US1352567A - Winter road or snow and ice melting machine - Google Patents

Description

A. WETTERVIK.

WINTER ROAD 0R SNOW A ND ICE MELTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 15. I920.

1,352,567, Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

"A. WETTERVIK.

WINTER ROAD 0R snow AND ICE MELTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15.1920.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- a 7' z E 4:-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL WETTERVIK, OF IRON RIVER, MICHIGAN.

Application filed January 15, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l AXEL YVETTERVIK, a citizen of the United tates, and a resident of iron River, in the county of Iron, in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Im )rovements in Winter Road or Snow and Cs Melting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to improvements in a machine which is more particularly intended for use in winter for melting snow and ice or for snow leveling on roads, of a type which can be drawn by means of a traction-engine, an automobile, horses or the like, and in which one or more melting rollers containing fuel holding and consuming means whereby the cylindrical surface of the roller or rollers is heated and main tained in a hot condition for melting the snow and ice by direct contact with the same in the travel of the machine thereover, but which can be made of sufficient size or proportions to be manually operated on sidewalks, pathways and the like.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and operation of the various parts thereof as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

7 The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above named general character, which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable and efficient in operation, and made in such a manner and of such mater1al that the meltmg rollers thereof can be econonncally heated and kept hot.

, Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for operatively connecting the rollers of the machine together and for readily steering the machine.

Other objects are the provision of means for furnishing drafts of air to the fire boxes or grates to facilitate the burning of the fuel when necessary, for readily supplying fuel to the boxes or grates therefor, and for removing ashes.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be disclosed in the following description and explanation.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate an embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device show ing the parts by continuous lines in posi- Specification of Let'ters'iatent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920;

Serial No. 351,663.

tion for straight ahead travel and by dotted lines in position for turning.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine.

F 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the melting rollers and its hood taken on line 83 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through one of the rollers and its hood taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached perspective view of one of the fire and water-proof slabs or pieces out of which the cylindrical surface of each of the rollers is made.

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of one of the washers used on the securing bolts for connecting said slabs or pieces to the tires and supporting bands of the roll ers, and l I Fig. 7 is a plan sectional view of one of the rollers and its fire box or grate.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the machine comprises a pair of rectangular and horizontally mounted frames 10, each of which is provided at its rear end with a rearwardly extended and substantially V-shaped frame-like extension 11 which are located directly beneath the horizontal platform 12 which forms a part of the frame and has transversely mounted onits rear portion a box 13 to be used for holding fuel and also as a seat upon which the operator may sit for steering the machine.

Located directly under the box 13 and platform 12 is a Ushaped framel l which has a pair of spaced apart and downwardly extended prongs 15 between the lower ends of which is journaled a supporting roller 16 for the. rear end of the platform. The frame or hanger 14 is provided with a disk or circular plate 17 on its upper portion which disk is fastened to the platform 12 by means of a bolt 18 so that said disk or plate will act as a fifth: wheel. Secured to the lower portion of the prongs 15 or to the outer portions of the axle 19 on which the roller 16 is mounted are the rear ends of the prongs 20 of the pole or tongue 21 which melting rollers and to which means for drawing the machine such as a traction engine, an automobile, horses, or the like may be secured in any suitable way at its front portion.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

-the pole or tongue 21 is pivotally connected to a pair of bars 22 and 23 which'are located one above the other and are slightly curved forwardly and unite the roller carrying frames 10 at about their front middle portions as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

T he ends of the bars 22 and 23 are pivotally connected by means of bolts 24: to the front ends of the frames 10 and are likewise connected by of a bolt 25 to the pole 21 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Vertically journaled in the platform 12 in front of the box 13 is a steering rod 26 which on its upper end a wheel 27 to be used for turning said rod in the proper direction. Passing around the rod 26 below the platform 12 is a cable or chain 28 the in Figs. 1 and 2 in which views it will be.

observed that said platform is braced and pivotally connected by means of brace bars 30 fastened at one of their ends to the lower surface of the platform and pivotally mounted at their other ends on the bolts 29 below the extensions 11 of the roller carrying frames.

Each of the frames 10 has mounted there on a semi-circular hood or shield 31 each of which is provided in its upper portion near its inner side with a flue 32 for the outlet of smoke.

Each of the hoods or shields is by preference made of non-heat-conducting material so as to prevent the escape of heat up' wardly ad each of said hoods has in one of its sides a doorway 323 closed by means of a door M which has at its lower end a recess 35 to engage one of the stub shafts or axles on which the rollers are mounted. This doorway and door is located on the outer side of the hood so as to be easily accessible. and it is obvious that the door can be held in place so as to close the door 33 by means of a rotary catch 35 with which eaclh of the doors is equipped at its upper enc.

