US3761020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for snow making
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-02-17
•
Granted: 1973-09-25
•
Expires: 1992-02-17
Abstract
Abstract High velocity streams of compressed air and pressurized water are furnished in a cold ambient atmosphere from two independent sources of supply and precooled by momentarily confining the high velocity streams in elongated passageways formed in a snow-making jet construction whose outer surfaces are exposed to the cold ambient atmosphere. Portions of the passageways in the jet structure are arranged in a manner such that the stream of water is precooled by the cold ambient atmosphere and an inner stream of compressed air undergoes peripheral precooling by means of the precooled stream of pressurized water. The precooled stream of air may undergo successive stages of expansion while in a confined state to further cool the mixture. Regulated quantities of the precooled compressed air may also be injected into the confined stream of water at predetermined points thereby to control snow characteristics. Precooling compressed air and water with the jet construction of the invention produces snow at efficiency levels not heretofore realized in the art of snow making, and the characteristics of the snow crystals or particles being desirably controlled.
Inventors
- 👤 J Tropeano
- 👤 P Tropeano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:18
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25C; F25C3/00; F25C3/04; F25C2303/00; F25C2303/048; F25C2303/0481
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
In a method of snow-making, the steps which include furnishing streams of compressed air and pressurized water from two independent sources of supply, conducting the streams into an enclosure body in which precooling takes place and ejecting a mixture of the compressed air and water into a cold ambient atmosphere in which the mixture undergoes expansion and further cooling to produce snow particles, said precooling being carried out in successive stages including a first stage in which precooling is carried out by exposure to cold ambient atmosphere to lower the temperature of the said compressed air, a second state in which controlled amounts of the lowered temperature air is injected into the water while confined in the enclosure body, and a third stage in which portions of the lowered temperature air undergoes expansion and additional cooling while contained in the enclosure body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
In a method of snow-making, the steps which include furnishing streams of compressed air and pressurized water from two independent sources of supply, conducting the streams into an enclosure body in which precooling takes place and ejecting a mixture of the compressed air and water into a cold ambient atmosphere in which the mixture undergoes expansion and further cooling to produce snow particles, said precooling being carried out in successive stages including a first stage in which precooling is carried out by exposure to cold ambient atmosphere to lower the temperature of the said compressed air, a second state in which controlled amounts of the lowered temperature air is injected into the water while confined in the enclosure body, and a third stage in which portions of the lowered temperature air undergoes expansion and additional cooling while contained in the enclosure body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a method of snow-making, the steps which include furnishing streams of compressed air and pressurized water from two indendent sources of supply, conducting the streams into an enclosure body in which precooling takes place and ejecting a mixture of the compressed air and water into a cold ambient atmosphere in which the mixture undergoes expansion and further cooling to produce snow particles, said step of furnishing the streams of compressed air and water including leading the streams through independent cooling chambers in whice the inner cooling chamber conducts the water and an outer cooling chamber conducts the air, with the outer Cooling chamber having a surface exposed to the cold ambient atmosphere.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a method of snow-making, the steps which include furnishing streams of compressed air and pressurized water from two indendent sources of supply, conducting the streams into an enclosure body in which precooling takes place and ejecting a mixture of the compressed air and water into a cold ambient atmosphere in which the mixture undergoes expansion and further cooling to produce snow particles, said step of furnishing the streams of compressed air and water including leading the streams through independent cooling chambers in whice the inner cooling chamber conducts the water and an outer cooling chamber conducts the air, with the outer Cooling chamber having a surface exposed to the cold ambient atmosphere.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of making snow in which a mixture of compressed air and water is ejected from a snow-making nozzle and expanded and cooled in a cold ambient atmosphere to form snow particles, the steps which include confining the high velocity streams of compressed air and water in an elongated enclosure body which is exposed to the cold ambient atmosphere and lowering the temperature of the confined streams of air and water while in isolated relationship, then injecting metered quantities of the relatively lower temperature air into the relatively higher temperature water, and thereafter ejecting a mixture of the air and air-injected water into the cold ambient atmosphere to form snow particles whose particle characteristics are controlled by the said injection of the internally injected air.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of making snow in which a mixture of compressed air and water is ejected from a snow-making nozzle and expanded and cooled in a cold ambient atmosphere to form snow particles, the steps which include confining the high velocity streams of compressed air and water in an elongated enclosure body which is exposed to the cold ambient atmosphere and lowering the temperature of the confined streams of air and water while in isolated relationship, then injecting metered quantities of the relatively lower temperature air into the relatively higher temperature water, and thereafter ejecting a mixture of the air and air-injected water into the cold ambient atmosphere to form snow particles whose particle characteristics are controlled by the said injection of the internally injected air.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3010660A
Cited
US3298612A
Cited
US3301485A
Cited
US3464625A
Cited
US3408005A
Cited
US3596476A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-24 | 1977-03-26 | 1977-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-24 | 1981-03-26 | 1981-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-24 | 1985-03-26 | 1985-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |