Abstract:
An apparatus and method for snow and ice removal from a roadway or other horizontal civil engineering structure. The apparatus may include a conventional plow, a chipper to break apart ice, a nozzle to project a hot liquid to melt snow and ice, a heater to further melt snow and ice, and a vacuum to suction the melted snow and ice slurry for containment in a holding tank. The system is preferably mounted for carriage by a motor vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/039,000, filed Aug. 19, 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to roadway maintenance systems and, more particularly, to a system and methods for the removal of snow and ice from roadways and other horizontal civil engineering construction works. 
         [0003]    In winter many roads and parking lots are closed due to the accumulation of snow and ice, causing major problems in transportation. It would clear roads and parking lots days earlier than they would normally be cleared. When vacuum tank gets full water can be drained on side of road or into sewers. 
         [0004]    In northern regions, where there are prevailing seasonal winter storm conditions, affected states maintain fleets of snow removal equipment, including snow plows and salt trucks. Snow is shoveled with fleets of snow plows. Ice formation is combated with salt trucks that disperse granular salt or spray the roadways with a saline solution to prevent or impede the formation of ice on the roadways. The dispersal of salt or saline solutions on roadways requires substantial stockpiles of salt in order to adequately combat the formation or incidence of ice on the roadways. 
         [0005]    In southern tier states, the incidence of snow and ice formation is a fairly uncommon phenomenon. Accordingly, these states do not maintain fleets of snow removal equipment to combat winter road hazards. Moreover, even where they do maintain show removal equipment, these states seldom establish the requisite stockpiles of salts to engage in any semblance of ice prevention or remediation, which is usually limited. 
         [0006]    As can be seen, there is a need for an improved snow and ice removal system and apparatus that is not reliant on stores of salt. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for snow and ice removal, includes: a head operatively coupled to a motor vehicle; a sprayer operatively coupled to a source of fluid carried by said motor vehicle and projecting downwardly from said head; a heater enclosure operatively coupled to a fuel source carried by said motor vehicle, said heater enclosure projecting downwardly from said head; and a vacuum head operatively coupled to a vacuum source and a suction product holding tank carried by said motor vehicle, said vacuum head projecting downwardly from said head, wherein said sprayer, heater enclosure, and said vacuum head are contained within a hood of said head. Other aspects of the apparatus include a chipper operatively coupled to said head. The chipper may operable to provide for a vertical reciprocating action. The chipper may alternatively be operable for rotary action about a vertical axis. 
         [0008]    In some aspects of the invention the head is selectively positionable between an operating position, with the head positioned in proximity to a road surface, and a traveling position, with the head positioned substantially elevated from the road surface. The apparatus may further include a plow operatively coupled to the head. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention an apparatus for snow and ice removal, is provided that includes a head operatively coupled to a motor vehicle; a sprayer operatively coupled to a source of fluid carried by the motor vehicle and projecting downwardly from the head; a heater enclosure operatively coupled to a fuel source carried by the motor vehicle, the heater enclosure having an opening projecting downwardly from the head; and a vacuum head operatively coupled to a vacuum source and a suction product holding tank carried by the motor vehicle, the vacuum head projecting downwardly from the head. 
         [0010]    The apparatus may also be provisioned with a chipper operatively coupled to the head. The chipper may be operable to provide for a vertical reciprocating action or a rotary action about a vertical axis. The head is selectively positionable between an operating position, with the head positioned in proximity to a road surface, and a traveling position, with the head positioned substantially elevated from the road surface. 
         [0011]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1 : is a schematic section view of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2 : is a schematic view of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3 : is a detail schematic section view of the invention, shown in use during road clearing, illustrating the flow of liquid  54  through sprayer  14 , the heat emitting from heater  20 , and the flow of liquid  52  into vacuum  24 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4 : is a detail schematic section view of the invention, showing the attachment of hose  48  to drain line  44  for draining tank  40 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 5 : is a flow chart of a method according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0018]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a snow removal and ice remediation apparatus. As best seen in reference to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an apparatus  5  according to the present invention may include a plow  10 , for removing snow as in conventional methods. The plow  10  is mounted to a multifunction ice removal head  25 , preferably positioned forward of the cab of a motor vehicle, such as a truck  28 , the size of the truck will vary depending upon the intended area to be cleared of snow and ice  58 . For example, an apparatus  5  for clearing a parking lot of a small office complex may be suited to a standard or small size pick-up truck, whereas a larger office complex or commercial retail may be suited to a utility truck, and a substantial roadway or road network, may be better suited to a semi-tractor truck. 
