Abstract:
A vehicle with a self-contained cooling and heating capability and a tenting feature for sheltering and controlling the temperature at a given location. Warm air is directed out of a heat chamber through a telescopic tube arrangement which may be horizontally piovoted for improved heat direction. The tube arrangement may also be vertically tipped upwardly and downwardly to maximize directional control of heat output. Heat for melting snow may thereby be directed to specific locations. The tenting arrangement provides elevated and focused heating and little heat waste.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to vehicles, and in particular, to a vehicle adapted for use in maintaining streets and roads regardless of weather conditions. 
     One of the greatest challenges for municipalities in maintaining their physical services is countering the effects of adverse weather conditions. Snow hinders roads and covers fire hydrants. Snow, rain and wind adversely affect the ability of municipalities to respond to and take action at accident scenes and other disaster locations. Conversely, high air temperatures make it difficult for workmen and the like to accomplish tasks at a given location for an extended period of time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above problems by providing a vehicle with the capability of off-setting the weather conditions at a given location. Although the primary purpose of the present invention is to provide snow melting capability to selected areas, it also has the ability to provide cooling to an enclosed area. The above tasks are accomplished by providing a vehicle with a self-contained cooling and heating capability and a tenting feature for sheltering and controlling the temperature at a given location. Warm air is directed out of a heat chamber through a telescopic tube arrangement which may be horizontally pivoted for improved heat direction. The tube arrangement may also be vertically tipped upwardly and downwardly to maximize directional control of heat output. Heat for melting snow may thereby be directed to specific locations. The tenting arrangement provides elevated and focused heating and little heat waste. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle constructed according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view thereof. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof. 
     FIG. 5 is a top diagrammic view of the invention air path. 
     FIG. 6 is a side diagrammic view of the invention air path. 
     FIG. 7 is a close up side view of the tube distal end with canopy. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the pivot bar arrangement. 
     FIG. 9 is a close up view of the pivot bar tent end. 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the pivot bar arrangement with tent. 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of a warm weather embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a top view thereof with tent deployed. 
     FIG. 13 is a front view thereof. 
     FIG. 14 is a rear view thereof. 
     FIG. 15 is a top diagrammic view of the air path for this embodiment. 
     FIG. 16 is a side diagrammic view thereof. 
     FIG. 17 is a top diagrammic view of the tube and heat chamber connection. 
     FIG. 18 is a side diagrammic view of the tube and heat chamber connection. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown an equipment and control cab  40  and an air outlet unit  60  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The cab  40  and outlet unit  60  may be mounted on a trailer or a vehicle  1 . In the present example shown, the invention is mounted on a vehicle. 
     There is shown a vehicle  1  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The vehicle  1  includes a chassis  10  mounted upon front and rear axles  11  supporting front and rear road wheels  13  and  14 , respectively. The chassis  10  has a front  15 , a rear  16 , and two opposing sides  12 , said front and rear defining a vehicle longitudinal axis, said opposing sides  12  defining a transverse axis. The chassis  10  includes longitudinally extending beams  17  coincident with the longitudinal axis of the chassis supported on the axles, and cross members  18  coincident with the transverse axis of the chassis connecting the beams  17 . The foremost cross member is the front bumper  19  and the rearmost cross member is the rear bumper  20 . 
     The vehicle  1  may be longitudinally divided into three sections, a front driver&#39;s cab  30 , a middle equipment and control cab  40 , and an air outlet unit  60 . There is a first longitudinal gap  31  between the driver&#39;s cab  30  and the control cab  40 . There is a second longitudinal gap  48  between the control cab  40  and the air outlet unit  60 . The front driver&#39;s cab  30  is a conventional driving cab with normal ignition, steering, throttle, and braking controls. 
     The equipment and control cab  40  has a front wall  41 , a rear wall  42 , opposing sides  43  interconnecting the front and rear walls, a roof  44  and floor  45 , said walls, sides, roof and floor defining an equipment and control cab interior  46 . One or both opposing sides  43  contain a door  47  for access into the cab interior  46 . The vertical height of the walls and sides exceed the vertical height of the driver&#39;s cab  30 . 
     The equipment and control cab  40  contains a fiberglass air tunnel  50  with a forward end terminating in an open air scoop  51  formed in the equipment and control cab front wall  41  adjacent the control cab roof  44  and positioned above the driver&#39;s cab  30 . The fiberglass air tunnel  50  contains screening  53  adjacent to the air scoop  51  for preventing airborne objects and other debris from entering into the tunnel  50 . The tunnel  50  contains one or more intake fans  54  within the tunnel interior  55  immediately rearward of the screening  53 . The tunnel  50  extends through the control cab interior  46  adjacent the control cab roof  44  and terminates in an open outlet  52  in the control cab rear wall  42 . The open outlet  52  is interconnected to the air outlet unit  60 . 
     The control cab  40  contains a diesel-powered electric turbine  56  rated at 330 amps along with three 10 gallon hot water heaters  57  producing a hot fluid mixture of anti-freeze and water circulating through three hot water circulators  58  which in turn pump the heated fluid through a plurality of one inch radiator pipes  59  installed in the tunnel open outlet  52 . An exhaust fan  61  may be installed as well at the tunnel open outlet  52  to blow the heated air into the air outlet unit  60 . 
