US2312851A - Snow and ice removing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 2 1943.

J. J. SEIBERT SNOW AND ,ICE REMOVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q X Julius March 2 1943. J, J, SEIBERT SNOW AND ICE R'EMOVING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1941 March 2 1943. t J. J. SEIBERT SNOW AND ICE REMOVING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 5, 1941 m mm Q wh mu fa lei $6 2 March 2 1943, J. J. SEIBERT.

SNOW AND ICE' REMOVING MACHI E 1941 4 She efcs-Sheet 4 Jul Filed Feb. 5,

Patented Mar. 2, 1943 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to'the'class-of material handling and pertains more particularly -to improvements in mechanism for removing snow and ice from highways, flying fields or other areasof similar character.

A principal object of the present'invention is to provide a mechanism by means of whichsnow or ice *covered areas may be efiiciently cleaned and such areas left entirely dryforfree use by motor "vehicles, airplanes or pedestrians.

"Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism forclearing highways, streets, air- -portrunways andother areas-of snow and ice without piling up the snow atthesides of the areas where it-mightconstitutea hazard to vehicles and "without creating an undesirabledischarge of water along the sides of such areas, the

=mechanism being 'of such character as to melt the snowor ice and pick up the-water thus produced 'for transportation to a suitable discharge point.

fStill another object "of the invention is to provide in a mechanism f the character stated, means for mopping overand completely drying the area'from which the snow or ice has been re- Jmoved.

.Astill further object of the-invention is to pro- ;vide anovelmounting arrangement for a surface heating device-uponthe front of a Wheeled carrier whereby such fdevicemay be easily handled to-swing with the front of the carrier as the latterisguided .overthe area to be cleaned.

.The i invention will be best understood from a =considerationzof the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it;.being understood, however, that the inventioniisnot to;be considered as limited by thegspecific illustration ;o-r description but that *such illustration and description constitutes a Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fi 9 is a transverse section taken on the line '99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is'asectional viewon the line iii-48 of Fig.5.

Fig. 11 is'a detailedsectional'view througha flame nozzle and the adjacent portion of the heater box.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line--l-2--l2 'of Fig.

Fig. 13 is a detailed view on an enlarged-scale 'partlyin section and partly in top plan of oneof the coupling units between the carrier and'the heat box. 2

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral lgenerally designatesa car- -rier to which the mechanism of the present invention is attached and by which suchmechanismis moved over the area to be cleaned. This carrieris' here shown as being in the form of a truck having the usual drivers cab-2 and-at the rear of the cab a'fioor structuret, which is sup- ;ported on the chassis frame 4, which in'turn is supported upon the usual front and rear wheels 5 and 6, respectively. Obviously, as will become apparent following the description of the mechanism, the said mechanism may be carried upon any other type of conveyor, therefore, it is-to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to use with the specific type of carrier here shown.

At the front of the carrier there is secured transversely thereof a beam 1 of any-suitable character but preferably in'the form of an I-beam as shown, and secured to and extending for- =wardly from the'top'of this beam upon opposite "sides of the longitudinal center of the carrier are the pairs of spaced arms 8, eachpair constituting a unit'of a coupling by which-a heat box indicated generally by the numeral 9, is attached to the front of the carrier.

The heat'boxfi is in the form of a rectangular housing of sheet metal having a rear vertical wall It), which is provided with a plurality of burner openings H, and these burner openings are arranged in -a line extending transversely of the 'box. The bottom of the boxis open and directed toward the ground so that the heat developed therein will be discharged downwardly against the snow surface or the ice covering the ground surface. For the purpose of conserving the heat or preventing its dissipation through the side walls and top of the box, the inner surfaces "of "these -walls are covered by a suitableheat insulation material l2.

The forward or front vertical wall of the heat box is indicated by the numeral I 3 and there are secured to the front wall the forwardly extending bracket arms I4, each of which carries a vertically adjustable castor wheel I5. These castor wheels are here shown as being connected with adjusting screws I6, which work in vertically supported sleeves or guides 1. This is one means of effecting the adjustment of the wheels, but it is to be understood that any other means may be employed such as an air or hydraulic jack or the like.

