Patent Publication Number: US-11649599-B1

Title: Snow and ice evaporator

Description:
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of the provisional patent application 63/113,835, filed Nov. 14, 2020 entitled SNOW AND ICE EVAPORATOR by Alfredo Fuentes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The field of this invention relates generally to the field of machines to clear ice and snow and more particularly toward a single device that can be used as a household item to clear driveways of snow and ice. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     In cold climates where snow and ice fall to the ground, major inconvenience is the result for users of cars and other vehicles that need to drive over that ground. Many devices that are used to clear snow and ice are cumbersome, large and expensive. This makes these prior art devices impractical for small scale use. 
     It is the object of the instant invention to provide for a device that is reasonably storable and easy to use by a user to use latent heat to remove snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks to create a clear path for walking and/or driving. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The basic embodiment of the present invention teaches a snow and ice evaporator comprising: a base; wheels attached to said base; a handle extending upward from said base; an engine housed in a compartment below said base; a propane tank compartment on said base; an array of torches under said base in communication with a propane tank housed in said propane tank compartment; a snow blower attached to a front of said base, said snow blower further comprising a skid plate, augers and an ejection chute for snow and ice; a salt hopper attached to a back end of said base, said salt hopper allowing for the expulsion of salt therefrom onto a surface being treated below said salt hopper; controllers on said extended handle to control said snow blower, said salt hopper and any flames from said propane tank, said controllers being in wired communication with said snow blower, said salt hopper and said array of torches. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that said engine is gas operated. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that said engine is electrically powered. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that said array of torches is covered by a protective shroud. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that salt hopper further comprises an open and closeable lid to allow for the placement of salt therein. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that said salt hopper further comprises a slot on a bottom of said salt hopper controlled by a lever to allow for the expulsion of salt therefrom. 
     The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that said slot opens to a spinner that spreads said salt around via two or more fins. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
         FIG.  1    is a side perspective view of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a front perspective view of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a top isometric view of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a rear perspective view of the bottom portion of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
         FIG.  5    is the same view as  FIG.  4    but with the lid to the salt hopper open. 
         FIG.  6    is a bottom plan view of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a top view of the controller of the snow and ice evaporator of the instant invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning to the drawings, the preferred embodiment is illustrated and described by reference characters that denote similar elements throughout the several views of the instant invention. 
     The preferred embodiment of the instant invention provides for a single, untethered device that can be used by an individual to remove snow and ice from the ground. The device  10  resembles a lawn mower in some aspects and a snow blower in other aspects. In combination, the device is capable of removing snow as well as melting ice without sublimating the ice, after which salt can be applied to the surface being cleared to prevent refreezing. 
     The objective of the device  10  is to blow and/or melt snow, to melt ice without sublimation and to heat the surface being treated to allow some moisture content to steam away. Salt is applied to prevent refreezing, thereby reducing the amount of propane needed to effectively clear the targeted surface. 
     The front end of the device  10  operates much like a snow blower. The controls hybridize typical snow blowers with controls like a lawn mower, but modified to allow for the salt hopper to be spread to prevent refreezing of the melted ice. The device  10  can be gas or electric powered and propane is used to allow for the heating and melting while the salt hopper is added to prevent refreezing of melted ice. 
     The device  10  includes a base  12  that includes wheels  14  attached thereto so the device  10  easily rolls. Attached to the base is an extended handle  34 . The handle  34  extends upward from the base  12  which includes a controller  24  with an array of control knobs  26 , including blower control and flame control. Also on the controller  24  is a thermometer  52  which controls the heat and an ignition switch  54  that controls the entire powering on or off the device  10 . A kill switch  40  like those on lawn mowers is included for emergency cut off of power. Wires  32  extend from the controller  24  to the base  12 , which has an engine compartment  16  blow. Extending therethrough to the torch array  30  under the base  12  and engine compartment  16  that is close to the ground and protected by a shroud  28 . At the rear of the device  10  is the salt hopper  22  which is controlled by the salt hopper control  38  also attached the extended handle  34 . 
     Attached to the front end of the device  10  is the snow blower main body  42  which includes a skid plate  44  and augers  36  like those found in typical snow blowers. Also, a snow blower portion  20  allows for the blowing away of snow after being hit by the augers  36 . A propane tank  18  sits atop the base  12  and provides the heat necessary to melt snow and/or ice. The wires  32  extending downward from the extended handle  34  control the snow blower auger  36  speed, the flame/propane volume, the thermometer and the ignition. 
     The salt hopper  22  includes a bin that holds salt or ice melt. The bin includes a lid  48  that lifts up so that salt can be added. As the device  10  moves forward as it is pushed by the extended handle  34  and rolls along the wheels  14 , salt falls through a slot  56  in the bottom of the hopper  22  and is spread along the surface being treated by a spinner  46 . The spinner  46  rotates as the salt drops onto it from the bin above it. As the spinner  46  spins, the fins  58  connected thereto help to fling the salt, spreading it across the treated surface. A lever  50  on the side of the bin of the salt hopper  22  opens the slot  56  under the salt hopper  22  to let the salt out to interact with the spinner  46 . 
     To operate, the propane tank  18  is filled with fuel and connected the base  12  of the device  10 . The lid  48  to the salt hopper  22  is raised so salt can be added therein. The ignition  54  is turned on and the user grips the handle  34 . The user pushes the entire device  10  via the handle  34  along a surface to be treated that the wheels  14  roll along. The user uses the controller  24  to control the snow blower  20  and the flames from the propane tank  18  that come out from under the shroud  28  along an array to melt snow and/or ice. The controller  24  allows for the augers  36  to turn and break up ice and to exit through snow blower  20 . As flames hit the surface and melt ice, salt can be dropped on to the treated surface through moving the lever  20  via the salt hopper control knob  38  that opens the slot  56  in the salt hopper  22 , allowing salt to exit therethrough where it hits the spinner  46  which spreads the salt on the treated surface through the spinning fins  58 . 
     The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. 
     The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention. 
     Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.