Year: 1887

page_text: BENJAMIN HOWArth Thwaite 37 Victoria Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I provide a cylindrical or square and vertical vessel of sheet iron-preferably
covered with asbestos, having an internal and central vertical fluo, at the lower ond
of which I provide a special gas burner arrangement, preferably on the Bunsen
principle, but so constructed as to heat the air which is required to support combustion D
I prefer to arrange the burners at different heights so that the heat of the lower ones
is partly radiated to the air and gas of those slightly superposed.
Immediately above the burners in the central combustion flue I provide heat
accumulating material, such as fireclay pipes one placed inside the other, but leaving
ample annular space between them to allow the ascensional passage of the products
of combustion or I may provide coke in place of refractory heat accumulating
material to be used in combination or independently of the gas, if the former, I so
arrange the grate as to prevent the ashes from choking or stopping up the gas
burner tubes.
At the upper end of the vessel I provide a hopper which fits to the top of the vessel,
In order to prevent the stones and dirt from falling into the dissolver I provide a
circular intercepting grating or grids surrounding the central flue and sloping
outwards to intercept same, and provided with doors by which the stones &c. are
easily removed.
I provide radiating fins to the side of the central combustion flue, the latter I
surmount with a chimney.
In another modification I lead the products of gaseous combustion, before they pass
away, through numerous flues or tubes in snow space or chamber in dissolving
apparatus.
At the lower end of the vessel I provide an outlet spout for the water from dissolved
snow, which I may lead to the nearest gully and I provide a length of gas piping to
connect burners to nearest gas main or other source of supply.

page_text: I mount the vessel on a strong base plate and wheels so that the apparatus is
portable.
Where gaseous fuel is not obtainable I may confine myself to the use of coke coal
petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon, when using the latter fuel I provide in
connection with the snow dissolver a petroleum container and by a special arrange-
ment I vaporise the petroleum oil by a partial combustion of same-using for the
latter combustion a petroleum wick lamp of the ordinary construction and for the
combustion of the petroleum gas I use an arrangement of burners akin to the Bunsen
principle.
In another modification of my Invention I employ a multitubular quick steaming
generator of the fire engine type, for steam generation I use either coke or petroleum,
superheat the steam which I make to traverse coils placed in the snow dissolving
tanks, provided with dirt and stone separating gratings, after passing through the coils
the steam escapes through horizontally placed perforated pipes on to the snow covered
ground I mount the entire apparatus on wheels, In combination with this modifica-
tion of my Invention which dissolves the snow as it is drawn along the snow covered
streets I provide a sand distributor, the sand being distributed by ejection and by
tho steain which dissolves the snow. This arrangement would remove tho danger of
the freezing of the water dissolved from the snow-I may use double casings for my
Invention filling up the space with ashes or charcoal.
By the use of my said Invention, snow could be dissolved in a convenient economical
and rapid manner.

page_text: BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE of 37 Victoria Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer 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:-
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus for effecting the dissolution or
melting of snow.
Before referring in detail, to the drawings which are intended to accompany and
form part of this Specification, I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not wish
to be confined to the exact details shewn therein; as it will easily be understood,
that they may be considerably modified without departing from the nature of my
Invention.
Referring to Sheet of drawings accompanying and which are intended to form
part of this Specification;
Figure 1 is a vertical section Figure 2 is a front elevation.
Figure 3 is a plan in section through line A B of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan in section on line C D of figuro 1.
Figure 5 is a detailed section of gas burner arrangement.
Figure 6 is a section on an enlarged scale of combustion chamber shewing heat
radiating fins.
Figures 7 and 8 shew respectively a longitudinal and cross section of a horizontal
type of snow dissolver.
Before describing the action of the apparatus I will define its constituent parts.
Referring to Figures 1 to 6, A is the gas supply chamber, provided with a nozzle
by which, with the aid of a flexible tubing I connect the gas chamber with the street
gas main or with the street lamp burner, The gas passes through the tubes B. into
burner or combustion tubes C. The air chamber D is supplied with air by tubes E,
the air passes to ignition point through the annular space F.
I prefer to line the combustion chamber G with a refractory lining H having
a projecting ring I by which I support a nest of refractory heat accumulating
material J.
I provide a series of radial heat radiating fins K, by which the heat is rapidly and
effectually transferred to the snow which is in intimate contact therewith.
I fix these radiating or radial fins the whole or entire depth and right across the
snow chamber or receptacle L.
In order to separate the stones and other debris from the dissolved snow I provide
circular grates A on and by which the debris or stones can be collected and removed
by the doors N.
The water from the dissolved snow escapes by means of the outlet Q, from which
by means of a hose it is led to the street gulleys-The upper and hopper shaped part

page_text: of apparatus can be readily detached from the lower part and the chimney can if
required be hinged.
Figures 7 and 8 shew another modification of my Invention, with a horizontal
assemblage of parts. P is the nest of Bunsen burners fixed in a hanging and
perforated cylinder or chamber Q that can if required be used for a coke fire.
The combustion chamber R is lined in its invert with refractory material S.
Immediately over the burners I place a refractory guard cover tilo T, a door U allows
the coke to be fed into hanging chamber when required.
The inclined bottom plate V of dissolving chamber W may be of one continuous
piece or in several parts overhanging each other at the joints and slightly separated,
as shewn in dotted lines so that the heat of combustion of the fuel whether of a
gaseous or solid character, can radiate to the snow direct.
I provide vertical radiating fins or plates X placed at short distances from each
other, passing vertically through combustion and snow dissolving chambers and
supporting the inclined grids Z intended for the collection or separation of the stones
and dirt which may easily be removed by means of the doors V. The dissolved snow
water gravitates to trough W and is led by a flexible pipe to the nearest gulley.
The action of using the snow dissolver is the same for both modifications of my
Invention; Given a snow covered street that requires to be cleared, the snow
dissolver is stationed near to point from which a gas supply can be obtained, and by
means of an india rubber tube a gas supply connection can be established. For the
removal of the dissolved snow the snow dissolver is connected to the nearest gulley
and after a period of fifteen minutes, the snow can be charged therein.
The heat from the central combustion chamber is rapidly radiated to the snow,
which is quickly dissolved, the stones being intercepted by the grids-After the snow
in the street has been entirely dissolved the dissolver can be removed into another
snow covered street.
Having now particularly ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st. The apparatus substantially as herein shown and described for dissolving snow.
Dated this 15th day of October 1887