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US 4,379,217 AGranted
Method and means of melting frozen material on terrain or water surfaces
OwnerGrace A. Youmansinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat ray emitting means, preferably a laser beam transmitter, is mounted on the undercarriage of a helicopter. The heat ray emitting means is mounted on a turret on the undercarriage of the helicopter and is adapted to be rotated about a nonvertical axis for projection on a frozen surface below while the helicopter is in a substantially hovering condition. Actuation of the heat ray emitting means transmits heat to the frozen surface to melt the same.
Claims9
The combination of an airborne helicopter and an ice and snow melting device, comprising,
- a helicopter device having the capability of hovering in midair and the ability to move both laterally and vertically,
- said helicopter having a chassis with an undercarriage means,
- a downwardly extending turret on said undercarriage,
- a rotatable heat ray emitting means on said turret for emitting heat rays downwardly from said helicopter to melt ice and snow on the terrain below said helicopter.
1 more element
The method of melting ice and snow material on terrain or water surfaces, comprising,
- positioning a heat ray emitting means on a helicopter device capable of hovering in midair and capable of flight in vertical and horizontal directions,
- hovering said helicopter in an airborne condition over the material to be melted,
- actuating said heat ray emitting means to direct heat rays rotatably about a nonverticle axis on said material to cause said material to melt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.