Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Dec.. 1888
I PHILIP EDWARD MURPHY, Civil Engineer and Surveyor, of Elgin House, High
Road, South Tottenham, N. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A Waggon-shaped or circular portable Furnace, constructed of boiler plate or
other suitable iron-stoked at the one end, and having a chimney at the other end. It
las iron or metal wheels, and can be run into an ordinary slop or other cart made of
iron, or of wood lined with sheet iron, and drawn by a horse or other means-The
larger-size Furnaces can be placed in Waggons. The Furnace can be taken to the
roads or other places where snow has fallen, and the snow melted or destroyed on the
spot before it is consolidated, and without the expense of carting it to depôts or
rivers, &c., and thus got rid of at about one-fifth of the cost incurred by the methods
of removal now in use.
The snow is thrown on the Furnace-which has a large heating surface and is
melted, the water escaping at the back of the cart or waggon through openings
provided, and either falls direct into a gulley, or into the water channel, and thence to
the gulley or other outlet.
358
1
1007
PHILIP EDWARD MURPHY.

page_text: PHILIP EDWARD MURPHY of Elgin House High Road South Tottenham in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is the construction of a simple and effective apparatus
for melting or destroying Snow on Roads or other places without having to
remove or cart away such snow to depôts or rivers for the purpose of being got
rid of.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto annexed a drawing upon which letters of reference are marked on
corresponding parts on all the figures alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
I
Fig. 1. is an elevation of the apparatus or portable furnace (a) which may be
waggon-shaped elliptic, circular or of any other suitable section or shape and of any
convenient size and constructed of boiler-plate or other iron or steel and having at
one end a furnace door (b) for stoking with coke coals wood or other fuel and at the
other end a chimney or funnel (c) of sufficient area and length with wire or perforated
metal cowl (d) on top to prevent the escape of cinders or sparks (e) is the ashpit
door with a hit and miss opening (f) which may be closed when necessary.
place or fix on the underside of the furnace any required number of iron brass or
inetal wheels or trucks (g) of any convenient or suitable size on axles or bearers (h)
in order to remder the apparatus more easily movable or portable. Round the three
sides of the outside of the furnace I place or fix a series of gratings or plates (1) so
arranged by means of special made hinges or slotted brackets as to remain in a hori-
zontal or vertical position as required. I construct these gratings or plates of
convenient widths to suit the cart waggon or other vehicle (k) in which the furnace
may be placed and so that they may hold the snow in contact with the hot surface of
the furnace until it is melted. At and round the rear end of the furnace next the
stoke-hole and door, is a perpendicular or inclined frame or screen IP (the parts
and 2 being hinged to admit of their being placed close to the furnace when not in use).
This screen or frame is continued round the other three sides of the furnace and to any
required height so as to form a complete receptacle for the snow to be melted and by
putting on larger-sized wheels the services of a cart or other vehicle to hold the
furnace are in such case dispensed with. The water resulting from melting the snow
escaping at the bottom part of the receptacle.
Fig. 2. is a longitudinal section of the same apparatus or portable furnace (a)
shewing sets of fire bars (a¹) placed along the full length of the inside of the
furnace (a) and resting on the cross bearers (a2) at a sufficient height above the bottom
of the apparatus to leave a space (e¹) for the ashes or residuum from the fire. (04)
the soot door for cleaning purposes.

page_text: I secure the apparatus in position in the cart waggon or other vehicle by means of
scotches under the wheels or by rods and oyes at cither end of the apparatus or other
simple means.
"
The mode of working the apparatus or furnace melting the snow and getting rid of
the resultant water is as follows :-The furnace can be run into an ordinary "Slop"
or other cart Waggon or vehicle made of Iron stoel, Wood lined with iron or of wood
only and drawn by a horse or other means or as previously stated the furnace may by
means of its surrounding screen or frame be used for melting the snow without the
the aid of a cart or other vehicle.
The furnace can be heated and taken to the roads or other places where snow has
fallen. The snow is thrown on the top of the furnace which has a large heating
surface and is rapidly melted the water escaping at the back of the cart or other
vehicle and either falls direct into the nearest gully or on the ground or along the
water channel to the gully or other outlet.
Any required number of furnaces can be used at the same time and one stoker can
attend to two or three furnaces if they are situated within a reasonable distance of
each other and by having the necessary relays of men and drawing power the furnaces
can be worked day and night thus obtaining the maximum amount of work done at
the minimum of cost and time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The employment for the purpose of melting or destroying snow in roads or
other places of a portable apparatus or Furnace which can either be used by itself or
can be put into an ordinary cart waggon or other vehicle and taken to roads or other
places where snow has fallen and there used so as to rapidly melt or destroy the snow
on the spot and thus avoid the labour and expense of all cartage or removal of the
snow.
2nd. The construction and arrangement of the furnace or apparatus in the manner
and for the purpose as herein substantially described set forth and fully illustrated in
the drawing annexed.