US3465455A - Exhaust chute warmer for snow removal vehicle - Google Patents

Description

EXHAUST CHU'I'E WARMER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Filed Aug. 24. 1967 H. E. KIERNAN Sept. 9, 1,969

2 Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR HEA A) E. K/ERM/V Sept 9, 1969 H. E. KIERNAN EXHAUST CHUTE WARNER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Filed Aug. 24. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR #:Mer E. K/ER/VA/V ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,465,455 EXHAUST CHUTE WARMER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Henry E. Kiernan, 136 W. Pulaski Road, Huntington Station, N.Y. 11746 Filed Aug. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 663,129 Int. Cl. E0111 /08, 5 04 US. C]. 37-12 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates to an improvement for a snow removal vehicle of the type described in my prior United States Patent No. 3,222,802, .issued Dec. 14, 1965.

Snow removal vehicles of present design encounter problems in that the snow tends to collect and freeze in the internal passage of the outlet duct on the snowblower. This results in the clogging of the passage which inhibits and occasionally completely blocks the transfer of the snow therethrough. The problem is particularly evident when the equipment is permitted to stand idle after use, and during start and stop operations. During such non-use the snow remaining in the passage tends to quickly freeze to the sides thereof preventing the free discharge of the snow upon restarting.

Summary of the invention In a broad sense this invention relates to a self-propelled vehicle of the type on which a snow discharge apparatus or snowblower is mounted. More particularly, the invention contemplates passing the warm exhaust gases from the engine of the vehicle to a jacket which surrounds the outlet duct, such that the duct is warmed to prevent a collection of ice and snow therein. The difficulties and disadvantages heretofore encountered with snow removal equipment are thereby obviated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for heating the outlet duct of the snowblower which is adapted for use with a rotatably adjustable outlet duct of the type described in my prior patent.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will readily come to mind as the following description is developed.

Brief description of the drawings Referring to the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snow removal vehicle of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the snowblower outlet duct and heating apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the outlet duct and heating apparatus taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the outlet duct and heating apparatus taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Description of the preferred embodiment A snow removal vehicle of the subject invention is shown generally in FIG. 1 at 10. For a disclosure of the particular structural details of the vehicle, reference should be made to my prior patent. Suffice it to say for purposes of this invention that the vehicle includes an implement ice mounting structure at the forward end, a prime mover consisting of an internal combustion engine, a transmission connected from the engine to the forward wheels for propelling the vehice, and power take-off means connected to the engine and adapted to drive an implement such as the snowblower 11. The snowblower 11 comprises a supporting structure or housing 12, and two parallel angers 13 and 14 which are so designed that upon rotation the snow is moved toward the center of the housing. A fan assembly 15 is centered rearwardly of the two augers and the housing, and includes a spider or rotor 16 and a fan housing 17 which is rotatably adjustable about the axis of the rotor as shown in FIG. 2. The outlet duct 18 of the fan housing is designed and constructed in a manner to be always tangent to the circumference of the circle formed by the rotor when rotating, whereby the snow ejected by the rotor is propelled therethrough.

Referring particularly to the heating apparatus as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, a jacket 19 is positioned circumferentially around the outlet duct 18 and is secured thereto by means of the shoulder 20. While the outlet duct 18 and jacket 19 are illustrated as being rectangular in cross section, they could of course be round, hexagonal or any other shape. The shoulder is secured to the outlet duct and the jacket in any suitable manner, such as by welding, and forms a closed end at the bottom of the jacket. Weep holes (not shown) may be provided in the shoulder 20 to permit drainage of the condensation.

An important feature of the invention is the fact that the heating apparatus is rotatably adjustable along with the outlet duct 18 as best seen in FIGURE 2. In the illustrated embodiment, this object is accomplished by the universal telescopic tubular connection 21 which leads from the exhaust of the engine on the self-propelled vehicle to an inlet opening 22 which is formed at the bottom end of the jacket adjacent the shoulder 20. However, as an alternative to the connection 21, a flexible metal hose or other tubing could be utilized.