Secured transversely of the front of the box 9 is a bar l8, to which are attached downwardly and rearwardly flexed steel fingers or scrapers I?! which, when the box is disposed in proper position with respect to the ground, engage the ground or underlying snow-covered or ice-covered surface to break up the same as the heater is moved forwardly. From the central portion of the forward wall l3 there also extends the carrier plate 20 with which is hingedly coupled, as at 2|, an arcuate yoke 22 which is adapted to turn on a vertical axis to be adjustably secured to the front of the box and to locate the forwardly directed scoop or shovel 23 directly transversely of the path of travel of the machine or at an angle oblique to such path, as may be desired. The outer ends of this shovel are adjustably supported by the castor units 24.

The lower part of the shovel 23 may be provided with heating coils, not shown, supplied with electric current from a suitable source so that the adherence to the shovel of snow as it is being scraped up, will be prevented.

The rear or back wall ID of the heat box also carries arms 25 which support castor wheels 26 in the same manner as the castor wheels l are supported at the front of the box. In this way, it will be readily seen that the lower open side of the box may be readily adjusted with respect to the underlying ground surface and that it will also be steadily supported at a predetermined distance from the ground and may be readily swung from one side to the other of the path of travel as the carrier is turned. 7

As previously stated, the arms 8 which are secured to and extend forwardly from the forward bumper 1 form a unit of the coupling means between the bumper and the heat box. The other unit of such coupling means comprises a vertical yoke indicated generally by the numeral 21 which is secured between each pair of arms 8 and by which relative up and down movement is permitted between the heat box 9 and the bumper 1. This other unit of each coupling is in the form of a vertical frame consisting of a forward .upright post 28 secured to the rear wall of the heat box, a second and readily positioned post 29, and transverse upper and lower connecting members 30 and 3|, respectively, which thus provide an elongated vertical frame as illustrated, which when positioned between the pair of arms 8, has extended therethrough a coupling pin 32 which passes through the adjacent pair of arms. .In this manner, itwill be readily seen that there is provided a coupling between the heat box and the bumper of the carrier which prevents the heat box from having loose side to side movement, but which allows the box to move up and down, as may be necessary, and also the coupling is such that as the front wheels of the carrier are turned to guide the carrier along a curved path, the heat box will be forced to swing or turn accordingly.

On the floor 3 of the carrier there is mounted a prime mover indicated generally by the numeral 3 3, which may be in the form of a gasoline engine and which is employed for operating a blower 34 with which it .is operatively coupled, and a current generator 35 with which it is also coupled. The outlet 36 of the blower is connected by the pipe 31 with an air manifold 38 which extends along the rear of the heat box and from which extend downwardly the short supply pipes 39 through which air is supplied to burner nozzles 40, each of which is located behind the heat box to discharge or direct a heating flame through the adjacent wall opening I I.

There also extends along the rear wall of the heat box a fuel manifold which is indicated generally by the numeral 4|, this manifold supplying through the short downwardly extending pipes 42, which are controlled by valves 43, the burner jets 44 with fuel oil which is ignited in and blown from the nozzles 48 into the heat box.

The fuel manifold is supplied from a fuel tank 45 mounted upon the carrier as shown, the fuel passing under pressure from the supply tank through a supplyline 46.

A compressed air tank 41 is mounted in a convenient position upon the carrier and supplies air under pressure through the pipe 48 to the top of the fuel tank 45. There is also mounted upon the carrier a tank 49 for the reception of water which is picked up from the ground behind the heat box by the mechanism about to be described.

The water pick-up mechanism which is carried upon the under side of the carrier immediately behind the heat box comprises the pair of ground engaging forwardly diverging wipers 50 which at their rear or convergent ends are coupled with a scoop-like scraper 5|, the lower edge of which is in close proximity to the ground surface or wipes thereon, as shown. vImmediately at the rear of this scoop 5| and extending lengthwise thereof and, consequently, transversely of the longitudinal center of the path of travel of the machine, is awater receiving trough 52. The wipers 50 converge toward the scoop 5| and are joined at their inner ends to the ends of the scoop and thus it will be apparent that all of the water which the wipers collect in the forward movement of the machine will be guided rearwardly and toward the center of the path of travel of the machine an into the scoop 50.

