Patent Application
20060005435
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to snow plows typically used with light and medium duty trucks, and particularly to an improved V-shaped snow plow having reversible wings.
Once the exclusive domain of municipality-operated heavy trucks, snow plows have been used with light and medium duty trucks for decades. As would be expected in any area of technology which has been developed for that period of time, snow plows for light and medium duty trucks have undergone tremendous improvement in a wide variety of ways over time, evolving to increase both the usefulness of the snow plows as well as to enhance the ease of using them. The business of manufacturing snow plows for light and medium duty trucks has been highly competitive, with manufacturers of competing snow plows differentiating themselves based on the features and enhanced technology that they design into their products.
One of the most important design features of a snow plow is the type of blade or moldboard used to plow the snow. The first type of snow plow design includes a straight, single snow plow blade that is not hinged or V-shaped. These types of blades can be operated in a straight position or can be pivoted left or right about a central axis to push snow to either side of the vehicle. The second type of snow plow design includes a hinged or pivotable snow plow blade. A hinged snow plow blade contains two wings or arms that are hinged about a central axis in order to permit several different blade configurations.
A hinged plow blade or moldboard (sometimes referred to as an “apex type” plow blade, “articulated plow blade” or a “V-plow” because the hinge is at the apex of the V formed when the arms or wings of the plow are in a swept back position) allows the operator of the vehicle a greater mechanical advantage since the plow moldboard, with its wings in the swept back V-shaped position, will act like a wedge into the snow. Each wing of the snow plow blade acts like an inclined plane depositing the snow to either side of the vehicle. In addition, the wings of a V-plow can be individually positioned into any configuration—allowing the snow to be pushed to either side of the snow plow.
A plow with a straight blade or moldboard also has difficulty in pushing a mound of snow to an out of the way location. For example, with a straight moldboard, snow spills out the sides of the plow while a hinged plow that can be articulated about a central axis can have its wings or arms swept forward to form a V-shaped scoop between the moveable wings/arms of the moldboard. This swept forward position allows for better containment of the snow so that the snow may be moved out of the way without significant spillage.
However, there are several disadvantages to conventional hinged snow plow designs. First, hinged snow plow designs include two distinct moldboard wing sections with each section specifically designed to be located on a particular side of the snow plow (i.e. there is a right side wing section and a left side wing section). Thus, each wing section of the snow plow must be separately designed and manufactured, increasing the overall cost of the wing sections and decreasing efficiency of production of the wing sections. Further, wing replacement and on-hand part storage is more difficult with conventional hinge snow plow designs because the plow owner must retain both a right and a left side wing replacement—resulting in increased cost and storage requirements for the plow owner.
Further, many hinged snow plow blades contain wings that are hinged together at a single center hinge, causing the plow vehicle and the plow blade to undergo significant stress if the plow blade encounters rocks, manhole covers, curbs or other objects. A single hinge construction can easily damage the snow plow wings/moldboard if the plow hits such objects—rendering replacement of the wings and center section of the plow expensive and time consuming.
Even where alternative constructions are utilized, hinged plows are generally not able to trip effectively when a curb or another object is encountered by the plow blade—especially when the plow's wings are in the V-shaped (swept back) or inverted V-shaped (swept forward) positions. Thus, when objects are hit, the snow plow blade is unable to effectively move, causing damage to the blade as well significant strain on the snow plow vehicle. In conventional constructions, even where the blade is designed to move when an object is encountered, the blade trips with a jerking or forceful effect and returns to plowing position in a similar manner causing significant strain on the snow plow vehicle.
In addition, snow plow blade designs typically include hydraulic systems for moving the blade/wings into position. In conventional snow plow designs, these systems are located near the middle or upper portions of the wing section, away from the ground to provide maximum leverage and force for movement and retention of the plow blade into position. However, such a location for the hydraulic system, requires extra force to move the wings, lending to the use of larger and heavier hydraulic cylinders/systems. In addition, this type of configuration requires a heavier snow plow blade in order to keep the blade/scrapers of the snow plow in contact with the road surface in order to effectively remove snow. Clearly, additional weight or mass of the snow plow adversely affects fuel economy, handling of the snow plow and the useful life of the snow plow vehicle.
It is accordingly the primary objective of the present invention that it provide a snow plow having reversible wings that are hinged about a center section, wherein the reversible snow plow wing of the present invention may be easily positioned on either side of the snow plow's center section, eliminating the need for two separately designed and manufactured wing sections. It is a related object of the present invention to provide a reversible snow plow wing that is easily positioned on to and removed from the center section of the snow plow blade, wherein the reversible snow plow wing can be removed from one side and rotated 180 degrees for use on the other side of the snow plow's center section. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a snow plow having wings positionable in a variety of configurations for the effective removal of snow.
It is a further objective to provide a snow plow having reversible wings including a trip spring and dampening cushion design in which the snow plow wings and center section are permitted to tip forward when the plow encounters an object and return back into position in a controlled manner without significant stress on the mechanical structure of the snow plow or the snow plow vehicle.
