SHOVEL, RAILROAD SNOW. An apparatus for removing snow from railway tracks. Figs. 1, 2, 3 illustrate the Leslie rotary shovel. Fig. 1 shows the machine in section, and Figs. 2 and 3 show its appearance when actually at work.
A stout frame of heavy I-beams is mounted upon two four-wheeled diamond trucks, the whole construction being of extra strength. This frame carries a large locomotive pipe boiler, with a firebox which extends the full width between the wheels. This boiler supplies steam in two 17 x 22 cylinders, with Walshehart valve motion. Each cylinder works a short shaft, on which is fast a bevel wheel 33 in. in diameter at pitch line. Each of these bevel wheels gears into a larger bevel wheel, 491 in. in diameter at pitch line. fast on the main shaft, thus driving the knife wheel placed in the front of the machine. This wheel is 10 ft. in diameter, and is set in a round casing, with a flaring, square front, 10 ft. wide and the same height, which is made of i-in. steel plate. This casing serves to cut the bank vertically on each side, by its corner gussets; the snow which the wheel cannot reach is carried to the knife wheel. The rotary wheel contains a hub upon which are placed twelve radial plates, in the shape of an immense fan wheel. Upon the front of these radial plates are placed an inner and outer series of knives. These knives are pivoted on radial pins, and the surfaces of the knives being inclined to one another, the knives are canted when they encounter snow, and are set so as to slice the snow off the bank on to the fan, the centrifugal force of which causes the snow to fly to the outside of the fan-wheel, and as the latter is surrounded by a easing, the snow can only escape when an opening is provided for it. This opening is at the top of the wheel, immediately behind the headlight. The open ing is provided with a movable hood, so that the stream of snow can be regulated and made to fly either to the right or left of the track, and at any desired angle. The rotary. when in
operation, is in the charge of a pilot, who stands on the platform in the front end of the cab, from which he has a fall view ahead, as well as on each side of the track. By a system of signals he controls the engineers on the rotary and locomotive which pushes it, and by a hand wheel can alter the position of the hood that directs the stream of snow to either side. lIe has also charge of the ice breaker and flanger for cleaning the rails and flanges after the main body of the snow has been removed by the rotary.
The ice breaker is a stout plate of steel, hanging in front of the front wheel of the front truck, and so attached to the journal box and frame of the truck that it rises and falls with the movement of the front truck wheels, and consequently maintains a fixed position about half an inch above the top of the rail. The ice-breaker and the Hanger, which follows it, can be raised and lowered by means of a small steam cylinder, which is supplied by steam from the boiler of the rotary. The flanger, which clears out snow from both sides of the rail for a distance of about 12 in., is attached in a somewhat similar manner in rear of the rear wheel of the front truck. Any ordinary locomotive tender can be attached to the rotary for the pnrpose of carrying water and coal for the supply of its boiler.
The weight of the machine complete is 110,000 lbs. It is in use on many of the largest railroads of the United States and Canada.
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