US3099396A - Snow blower apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1963 R. G. sxMMoNs SNOW BLOWER APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Shea?I 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 INVENToR. RICHARD Q. s|MMoNs WWW@ @A vwl/14;.

ATTORNEYS July 30, 1963 R. G. slMMoNs SNOW BLOWER APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 INVENTOR.

RICHARD G, SIMMONS H2M@ yyem ATTO RNEYS July 3o, 1963 R. G. SIMMONS 3,099,396

SNOW BLOWER APPARATUS Filed. Feb. 27, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 50 151 151 o )65 2O 2O INVENToR. mcHARD G. S11/MONS BY amv,

ATTORNEYS July 30, 1963 R. G. slMMoNs 3,099,396

SNOW BLOWER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTOR. 06 O CO25 1 RICHARD G. S1MMON5 n l l,

v4 By (G MV u MFV Q) WMQWw/cyw no F'lGLll ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,099,396 SNOW BLOWER AFFARATUS Richard G. Simmons, 3909 George St., Franklin Fark, lili. Filed Feb. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 91,717 i claim. (ci. 23a-sse) My invention relates to snow blower apparatus, and more panticularly, to blower apparatus that is especially adapted -for removing snow from railroad track, though it is well 'suited for numerous other snow removal uses as well.

While the removal of snow and ice is an operation that brings no additional income to the railroads, it is a necessary maintenance problem for many railroads and presents ditiiculties that must be met each year to insure reasonably efficient operation during inclement weather.

The annual reoccurrence of the snow removal problem and continual rising costs of labor over the years have resulted in the development of many types of machines and devices for facilitating this operation. Conventional equipment ,available includes complex snow removal and melting plants, special plow `carrying car units, accessories for spreaders, cranes and such off-track equipment as bulldozers, tractors and Scrapers, loader and automobile trucks, `as well as the use of pneumatic and electric t-ie tamping equipment for removing ice, and of weed burners for lighter snow falls.

Nevertheless, experience has shown ,that conventional equipment leaves much to be desired from the standpoint of reliable, eiiicient, economical operatic-n, due to the complexity of the equipment and the need for skilled labor to operate same, the variable 'and generally unrfavorable conditions under which such equipment must be operated, and ,the special snow rernofval elicits that must .be met in connection with track switches, cross overs, and the like.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a `snow removal apparatus that is. not only reliable and economical to operate under a Wide variety of operating conditions, but which also effects removal of, when necessary, even hard packed snow and ice.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a simpliiied snow blower arrangement that may be applied -to any convenient or existing wheeled frame for operation in combating the snow hazard.

A yfurther important object ci the invention is to provide a snow blower aparatus and method that is particularly adapted for use in railroad yards.

Other objects of the invention are to provide snow blower apparatus ot the air blower type including a capacity air source, to provide improved nozzles for concentrating the air ilow where it is needed, to provide a snow ripper arrangement for breaking up hard snow and ice, 1to1 provide a snow :blower arrangement that permits the use of standard wheeled frames for conveying same, and to provide a snow .blower apparatus that is economical of manufacture, convenient to use and install, and eicient and reliable in operation.

Other objects, usesy and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

In .the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational View illustrating one embodiment `ot the invention as applied to railroad equipment;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blower aparatus shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 2a is a fragmental perspective view of a snow ripper nozzle in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view ci the blower duct Patented July 30, 1963 ICC and nozzle structure shown in FIGURE l, but on a somewhat enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is a crossasectional view substantially along line 4-4 `of FIGURE `2;

FIGURE 5 is la cross-sectional view substantially along line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 6 `and 7 are a side elevational view and plan view, respectively, of a modified form of blower apparatus;

FIGURES i8 and 9 are a side elevational view and a plan View, respectively, of still a further modied form of the blower apparatus;

FIGURE ll) is a plan view of the blower nozzle of the form shown in FIGURES 8 and 9; and

FIGURE l1 is an end View of the nozzle shown in FIGURE l0, taken substantially along line 11-11.

General Description Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, reference numeral l@ generally indicates one embodiment of my invention applied to a more or less conventional railroad push Icar I2 that rides on track I4 applied in the usualv manner to ties I6, which in turn rest on the customary ballast (not shown).

In the form of FIGURES l and 2, the car l2 is moved ialong the rails l5 ci track iiiby a conventional driving push car 18 that is driven in any conventional and customary manner.