In addition, it can be another objective of the present invention to provide a lighter weight snow plow system in which the hydraulic system utilized in positioning the reversible wings of the present invention is configured in a manner that increases the force and stability of the snow plow blade when in contact with heavy snow, and which requires a lighter hydraulic system. It is a related objective of the present invention to provide snow plow wings, and hence, a lighter snow plow blade that can effectively remove snow and that is less expensive to produce, easier to transport and that causes less mechanical stress on the snow plow vehicle than other conventional snow plow blade configurations.
The snow plow of the present invention must also be of construction which is both durable and long lasting, and it should also require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. In order to enhance the market appeal of the snow plow of the present invention, it should also be of inexpensive construction to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, it is also an objective that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed above are overcome by the present invention. With this invention, a snow plow having reversible wings is presented. It will be at once appreciated by those skilled in the art that the reversible wing design and configuration of the snow plow of the present invention not only provides a lighter, more effective snow plow than conventional hinged snow plow designs, but also provides a snow plow blade having reduced manufacturing costs compared to other, conventional snow plow blade designs.
The snow plow of the present invention includes a snow plow blade assembly, an intermediate frame section, a main frame section, and additionally includes hitch pieces for mounting the snow plow onto the snow plow vehicle. The hinged snow plow blade assembly includes two reversible wings or arms and a center section. The reversible wing of the present invention has opposing vertical sides, with one side hinged to the center section and the opposite side extending away from the center section of the snow plow blade. Like typical plow blade constructions, the reversible wing is slightly curved or arcuate-shaped when viewed from either side, similar to that of a snow shovel.
The reversible wing of the present invention includes a generally rectangular-shaped frame having a top horizontal member, a bottom horizontal member, a first vertical side portion that is pivotally connected to the center section of the snow plow blade and a second vertical side portion that extends away from the center section of the snow plow blade. The reversible wing is symmetrical about an axis extending from the first vertical side portion to the second vertical side portion, such that top and bottom halves of the reversible wing of the present invention are mirror images of each other.
The top horizontal member of the frame of the reversible wing is a three sided U-shaped channel member having a wide channel bottom and side edges/legs of the “U” extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom. When configured as part of the frame, the top horizontal member will be upright i.e., U-shaped with the side edges/legs of the “U” pointing up). The side edge of the U-shaped channel member that will be orientated towards the front of the snow plow when assembled in the wing frame is the front side edge of the channel member, and the side edge of the channel member that will be orientated towards the snow plow vehicle/rear of the snow plow blade when assembled in the wing frame is the rear side edge of the channel member.
The top horizontal member contains four sets of apertures for adding additional components to the wing frame. The first and second sets of apertures are located in a spaced-apart fashion along both side edges of the U-shaped channel member. The apertures are located at substantially parallel locations, across from each other, and are spaced-apart along the length of each side edge of the channel member. The first and second sets of apertures can be used to secure the plow blade moldboard, a plow wearstrip, and/or a rear scraper on to the wing frame.
The third set of apertures is formed within the channel bottom of the top horizontal member near the middle of the horizontal member. The third set of apertures is used to secure the mounting hardware for a hydraulic, pneumatic or other movement system to the wing frame for moving the wing into different positions. The fourth set of apertures is provided near the outer end of the top horizontal member and can be used to secure mounting hardware for a shoe or support device that will ultimately bear the weight of the snow plow blade during use of the snow plow.
The bottom horizontal member of the wing frame of the present invention is also a U-shaped channel member and is the mirror image of the top horizontal member. Accordingly, when configured as part of the frame, the bottom horizontal member will be inverted “U” i.e., with the side edges/legs of the “U” extending downwardly. In addition, the bottom horizontal member contains four set of apertures having substantially symmetrical or mirror image placement on the U-shaped channel member as the top horizontal member. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the symmetry of the apertures on the top and bottom horizontal members permit the wing of the present invention to be reversible, i.e. to be rotated 180 degrees, with the top horizontal member being located in the position of the bottom horizontal member and vice versa, while permitting the wing components (such as the moldboard, wearstrip, support shoe, and cylinder hardware) to be mounted in the proper location on the wing frame.
The top horizontal member and the bottom horizontal member are joined at their respective outer ends by a vertical end rib, located at the second vertical side portion of the frame. The end rib is mounted to and overlies each of the ends of top horizontal member and the bottom horizontal member and has an arcuate shape when viewed from the side, providing the reversible wing with its overall shape. A curved face plate is located adjacent to the end rib and is mounted to the top and bottom horizontal members near the front side edges, respectively, to add additional support to the wing frame.
The top horizontal member and the bottom horizontal member are joined at their respective inner ends by a rectangular-shaped wing support member that extends from the front side edges of the top to the bottom horizontal members, respectively, to the rear side edges of the top to the bottom horizontal members—adding substantial strength to the wing frame. A vertical rib is mounted adjacent to the wing support member and extends from the top to the bottom horizontal member. A curved face plate is located adjacent to the vertical rib and is mounted to the top and bottom horizontal members near the front side edges, respectively, to add additional support to the inner vertical side of the wing frame.
A plurality of hollow tubular hinge pieces are welded to the wing support member along a side thereof to permit the first vertical portion of the reversible wing to be hinged to the center section of the snow plow blade. An L-shaped blade stop that extends from the top horizontal member to the bottom horizontal member is also joined to the wing support member along the side thereof, to provide a limit to the pivot movement of the wing.
