Improved Method of and Apparatus for Removing Snow or Ice from the Streets or other Places.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Removing Snow or Ice from
the Streets or other Places.
I, RICHARD RIPLEY of Kempston Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Washing Blue and Blacklead Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to remove snow or ice from public streets or
roads or other like places in a more expeditious and effective manner than at
present.
In carrying out this invention, I mount on wheels a receptacle for the snow or
ice, constructed of copper or other suitable material having its sides and portion of
the bottom formed of a double casing after the manner of a jacketed pan. Under-
neath this receptacle, I arrange a furnace and at each or only one side of the
furnace a box or chamber for fuel or I may have a separate tender for the fuel
if necessary. A spout or opening may be formed at or near the bottom of the
aforesaid receptacle to discharge the melted snow or ice into the gutter or drain.
To facilitate the raising of the snow or ice into the receptacle or pan an elevator,
something after the form of a dredger, might be attached operated from the axle
of the wheels or by hand power. Either hot air or steam or the heat of the fire
itself may be the medium for melting the snow or ice in the receptacle or pan, and
being surrounded underneath and at the sides with the heat from the furnace
underneath, the snow or ice will be quickly melted. I prefer to leave sufficient
water in the bottom of the snow receptacle or pan to prevent the bottom plates
being burned by the flames underneath. In some cases the snow and ice may be
melted in the receptacle by the addition of a hot air coil or its equivalent. Means
are provided for harnessing horses to the apparatus so that it can be easily moved
about.
At other seasons of the year the apparatus may be used as a watering cart, a
perforated injector and rose being fitted to the spout or opening and the receptacle
filled with water.
ענענג VVT
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Removing Snow or Ice from
the Streets or other Places.
I, RICHARD RIPLEY of Kempston Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Washing Blue and Blacklead Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus applicable for removing snow or
ice from streets or roads and other like places in a more expeditious manner than

page_text: when not required for use in removing snow.
It will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation-of my improved apparatus as used for melting
snow or ice;
Figure 2 and Figure 3, a rear end elevation and transverse section respectively:
Figure 4, a front end elevation of my apparatus as used as a street watering
cart; and
and
Figure 5, a detail view of the tank bottom with the perforated pipes removed;
Figure 6, a sectional elevation of the apparatus with a petroleum burðing
furnace.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, A are the wheels, A' the draught frame
on which is mounted the receptacle B for the snow or ice. This latter is constructed
of copper or other suitable material; C Care flues and D is a furnace or firegrate
arranged underneath the receptacle B, d being the firebars, d' the ashpan and
the fire door. E is a box or chamber for the fuel or I may have a separate tender
for the fuel if necessary; F a spout or opening in the receptacle B provided with
a hose pipe G for discharging the melted snow or ice into a gutter or drain,
Ha chimney (of which there are two at the rear end) the heat from the furnace D
passing along the entire length of the flue C under the receptacle B and returning
through the flues C to the chimneys H. It will be seen that the casing or
jacket c forming the furnace and flues is supported on angle irons I', which rest on
brackets I attached to the draught frame A and the receptacle B is provided with
an angle iron J which rests upon the angle iron I, these two angle irons and the
top of bracket I being bolted together.
C
The mode of action is as follows:-
The receptacle B is first filled with water up to the orifice F, the fire in the grate
is lighted and when the water in receptacle B is hot, the snow is shovelled into the
receptacle. The flames and heated products of combustion passing along the
flues CC quickly melt the snow and ice in the receptacle as it is thrown in by
the scavengers, the water flowing out through the orifice F into the gutter or drain
at the side of the street. If there be not a frost at the time the apparatus is being
used, the hose G may be allowed to hang down loose to admit of the water flowing
away as quickly as it is melted. If there exist a frost, the hose may be hooked
up at g, thus allowing the water to accumulate in the receptacle B till a grid is
reached when the hose is unhooked and the water discharged into the grid direct,
thus avoiding any danger of the water freezing in the streets. K are shafts for
harnessing horses to the apparatus so that it can be easily moved about. It will be
seen that the apparatus possesses this great advantage of dispensing with the old
and costly system of employing men to cart the snow away, the snow in my
apparatus being far more quickly disposed of by. melting it and running it to waste
through the public drains."
At other seasons of the year when the apparatus is not required for use as a snow
melter, the apparatus may be used as a watering cart or as a cart for agricultural
or other purposes.
In this case, the angle irons are disconnected by undoing the
bolts, and the receptacle B and casing c are then removed. When this is done, the
receptacle B is replaced alone without the casing, and the angle irons J bolted
directly on the brackets I. The hose pipe G is moreover removed and the exit
opening closed up. A cart is thus produced which may be used for a variety of
purposes. When the apparatus is required for use as a watering cart for watering
the street in summer, the ends of the pipes M of the perforated sprinkler N are
fitted and secured into the sockets Lin the bottom of the receptacle B. O are valves
controlling these pipes. :P is a projecting rim or shield adapted to check the water
from splashing over the top of the receptacle B when the water cart is in motion;
this is detachable and may be removed when required.