         [0019]    The ice removal head  25  may be secured to the truck via support rigging  30  extending from a structural frame of the truck  32 , or to the truck cab  28 . The ice removal head  25  may also be mounted to the truck via conventional mounting system, such as used for snow plows. Preferably, the head  25  is selectively positioned between a lowered, operational position in close proximity with the roadway  60  and an elevated, traveling position for movement of the system  5  over roadways without engaging in snow removal and remediation purposes. Controls for the respective components of the system  5  may be conveniently located within the truck cab  28 . 
         [0020]    The multifunction ice removal head  25  includes a hood  12  providing an enclosure for the various elements of the head  25 . A first component of the ice removal head may include a chipper  14 , which includes a bit that may be a reciprocating and/or radially spinning for chipping engagement with accumulations of ice  58  on the road surface. The chipper  14  breaks or fractures large ice formations into smaller parts as the ice  58  enters underneath the hood  12 , to allow for subsequent treatment and remediation by other components of the system  5 . 
         [0021]    Following the ice  58  the chipper  14 , the system may further include a spray nozzle  16 , which is connected to a water holding tank  40  via a sprayer hose  18 . Water holding tank  40  may further comprise a filter and pump unit  42  for providing a pressurized source of water to the spray nozzle  16 . The spray nozzle  16  is capable of directing a spray of hot water at the road surface  60  to assist in melting of the ice and snow  58  as the hood  12  traverses the road surface  60 . The water holding tank  40  should also include a vent or fill port  50  positioned at the top of the tank  40  and a drain line  44  and valve  46  for draining the water tank  40 . 
         [0022]    The system  5  may further include a heater enclosure  20 , which contains flames and heat from a combustion fuel, such as propane, communicated from storage in a fuel tank  34  via a fuel hose  22  to the combustion area within the heater enclosure  20 . The heat from the combustion provides an intense heat source to further melt the snow and ice  58  from the road surface  60  beneath the hood  12 . 
         [0023]    Following the heater enclosure  20 , the system  5  may further comprise a vacuum head  24 , operatively connected to the water holding tank  40  via the vacuum hose  26 . A vacuum pump  38  is provided, preferable just forward of the water holding tank  40  to provide a source of vacuum to the vacuum hose  26 . An insulated wall  36  is preferably interposed between the fuel tank  34  and the vacuum pump  38  so as to avoid hazardous spark conditions. 
         [0024]    Suction applied at the vacuum head  24  suctions off the heated water, melted snow and ice, road debris, and any remaining ice particles from the road  60  and are stored in the water holding tank  40 . Particulates and road debris suctioned into the water holding tank  40  are filtered at the filter element of the filter and pump unit  42 . The heated water, snow and ice suctioned from the roadway  60  provides a replenishment source of water for the water tank  40 . Should the volume of water and ice removed from the roadway  60  exceed the capacity of the water tank  40 , the water tank  40  may be drained at a sewer opening or a drainage ditch proximal to the roadway  60  via a drain hose connected to the drain line  44  line  44 . 
         [0025]    As seen in reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , the front plow  10  first pushes excess snow  58  off the road surface  60 . As the hood  12  passes over the road  60 , the chipper  14  breaks up ice remaining on the road  60 . The sprayer  16  distributes hot water  54  onto the road  60  to melt the remaining chipped ice and snow  58 . As the heater  20  passes over the road surface  60  it continues to melt remaining snow and ice  58 . The vacuum  24  suctions off liquid from the melted ice and snow  52 , thereby removing it from the road  60  so that it won&#39;t re-freeze on the roadway  60 . 
         [0026]    The vacuumed liquid is stored in the water holding tank  40 , where a portion of the vacuumed liquid is available to be recirculated to the sprayer  16 . A driver uses controls in the truck cab  28  to raise or lower the plow and hood and to control the sprayer, chipper, heater, vacuum, and other functions of the system  5 . When necessary, the holding tank  40  is drained by connecting a drain hose  48  to the drain line  44  and the water is released into the sewer system or other suitable location. 
         [0027]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.