Completing the wing frame is an additional vertical rib that is positioned between the outer and inner vertical ends of the wing frame. The vertical rib is joined at its top and bottom to the top and bottom horizontal members, respectively, to add support to the mid-section of the wing frame.
As previously described, complete assembly of the reversible wing of the present invention includes securing several additional components to the wing frame. For example, a skin or moldboard is mounted to the wing frame using retainer members and the apertures formed on the front side of the top and bottom horizontal members. In addition, the snow plow wearstrip, having approximately the same length as the top and bottom horizontal members, is removably bolted on to the bottom horizontal member at the front side edge thereof using the apertures provided therein. Optionally, a rear scraper blade having approximately the same length as the top and bottom horizontal members can be removably bolted on to the bottom horizontal member at the rear side edge thereof using the apertures provided therein.
The assembled wing also includes mounting hardware for retaining a hydraulic cylinder or other mechanism used for moving the snow plow wing into the desired position. The mounting hardware is removably attached to the bottom horizontal member of the wing frame using the third set of apertures formed therein.
Finally, the assembled reversible wing of the present invention also includes a support shoe for supporting the weight of the wing during use of the snow plow. The support shoe is removably mounted to the bottom horizontal member of the wing frame using the fourth set of apertures formed therein.
As described above, the frame of the reversible wing of the present invention is symmetrical about a horizontal axis at approximately the midpoint of the first vertical side portion and the second vertical side portion of the assembled wing frame. In this way, regardless of the components or accessories removably mounted to the wing frame, the wing may be removed from one side of the center section, rotated 180 degrees and remounted to the opposite side of the center section.
Likewise, the symmetry of the wing frame permits production of a single wing frame for use in the hinged snow plow of the present invention, rather than requiring two distinct wings to be manufactured—thus, reducing the manufacturing time and cost associated with production of a snow plow and reducing the maintenance time and cost in operating the snow plow.
The center section of the snow plow blade of the present invention is a substantially triangular-shaped tower and is oriented within the snow plow blade such that two slanted sides and one edge of the triangle tower formed at the intersection thereof project towards the rear of the snow plow blade and the snow plow vehicle, and with the flat side of the triangle and the other two edges of the triangle tower facing the front of the snow plow blade.
The top rear portion of the center section includes a flat plate that extends outwardly from the rear edge and sides of the triangle tower. The flat plate includes two spring retainer bolts for mounting a trip spring thereto—permitting the center section and wings to tip forward if the snow plow blade encounters an object.
The bottom portion of the front side of the center section includes apertures formed therein for mounting a center blade onto the center section. The two forward edges of the front side of the center section contain a plurality of hollow tubular hinge pieces for pivotally attaching two snow plow wings to the center section of the snow plow. The tubular hinge pieces are arranged along each of the forward edges of the center section in a manner that permits the tubular hinge pieces to coaxially interfit with the tubular hinge pieces located on each snow plow wing.
The hinged snow plow blade assembly of the present invention is assembled by removably attaching each reversible wing to the center. A first wing is pivotally attached at its first vertical side portion to the center section by interfitting the hollow tubular hinge pieces of the wing with the hollow tubular hinge pieces located on one side of the center section. The tubular hinge pieces form one elongated tube in which a pin may be fit, joining the wing to the center section. Likewise, a second wing is pivotally attached at its first vertical side portion to the center section by interfitting the hollow tubular hinge pieces of the wing with the hollow tubular hinge pieces located on the opposite side of the center section. The tubular hinge pieces form one elongated tube in which a pin may be fit, joining the wing to the center section.
The bottom rear portion of the center section includes two mounting brackets for retaining the end of the hydraulic cylinders which will be secured at the other end to each bottom horizontal member of the wings of the snow plow. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that because the location of the cylinder is located at the bottom of the center section and each of the snow plow wings and substantially parallel to each of the snow plow wings, the cylinders will be able to deliver a larger, more effective amount of force to the wings provide the wings with greater stability and resistance to heavy load conditions over other more traditional cylinder positions.
The bottom rear portion of the center section also includes two apertures that will receive the intermediate frame section of the snow plow. Importantly, the bottom rear portion of the center section further includes a stop plate which will act as a limit to prevent the snow plow blade from tipping beyond a certain point when the snow plow blade encounters an object.
The intermediate frame section of the present invention is provided with apertures that will receive the opposite ends of the trip springs and a cushion which will engage the stop plate of the center section. When the snow plow blade hits an object, the trip springs permit the top blade to tip forward, preventing potential damage to the snow plow. When the object is no longer an impediment or when the snow plow vehicle backs away, the cushion and the stop plate prevent the snow plow blade from forcefully snapping back into position—elevating stress on both the snow plow blade and the snow plow vehicle.
Finally, assembly of the snow plow is completed by mounting the main frame section onto the intermediate frame section, and using hitch pieces to mount the snow plow onto a snow plow vehicle.
It may therefore be seen that the present invention teaches a snow plow having reversible wings wherein the snow plow blade may be more efficiently and more economically manufactured than other snow plow blade designs. The hinged snow plow blade of the present invention eliminates the need for wing designs that are specifically intended for the “right” side or the “left” side of the snow plow.
