Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Melting Snow.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1891--Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Melting Snow.
1, WASHINGTON LYON, of Clifton House, No. 85, Asylum Road, Peckham, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus for melting snow,
and has for its object, to obtain a simple and convenient portable apparatus, by the
aid of which, large quantities of snow which have accumulated in roads, highways,
and other places, may be rapidly melted and reduced to water.
For this purpose, I employ a truck or wheeled vehicle of any suitable kind,
provided with a melting chamber, and to this vehicle, I connect by means of a
Hexible steam tight hose, or an iron steam pipe, a high pressure portable boiler
capable of rapidly generating steam.
From the said steam pipe, I lead a branch to, or near to, the bottom of the
melting chamber, where it terminate in several perforated arms, by preference,
radially disposed, a cock or tap being employed to regulate, or to shut off, the
admission of steam to the perforated arms, and the bottom of the melting chamber
is perforated to allow of the escape of water, and is provided with a perforated
slide for closing or regulating the area of the perforations of the bottom of the
chamber.
The steam pipe is provided, upon the exterior of the melting chamber, with one
or more flexible branches, which, at their ends, terminate in nozzles, and these
nozzles are provided with regulating cocks, by the aid of which, the volume of steam
issuing therefrom may be regulated, or shut off.
In some cases, I dispense with the portable boiler, and obtain the necessary
supply of steam from any other suitable source near at hand, for instance, the
boilers of steam fire engines can be advantageously used for this purpose.
When it is desired to put the apparatus in operation, the vehicle is run into
position, preferably near a sewer gally, and the snow to be melted is deposited in
the melting chamber, and the high temperature of the steam which fills the pipes
and issues therefrom, rapidly melts the snow, the resulting water escaping through
the perforations in the bottom of the chamber, or being retained in the latter, when
required, by closing the said perforations.
When it is desired to utilize the nozzles hereinbefore mentioned, for melting the
snow, the steam may be shut off from the interior of the chamber and allowed to
escape only through the said nozzles, which are so placed, that it is directed into,
or on to, the snow.
By these means, I obviate the loss of time and great expense of carting the snow
away to a distant melting station, whilst, at the same time, the water resulting from
the melted snow can be utilized for flushing the sewers, or, it might be used for
other purposes.
Dated this 29th day of January 1891.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: t
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Melting Snow.
I, WASHINGTON LYON, of Clifton House, No. 85, Asylum Road, Peckham, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 said invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus for melting
snow, and has for its object, to obtain a simple and convenient portable apparatus,
by the aid of which, large quantities of snow which have accumulated in roads,
highways, and other places, may be rapidly melted and reduced to water.
For this purpose, f employ a truck or wheeled vehicle of any suitable kind,
provided with a melting chamber, and to this vehicle, I connect, by means of a
Hexible steam tight hose, or an iron steam pipe, a high pressure portable boiler,
capable of rapidly generating steam.
From the said steam pipe, I lead a branch to, or near to, the bottom of the
melting chamber, where it terminates in several perforated arms, by preference,
radially disposed, a cock or tap being employed to regulate or to shut off the
admission of steam to the perforated arms, and the bottom of the melting chamber
is perforated to allow of the escape of water, and is provided with a perforated
slide for closing or regulating the area of the perforations of the bottom of the
chamber.
The steam pipe is provided upon the exterior of the melting chamber, with one
or more flexible branches, which, at their ends, terminate in nozzles, and these
nozzles are provided with regulating cocks, by the aid of which, the volume of steam
issuing therefrom, may be regulated or shut off.
In some cases, I dispense with the portable boiler, and obtain the necessary
supply of steam from any other suitable source near at hand, for instance, the boilers
of steam fire engines can be advantageously used for this purpose.
When it is desired to put the apparatus into operation, the vehicle is run into
position, preferably near a sewer gully, and the snow to be melted is deposited in
the melting chamber, and the high temperature of the steam which fills the pipes
and issues therefrom, rapidly melts the snow, the resulting water escaping through
the perforations in the bottom of the chamber, or being retained in the latter, when
required, by closing the said perforations.
When it is desired to utilize the nozzles hereinbefore mentioned, for melting the
snow, the steam may be shut off from the interior of the chamber, and allowed to
escape only through the said nozzles, which are so placed that it is directed into or
on to the snow.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2. is a plan thereof.
Figure 3. is a similar view to Figure 1. illustrating a slight modification, and,
Figure 4. is a plan thereof.
In the several figures of the drawings, like parts are indicated by similar letters
of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. and 2. a represents the body of the truck or vehicle,
which is mounted upon wheels a* and provided with a traction handle a** by_the
aid of which it may be moved about from place to place.

page_text: The body a of this truck or vehicle, constitutes the melting chamber for the snow,
and the bottom thereof is inclined towards the rear of the vehicle for the purpose
of drainage, and passing through the upper part of the body a is a steam pipe b, one
end of which is provided with means of connection by a flexible or other pipe
with a high pressure portable boiler, capable of rapidly generating steam, whilst
the other end is by a suitable coupling connected with a flexible pipe herein-
after more fully referred to.
