| CPC E01H 10/007 (2013.01) [B60P 3/30 (2013.01)] | 17 Claims |
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1. A modular boom for attaching to a prime mover and dispensing a solution to remove snow and deice a surface, the modular boom comprising:
a substantially central bracket having an internal cavity;
a boom shroud including a first boom shroud section and a second boom shroud section,
each of the first and second boom shroud sections partially received in the internal cavity of the substantially central bracket and having
a substantially horizontal upper portion,
a front portion extending substantially normal to, and downwardly from, the substantially horizontal upper portion,
a top, downwardly sloped surface extending downwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion and outwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion relative to the front portion, and
a bottom sloped surface extending downwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface and inwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface, in a direction toward the front portion, the top, downwardly sloped surface and the bottom sloped surface together defining a wedge-shaped back portion extending along the boom shroud;
a first end cap disposed on an end of the first boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket;
a second end cap disposed on an end of the second boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket; and
a boom pipe secured within the boom shroud, the boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along a length thereof, configured to dispense brine along the surface.
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15. A method for mounting a modular boom to a prime mover, comprising:
mounting a modular boom to a hitch receiver of a prime mover by
selecting a height at which to mount the modular boom relative to a surface on which the prime mover is to be operated, based on a depth of snow on the surface;
securing a draw bar attached to the modular boom within the hitch receiver by aligning apertures of a first U-shaped mounting bracket associated with the draw bar and apertures of a second U-shaped mounting bracket associated with the modular boom such that the modular boom is at the selected height, and inserting a fastener through the aligned apertures, and in mounting the modular boom to the hitch receiver, the modular boom comprises
a substantially central bracket having an internal cavity;
a boom shroud including a first boom shroud section and a second boom shroud section,
each of the first and second boom shroud sections partially received in the internal cavity of the substantially central bracket and having
a substantially horizontal upper portion,
a front portion extending substantially normal to, and downwardly from, the substantially horizontal upper portion,
a top, downwardly sloped surface extending downwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion and outwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion relative to the front portion, and
a bottom sloped surface extending downwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface and inwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface, in a direction toward the front portion, the top, downwardly sloped surface and the bottom sloped surface together defining a wedge-shaped back portion extending along the boom shroud;
a first end cap disposed on an end of the first boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket;
a second end cap disposed on an end of the second boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket; and
a boom pipe secured within the boom shroud, the boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along a length thereof, configured to dispense brine along the surface.
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16. A method for operating a prime mover having a modular boom secured thereto, comprising:
selecting a spray profile from among a plurality of different spray profiles;
connecting a hose from a source of brine fluid mounted on the prime mover to a nozzle arranged on a modular boom, to deliver the selected spray profile rather than to a different nozzle arranged to deliver a spray profile different from the selected spray profile; the modular boom comprising
a substantially central bracket having an internal cavity;
a boom shroud including a first boom shroud section and a second boom shroud section, each of the first and second boom shroud sections partially received in the internal cavity of the substantially central bracket and having
a substantially horizontal upper portion,
a front portion extending substantially normal to, and downwardly from, the substantially horizontal upper portion,
a top, downwardly sloped surface extending downwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion and outwardly from the substantially horizontal upper portion relative to the front portion, and
a bottom sloped surface extending downwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface and inwardly from the top, downwardly sloped surface, in a direction toward the front portion, the top, downwardly sloped surface and the bottom sloped surface together defining a wedge-shaped back portion extending along the boom shroud;
a first end cap disposed on an end of the first boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket;
a second end cap disposed on an end of the second boom shroud section opposite the substantially central bracket;
a boom pipe secured within the boom shroud, the boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along a length thereof, configured to dispense brine along a surface on which the prime mover is operated;
the nozzle on the modular boom being any of a substantially centrally located nozzle extending from a bracket attached to the substantially central bracket; and at least one of a plurality of end cap nozzles, each of the end cap nozzles received in a respective nozzle-receiving aperture in each of the first end cap and the second end cap.
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