It may also be seen that the hinged snow plow blade of the present invention is provided with a hydraulic system that is located at the very bottom of each wing of the present invention, in order to more effectively transfer force to the snow plow blade, utilizing minimal hydraulic power. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this configuration provides the hinged snow plow of the present invention a mechanical advantage over hydraulic mechanisms located further up on the snow plow blade, such that the reversible wing of the present invention may be lighter in weight while still retaining the structural strength and effectiveness of heavier snow plow wings.
The snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention is of a construction which is both durable and long lasting, and which will require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention is also of inexpensive construction to enhance its market appeal and to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives are achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
These and other advantages of the present invention are best understood with reference to the drawings, in which:
a is an exploded view of the wing frame of the reversible wing illustrated in
b is a partial cross-sectional view of the top of the reversible wing illustrated in
c is a partial cross-sectional view of the bottom of the reversible wing illustrated in
a is a top plan view of the snow plow of the present invention illustrated with each of the reversible wings in a swept back position; and
b is a top plan view of the snow plow of the present invention illustrated with each of the reversible wings in a swept forward position.
The snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention comprises, in its simplest form, a snow plow blade assembly 46 including a center section 48 and reversible wings 50 and 51 removably attached at opposite sides thereto, as best shown in
Referring first to
The top portion 54 of the frame 52 includes a top horizontal member 66 that is constructed of a three sided channel member resembling a wide “U”, having a channel bottom 68, front and rear legs 70 and 72 which angle upward and outward from the channel bottom 68 and having first and second ends 74 and 76. A notch 78 is cut out of the front leg 70 on the second end 76 of the top horizontal member 66 for accommodating a hinge mechanism, as will be described below. The top horizontal member 66 is preferably constructed of steel.
Referring to
A second set of apertures 82 is located on the rear leg 72 of the top horizontal member 66. The apertures 82 are substantially equally spaced in the longitudinal direction along the rear leg 72 of the top horizontal member 66 are linearly arranged with respect to each other. Preferably the second set of apertures 82 includes five equally spaced apertures. Apertures 82 are provided for securing a rear scraper to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50 when the is in an inverted position, as will be described in more detail herein.
A third set of apertures 84 is located within the channel bottom 68 of the top horizontal member 66. The apertures 84 are located along the channel bottom 68 at approximately the midpoint of the top horizontal member 66, slight towards the second end 76 of the top horizontal member 66. Preferably, the third set of apertures 84 includes four apertures arranges substantially in a rectangular arrangement, as illustrated in
A fourth set of apertures 86 is provided for securing additional components, such as a shoe support to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50, as will be described in more detail with regard to
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that first, second, third and fourth sets of apertures 80-86 may contain any number and any size of apertures required to secure the required snow plow components to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50.
The bottom portion 56 of the frame 52 includes a bottom horizontal member 88 that is substantially the mirror image of the top horizontal member 66. Accordingly, the bottom horizontal member 88 is constructed of a three sided channel member resembling a wide inverted “U”, having a channel bottom 90, front and rear legs 92 and 94 which angle upward and outward from the channel bottom 90 and first and second ends 96 and 98. A notch 100 is cut out of the front leg 92 on the second end 98 of the bottom horizontal member 88 for accommodating a hinge mechanism, as will be described more fully herein. The bottom horizontal member 88 is preferably constructed of steel.
The bottom horizontal member 88 of the frame 52 includes several sets of apertures for securing snow plow components to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50. A first set of apertures 102 is located on the front leg 92 of the bottom horizontal member 88. The apertures 102 are substantially equally spaced in the longitudinal direction along the front leg 92 of the bottom horizontal member 88 and are linearly arranged with respect to each other. Preferably the first set of apertures 102 includes five equally spaced apertures. Apertures 102 are provided for securing a wearstrip and/or the moldboard to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50, as will be described in more detail with respect to
A second set of apertures 104 is located on the rear leg 94 of the bottom horizontal member 88. The apertures 104 are substantially equally spaced in the longitudinal direction along the rear leg 94 of the bottom horizontal member 88 are linearly arranged with respect to each other. Preferably the second set of apertures 104 includes five equally spaced apertures. Apertures 104 are provided for securing a rear scraper to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50, as will be described in more detail with respect to
A third set of apertures 106 is located within the channel bottom 90 of the bottom horizontal member 88. The apertures 106 are located along the channel bottom 90 at approximately the midpoint of the bottom horizontal member 88, slightly towards the second end 98 of the bottom horizontal member 88. Preferably, the third set of apertures 106 includes four apertures arranges substantially in a rectangular arrangement (not all apertures 106 are visible in
A fourth set of apertures 108 is provided for securing additional components, such as a shoe support to the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50, as will be described in more detail with regard to
It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88 may be provided pre-drilled with each of the sets of apertures 80-86 and 102-108, respectively, before complete assembly of the frame 50, or that the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88 may be provided without such sets of apertures and drilled after assembly of the frame 52. Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, however, the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88 may be completely absent the sets of apertures 80-86 and 102-108, respectively, with additional snow plow components of the reversible wing 50 being mounted to the frame 52 by welding or securing such components by other methods known to those skilled in the art.
