Snow melting method and apparatus

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A WATER TANK ADAPTED TO RECEIVE CONGEALED WATER, SUCH AS SNOW AND ICE, TO BE MELTED THEREIN, SAID TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP, (B) WATER WITHDRAWING MEANS IN SAID TANK FOR MAINTAINING WATER OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH TO A NORMAL LEVEL AND FOR DISCHARGING WATER AS IT ACCUMULATES TO SAID NORMAL LEVEL, (C) AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTOR UNIT MOUNTED WITHIN THE UPPER PART OF SAID TANK AND CLOSE TO SAID NORMAL WATER LEVEL THEREIN, (D) A SINGLE LARGE FLUE ELEMENT EXTENDING DIRECTLY DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID COMBUSTOR UNIT TO A LEVEL SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW SAID NORMAL WATER LEVEL SO AS TO DISCHARGE THE TOTAL GASEOUS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID COMBUSTOR UNIT INTO THE WATER IN SAID TANK, AND (E) MEANS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID FLUE ELEMENT FOR BREAKING UP THE GASEOUS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS INTO BUBBLES OF SUCH SIZE AS TO TRANSMIT AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF THEIR HEAT ABOVE WATER TEMPERATURE TO SAID WATER BEFORE EMERGING FROM THE WATER SURFACE.