Transversely mounted on each of the side rails of each of the frames 10 at about the middle of said rails is a stub shaft 36 which have their portions engaging the rails 10 squared or angular in cross-section as shown at 3? while their inner portions are cylindrical as shown to permit of the rotation thereon of the melting rollers. Extended downwardly from each of the stub shafts 36 are the sides 88 of the fire box 39 which may be made of any suitable durable material and is partly cylindrical in shape as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings. The axles or stub shafts 36 are by preference made integral with the sides 38 of the fire box and project at right angles therefrom. Horizontallylocated in the lower portion of the lire box 259 is a grate d0 for the support of the'fuel and located in one of the sides of the fire box 39. Just below the grate are a *ies of perforations 41 for the admission of air below the grate. The opposite side 38 of the box from that in which the perforations 41 are formed is provided with a doorway $2 for the removal of ashes from the ash receptacle 4-?) which is formed by the lower portion of the fire box 39 as is clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 4: of the drawing. The doorway 12 is closed by means of suitable door 14:. Rotatably mounted on each pair of the stub shafts 36 or axles are the hubs 45 of the heads 46 of the rollers which heads are shown in the form of circular disks or plates and as having at the periphery of each a tire 17 or annular flange which support bars, slabs, or pieces -18 of lire clay or of any other suitable fire and w r-proof material each of which bars is by pr ference reinforced by means of wire 119 embedded therein, which not only strengthens said bars but also permits of expansion and contraction due to the change of temperature to which said bars are subjected by reason of their exposure to the rest from the lire box and to the cold of the snow and ice. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5, each of the bars is provided in its side edges with recesses 50 for the reception of bolts 51 and washers 52 surrounding said bolts. These bolts are located in suitable openings in the tires 4:7 as well as in suitable openings in annular supports or hands 53 which are located in spaced relation with respect to one another as well as to the tires 17 and between the latter.

By eference to 5 it will be seen and unde ;tood that each of the bars 4-8 is provided on its outer surface at each of its edges with a longitudinal recess 5-4- which for the reception of retaining members which located in said recesses and are secured to the tires 17 and supports 53 by means of the bolts 51 and washers 52 which will so hold the bars or pieces 48 as to permit of their expansion and contraction and so as to prevent their dislocation.

By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be seen and understood that the stub shaft 36 on the inner side of each of the frames is provided with a longitudinal opening 56 through which is extended a pipe 57 which extends downwardly along one side of the fire box and then horizontally under the grate 4.0 which horizontal portion is provided with a series of perforations 58 for the outlet of compressed air which may be supplied to the pipe 57 by means of a pipe or rubber hose not shown leading from the outer end of said pipe to a source of supply of compressed air located near the steering wheel, which lead pipe or hose may be equipped with a valve for regulating or shutting off flow of compressed air therethrough. The outer head 46 of each of the cylinders is provided with a doorway 59 closed by a suitable door 60, see Figs. 2 and L of the drawings. This door is provided with a rotary catch 61 at its outer end for engaging the outer edge of the head elf) on which it is located and may be hinged or detachably secured at its other end.

By this arrangement it is apparent that when either of the rollers is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and a of the drawings, the door 60 may be opened, when it is evident the door 44 of the ash receptacle 4-3 can be reached and opened for the removal of the ashes.

When it is desired to supply fuel to the fire box this can be done when the opening or doorway 59 in the roller registers with the doorway 33 in the outer wall or side of the hood 31, when by removing the door 34- from said hood it is manifest that the door 60 in the roller can be reached and opened so that fuel can be placed through said openings into the fire box.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be seen and understood that the angular portion of the stub shafts 36 are mounted in suitable openings on the lower surface of the side rails of the frames 10 and are held in place by means of blocks 62 which are detachably secured to said side rails, thus permitting the frames and their hoods to be removed from the rollers.

While I have shown the machine as comprising two roller carrying frames and will usually employ such. a construction, yet it is manifest that said frames can be detached from the platform and used by manually propelling them for use in melting snow and ice on sidewalks and pathways.

Each of the inner heads as of each of the rollers is provided near its periphery with a circular row of openings 63 for the admission and exit of air, smoke and gas, which will normally provide sufficient draft for burning the fuel.

While I have shown the machine constructed with a fire box for the reception of fuel in the form of wood, coal, and the like, yet it will be understood that the rollers may be heated by means of oil or gas burners located within the fire box of each of the rollers, which burners may be of the ordinary or any well-known construction.

When using the machine the same is driven over the surface where the road is desired to be made, and by reason of the hot rollers the snow and ice will be melted or leveled, leaving a road through which travel can be conducted.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a pair of horizontal frames coupled together at their front and rear ends, of a hood mounted on each of the frames and carried thereby and each having a door-way in its outer side, a door to close each door-way, a fire box having at each of its sides a stub shaft rigidly fixed to the side rails of each frame, a hollow roller encompassing the fire box and rotatably mounted in each'of the frames on said stub shafts and each having a doorway in its outer end, a door to close each of said door-ways, said fire box having a grate and below the grate an ash rereptacle, a door-way in the side of the fire box adjacent to the door-way of the roller, and a door to close said door-way in the fire box.

on the outer surfaces of said pieces, and" bolts located in the cutaway portions of said pieces and connecting the tires and retaining members as well as the annular bands and retaining members together.

AXEL VETTERVIK.

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