Importantly, however, when arranged within the frame 52, the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88 are substantially the mirror image of each other. In particular, in highly preferred embodiments of the present invention, the configuration and placement of the first through fourth sets of apertures 102-104 in the bottom horizontal member 88 will be the mirror image of the first through fourth sets of apertures 80-86 in the top horizontal member 66 in order to permit the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50 to be utilized on either side of the center section 48 of the hinged snow plow blade assembly 46.
The vertical side portion 58 of the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50 of the present invention includes an end rib 110. The end rib 110 is mounted to the first end 74 of the top horizontal member 66 and the first end 96 of the bottom horizontal member 88, thereby overlying them as best shown in
A middle rib 112 is located between each of the vertical side portions 58 and 60 of the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50. The middle rib 112 extends between the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88 and is mounted at each end thereto. To mount the middle rib 112 in place on the frame 52, the middle rib 112 may be provided with a length that permits each end of the middle rib 112 to extend through apertures in the channel bottom 68 and 90 of the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88, respectively. The middle rib 112 is preferably made of steel and preferably welded to each of the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88, although any other method of attachment known to those skilled in the art is contemplated by the present invention. As illustrated in
The vertical side portion 60 of the frame 52 of the reversible wing 50 of the present invention is the side of the frame 52 that will be hinged in place to the center section 48 of the snow plow blade assembly 46. Accordingly, the vertical side portion 60 includes a generally rectangular wing support member 114. As best viewed from
A support rib 124 is located adjacent to the wing support member 114 near the side 122 thereof. The support rib 124 extends between the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88, is mounted at each end thereto and is mounted at one side to the side 122 of the wing support member 114. Like the middle rib 112, the support rib 124 may be provided with a length that permits each end of the support rib 124 to extend through apertures in the channel bottom 68 and 90 of the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88, respectively. The support rib 124 is preferably made of steel and preferably welded to each of the top horizontal member 66 and the bottom horizontal member 88, although any other method of attachment known to those skilled in the art is contemplated by the present invention. The support rib 124 has an arcuate shape when viewed from the side.
As best shown in
Likewise, the retainer plate 128 extends from the vertical side portion 58 to the vertical side portion 60 of the frame 52 and is mounted to the bottom horizontal member 88 on the channel bottom 90 near the front leg 92 thereof. The retainer plate 126 is preferably constructed of steel and welded to the bottom horizontal member 88, the end rib 110, the middle rib, the support rib 124 and any other portion of the frame 52 required to secure the retainer plate 126 in place.
A curved support plate 130 is located adjacent to the end rib 110 and is mounted at one side thereto. The curved support plate 130 extends from the retainer plate 126 on the top horizontal member 66 to the retainer plate 128 on the bottom horizontal member 88 and is mounted at one end to the retainer plate 126 and is mounted at the other end the retainer plate 128. The curved support plate 130 is preferably constructed of steel and preferably mounted in place on to the frame 52 by welding.
A curved support plate 132 is located adjacent to the support rib 124 and is mounted at one side thereto. The curved support plate 132 extends from the retainer plate 126 on the top horizontal member 66 to the retainer plate 128 on the bottom horizontal member 88 and is mounted at one end to the retainer plate 126 and is mounted at the other end the retainer plate 128. The curved support plate 132 is preferably constructed of steel and preferably mounted in place on to the frame 52 by welding.
A plurality of hollow, tubular hinge pieces 134 are mounted onto the vertical side portion 60 of the frame 52 in order to permit the reversible wing 50 to hingedly attach to the center section 48 of the snow plow blade assembly 46. Preferably, four tubular hinge pieces 134 are used in the present invention. However, any number of tubular hinge pieces 134 may be used to secure the reversible wing 50 to the center section 48. Further, any other pivotable connection mechanism know to those skilled in the art may also be used to attach the reversible wing 50 to the center section 48.
As best illustrated in
A blade stop 138 is mounted to the side 120 of the wing support member 114 to provide a limit to the hinged movement of the reversible wing 50. The blade stop 138 is substantially L-shaped and is mounted to the wing support member 114 extending from the top to the bottom of the wing support member 114 at a position just adjacent to the tubular hinge pieces 134. The blade stop 138 is preferably constructed of steel and is mounted to the wing support member 114 by welding.
Before additional snow plow components are attached to the frame 52 of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the frame 52 is substantially symmetrical about a horizontal axis extending from approximately the midpoint of the vertical side portion 58 to approximately the midpoint of the vertical side portion 60. Accordingly, the frame 52 may be hingedly attached to either side of the center section of the snow plow of the present invention by simply inverting the frame 52 (i.e. rotating the frame 180 degrees about that horizontal axis). Thus, the frame 52 can be used to construct the reversible wing 50 of the present invention, as described below, for use on one side, i.e. the left side, of the center section 48 of the snow plow blade assembly 46, as shown in
Referring to
Extending across the front side 62 of the frame 52 is a moldboard retainer strip 142 into which the top edge of the moldboard 140 fits and is retained. The moldboard retainer strip 142 contains a plurality of apertures 144 formed therein matching the pattern of the first set of apertures 80 formed in the top horizontal member 66. (It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apertures 144 formed in the moldboard retainer strip 142 also substantially match the pattern of the first set of apertures 102 formed in the front leg 92 of the bottom horizontal member 88 as the bottom horizontal member 88 is the mirror image of the top horizontal member 66). The moldboard retainer strip 142 is removably attached to the top horizontal member 66 using bolts 146 that secure the moldboard retainer strip 142 to the top horizontal member 66. The moldboard retainer strip 142 is preferably constructed of steel, however, any rigid material known to those skilled in the art may be used.