page_text: In Figure 6, I have shown my invention provided with a system of heating the
tank by generating oil into vapour and burning it in powerful. flames, those. parts
of the apparatus which are the same as the preceding figures being indicated by the
same reference letters. A as before are the wheels, A¹ the draught frame, B the
receptacle, C the main flue leading to the return flue C¹ (the latter not shown in
this figure) and D the furnace, Q is a discharge flue or chimney, one from each
return flue C' for discharging the products of combustion underneath the projecting
rim or shield P, and R chimneys fitted in this shield for allowing the smoke to escape.
S is the vapour burner, T the tank for storing the oil in and for feeding the burner
with oil, F a spout or opening in the receptacle B provided with a valve f' for
discharging the melted snow or ice into a gutter or drain, U layers of asbestos or
other suitable non-conducting material. In action oil is forced into the tank T by
a pump and compresses the air already in the tank. The burner S is now heated,
the oil valve being then opened, the oil is forced up by the air pressure into the
heated burner and being converted into vapour issues from a jet where it is ignited
and burns in a large powerful flame. The heat of this flame passing through the
generating tubes continuously tures the fresh ascending oil into vapour. The
heated products of combustion pass along the flues C, the return, flues C¹ and
flues Qand quickly melt the snow and ice in the receptacle as it is thrown in by
the scavengers, the water flowing out by the orifice F. The heated products of
combustion being discharged under the shield P, any suow or ice sticking to said:
shield will be melted by the heated products, the smoke being finally ejected
through the chimneys R.
The apparatus shown in Figure 6 may be fitted permanently with a perforated
sprinkler such as is shown at N, Figure 4, and the receptacle B and furnace may
be mounted directly on the under frame A', no angle irons J, l' or brackets I being
necessary in this case. The apparatus can thus be used as a scavenging apparatus
for snow and ice in winter, and as a watering cart in summer without the necessity
of removing or adding to any of the parts.
I have described one form of oil burning furnace but it must be understood that
I set forth this furnace merely by way of example as any other suitable oil burning
furnace may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improvement in apparatus applicable for melting snow and ice, which
consists in forming them of a snow receptacle or tank having a spout or opening
for discharging the snow and ice when melted into the street gutter or drain, in
combination with a fire grate or heating furnace and channels or flues, the latter
formed in three parts, one for the forward passage of the heat from the furnace
along the bottom of the tank, and the others for conveying the heat back along the
bottom of the tank to the ascending flues or chimneys at the rear substantially as
described.
2. In an apparatus applicable for melting snow and ice, the combination with a
receptacle such as B having an open top for charging it with snow or ice, and a
discharge opening in the side or bottom thereof, of a hydrocarbon or vapour burner
located underneath the receptacle, and a tank for storing and feeding oil to the said
burner, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. An apparatus applicable for melting snow and ice for use in scavenging the
streets, which consists in the combination of an open receptacle or pan into which
the snow and ice to be melted is thrown, a furnace and flues for inelting the
contents of the said pan, and a spout or opening in the side or bottom of the
receptacle for discharging the snow and ice when melted into the street gutter or
drain substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the draught frame, of a body mounted upon the same
and composed of an open tank with furnace and flues for licating the same, the said

page_text: tank being provided with a discharge opening having a spout or hose pipe,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. An apparatus applicable for melting snow and ice having a furnace and flues
mounted upon the draught frame of the vehicle, in combination with a tank for
holding the snow or ice to be melted, said tank, furnace and flues being so arranged
that they can be removed from the frame, the tank separated from the furnace and
flues, and replaced alone on the frame substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6. The combination with the draught frame, of a snow or water tank and a
furnace and flues for heating the same, the tank and the furnace and flues being
mounted on the frame in such a manner that they are detachable therefrom and
from each other and the tank remounted alone upon the frame, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
7. The combination with the tank of a rim or lip P arranged around the top of
the tank and projecting inwardly substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. The combination with the water tank of the sockets L secured in the bottom
of the said tank, pipes M supplying the perforated sprinkler and secured in or
removed from the said sockets, and valves for controlling the supply of water from
the tank to the pipes substantially as set forth.
9. The combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my improved
apparatus substantially as described and shown in reference to Figures 1 to 5 and
Figure 6 respectively of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this och 1.
Nbon 10nk
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.