An Adaptable Snow.
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clearing Appliance
ASNOW-CLEARING appliance which can be adapted for use in warmer seasons as a grass mower or a street sweeper has been developed by the Federal Snow and Avalanche Research Institute, Davos, Switzerland, and is being made by Rolba, A.-G., Merkuurstrasse, 34, Zurich.
It is claimed that the appliance, known as the Snow Boy, is 25 times more efficient than human labour and 4 per cent, as expensive to employ. A man can clear snow at the rate of 145-215 cubic ft. per hour; the Snow Boy's capacity is 325-540 cubic yds. per hour. Snow weighs between 70 lb. and 815 lb. per cubic yd.
Labour shortage for snow clearance accelerated the Institute's development work. Once the principle of a satisfactory machine had been resolved, a suitable size had to be decided. It was considered that a medium-capacity unit incorporating a 10-b.h.p, engine would be the most acceptable by potential users. For heavy work, a larger unit based on a Jeep can be employed.
The Snow Boy is pedestrian controlled and is powered by an air-cooled engine. It weighs 8 cwt. A rotary blade cutter, 2 ft. 9 ins, wide, is fitted at the front and its rotation can be varied between 85 r.p.m. and 155 r.p.m. The height of the cutter from the ground can be adjusted according to conditions. The cutter throws pulverized snow into a turboblower which can eject the snow up to 50 ft. away. The discharge outlet may be swivelled to either side and a down.
draught extension can be fitted when the appliance is used to fill a lorry travelling alongside. A 5-tonner can be filled in five minutes. • Twin pneumatic-tyred wheels are fitted at each side of the single axle. When sharp turps have to be made, the drive to one pair of wheels can be disconnected, so that only the other is powered. The gearbox provides four forward and two reverse ratios and the maximum speed is 6,500 yds. per hour. About 9 gallons of petrol are consumed in 10 hours.
The heavier unit is based on a Jeep with a 95-b.h.p. auxiliary engine and can clear a mile-long path in a 3-ft. 4-in, depth of snow in an hour, shifting 480 tons and consuming about four gallons of petrol