Method and apparatus for disposing of accumulations of snow

Abstract

A method and apparatus for disposing of accumulations of snow. A first step involves providing a receptacle which is adapted to hold and retain liquids, has a loading mouth, heat pipes which melt accumulations of snow positioned within the receptacle and a drain. A second step involves connecting a liquid conduit from the drain of the receptacle to an access opening to a municipal sewer system. A third step involves dumping loads of snow into the receptacle with a front end loader. A fourth step involves melting the snow within the receptacle to convert the snow to water. A fifth step involves draining the water through the drain of the receptacle and the liquid conduit for disposal in the municipal sewer system.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for disposing of accumulations of snow, comprising: 
 a receptacle which is adapted to hold and retain liquids;    a loading mouth for the receptacle, the loading mouth being adapted to allow snow carried in a loading bucket of a front end loader to be dumped into the receptacle;    means for melting accumulations of snow positioned within the receptacle, thereby converting the snow to water; and    a drain for draining water from the receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the loading mouth is closed by pivotally mounted access doors which pivot between an open position and a closed position, the access doors being capable of being locked in the closed position when the receptacle is not in use.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the access doors are biased by biasing means into the closed position moving to the open position when the weight of a load of snow overcomes the biasing force of the biasing means.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the means for melting accumulations of snow positioned within the receptacle are a plurality of heating pipes adapted to receive a circulation of hot fluids.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the drain extends through a peripheral sidewall in spaced relation to a bottom of the receptacle, such that liquid rises in the receptacle until the drain is reached and liquid reaching the drain flows from the receptacle, thereby maintaining a minimum liquid level within the receptacle.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein means is provided to agitate liquids within the receptacle.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the means for agitating liquids within the receptacle is a circulating pump.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein an outlet of the circulating pump is heated, thereby promoting the melting ice and snow carried by liquid circulated by the circulating pump.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for disposing of accumulations of snow, comprising: 
 a receptacle which is adapted to hold and retain liquids, the receptacle having a bottom and a peripheral sidewall;    a loading mouth for the receptacle, the loading mouth being adapted to allow snow carried in a loading bucket of a front end loader to be dumped into the receptacle;    a plurality of heating pipes adapted to receive a circulation of hot fluids positioned within the receptacle, thereby melting the snow and converting the snow to water; and    a drain for draining water from the receptacle, the drain extending through the peripheral sidewall in spaced relation to the bottom of the receptacle, such that liquid rises in the receptacle until the drain is reached and liquid reaching the drain flows from the receptacle, thereby maintaining a minimum liquid level within the receptacle.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the loading mouth is closed by pivotally mounted access doors which pivot between an open position and a closed position, the access doors being capable of being locked in the closed position when the receptacle is not in use.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the access doors are biased by biasing means into the closed position moving to the open position when the weight of a load of snow overcomes the biasing force of the biasing means.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 9 , wherein means is provided to agitate liquids within the receptacle.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the means for agitating liquids within the receptacle is a circulating pump.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein an outlet of the circulating pump is heated, thereby promoting the melting ice and snow carried by liquid circulated by the circulating pump.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 9 , wherein salt containers are positioned within the receptacle to accelerate the melting of snow.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 15 , wherein a salt filter is positioned on the drain to prevent salt from being drained from the receptacle with the water.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the circulating pump is positioned within the receptacle and heat generated by the circulating pump is used to assist in melting snow.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for disposing of accumulations of snow, comprising: 
 a receptacle which is adapted to hold and retain liquids, the receptacle having a bottom and a peripheral sidewall;    a loading mouth for the receptacle, the loading mouth being adapted to allow snow carried in a loading bucket of a front end loader to be dumped into the receptacle;    a plurality of heating pipes adapted to receive a circulation of hot fluids positioned within the receptacle, thereby melting the snow and converting the snow to water;    a drain for draining water from the receptacle, the drain extending through the peripheral sidewall in spaced relation to the bottom of the receptacle, such that liquid rises in the receptacle until the drain is reached and liquid reaching the drain flows from the receptacle, thereby maintaining a minimum liquid level within the receptacle; and    a circulating pump to agitate liquids within the receptacle.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the loading mouth is closed by pivotally mounted access doors which pivot between an open position and a closed position, the access doors being capable of being locked in the closed position when the receptacle is not in use.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the access doors are biased by biasing means into the closed position moving to the open position when the weight of a load of snow overcomes the biasing force of the biasing means.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 18 , wherein an outlet of the circulating pump is heated, thereby promoting the melting ice and snow carried by liquid circulated by the circulating pump.  
     
     
         22 . A method for disposing of accumulations of snow, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a receptacle which is adapted to hold and retain liquids, the receptacle having; 
 a loading mouth;  
 means for melting accumulations of snow positioned within the receptacle, thereby converting the snow to water; and  
 a drain for draining water from the receptacle;  
   connecting a liquid conduit from the drain of the receptacle to an access opening to a municipal sewer system;    dumping loads of snow into the receptacle with a front end loader;    melting the snow within the receptacle to convert the snow to water; and    draining the water through the drain of the receptacle and the liquid conduit for disposal in the municipal sewer system.    
     
     
         23 . The method as defined in  claim 22 , the drain extending through a peripheral sidewall in spaced relation to a bottom of the receptacle, such that liquid rises in the receptacle until the drain is reached and liquid reaching the drain flows from the receptacle, thereby maintaining a minimum liquid level within the receptacle.  
     
     
         24 . The method as defined in  claim 22 , including the step of agitating liquids within the receptacle to accelerate melting of snow within the liquids.