Wetted salt system including adjustable timer

• US 4,391,393 A
• Filed: 02/04/1982
• Issued: 07/05/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MBS Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pioneer De-Icing Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Filmyer, Wm. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WACYRA, EDWARD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US06/345,572
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 222/639, 222/642, 239/70
• US Class Current: 222/642
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/002 Roadside storage of gritting or solid thawing materials, e.g. grit or salt bins
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/007 Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads

Abstract

An improved wetted salt system to extend the melting range of highway salt includes a control system having a manual, external timer that can be easily field adjusted by non-skilled personnel to vary the quantity of calcium chloride delivered through the spray nozzles during each application cycle. The system incorporates a liquid storage tank and a hydraulic unit capable of delivering liquid calcium chloride from the tank through a wetting arm to spray nozzles for direct application upon a salt load. The control system, including the manual timer, controls a hydraulic unit to pivotally function the wetting arm upon each application cycle and to adjustably time spray intervals for precise rate of application control.

Claims

1. In a wetted salt system suitable to extend the melting range of highway salt of the type including a liquid storage tank, a wetting arm pivotally connected at one end to a stationary support and having an unconnected end, the wetting arm comprising an enlongated bar and at least one nozzle supported near the unconnected end of the bar, and means to pivotally function the wetting arm relative to the support between an elevated position and a spray position;

a brine pump taking its suction from the storage tank and delivering liquid under pressure to the spray nozzle;

a hydraulic circuit to control the operation of the means to pivotally function the arm;

an electrical control circuit including a first timer to control the time period the wetting arm remains in the said spray position and a second timer to control the time period of the flow of brine from the pump to the spray nozzle, first radio transmitter and receiver means to initiate the operation of the first timer and second radio transmitter and receiver means to initiate operation of the second timer;

the improvement comprising

a third timer connected in parallel to and being adapted to override the said second timer, the third timer including an electrically timed operation cycle and a manual timer adjustment knob, the adjustment knob being connected in the timer to vary the duration of the timed operation cycle, and

manual means connected into the electrical control circuit to bypass the first and second radio transmitter and receiver means, the manual means comprising a flexible electrical cord and a switch, the manual means being adapted to manually function the up and down pivotal movements of the wetting arm and the spray cycle through the spray nozzle from a location remote from the electrical control circuit;

whereby the timed period of brine flow can be manually adjusted without requiring tools.