-carried through the machine shall be broken up, thus facilitating its melting. This breaking means is disposed above the carrier, and the heating devices are so disposed as to act to the best advantage on the snow. The carrier extends the whole length of the machine, and the same carrier serves with both shovels and being operated through the same medium no change whatsoever is necessary in the mechanism except the reversal of the direction of movement of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel featu res thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention in its preferred form is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a snow and ice melting machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view with a portion broken away. Fig. is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. A is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the machine complete. Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the'carrier or chain.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates the truck or frame mounted on suitable wheels 2 on axles 3 and designed to be either selfpropelled or moved by an electric car, locomotive, or othersuitablemot-ive power. \Vhen self-propelled, the fuel supply will be carried upon the machine; but when otherwise propelled it is designed to have the fuel carried by the car that moves the machine and the fuel conducted to the burners of the machine by suitable piping. In the present instance the machine is shown and will be described as of the latter type. The carrier is designed to be moved through a casing or housing at, through the roof 5 of which extend the smoke-stacks 6, as clearly shown in the drawings, for an obvious purpose.

At each end of the machine is a shovel 7, pivotally mounted, as at 8, (see Fig. 1,) and this shovel is designed to be raised and lowered, as occasion may require, by suitable means-such, for instance, as a drum 9 on a shaft 10, mounted in a suitable standard 11 at the end of the machine just behind the dashboard 12, and upon this drum are wound the chains 13, attached to the shovel, one near each side, as seen in Fig. l at 1A. This shaft is provided with a hand-wheel 15, by which it may be turned, and a suitable ratchet-andpawl device is provided, as seen at 16, to hold the shovel in its adjusted position.

It is to be understood that the machine is designed, primarily, to run upon a railroadtrack.

At the sides of the shovel at points which will lie outside the track are brackets 17, in

which are swiveled the small rollers 18, de-

signed to travel upon the ground.

19 is a shaft mounted in the side walls or braces of the shovel, and on each of these shafts is a roller 20, and around these rollers passes the carrier 21, which passes also over idlers 22 and over sprocket-wheels 23, which latter are mounted inside the housing or casing 4 and carried by shafts 24, mounted in suitable bearings 25, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 5. This carrier may be of any suitable form of construction suited to the purpose, in this instance being shown as composed of a series of slats 26, suitably connected to the. carrier-chains 27, one at each end of the slats, and designed to cooperate with the sprocketwheels 23, there being a sprocket-wheel at each side of the machine and near each end of the tank within said casing, as seen best in Fig. 1'. As will be readily understood from Fig. 1, this carrier extends the whole length of the casing, the top and bottom portions running horizontally and parallel over and between the sprocket-wheels and from thence downward toward each end of the machine. Beneath the carrier between the sprocketwheels is a tank or receptacle 28, designed to receive the water as the snow and ice becomes melted, and this tank is provided with a suitable hose 29, whereby-the water may be discharged therefrom when desired.

Within the casing L are the burners 30, of any suitable or well-known character. In this instance they are shown as of that type designed for burninggasolene or the like, fueloil, or any suitable fuel. They are disposed to extend substantially the entire length of the space over the tank and are all connected with a common supply-pipe 31, as seen clearly in Fig. 3, and to which is connected the supplypipe 32, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, which supply-pipe is designed for connection with a source of fuel-supply (not shown) which will be carried on the motor-car. The carrier runs above and below these burners, as will be readily understood.

33 represents rakes disposed above the sprocket-wheels, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, and are for the purpose of cutting up the snow as it is carried along by the carrier, and for the purpose of more thoroughly cutting the snow these rakes are disposed so that their teeth shall be staggered, as seen in Fig. 3.

34 represents an opening for the supply of air to support combustion.

Motion is imparted to the carrier when the machine is constructed as a four-wheel truck by means of gearing, as seen clearly in the different views. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted-that on each axle there is at each end a gear-wheel 35, which is designed to mesh with a smaller gear-wheel 36 on the shafts of the sprocket-wheels, as seen also in Fig. 1 and in plan in Fig. 2. In an eight-wheeled truck an independent motor for actuating the carrier may be employed.

The machine is provided at each end with a suitable coupling, so that it may bereadily connected with another car or alocomotive or other source of motive power.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above described the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, especially when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. Briefly stated. it is as follows: As the machine is propelled by any suitable power the shovel en tering the snow throws the same onto the carrier, which takes it up, and as it passes beneath the rakes the snow is cut up, so as to be more easily melted by the heat from the burners, (or electricity may be the source of heat,) which heat is sufficient to melt the snow while it is being carried over the burners. The water falls into the tank, from which it may be discharged when necessary. The carrier and burners all being inclosed and the heat located beneath the carrier while it is moving the snow into the path of the heat from the burners enables me to secure the best results and insures the melting of the snow as fast as it is delivered to the machine and over the burners.

While the structural embodiment of my invention as hereinbefore described and shown is whatI at the present time consider the preferable one, it is evident that the same is subject to changes, variations, and modifications in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 1 therefore do not wish to be restricted to the details of construction herein disclosed, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modification as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

\Vhat is claimed as new is 1. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, a carrier mounted upon both and adapted to serve with either of said shovels, and a heater.

2. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, a carrier mounted on both and adapted to serve with either of said shovels, and a heater, the said carrier being mounted to travel above and beneath the heater.

3. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, a carrier mounted on both and adapted to serve with either of said shovels, a tank, and heaters intermediate the carrier and tank.

4. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, an endless carrier having bearings in both of said shovels and adapted to serve with either thereof, a heater, a tank and acasing inclosing the heater and carrier.

' 5. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck. a shovel at each end thereof, an endless carrier extending from shovel to shovel and mounted at opposite ends of the truck in opposite shovels and adapted to serve with either, a tank, a heater arranged above the tank and adapted to heat the snow as it is upon the carrier, and a casing for the carrier and heater.

6. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, an endless carrier mount-ed at opposite ends of the truck on said shovels to travel the whole length of the truck and to serve with either of said shovels, means for actuating the carrier, means for heating and melting the snow while it is being carried through the machine, and a receptacle for collecting the water.

7. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end, an endless carrier adapted to serve with either shovel, means including burners for melting the snow as it is i being carried through the machine, and means 3 located above the burners and tank for cutting the snow while it is being moved by the carrier.

8. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingframe, a shovel at an end thereof, a carrier cooperating with said shovel, a receptacle for the water, a heater, means located above said receptacle and heater for cutting the snow while it is being moved by the carrier, and an inclosing casing therefor.

5). In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at an end thereof, a carrier mounted in and adapted to serve with said shovel, a heater located below the upper travel of said carrier, stationary means located above the heater and above the carrier for cutting the snow, and a receptacle for the water.

ll). In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at each end thereof, an endless 4 carrier mounted at opposite ends of the mal chine on said shovels and adapted to serve with said shovel, means for actuating the carrier, a heater disposed below the upper travel of the carrier,a receptacle for the water, and a casing inclosing the heater and carrier.

11. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingframe,a shovel at an end thereof,an endless carrier mounted in said shovel to serve therewith, means for vertically adjusting the shovel, and a heater disposed to heat the snow as it is moved through the machine by the carrier,and means for cutting the snow as it is being moved through the machine by the carrier, said cutting means being loeated above the heater and above the carrier.

12. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at an end thereof, means for vertically adjusting the shovel, an endless carrier mounted in said shovel and adapted to serve therewith, means for melting the snow as it is being moved through the machine by said carrier, and a device located above the melting means and arranged to cooperate with the carrier for cutting the snow.

13. In a snow and ice melter, a supportingtruck, a shovel at an end thereof, means for adjusting the shovel, an endless carrier, a fixed cutting device arranged above the carrier, heaters disposed to melt the snow as it is being moved through the machine by said carrier, means for actuating the carrier, a receptacle for the Water, and a casing inclosing the carrier and the heaters, said cutting device being arranged above the heaters and receptacle.

Signed by me at \Vashington, District of Columbia, this 20th day of April, 190a.

JAMES \V. DANIELS.

\Vitnesses:

E. W. BOND, 'lnos. H. BANES.

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