# US 8,540,193 B2 · Railway snow melter duct assembly

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- Number: US 8,540,193 B2
- Document ID: US8540193B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/597,008
- Filed: 2012-08-28
- Published: 2013-03-07
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-04
- Assignees: Railway Equipment Company, Inc.
- Applicants: David K. Fox
- Inventors: David K. Fox
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540193B2

## CPC

- E01B 19/00: Protection of permanent way against development of dust or against the effect of wind, sun, frost, or corrosion; Means to reduce development of noise (snow fences E01F7/02, snow-ploughs E01H8/02, watering E01H11/00)
- Y02A 30/30: in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- E01B: PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS (derailing or rerailing blocks on track, track brakes or retarders B61K)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a component for a railway snow melter. The component includes a mounting plate adapted for connection to a tie duct. The mounting plate defines a point nozzle opening and/or a track duct nozzle. A point nozzle is mounted to the mounting plate at a location above the point nozzle opening. A track duct nozzle is mounted to the mounting plate at a location above the track duct nozzle opening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A component for a railway hot air snow melter, the component comprising:
a tie duct configured to extend under a pair of spaced apart fixed rails of a railway line, the tie duct defining an inner air passage configured to direct air flow;
a fastening arrangement configured to connect the tie duct to the pair of fixed rails, the fastening arrangement including tie plates positioned between a top surface of the tie duct and the fixed rails;
a first nozzle in fluid communication with the inner air passage of the tie duct; and
an intermediate plate on which the first nozzle is mounted, the intermediate plate configured to connect the first nozzle to the top surface of the tie duct, and the intermediate plate being configured to be mounted between the tie plates such that the intermediate plate can be connected and disconnected from the tie duct without connecting or disconnecting the tie duct from the pair of fixed rails.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, further comprising a second nozzle in fluid communication with the inner air passage of the tie duct, the second nozzle being mounted to the intermediate plate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The component of claim 2, wherein the first nozzle comprises a point nozzle and the second nozzle comprises a track duct nozzle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The component of claim 3, wherein the track duct nozzle and the point nozzle are each electrically isolated from the intermediate plate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The component of claim 4, further comprising a dielectric gasket positioned between the tract duct nozzle and the intermediate plate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The component of claim 4, further comprising a first plurality of threaded studs for fastening the point nozzle to the intermediate plate and a second plurality of threaded studs for fastening the track duct nozzle to the intermediate plate, the threaded studs of the first and second pluralities of threaded studs each having mounting ends fixedly connected to the intermediate plate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The component of claim 6, wherein the intermediate plate has a dielectric construction.