Suspended for rotation on an axis extending lengthwise of the scoop is a rotatably mounted drum or cylinder, the periphery of which is in close proximity to the curved forward face of the scoop 5|, and extending lengthwise of the cylinder 53 are flexible wiper blades 54 which as the cylinder rotates, wipe the surface of the ground immediately in advance of the scoop 5| and move rearwardly and upwardly over the surface of the scoop to lift water to the top thereof for discharge rearwardly into the trough 52. This rotary water lifting device is preferably operated by an electric motor coupled with one end thereof and supplied with current from the generator 35.

Connected with the bottom of the trough 52 is a water pipe 55 which leads rearwardly to a pump 56 of suitable type for extracting water from the trough and for passing it on through the pipe 51 into the top of the water tank 49.

The pump 56 may be connected directly with 'sthc .shaft .of ;the current :generator 35 ithrcugb the .medium of the belt ".CQIlIlQClilOflziBEShQWHZHI .Fig. .12.

Rearwardly f Ithe :water .and zslush mick-u wheeland trough;52e53,tthere ,isplaceda ssmeegee or surfacewiper which is .indicatedg enerally by the numeral 59. This wiper is of aslength toextend substantially entirelyiacrossrthe machine to the width of.-the.areacovered:byathe :heat box 9 and is mounted .to be .oscillatedon .a vertical axis sothat ,it maybe ;.placed-aat .an oblique angle to the pathof trauel ofrthe machine and ;is also mounted for oscillation {on ;-a horizontal axis extending transversely of :the carrier so that it may .be raisedandlowered with respect to the underlying .surfaceas-desired.

The squeegee ,or wiper structure comprises -,a bar so which is provided intermediate its :ends with ,a ,pivot 90 t --6l which. is pivotally secured vinra suitable manner tothe floor :3 of'thecarrier so .that'thabar .willbe supportedlhorizontallybelow the floor and mayoscillate on .a vertical axis. Parallel withand below the-bar Bil-isthe squeegee =or wiper proper whichmomprises a body portion2 carrying .a suitable wiper material-63 3 and the .body 62 is connected .by vertical arms 64 with the downturned terminal portions .:or bearings 65, which=are carried by the bar 60, by means of trunnion or pivot pins 66 and 61. These pivot pins extend parallel to the bar and wiper so that the latter may oscillate on a horizontal axis.

The bar 60 is extended at one side of the carrier, as indicated at 68, and carries an upstanding arcuate plate 59. This plate is provided with a. series of apertures 19 disposed in an are concentric with the horizontal oscillation axis for the squeegee.

The pivot or trunnion 61 extends outwardly and carries upon its outer end the upstanding lever H which is disposed in front of the plate 59 and is adjustably coupled thereto by means of a lock pin 12 which is adapted for selective engagement in the apertures 10. By means of the lever H, the squeegee may be rocked into or out of engagement with the underlying surface and by means of the pivot 6|, it may be oscillated to an oblique angular position with relation to the path of movement of the machine, so that water wiped up from the underlying surface will be carried off to the side of the machine.

When the squeegee has been oscillated on its vertical axis to an oblique position across the carrier, it is secured in place by suitable retaining hooks 13 carried upon the top of the bar 68, as shown in Fig. 3, to engage an eye secured to the fioor 3.

Supported rearwardly of the squeegee unit 59 and extending transversely of the carrier is a mop-up roller indicated generally by the numeral 14 and comprising a cylinder 15 having over its peripheral surface a suitable absorbent material 16 which will wipe or mop up the under lying surface to remove the remaining moisture therefrom. The drum 15 is supported by the hanger arms T! and is operatively coupled with a motor 78 by which it is rotated, the motor receiving its driving current from the generator 35.

Overlying and enclosing the major part of the mop-up roller is a hood 19 which is longitudinally divided to form the two portions 19, these two portions being hingedly joined together at their adjacent edges by the longitudinal hinge 80. The two portions 19' :dft1Jh6/h0Qd reiterat- :tachedvattheir :ends to the supportingzarms I1 rbywmeans :of adjusting. screws .=8l each :of which istthreadably connected with an arm Til-through :a' boss :82 carried :by the arm and .has an :end swivell secured to ;-the adjacent head portion. .r'l huswhenathe'zscrewsBI are adjusted,.the hood portions ."may be swung together or apart and normally they are {positioned with respect to the absorbent-material vHi of-the mop-uproller, so ithatrsuch material will wipe their innersurfaces. @The portions 19 v:of the -;dryer hood .are chamdoomed to :enclose an electric resistance .:heating .element 83 which :is:supplied :with current from ithe generator. Thustheinnersurface of the *hoodismaintained. in contact with and functions to-1dry ;the absorbent material .of 'the'mopeup roller.

