Snow making apparatus

Abstract

A snow making apparatus utilizing air and water to artificially produce snow. A metal snow gun housing is provided with independent air and water chambers for supplying air and water under pressure to nozzles. A nucleating nozzle is provided which includes a tubular housing having a mixing chamber therein and the tubular housing is removably received in the snow gun housing with sealed engagement. One or more apertures are provided through side walls of the tubular housing whereby these apertures register with the air chamber of the snow gun housing for access of air under pressure therethrough into the mixing chamber of the nucleating nozzle tubular housing. A water nozzle is secured to the internal end of the tubular housing and sprays water under pressure from the segregated water chamber into the tubular housing mixing chamber. A combination air-water nozzle is detachably secured to the forward end of the tubular housing of this nucleating nozzle structure at the external end of the mixing chamber whereby the nozzle aperture of this combination nozzle is axially aligned with the water nozzle aperture. A filter screen covers the spray aperture for the water nozzle to prevent clogging.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A snow making apparatus utilizing water and air to artificially produce snow and comprising: 
 a metal snow gun housing having independent air and water chambers therein for supplying air and water under pressure to at least one nozzle in said housing for spraying air and water externally of said housing to produce snow in subfreezing ambient atmosphere;    a nucleating nozzle including a tubular housing having a mixing chamber therein, said tubular housing removably received in said snow gun housing with sealed engagement and having at least one aperture through side walls thereof whereby said at least one aperture registers with said air chamber for access of air under pressure therethrough into said mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having an external end and an internal end, a water nozzle secured to said internal end with a forward end thereof axially exposed to the interior of said mixing chamber and having a rearward end thereof exposed to said housing water chamber for spraying water under pressure through a spray aperture in said water nozzle into said mixing chamber, and a combination air-water nozzle detachably secured to said tubular housing at the external end of said mixing chamber and having a nozzle aperture therethrough which is axially aligned with said water nozzle aperture.    
     
     
         2 . The snow making apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said combination nozzle is positioned in a recess in said housing whereby said combination nozzle is protected from freeze-up due to the surrounding warmth emanating from said housing.  
     
     
         3 . The snow making apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said tubular housing is cylindrical and is threadably received in said metal snow gun housing and includes a head exposed on said external end for engagement by a tool to threadably remove said tubular housing from said metal snow gun housing.  
     
     
         4 . The snow making apparatus of  claim 3 , including O-ring seals disposed on opposite sides of said at least one aperture between said tubular housing and said metal snow gun housing.  
     
     
         5 . The snow making apparatus of  claim 1 , including a filter screen covering said spray aperture on the rearward end of said water spray nozzle for filtering water to be sprayed through said nozzle.  
     
     
         6 . The snow making apparatus of  claim 5 , including at least one water nozzle in said metal snow gun housing and communicating with said water chamber for spraying water to ambient atmosphere, said filter screen positioned in said water chamber between said at least one water nozzle and a water inlet for said water chamber whereby water flow from said inlet to said at least one nozzle assists in maintaining said filter screen free of debris.