The apparatus itly generly comprises a blower device 2t) mounted in any suitable manner on a lbed or platform 22 that may be carried by car l2 and connected to ducting 2lithat includes a funnel member 26 and a nozzle member 28 that terminates an outlet opening 39 which is generally oval shaped in the form of FIGURES 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of FIGURES l `and 2, the nozzle member 28 is swivelly connected to the funnel member 24 by an appropriate type of swivel connection at the joint 32 and the nozzle member may be moved from side to side from the dashed line positions of FIGURE 2 by the operator rotating actuating shaft 36 by using hand wheel 38, which turns the nozzle member 28 with respect to the funnel member through a cable 40, both ends of which are fixed to a spindle 42 that is keyed to shaft 36, and the center of which is xed to the nozzle member 28 in any suitable manner, yas by welding at 43.

The blower device 20 is of the general type illustrated in FIGURES 4 yand 5, and is actuated by an `appropriate power unit 44 through an appropriate 4clutch 46 and couplings 48. A guard 50 in the form of a relatively large mesh screening is applied over the intake side of the blower device 20.

The blower 19 also includes snow ripper devices 69 that are applied on either side of the nozzle member 28. The ripper devices 69 each comprise relatively small diameter piping conduits 62 secured to the car l2 in any sui-table manner, as by appropriate clamps 64 and terminating in bifurcated nozzles 66 that define nozzle elements 68 positioned on either side of a track rail I5. The conduit62 may be connected by ilexible conduits 7l) to an appropriate form of Iair compressor 72 carried by the push car 18. However, any suitable source of air may be employed to supply nozzles 66 with the air flow desired, and it is contemplated that the car 12 may be arranged to carry an air compressor for this purpose.

In accordance with this invention, the blower device 20* and the nozzle member 23 are arranged to apply in a concentrated manner as large a volume flow of air as reasonably possible to the track bed between vand selectively against the individual track rails 15. In a specific form of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l, the blower device 29 is a 29 in-ch vane-axial blower made by the Hartzell Propeller Fan Company of Piqua, Ohio (which has a 2,400 rpm. 17,000 cubic foot per minute capacity rating), While the nozzle member 28 is a tube that is round in cross-sectional conguration and terminates in a nozzle opening that is on the order of one and a half square foot in area.

The apparatus 10 is particularly adapted for use in railroad yards. After a snowfall has commenced and it appears that snow removal will be required, apparatus 10 is moved onto the yard track and continuously operated over the yard track as long as the snowfall continues 'to accumulate or drift. This is done by employing the power actuated push car 18, or in any other suitable arrangement, to move the apparatus 10 in a forward direction (to the right of FIGURES 1 and 2) as required to free the track of snow and ice.

During operation of apparatus 10, motor 44 actuates blower device 20 to supply a large volume air flow to the nozzle member 28, from which it is emitted with -a force comparable to 100 rn.p.h. gale. The nozzle member 28 is angled somewhat as shown with respect to the track bed (approximately 45 degrees from the vertical in the illustrated embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2) and as apparatus 10 is moved alongr the track, nozzle member 28 is moved back and forth between the dashed line position of FIGURE 2 to effect removal of snow that is accumulated on the track bed and rails.

Where weather conditions have resulted in the formation of hardened snow and ice across the track rails, the ripper devices 60 are actuated by supplying air under pressure to the conduiting 62. Conduitings 62 are relatively small in diameter (5% inch pipe in the illustrated embodiment) and the -air which is supplied by a standard air compressor of suit-able capacity, emits from nozzle elements 68 in the form of relatively fine air jet blasts on either side of the individual rails 15, which break up hardened snow and ice for removal by the nozzle 28. After such hardened snow and ice has been broken on either side of the individual rails 1S, the large volume continuous air blast from the nozzle member 23 will readily blow the refuse to one side of the track bed.

It will be obvious, of course, that apparatus is fully operative on any trackage, but the concentration of trafiic and the consequent necessary track equipment in yards makes yard use of apparatus 10, -as well as the other modifications illustrated, of particular significance.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, a ow directing baffle 76 is applied across the rear of the nozzle open end 31 to prevent backflow of the air leaving nozzle member 28 and accentuate the forward thrust of the air blast leaving the blower apparatus. Bafiie 76 also defines part of opening 30 in Ithis embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment 10a of FIGURES 6 and 7, the nozzle member 28a is bifurcated to define laterally directed tubes r80 that terminate in nozzle elements 82, the outlet openings 30a of which are positioned above the track rails approximately as indicated in these two iig-ures. The nozzle elements `82 have approximately the same angulation with respect to the track bed as the embodiment of `FIGURES 1 and 2, and define nozzle openings 30a that together have a composite effective area on the order of one and one-half square feet.