From the steam pipe b, leads a branch 3 terminating in a chamber ** located at,
or near, the bottom of the melting chamber a, and from this chamber 63* lead
several perforated tubular arms, by preference, radially disposed, and at their
outer ends closed and supported in brackets or fittings ** fixed to the body a, a
cock or valve 3** being employed to regulate or shut off the admission of steam to
the chamber * and perforated arms
The bottom of the melting chamber a is, at its rear end, formed with perfora-
tions a' therein to allow of the escape of water resulting from the melted snow and
these perforations a' are covered by a sliding plate d similarly perforated with the
holes and field in place by guides or brackets * fixed to the body a and this
slide d is adapted to be moved with relation to the perforations at so as to regulate
the area thereof or close the same, by means of a screw d³ at its inner end working
in a nut rising from the sliding plate d, and at the other end passing through a
packed bearing or stuffing box ** fixed to the body a and provided at its extreme
end with a crank handle * by which it may be turned to move the slide.
The steam pipe is as hereinbefore described provided upon one end with a
flexible tube or branch c', or the end 2 of the steam pipe b might be branched to
receive several such tubes e terminating in nozzles .
At the end of the flexible pipe is a nozzle e similar to a fire hose nozzle, and
provided with a regulating cock or valve and this nozzle is covered with non-
conducting material * in order that it may be handled without discomfort or injury
to the hand, and by the aid of this cock or valve the volume of steam issuing
from the nozzle e may be regulated or shut off, whilst a shut off cock or valve *
is employed to close the end of the steam pipe & when the nozzle e is not in use.
In some cases, the portable boiler may be dispensed with and the necessary supply
of steam may be obtained from any other suitable source near at hand, such, for
example, as the boiler of a steam fire engine which could advantageously be used
for this purpose.
In the example given at Figure 4, the parts are very similar to those herein-
before described, but in this case, the branch leaves the steam pipe near to the
end and the perforated pipes are arranged in the form of a coil within the
body a and terminate in a draw off valve or cock located upon the exterior of the
body a and intended to drain the pipes when desired.
The perforations a' in the bottom a for draining the water from the melted snow
and the corresponding slide d and co-acting parts are dispensed with, and in lieu
thereof a large cock d is employed to drain off the water resulting from the melted
snow and to regulate or cut off such drainage.
6:
b
In lieu of connecting the nozzle c with the end 62 of the steam pipe by a flexible
pipe c', such pipe c' is dispensed with, and the nozzle is coupled directly with such
end, but it will be understood that the flexible pipe c¹ might be employed in
connection therewith, if preferred.
When it is desired to put the apparatus into operation, the vehicle is run into
position, preferably near a sewer gully, and the snow to be melted is deposited in
the melting chamber a, and the high temperature of the steam which fills the
pipes and issues from the latter, rapidly melts the snow, the resulting water
escaping through the perforations a¹ in the bottom of the chamber a, or through the
cock or valve d, or the water may be retained in the body a, when required, by
closing the perforations a' or cock or valve d.
When it is desired to utilize the nozzle c herein before described for melting the
snow, the steam may be shut off by the cock or valve 6*** from the interior of the

page_text: chamber 0, and allowed to pass out through the cock or valve * to the flexible
pipe cor nozzle c, which is so placed, that it may be directed into or on to the
snow.
By these means,
I obviate the loss to a great extent of time occupied in carting
away the snow to a melting station, whilst, at the same time, the water resulting
from the melted snow, can be utilized for flushing the sewers or for other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In an apparatus for melting snow, the combination of a body mounted upon
wheels, a melting chamber within the body, a system of perforated pipes provided
with means of connection to a steam boiler and suitably arranged within the melting
chamber, means for drawing off the water resulting from the melted snow, and a
system of cocks or valves for regulating and directing the current of steam, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In an apparatus for melting snow, the combination of a body mounted upon
wheels, a melting chamber within the body, a main steam pipe passing through the
body, and, at one end, provided with means of connection to a steam boiler; and at
the other end furnished with a means of connection to a nozzle, a branch from the
main steam pipe, a system of perforated pipes suitably arranged within the melting
chamber, means for drawing off the water resulting from the melted snow, and a
system of cocks or valves for regulating and directing the current of steam, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.
3. In an apparatus for melting snow, the combination of a body mounted upon
wheels, a melting chamber within the body, a main steam pipe passing through the
body, and at one end provided with means of connection to a steam boiler, and at
the other end, furnished with a nozzle connected therewith by a flexible pipe, or
otherwise, a branch from the main steam pipe, a system of perforated pipes suitably
arranged within the melting chamber, means for drawing off the water resulting
from the melted snow, and a system of cocks or valves for regulating and directing
the current of steam, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the
purpose stated.
Dated this 20th day of October 1891
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.