' ;,-At the rear=of ;the carrier "there is z suspended the -transversely extending jauxili-ary heat .box =84-whichis .-clos.ed on its sides and top and has its underside open.- andin closeproximity tozthe ground surface. :Within thisheatibox is aiburner ,85which is supplied with liquid:fueliand air-respectivelythrough-the :pipes 86. and-B'Lthe latter .pipe :being-coupledzto the outlet nozzle or blower, asrshown-in Fig. :4. .By ;means .of this auxiliary "heat box :thesurface of :the roadway or runway of an airport is thoroughly dried after the water has been removed or mopped up therefrom.

The water receiving tank 49 is also connected with the compressed air tank 41 by the pipe 88 so that air may be added to the tank 49 when desired for the purpose or removing the water therefrom.

In the operation of the present machine, it will be readily apparent that the same is moved over the ground surface such, for example, as over a highway or over the runway of an air field by the carrier structure, and the ice and snow over which the heat box passes is melted by the intense heat developed within the heat box and directed downwardly through the open under side thereof. The water resulting from the melting of the ice and snow is guided into the collecting scoop 5| from which it is transferred by the wiper wheel or drum 53 into the trough 52, and the water and slush is then drawn from this trough by the pump 56 and discharged into the receiving tank 49. Following the wiper wheel by which the major portion of the water and slush is picked up, the squeegee unit forces the remaining water from the surface to one side where it may be drained off by the highway or air field runway drainage system. After the squeegee has performed its operation, the wiper roll-er which is roated by the driving motor i8 removes further moisture and finally the auxiliary heat box dries 01f the surface so as to leave it completely or thoroughly dry.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that with a machine embodying the present invention, roadways, air field runways and other surface areas may be easily and quickly cleaned or cleared of snow, ice or slush, so that proper use may be made of such surfaces.

While the illustration of the invention has been confined, together with the description, to a ground heating means or a means for effecting the melting of the snow and ice, which is in the form of a liquid fuel burner, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the use of this specific heating means but that any other suitable heating means may be employed, such for example, as electrical heaters. 1

What is claimedis: 1. A mechanism for removing snow and ice :from a highway or other surface, comprising. a carrier adapted to move over the surface, a heat generating means supported by the carrier to be moved over and in close proximity to the surface, a water pick-up unit supported from the carrier immediately behind said heat means and comprising a pair of forwardly diverging wiper arms having contact'with the surface, a scooplike receiver coupling the convergent ends of the arms, a receptacle forming a part of the receiver into which water and slush is discharged, means for effecting the movement of water and slush across the receiver into the receptacle, and means coupled with the receptacle for removing water and slush therefrom and conveying it'rearwardly of the carrier.

'2. In a mechanism of the character described, including a wheeled carrier and a surface heating unit, means for coupling said unit'with the front of said carrier, comprising two pairs of spaced parallel arm members secured to the front of the carrier and extending forwardly therefrom, a pair of vertically disposed elongated yokes each having one vertical side disposed against and secured to the rear of the heating unit, each of said yokes being disposed between a pair of arms, and a coupling element extending transversely of said arms and connecting the same together and passing through the adjacent yoke whereby the yoke and the pair of arms are joined together for relative vertical movement but are held against relative lateral movement.

3. In a mechanism for removing ice and. snow from a highway or other surface and including a wheeled carrier and a heating unit supported thereby for movement over the surface, means for cleaning said surface after the melting of snow and ice thereon, comprising a forwardly and downwardly curving scooping element supand means disposed over and cooperating with the said downwardly and forwardly curving surface of the scooping element for moving water and slush over said surface into said receiving means, and means for carrying off water and slush from the said receiving means.

' JULIUS J. SEIBERT.

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