Nozzle member 28a is connected to funnel member 26 by an elbow structure `84 and an extension structure 86, but, of course, this intermediate connecting arrangement may be of any suitable character.

The form of FIGURES `6 and 7 also illustrates the modified snow ripper arrangement 60a wherein a conduit 90 connects the nozzles 66 on either side of the nozzle member 28a, and nozzle elements 68 are applied across the entire track bed between rails 15, somewhat as indicated in FIGURE 7.

The embodiment of FIGURES 6 and 7 is otherwise substantially the same as that of FIGURES 1 and 2, as indicated by corresponding identical reference numerals, though in this embodiment, the nozzle member 28a is fixed with respect to the funnel member 28, and con- 4 sequently the shaft 36 of FIGURES 1 and 2 and its appurtenant parts are eliminated.

The embodiment :of FIGURES 6 and 7 is operated in substantially the same way as that of FIGURES 1 and 2 except that nozzle member 28a is not rotated. This form of the invention is particularly adapted for clearing snow from under switch points, where the ballast level is usually below the tops of the ties.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 8-l\l, the nozzle mem-ber 2S?) is `formed to terminate in an elongate narrow outlet opening Silb, which is made of sutiicient length to extend over and between both track rails 15, as indicated in 'FIGURE 1, while retaining lan orifice area of one and one-half square feet. Nozzle member 2811 is connected to funnel member 24 by an appropriate elbow member 100.

As shown in FIGURES 10 and 1l, the nozzle member 25519 is provided with air flow directing vanes or baffles 102, 11M and 166, which are essentially planar plates iixed between the sides 103 and 110 of the nozzle member. Preferably, supplemental flow directing vanes or bafiies 112 are secured in place adjacent the bafiies or vanes 102 and 166 in :approximately the positions indicated in FIG- URE 10 for the purpose of better insuring the sidewise blowing action of the air blast emitting from nozzle member 28h. As indicated, the vanes or bafiies 112 should be approximately parallel to the respective sides :114 of the nozzle member 28h.

The apparatus 10b is otherwise essentially the same as that shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 as indicated by corresponding identical reference numerals.

Specific Description rlhe specific `form of blower device 20 employed in the illustrated embodiments of the invention is best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

`It will there be seen that the blower device 20 generally comprises fan annular outer housing member fixed to an inner annular housing member y122, as by welding appropriate spacer battles 1124 to both of these members; baiiies 124 are preferably symmetrically arranged about the blower device 20 :and may be of any suitable number commensurate with the strength requirements to be satisfied. The 29 inch Iblower size previously mentioned corresponds to the internal diameter of housing member 120.

The inner housing member 122 has fixed within same spaced support structures 126 for the respective pillow [block bearing units 12S that are employed to journal blower shaft 130i. Blower' shaft `130y has keyed thereto a rotor 132 provided with spaced vanes or blades I134 angled as required to create a high volume air flow through the `annular chamber 136, that is defined by the housing members 120 and `122, in the direction of arrows 137, when the shaft an-d rotor are rotated in the direction of the arrow 129 of FIGURE 5. An appropriate cover 138 is fixed over the rotor 132 in the illustrated embodiment of FIG- URE 4.

It will be apparent that the bearing units 128` may be of any suitable type, though they usually are of the ball bearing form for applications such as that illustrated. Likewise, the support stnuctures may be of any convenient form, such as that idiagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 5 which contemplates plates 140 welded tor otherwise secured in operative position with housing member 122 in association with brackets 141.

The motor 44, the clutch 46, the couplings 48, and other -devices essential [for transmitting the motive power of motor 44 to shaft A1310 may be of yany conventional and suitable type. In the present instance, moto-r y414-' is a 35 horsepower gasoline engine operating fat 2,400 r.p.m. under load conditions. Clutch 46 is operated by fusing handle to stopt and start blower device 20.

The guard Sil is formed in any suitable manner from a large mesh screening material that preferably has mesh openings defining an opening area on the order of that defined by one and one-half inch square mesh openings. The shaffting 151 for driving shaft `130` extends through the cover 50 in any suitable manner. Cover 50 may be secured in pl-ace in any suitable manner.