     The air outlet unit  60  is comprised of a heat chamber  62  and a telescopic ejection tube apparatus  80  attached thereto. The heat chamber  62  has a forward wall  63 , rearward wall  64 , two opposing side walls  65  interconnecting the forward and rear walls, a top  66  and a bottom  67 , said walls, top and bottom defining a heat chamber interior  68 . The heat chamber forward wall  63  has an opening  69  formed therein and adapted to be interconnected by ducting  70  with the central cab outlet  52 . The heat chamber top  66  has an opening  71  formed therein. A fan  73  is mounted within the heat chamber interior  68  and is positioned to blow heated air out through the top opening  71 . 
     The ejection tube apparatus  80  includes a caster bearing  81 , with a central opening  83 , fixedly attached on the heat chamber exterior  72  about the top opening  71 , said caster bearing central opening  83  being coincident with the heat chamber top opening  71 . In one embodiment of the invention a spring collar  82  is mounted onto the caster bearing  81  over the caster bearing central opening  83 . The ejection tube apparatus includes a telescoping tube  85  mounted on and pivotally attached to said caster bearing spring collar  82 . The caster bearing  81  is adapted to horizontally pivot plus or minus one hundred and eighty degrees thereby pivoting the tube  85 . The caster bearing  81  is driven by an electric motor  94  mounted on the heat chamber top  66  and electronically connected to and controlled within the equipment and control cab  40 . 
     The tube  85  is adapted to telescopically extend from eight to fifteen feet. This may be done manually or be powered by the electric motor  94 . The tube  85  has a proximal end  86 , a distal end  87 , and a cylindrical side wall  88  defining a tube interior  89 . The cylindrical side wall  88  has an opening  90  formed therein near to the tube proximal end  86 , said opening  90  providing direct access to the tube interior  89 . The tube opening  90  is coincident with the heat chamber top opening  71 . The tube distal end  87  may have a variable speed blower fan  91  contained therein to increase the heated air exhaust pressure. 
     In other embodiments of the invention, one or more lights  92  may be attached to the tube distal end  87 , said lights adapted for illumination of the exhaust air output target. A video camera eye  93  could also be attached to the tube distal end  87  so that an operator could view the exhaust output without leaving the cabs  30  or  40 . 
     It may be desirable to elevate or lower the distal end  87  of the tube arrangement  85 . In one embodiment of the invention this is accomplished by the installation of two electric, hydraulic or pneumatic pistons  95  on the caster bearing  81  and interconnected to the tube arrangement  85  on each side of the top opening  71 . Although a single piston  95  is adequate, it would be preferable to use two pistons  95  which would provide greater control under harsh weather conditions. 
     The tube  85  has a deployable canopy section  100  attached thereto and deployable with the tube distal end  87 . The canopy  100  section is comprised of two elongated attachment elements  101  adapted for attachment to each side of the tube side wall  88  adjacent the tube distal end  87 . Each attachment element  101  has a plurality of plastic strips  102  extending therefrom, each plastic strip being preferably six inches wide and approximately four feet long. The plastic strips  102  are easily bundled and stowed on the vehicle when not in use. The canopy section  100  is adapted to focus heat exhaust from the tube  85  into a defined area, e.g., a snow covered hydrant. 
     The present invention may also be adapted for use in warm weather. The invention is adapted to set up a tent  130  on each side of the vehicle  1 . Two sets of four hydraulic tent pistons  22  are installed on each side of the vehicle chassis  10 , each set being comprised of one on the front bumper  19 , one on the rear bumper  20 , one in the first gap  31  and the last in the second gap  48 . Each hydraulic tent piston  22  is connected to a steel pivotal bar arrangement  110 , comprised of an elongated base element  111  fastened to a chassis cross member  18 , each base element having an inside end  112  and an outside end  113 , said ends defining a longitudinal axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of a cross member  18 . The base element outside end  113  is that end attached adjacent the chassis side  12 . The pivotal bar arrangement  110  is further comprised of an elongated pivot bar  114  having two ends, one a pivot end  115  and the other a tent end  116 . The pivot bar pivot end  115  is pivotally joined to the base element inside end  112 . Each hydraulic tent piston  22  is attached at one end to the base element  111  and at the other end to the pivot bar  114 . Elongated and hollow aluminum extender pipes  120  are attachable to the pivot bar tent ends  116 . Each pivot bar  114  has a radial flange stop element  117  formed therein a desired distance from the pivot bar tent end  116 . 
     Elongated and hollow aluminum extender pipes  120  are attachable to the pivot bar tent ends  116  up to the stop elements  117 . The extender pipes  120  have a diameter slightly greater than the pivot bars  114  and less than the stop elements  117 . For security several holes  121  are drilled through the diameter of the extender pipes  120  near to an extender pipe engagement end  122 . Corresponding holes  118  are drilled through the diameters of the pivot bar between the stop elements  117  and the pivot bar tent ends  116 . Engagement clasping pins  123  are adapted to be inserted through the holes  118 ,  121  to secure the extender pipes  120  to the pivot bars  114 . 
     A tent  130  would be deployable on each side of the vehicle  1 . Each tent would have looping  131  about its external surface  132  for engagement with the extender pipes  120 . The tents  130  would be made from a lightweight, insulated and fireproof material. 
     In the warm weather embodiment of the present invention, the ejection tube  85  is removed. A fiber glass box  140  is installed over the air outlet unit top  66 . The box  140  has a forward wall  141 , a rear wall  142 , two opposing side walls  143  and a top  144 , the air outlet unit top  66  acting as a box floor. One or two air conditioning units  145  are installed in each side wall  143 . The air conditioning units  145  draw in outside air through the air tunnel  50  and air outlet unit top opening  71 . Each tent  130  is either partially draped over the box  140  or has openings fitted about the air conditioning units. 
     It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.