Abstract: A device and method for cooling a vegetation covered surface, such as a golf putting green. Said method includes providing an air stream, injecting water into said air stream, and projecting the combined air/water mixture over and onto the surface to be cooled. The air/water mixture generally takes the form of a mist which is able to cool the air space directly above the ground surface, and further provides the advantage of providing cooling and moisture to the vegetation without saturating the subjacent soil. Alternately, the device may be used with only the fan portion operational, or with only the water injection operational.

Abstract: An improved ducted-fan type snowmaking machine and method wherein an impeller is driven at a variable speed selected to produce a variable noise level depending on the proximity of the apparatus to an inhabited area. The machine includes air stream straightening vanes for converting a spiraling stream to a linear, laminar flow stream, and a plurality of neucleating nozzles positioned within the confines of the duct.

Abstract: Snow is produced by supplying water to the blades of a rotating fan. The blades are arranged in a plurality of sets of different length blades, each set having a relatively short blade, an intermediate length blade, and a relatively long blade. The quantities of water supplied to the blades and the speed of rotation of the fan are such that water spreads in a film over each blade toward its trailing edge and toward its tip. A proportion of the water discharged from each blade is atomized and entrained in the aerosol produced by rotation of the fan blades, whereas another proportion of the water discharged from each blade is cascaded in a vortex from one blade to the next following blade. The relative lengths of the blades are such that water cascaded from the tip of the longest blade in a leading set of blades impinges directly onto the longest blade of the immediately following set of blades.

Abstract: A recreational mountain slide is basically a double-rail track down which a wheeled cart rolls. The rails are channels of substantially rectangular cross-section laid such that each provides a top, a bottom, and an inside vertical face, each such face being substantially flat, continuous, and unobstructed throughout the length of the track. The rails are mounted on supports which are adjustable and readily removable, being attached to the rails solely along their outer vertical faces. The front wheels of the cart are steerable by the rider. Each wheel is of constant diameter throughout its width and is wider than the rail on which it runs. The wheels are restrained from sliding laterally or jumping vertically off the track by members mounted on the cart in position to bear on the inside vertical face or the bottom face, respectively, of the adjacent rail. The cart also has brakes which can bear upwardly on the bottom face of the rail.