The universal connection 21 comprises a first rotatably adjustable or swivel elbow 23 which is telescopically connected to a second rotatably adjustable or swivel elbow 24. The rotatable end of the first swivel elbow 23 is connected to the engine exhaust by a suitable means which is not shown, and the rotatable end of the second swivel elbow 24 is connected to the jacket 19 at the inlet opening 22. A high temperature seal 25 is provided at the telescopic connection of the two elbows to prevent the escape of the exhaust gases. As will be apparent, the connection 21 directs the warm exhaust gases from the engine to the bottom of the jacket 19 where they pass over a substantial length of the outlet duct 18 before being discharged at 26.

It should be understood that while I have illustrated by drawings and specification a preferred embodiment of my invention, my invention should not be limited thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle comprising:

a self-propelled wheeled vehicle including an implement mounting structure at one end, a prime mover, power transmission means connected from the prime mover to the wheels for propelling said vehicle, and power take-off means connected to said prime mover, snowblower attached to said implement mounting structure and including a supporting structure, at least one helical auger rotatably mounted on said supporting structure, a rotor having projecting blades for rotation about an axis extending at right angles to said helical auger, drive means connected from said power take-oft means on said prime mover to said helical auger and said rotor, and snow discharge means including a cylindrical housing disposed around said rotor and having an outlet duct extending outwardly therefrom,

and an apparatus for heating said outlet duct including a jacket circumferentially surrounding a substantial portion of the outlet duct, one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet duct with a single inlet opening therethrough at the closed end, and a tubular connection leading from the exhaust of said prime mover to said inlet opening such that the warm exhaust gases enter said jacket through said inlet opening and pass around and warm said outlet duct.

2. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical housing and said outlet duct are pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor, and said tubular connection comprises a flexible hose such that the apparatus for heating said outlet duct is also pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor.

3. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical housing and said outlet duct are pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor, and said tubular connection comprises a first swivel elbow and a second swivel elbow telescopically connected thereto, such that the apparatus for heating said outlet duct is also pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor.

4. An apparatus for heating a rotatably adjustable outlet duct of a snowblower to prevent freezing and caking of the snow therein comprising:

a prime mover capable of producing warm exhaust gases,

a jacket circumferentially surrounding a substantial portion of the outlet duct, one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet duct and the other end being open,

an inlet opening formed in said jacket adjacent said closed end,

a universal telescopic tubular connection directing said warm exhaust gases to said inlet opening and including a first swivel elbow, and a second swivel elbow telescopically connected thereto such that said warm gases entering said first elbow pass through said second swivel elbow into said inlet opening where they pass around said outlet duct and exhaust through the open end of said jacket.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the first swivel elbow is connected at one end to the exhaust of said prime mover, the second swivel elbow is connected at one end to the jacket at said inlet opening, and the free ends of said first and second swivel elbows are telescopically interconnected.

6. In an apparatus for the removal of snow including a snowblower having an outlet duct for directing the discharged snow and an internal combustion engine for powering the snowblower, the improvement therein comprismg:

a jacket surrounding said outlet duct immediately adjacent said snowblower and extending for a substantial portion of the length of said duct, one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet duct and the opposite end being open, an inlet opening through said jacket adjacent the closed end, and

a tubular connection leading from the exhaust of said internal combustion engine to said inlet opening such that the warm exhaust gases are directed into said jacket through said inlet opening, pass around said outlet duct, and exhaust through said open end of said jacket, whereby said outlet duct is heated to thereby prevent freezing and collection of the snow therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 980,564 1/1911 Riordan 37-12 1,388,027 8/1921 Connolly 126-3435 1,560,612 11/1925 Sims 37-12 2,062,509 12/ 1936 Francisco et al. -51 2,474,840 7/ 1949 Greer. 2,515,341 7/1950 Giguere 37-16 3,011,493 12/1961 Zieba 37-12 3,155,318 11/1964 Kirkham 165-51 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner E. H. EICKHOLT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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