Machine for making artificial snow and method
US5400966A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C2303/048
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An improved tower mounted snow making machine (10) that provides for covering a ski slope (48) with artificial snow (50) is described. The snow making machine comprises a housing (12) having a frusto-conical section (84) that provides for maintaining the generated velocity of a high-volume air flow out through a discharge outlet (12A) and with a nucleator (16) disposed inside the housing to generate a wide angle round spray pattern of ice crystal nuclei (21) that diverge towards the discharge outlet without impinging on the inside of the housing. A spray nozzle manifold (22) is mounted annularly around the discharge outlet and supports a plurality of water nozzles comprising primary water nozzles (116A to 116F) that are automatically actuated when the machine is turned on to inject a primary water shower into the air flow, which water shower commingles with the ice crystal nuclei to thereby form ice granules as the two travel through the cold ambient air, and secondary water nozzles (118A to 118K) that are selectively actuatable to augment the primary water shower. The snow making machine can be mounted on a tower like support structure that provides for adjusting the discharge dir…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.