The ducting 24 including .funnel member 26 and nozzle member 28 may be -forrned 'from any suitable materials, though l2 gauge sheet metal is considered appropriate for the embodiment of FIGURES l fand 2. Member 26 is formed with connecting iifanges 152 ttor cooperation with the adjacent ange 154 of the blower device 20` and the adjacent flange 156 of the nozzle member 23, for purposes of appropriately securing these elements together. As already indicated, the swivel connection between nozzle member 28 and funnel member 26 may be of any suitable type, `while funnel member 26 may be secured to housing 120 by bolts lor welding or in rany suitable manner.

The ripper nozzles 66- and their Iassociated conduiting may assume any appropriate type of piping, and may be supported `or braced in `any suitable manner, though for 5/4 inch piping, conduiting 62 should be supplied with air -at a rate on the order of 250 cubic :feet per minute. However, the arrangement should be such that the nozzles 66 extend forwardly of the nozzle member 28, somewhat as indicated in FIGURES l and 2, so that the snow and ice broken up by them will be swept away by the air blast from nozzle 28 as the apparatus 1t) moves in a forward direction.

Nozzle elements 68 (see FIGURE 2a) preferably cornprise short 3% inch pipe lengths with their tips 159 flattened to define outlet orifices V161 on the order of 1/16 of an inch in Width. Elements 68 should -be secured in place so that the wide dimension of the respective oriiices lies in a plane that is parallel to the direction of movement. Thus, nozzles 68 will emit fiat high velocity jets that provide a knife-like cutting action on either side or' the respective track rails as the blower apparatus moves along the track.

The shaft 36 for actuating nozzle member 23 may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as by being rotatably applied to the spaced brace members 160 that are in turn welded to :the respective members '26. and 120.

The platform 22 that is carried by car 12 is provide-d with appropriate flooring where indicated at 162 to accommodate the operator. In the illustrated embodiments, ooring 1162 as vvell as motor `i4 and blower device 231 are mounted in any suitable manner on bed 22, and bed 22 takes the form of a separable pallet 163I that is removably applied to car 12. Bed 22 as well as car 12 may take any suitable form; and, of course, car 12 need not be of the railroad type unless the snow removal purposes of the apparatus are to be conned by users to railroad track.

In the speciiic embodiments illustrated, car 12 takes the form of a standard push car frame 166` including the customary railroad type flanged wheels 168 that are journalled in frame 166 in any suitable manner and ride on rails 1'5.. Bed 22 comprises spaced channel beams 167 Xed together in any suitable manner and carrying suitable angle brackets 169 adapted to be iixed to car 12 by appropriate bolts 116961 or the like. Suitable eyes 165 or the like may be secured to the motor 44 and housing 120i, or elsewhere, for purposes of crane lifting pallet 163sy between vehicles that are to support same. I contemplate also that pallet 163 may be secured in place in some manner that permits adjustment of the nozzle (2S-26h), both vertically and with regard to its angulation from the Vertical. This may take the kform of adjustably securi-ng brackets 169 to beams 167 so that the bed 22 may be shimmed to the desired adjustment, or shims, as desired, may be applied under brackets 169 or beams 167 before bolts 169a are applied.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 8-ll, the nozzle member l28]; and elbow 100 are formed from l2 gauge sheet metal, though any other suitable material may be employed. Flanges 180i are provided on these parts for securing the various members together by appropriate bolts 182.

6 In a preferred form of the embodiment of FIGURES 8-11, the nozzle opening Siib is six `feet in length and three inches in width, making the length of the opening @0b approximately 24 times its width and adequate to cover both rails of U.S. standard gauge track (US. standard gauge is 561/2 inches). Using the blower and motor units indicated, the dimeusioning of nozzle opening 3017 permits an air flow on the order of 10,5001 cubic foot per minute to sweep the track across the length of the ties; the vanes 112 insure that the air ow from nozzle 28th acts the f-ull length of theties, which is normally on the order of eight feet Nozzle 23h should be angled somewhat with respect to the track, an angulation on the order of l0 `degrees from the vertical (assuming a level or horizontal track bed) being preferred. In other words, the air blast `from nozzle 2517 should be applied against the track at an angle that is at least on the order of 8O degrees with respect to the track.