Alternately, if the apertures 144 and 80 are not tapped, bolts and nuts could be used to mount the moldboard retainer strip 142 onto the top horizontal member 66. Optionally, the apertures 144 in the moldboard retainer strip 142 may be countersunk to recess the heads of the bolts 146 to the level of the surface of the wearstrip moldboard retainer strip 142.
The bottom edge of the moldboard 140 comes just to the top of the bottom horizontal member 88, as shown in
The wearstrip 148 is bolted on to the bottom horizontal member 88 with a plurality of bolts 152. Alternately, if the apertures 150 and 102 are not tapped, bolts and nuts could be used to mount the wearstrip 148 onto the bottom horizontal member 88. Optionally, the apertures 150 in the wearstrip 148 may be countersunk to recess the heads of the bolts 152 to the level of the surface of the wearstrip 148. The front leg 92 of the bottom horizontal member 88 is arranged and configured such that the wearstrip 148 will be mounted with its bottom edge angled forwardly with respect to the ground at angle of between approximately zero and forty-five degrees, with between approximately fifteen and thirty degrees being preferred, and an angle of approximately twenty-five degrees being most preferred.
When the wearstrip 148 is bolted to the bottom horizontal member 88, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it extends well below the bottom horizontal member 88, so that as it is worn down, the bottom horizontal member 88 will not be damaged by contact with the ground. The wearstrip 148 is preferably constructed of a high carbon steel such as AISI 1080 high carbon steel. However, the wearstrip may be constructed of any strong, rigid material known to those skilled in the art able to withstand the force necessary for moving a substantial amount of snow.
The wearstrip 148 retains the bottom of the moldboard 140 in place, and it will at once be appreciated that the moldboard 140 may be replaced by merely removing the wearstrip 148, making the replacement substantially easier than in earlier snow plow blade designs.
As best illustrated in
The mounting hardware 154 is removably bolted on to the bottom horizontal member 88 with a plurality of bolts (not shown in
Support shoe mounting hardware 160 for mounting a support shoe assembly 162 onto the frame 52 is secured to the bottom horizontal member 88. The support shoe mounting hardware 160 has a plurality of apertures 164 formed therein that substantially match the pattern of the fourth set of apertures 108 formed in the bottom horizontal member 88. (It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apertures 164 formed in the support shoe mounting hardware 160 also substantially match the pattern of the fourth set of apertures 86 formed in the top horizontal member 66, as the top horizontal member 66 is the mirror image of the bottom horizontal member 88).
The support shoe mounting hardware 160 is removably bolted on to the bottom horizontal member 88 with a plurality of bolts (not shown in
Optionally, the reversible wing 50 of the present invention includes a rear scraper blade 168, which is approximately the same length as the bottom horizontal member 88. The rear scraper blade 168 has a plurality of apertures 170 formed therein that substantially match the pattern of the second set of apertures 104 formed in the rear leg 94 of the bottom horizontal member 88. (It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apertures 170 formed in the rear scraper blade 168 also substantially match the pattern of the second set of apertures 82 formed in the rear leg 74 of the top horizontal member 66, as the top horizontal member 66 is the mirror image of the bottom horizontal member 88).
The rear scraper blade 168 is removably bolted on to the bottom horizontal member 88 with a plurality of bolts 172. Alternately, if the apertures 170 and 104 are not tapped, bolts and nuts could be used to mount the rear scraper blade 168 onto the bottom horizontal member 88. Optionally, the apertures 170 in the rear scraper blade 168 may be countersunk to recess the heads of the bolts 172 to the level of the surface of the rear scraper blade 168. The rear leg 94 of the bottom horizontal member 88 is arranged and configured such that the rear scraper blade 168 will be mounted with its bottom edge angled forwardly with respect to the ground at angle of between approximately zero and forty-five degrees, with between approximately fifteen and thirty degrees being preferred, and an angle of approximately twenty-five degrees being most preferred.
Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, the reversible wing 51 of the present invention, which is hingedly attached to the center section 48 of the snow plow blade assembly 46 opposite of the reversible wing 50, is easily constructed using the frame 52 and removable snow plow components as described above. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in order to provide the reversible wing 51, the frame 52 is provided and is rotated 180 degrees so that the bottom horizontal member 88 and the top horizontal member 66 are inverted with respect to the reversible wing 50. The moldboard retainer strip 142, the wearstrip 148, the mounting hardware 154, the support shoe mounting hardware 160 and the rear scraper 168 are then removably secured to the frame 52 in the manner described above, using the apertures provided therein.
Turning next to
The tower 174 is preferably constructed of steel, and is constructed by welding the front plate 176 and the side plates 178 and 180 together at the corner edges 182, 184 and 186. However, any rigid metal material known to those skilled in the art may be used to construct the tower 174. Further, the tower 174 may be constructed of a triangular member that requires no assembly.
