Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Weather control – Snowmaking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2001-02-06
Kashnikow, Andres (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Weather control
Snowmaking
C239S280000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182906
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the art of fluid sprinkling and more particularly to snow making towers for ski slopes.
The present invention pertains to improvements in snow making towers of the type disclosed in Dupre U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,199,103 and 5,360,163.
These patents disclose inventions that pertain to adjustable snow making towers which are comprised of a vertical support pole and a support arm pivotally connected to the support pole adjacent the upper end thereof for pivotally movement from vertical to horizontal. A snow making aluminum pipe tower is secured intermediate its end, but adjacent its lower end, to the support arm and is provided with snow making nozzle mechanisms at the upper end thereof. This pipe tower is supported from the support arm for elevating the nozzles above ground with either pivotal movement of the support arm toward vertical or with pivotal movement of the pipe tower itself toward vertical relative to the support arm. Remote air and water supplies are connected to the pipe water tower to provide water and air under pressure to the nozzle mechanisms at the upper end of the pipe tower for discharge into ambient atmosphere for manufacturing snow in subfreezing conditions.
A problem encountered with such adjustable prior art snow making towers is that the support mechanisms for the generally aluminum pipe tower are constructed of steel and the support mechanisms are therefore relatively heavy. Accordingly, when it is desired to remove the support mechanism from the vertical support pole that is anchored in the ground, it generally takes at least two men to lift the heavy structure off of the support pole. For example, the support mechanism for the tower itself might generally weigh approximately 120 pounds or more, without the aluminum pipe tower attached. However, to merely reconstruct the prior art snow making tower support systems of steel with aluminum would be expensive, unpractical, and complex.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a versatile yet light weight and simple support mechanism for aluminum pipe snow making towers which can be readily constructed of aluminum and weigh considerably less than the steel support systems of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The light weight snow making tower of the present invention includes the conventional substantially vertical support pole having a bottom end anchored in the ground or in a support surface. An aluminum support pipe is coaxially received on this support pole for axial rotation thereon.
In turn, an elongated aluminum support arm C-channel having spaced upturned side flanges is provided and is pivotally secured intermediate its ends relative to the upper end of the support pipe for rotation in a vertical plane. A typical elongated aluminum pipe snow making tower is then clamped intermediate its ends, and generally toward the lower end of the tower, to the support arm C-channel whereby side portions of this aluminum pipe tower protrude into the C-channel between its side flanges. A moveable lock is provided for locking the support arm C-channel from pivotal rotation relative to the support pipe at an angle of at least 45° above horizontal whereby the two are engaged together and the C-channel with its attached tower is prevented from pivoting about the pivot point provided at the upper end of the support pipe.
In one embodiment of the present invention the C-channel is pivotally secured directly to the upper end of the support pipe. In this embodiment the stop is comprised of a removable line, such as a chain, connected between the C-channel and the support pipe to fix the relative rotational position of the C-channel in relation to the support pipe.
In another embodiment of the lightweight snow making tower of the present invention, the tower includes an elongated support base secured to the upper end of the support pipe and the C-channel is pivotally secured to the upper end of this support base for providing the afore-described rotation in a vertical plane.
For aluminum pipe snow making towers which are other than round in cross sectional configuration, and for example are ovular in cross section, the support C-channel is provided with saddles therein that have contours for mating and seating surfaces of the side portions of the ovular tower which protrude into the C-channel.
Instead of permitting the support base to in turn be pivotally connected to the upper end of the support pipe, in this construction it is preferred, although not totally necessary, to simplify the construction by directly welding the elongated support base at a fixed angle to the aluminum support pipe. This configuration is particularly effective and simple in construction in situations wherein the aluminum pipe tower has an upper end portion containing the snow making nozzles which is substantially vertical. In this situation the basic angle of the underlying portions of the tower above horizontal is selected to be approximately 60°.
A hoist mechanism may be connected between a lower portion of the elongated C-channel and the support pole in order to pivotally raise and lower the aluminum C-channel together with the aluminum pipe tower clamped thereto.
A simplified version of the lightweight snow making tower of the present invention may be provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention by eliminating the C-channel support arm in entirety.
In this configuration, an elongated aluminum support arm plate is secured directly to the upper end of the aluminum support pipe and positioned as before at an angle of at least 45° above horizontal with a face of the plate facing upwardly. Then, the elongated aluminum pipe snow making tower is clamped directly to the upper face of this plate, as by the use of conventional stainless steel U-bolts.
In fact, the support plate itself may be welded at a fixed angle to the top of the aluminum support pole as previously discussed in connection with the first embodiment for the elongated support base.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4722324 (1988-02-01), Amen
patent: 5154348 (1992-10-01), Ratnik et al.
patent: 5360163 (1994-11-01), Dupre
patent: 5667137 (1997-09-01), Dupre
patent: 5810251 (1998-09-01), McKinney
patent: 5908156 (1999-06-01), Dupre
patent: 6016970 (2000-01-01), Dupre
Carothers & Carothers
Kashnikow Andres
Nguyen Dinh Q.
LandOfFree
Lightweight snow making tower does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Lightweight snow making tower, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Lightweight snow making tower will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2578584