I have found that there is a critical relationship between the size of the nozzle ldischarge opening and the volume flow of air through same that must be observed to obtain the most effective blowing action for snow removal purposes, and this is complied 'with by providin-g an effective nozzle discharge opening area on the order of one and one-half square feet and providing for a discharge iiow rate on the order of 10,000 cubic feet per minute. This relationship is observed in all the illustrated embodiments and constitutes an important aspect of the invention. The shape of the nozzle discharge opening is immaterial as far as the relationship is concerned, and it is also immaterial what type of air actuator is used, though is should have a capacity on the order of that mentioned concerning blower device 2.0:

Distinguishing Characteristics of the Invention It will therefore be seen that I have provided a blower apparatus arrangement contemplating the use of a high capacity source of air flow fed to a large bore ducting arrangement terminating in a nozzle arrangement having a reduced but still comparatively large area outlet opening for rapid discharge of a continuous large volume fast moving blast of air. The nozzle arrangement is su-ch that deiiection of the air blast discharge laterally of the blower apparatus is insured to blow accumulated snow to either side of a track. This lateral deiiection is provided in the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2 by the swivel mounting of the nozzle member, while in the embodiment of FIGURES `6 and 7, and 8-11 it is insured by the shape of the specic nozzle members there illustrated.

An important feature of the illustrated embodiments is that the blower 2t) in effect packs the respective nozzles 28-2817 with air so that the additional air compression achieved by so doing, together with the outline of openings Siti-30h provide a marked increase in the air blast affect on the snow due to the expanding of the air as it leaves the nozzle. The nozzle opening area and volume rate of air ow therefrom that have been indicated are considered optimums for standard U.S`. railroad dimensions.

Operable in conjunction with the large volume nozzle discharge are the snow and ice ripper devices, which essentially provide relatively iine high powered flat air jets that operate forwardly of the blower apparatus to blow traces or slits in hard snow and ice and thereby break it up so that it can be blown to one side by the large volume nozzle structure.

While my invention has been disclosed in association with railroad car equipment, it will be immediately ap parent that the basic principles may be applied to the removal of snow from air fields, streets or any other flat area where snow accumulation is to be avoided. The removable pallet arrangement in which the blower, ducting, nozzle and motor components are incorporated makes the apparatus unusually versatile and readily transferable between appropriate vehicles or other supporting structures.

The various forms of the 4invention may be used for track cleaning purposes other rthan snow removal, such as the removal of engine sand from switch leads and yard track, and for blowing ballast away from ties when performing track raising operations, so as to permit operation of tie adz-ing machines.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate my invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as :the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in ythe art who have my disclosure before them will be a'b'le to make modifications and variations therein Without departing from the scope of the invention` I claim:

A nozzle for railroad track snow blower apparatus, said nozzle comprising a tubular structure formed to de ne a rounded inlet opening at one end and an elongate outlet opening at the other end thereof having an effective discharge area that is at least on the order of one and one-half square feet, with the long dimension of said outlet opening being on the order of twenty-four times as long as the narrow dimension thereof, said outlet opening thereby being proportioned to permit an air flow therethrough at la rate on the order of 10,000 cubic feet per minute, said outlet opening being proportioned to extend over and between fthe rails of a track, when the nozzle is positioned above a track with said outlet extending tnansversely thereof, said inlet opening being proportioned to :admit air flow intosaid nozzle at said rate, said tubular structure including baffle means for symmetrically subdividing the bore of said tubular structure into passage-s extending longitudinally of said tubular structure, said bale means comprising spaced imp-erforate planar members disposed in planes that are lperpendicular to the plane that includes both the axis of said bore and the longitudinal axis of said outlet opening and that diverge outwardly of said outlet opening, and 1a pair of supplemental flow detlecting `bales secured within said tubular structure adjacent said outlet opening, said supplemental baffles being disposed on either side of said bore axis adjacent the ends of said outlet opening longitudinal axis and being respectively secured to an adjacent planar member of said planar members and projecting toward said opening, said supplemental battles extending substantially parallel to the respective sides of said tubular struc-ture that they lare adjacent to.

. References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,497 Gunther July 17, 1883 469,211 Kline Feb. 16, 1892 490,269 Chisholm Jan. 24, 1893 577,362 Ettlinger Feb. 16, 1897 893,878 Shires July 21, 1908 927,449 Carnahan July 6, 1909 986,946 Saxon Mar. 14, 1911 1,007,594 Moorhouse Oct. 31, 1911 1,594,709 Bubb et al. Aug. 3, 1926 1,603,978 Parkhurst Oct. 19, 1926 2,132,727 Foote Oct. 11, 1938 2,230,320I `Cockrill Feb. 4, 1941 2,609,240 Faulkner et al Sept. 2, 1952 2,785,015 Van Den Broek Mar. 12, 1957 2,802,286 Wylie Aug. 13, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition) dated November 30, 1960, page 7 relied on.

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