The internal perimeter of the tower 174 is reinforced with four reinforcing plates 192 that are spaced apart along the length of the tower 174 from the top 188 to the bottom 190. Reinforcing plates 192 are provided to supplement the structural strength of the tower 174. The reinforcing plates 192 are preferably constructed of steel and welded to the tower 174.
Referring next to
The edges of the front plate 174 angle slightly rearwardly to the corner edges 182 and 184, forming mounting surfaces 202 and 204 located near each of the corner edges 182 and 184 of the tower 174, respectively (as best illustrated in
Mounting surface 202 contains a plurality of hollow, tubular hinge pieces 206 secured thereto. Preferably, four tubular hinge pieces 206 are used in the present invention. However, any number of tubular hinge pieces 206 may be used. The tubular hinge pieces 206 are mounted spaced-apart in axial alignment on the mounting surface 202 of the tower 174 from a position just below the tab 198 near the top 188 of the tower 174 to the bottom 190 of the tower 174. The tubular hinge pieces 206 are arranged in a manner that will permit the tubular hinge pieces to interfit with the tubular hinge pieces 134 on the reversible wing 50. The tubular hinge pieces 206 are preferably constructed of steel and are secured to the mounting surface 202 by welding.
Likewise, mounting surface 204 contains a plurality of hollow, tubular hinge pieces 208 secured thereto. Preferably, four tubular hinge pieces 208 are used in the present invention. However, any number of tubular hinge pieces 208 may be used. The tubular hinge pieces 208 are mounted spaced-apart in axial alignment on the mounting surface 204 of the tower 174 from a position just below the tab 198 near the top 188 of the tower 174 to the bottom 190 of the tower 174. The tubular hinge pieces 208 are arranged in a manner that will permit the tubular hinge pieces to interfit with the tubular hinge pieces 134 on the reversible wing 51. The tubular hinge pieces 208 are preferably constructed of steel and are secured to the mounting surface 204 by welding.
A trip spring retainer plate 210 is mounted near the top 188 of the tower 174 and extends outwardly from the sides 178 and 180. Preferably, the trip spring retainer plate 210 is constructed of steel and is secured to the tower 174 by welding. Two apertures 212 are formed within the trip spring retainer plate 210 towards the rear portion of the trip spring retainer plate 210. As best illustrated in
Referring next to
The center blade 224 is substantially trapezoidal in shape, having a top portion that is narrower than the bottom portion, as illustrated in
A securing section 228 containing apertures 230 matching the pattern of the apertures 220 formed in blade mounting plate 218 removably secures the center blade 224 to the front side of the blade mounting plate 218. Bolts 231 passing through the apertures 230 in the securing section 228, the apertures in the center blade and the apertures 220 in the blade mounting plate 218 are used to retain the center blade 224 onto the tower 174, as illustrated in
The center blade 224 will be mounted with its bottom edge angled forwardly with respect to the ground at angle of between approximately zero and forty-five degrees, with between approximately fifteen and thirty degrees being preferred, and an angle of approximately twenty-five degrees being most preferred.
The cushion block 226 is provided to absorb the impact of the plow blade as it moves between its limits, i.e. when the blade trips during an encounter with an object as will be described in more detail herein. The cushion block 226 is generally rectangular in shape and has apertures matching the pattern of the apertures 222 formed in blade mounting plate 218 (apertures not visible in the figures). The cushion block 226 is secured to the rear side of the blade mounting plate 218 using a smaller reinforcing plate 234 also having apertures 236 matching the pattern of the apertures 222 formed in blade mounting plate 218. Bolts 238 passing through the apertures 222 in the blade mounting plate 218, the apertures in the cushion block 226 and the apertures 236 in the reinforcing plate 234 and nuts 240 are used to removably secure the cushion block 226 in place on the tower 174. In addition, washers may be used to ensure that the cushion block 226 and reinforcing plate 234 are tightly secured to the blade mounting plate 218.
As best illustrated in
Trip plates 252 and 254 are vertically located on the rear side of the tower 174. Trip plates are identical to each other and each includes a triangular top portion 256, a middle portion 260 and a bottom portion 264 (as shown in
As best illustrated in
A U-shaped cylinder mount bracket 268 is mounted on trip plate 252 for securing the end of a hydraulic cylinder (or other mechanism for moving the reversible wings 50, 51 into position). Each leg of the U-shaped cylinder mount bracket 268 includes an aperture 270. The apertures 270 are in vertical coaxial alignment with each other so as to permit a pin 272 to pass therethrough. Likewise, a U-shaped cylinder mount bracket 274 is mounted on trip plate 254 for securing the end of a hydraulic cylinder (or other mechanism for moving the reversible wings 50, 51 into position). Each leg of the U-shaped cylinder mount bracket 274 includes an aperture 276. The apertures 276 are in vertical coaxial alignment with each other so as to permit a pin 278 to pass therethrough.
Turning next to
The intermediate section 282 includes a top plate 292 and a bottom plate 294. The top plate 292 includes a substantially square aperture 296 and three securing apertures 298 for securing a cushion thereto, which will be described in further detail with reference to
The bottom plate 294 is identical in configuration as the top plate 292 and, accordingly, contains a substantially square aperture 302 and three securing apertures 304 for securing a cushion thereto, which will be described in further detail with reference to
The intermediate section 282 is arranged and configured such that the top and bottom plates 292 and 294 are positioned horizontally parallel to each other with the square apertures 296 and 302, securing apertures 298 and 304, and round apertures 300 and 306 substantially aligned. Both the top and bottom plates 292 and 294 are preferably constructed of steel.
