Improvements in Snow Melting Furnaces.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
Improvements in Snow Melting Furnaces.
I, FRANZ XAVER VON GARNIER, of 44, Sielwall, Bremen, in the Empire of
Germany, Colonel commanding a Regiment, 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 an apparatus for enabling large quantities of snow, the
carting away of which has been very expensive heretofore, to be melted down on
the spot.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate this invention :-
Figure 1 is a view-partly in elevation and partly in section-of an apparatus
with coal firing.
Figure 2 is a view-partly in elevation and partly in section-of an apparatus
with gas firing, and
Figure 3 is a view-in plan-of a suitable gas burner.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The apparatus consists of a double-walled boiler a which is formed internally at
its centre with an extension or bulge for the purpose of increasing the heating
surface. The furnace is situated in the hollow space formed between the two walls
of the boiler.
The space formed by the inner wall of the boiler is of double U-shape in
cross section and is closed at the top by means of flap-doors c which are adapted
to be conveniently opened and closed by means of any suitable operating device.
The snow which has been swept together on the roads is thrown into the space
closed in by the flap doors and thus becomes melted by the action of the heated walls
of the boiler, the melted snow being then discharged through openings d in the
underside of the apparatus and through hose pipes into the sewers or otherwise got
rid of.
Either coal-firing, gas-firing or any other suitable heating agents may be employed
for producing the requisite heat.
When gas-firing is used I prefer to construct the burner in the form of a grating
as shown by Figure 3, the said burner being adapted to lie along the boiler space a,
so that the jets or flames act directly upon the internal surface, thereby effecting
a rational utilization of the gaseous fuel burned.
Moreover in order to prevent unnecessary loss of heat, the outer walls of the
boiler are provided with a covering of any suitable non-conductor of heat. In
order to prevent the openings & through which the snow water is run out into the
hose pipes from becoming choked by the dirt and mud contained in the snow, these
openings d are closed in by a sieve or strainer.
g
If the apparatus is heated by gas-firing, it is provided with gas-supply unions
by which the burner can be connected to the gas mains, so that it is not necessary
to have to carry a supply of fuel along with the apparatus.
As a modification, a receptacle may be provided under the driver's box in which
compressed gas or a gaseous hydrocarbon may be stored. The cars may also be
so constructed to allow of the whole apparatus being conveniently mounted upon
the underframe of existing water-carts, so that the first cost of the apparatus may
be considerably reduced.

page_text: 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 improvements in snow melting furnaces, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
(2.) An apparatus adapted to move on wheels for melting snow in which the
srow is melted by the action of a source of heat, and is capable of being discharged
through outlet-pipes, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 20th day of February 1895.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.