Year: 1889

page_text: 1 PAUL GRAEB of 32 Trobcen strasse Berlin in the Empire of Germany Professor
at the Royal Polyteclmicum Berlin 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 relates to a snow plough provided with two sets of rotating blades
or helices which work from the centre of the track to the sides and thus clear the
entire width of the road flinging the snow on to the banks on either side.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in longitudinal section a snow
plough constructed according to this invention for clearing railway lines.
Figure 2 represents the plough in plan and
Figure 3 shows the mechanism viewed from behind, the frame of the carriage being
in transverse section.
Figures 4 and 5 represent transverse sections of the blades of the helices taken
through points near the boss and near the outer extremity respectively.
This snow plough is arranged as follows:-Two helices a are placed in front of a
carriage bin such a manner that one helix works at the side of and in advance of the
other as indicated in the plan Figure 2. The diameters of these helices are from
about one to three meters according to the gauge or width of the road or path to be
cleared. The helices are also so arranged that the outer ends of their blades sweep
over an area, corresponding to the profile or configuration of the surface of the road.
The helices a are fixed upon shafts c'which receive rotary motion from the axle of
the front wheels of the locomotive or from one of the axles h h of the carriage b. In
the former case that is to say when the snow plough is worked by the axle d of the
front wheels of the locomotive the following arrangement is adopted. A chain
wheel e is fixed on the axle d of the front wheels and by means of an endless chain
drives a wheelf keyed on a shaft f¹ on the snow plough carriage b. The endless
Di 71

page_text: chain is so arranged as to admit of being readily removed from and replaced on the
chain wheels and is of a suitable weight to enable it to drive the wheels withou
slipping even when the buffers between the plough and the locomotive are pushed in
as far as they can go. The shaft f¹ is also so arranged that the hinder axle of the
wheels of the plough carriage does not come in the way of the chain. A toothed
wheel is keyed on the shaft and drives an intermediate wheel k which transmits
motion through a wheel m and shaft 1 to bevel gear po to the shafts c carrying the
helices a.
This driving gear is so arranged as to obtain an accelerated motion so that
the helices revolve rapidly and cast the snow on to the banks on either side of the
road. The helices are provided with any suitable number of blades which are so
arranged that the part near the centre of rotation projects forwards into the face of
the drift or mass of snow so that the central part of the blades engages with the snow
before the other part and gradually works the snow away to the outer ends. The
front edges of the blades are also curved so that they cut into the snow like shovels
and pare it off. The lower or outer ends of the blades are likewise curved like
shovels to enable them to carry up and fling away the snow on the side banks
(Figures 4 and 5). By these means the blades of the helices are enabled to act in a
similar manner to shovels in their rotary movement. The rapid rotation of the blades
which is regulated by the rate at which the plough advances causes the snow to be
quickly caught up and thrown off at the sides.
When the helices are driven by the axle of the plough carriage one of the axles of
the carriage bis provided with a chain wheel of the same or similar form to the
wheel e on the axle of the front wheels of the locomotive and which by means of an
endless chain drives the chain wheel for according to another arrangement the chain
and chain wheels e fare dispensed with and the movement is transmitted direct from
the axle or to the gearing i k m.
By suitably modifying the details of construction the plough may be employed for
clearing away snow from streets roads or other places.
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. A snow plough for clearing away snow from railways and other places provided
at the front end of a carriage b with rapidly rotating helices or blades a a arranged
side by side one being in advance of the other and both receiving rapid rotary motion
from the axle of the front wheels of the locomotive or from one of the axles of the 3
plough carriage at a rate of speed corresponding to the rate at which the said carriage
advances the said helices being so arranged as to take up the snow with a shovelling
action commencing at the centre of rotation and throw it off laterally substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improvements in 4
snow ploughs substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1880