Referring next to
The second side 310 of the intermediate section 282 is substantially the mirror image of the first side 308 and thus includes a first circular aperture 322 located near the rear side 290 of the intermediate section 282 and a second circular aperture 324 located near the front side 288 of the intermediate section 282. The second side 310 also includes an upwardly projecting tab 326 including an aperture 328 for securing the end of the trip spring thereto. The second side 310 also contains a downwardly projecting fin 330 located near the front side 288 of the intermediate section 282.
The first and second sides 308 and 310 are positioned such that the first circular apertures 312 and 322, the second circular apertures 314 and 324, the tabs 316 and 326, and the fins 320 and 330 are vertically aligned, as shown in
The intermediate section 282 also includes a hollow, pivot tube 332 having ends 334 and 336. The pivot tube 332 extends through the second circular aperture 314 in the first side 308 of the intermediate section 282 and through the second circular aperture 324 in the second side 310 of the intermediate section 282, with ends 334 and 336 extending out from the first and second sides 308 and 310, respectively. The pivot tube 332 may optionally include a grease fitting 338 that will permit lubrication of the pivoting element when the snow plow blade is completely assembled, as will be described in more detail herein. The pivot tube 332 is preferably steel and is secured in place on the intermediate section 282 by welding.
Turning next to
The basic shape of the main frame 344 is formed by a top plate 354 and a bottom plate 356, which are essentially parallel and are spaced apart from each other. There is a large aperture extending through each of the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 which resembles an isosceles trapezoid. The top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 are preferably made of steel.
Portions of all four sides of the top plate 354, substantially around the perimeter of the main frame 344, are bent downwardly at a ninety degree angle to extend to the top of the bottom plate 356 (as illustrated in
Mounted between the sides of the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 and extending rearwardly from the rear end 348 of the main frame 344 are lugs 358 and 360. The lugs 358 and 360 are preferably made of steel and are welded onto the sides of the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356. The portion of the lug 358 which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 has an aperture 362 extending therethrough, and the portion of the lug 360 which extends rearwardly from the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 has an aperture 364 extending therethrough.
Mounted adjacent to each of the lugs 358 and 360 are lug gusset plates 366 and 368 for adding additional support to lugs 358 and 360. The lug gusset plates 366 and 368 are preferably made of steel and each are welded to the top plate 354 and to the lugs 358 and 360, respectively.
Mounted at substantially the center of the rear end 348 of the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 are two lift cylinder mounts 370 and 372. The lift cylinder mounts 370 and 372 are parallel both to each other and to the plane which divides the main frame 344 into left and right sides thereof. The lift cylinder mounts 370 and 372 each extend from slots 374 and 376, respectively, in the bottom plate 356 to the slots 378 and 380, respectively, in the top plate 354. The lift cylinder mounts 370 and 372 are also preferably made of steel and their ends are welded into the slots 374 and 376, respectively, in the bottom plate 356 and the slots 378 and 380, respectively, in the top plate 354. The lift cylinder mounts 370 and 372 each have an aperture 382 and 384, respectively, located therein which are coaxial to each other.
An inner support plate 386 is mounted between the top plate 354 and the bottom plate 356 near the top of the aperture in the main frame 344, near the front end 346. Located at the top of the trapezoidal aperture in the main frame 344, are two spaced-apart pivot mount plates 388 and 390. The pivot mount plates 388 and 390 are also preferably made of steel and are welded onto the inner support plate 386, the portion of the top plate 354 adjacent thereto, and the portion of the bottom plate 356 adjacent thereto. The pivot mount plates 388 and 390 are mounted on opposite sides of the centerline of the main frame 344, and extend rearwardly and upwardly from the inner support plate 386, and extend downward from the bottom plate 356. Located near the rearmost and uppermost ends of the pivot mount plates 388 and 390 are apertures 392 and 394, respectively, which are coaxial to each other.
As best illustrated in
Hinge brackets 402 and 404 are mounted near the front end 346 on each of the left and right sides 352 and 350 of the main frame 344. Hinge brackets 402 and 404 are secured to the ends of the left and right sides 352 and 350, respectively, and extend beyond the front end 346 of the top and bottom plates 354 and 356. The hinge brackets 402 and 404 are also preferably made of steel and are preferably secured in place onto the main frame 344 by welding.
The hinge brackets 402 and 404 are substantially L-shaped having a rear portion that extends outwardly from left and sides 352 and 350, respectively, of the main frame 344 and that curves inwardly near a front portion thereof, as best illustrated in
A hollow tube 426 extends from the hinge bracket 402 to the hinge bracket 404 having an end 428 that extends through the aperture 422 in the hinge bracket 402 and an end 430 that extends through the aperture 424 in the hinge bracket 404.
Referring next to
Extending inwardly from the rear sides of rear mounting supports 438 and 440 are segments of angled stock 450 and 452, respectively. It should be noted that the angle defined by each of the segments of angled stock 450 and 452 is less than ninety degrees, as, for example, approximately seventy degrees. The reason for this angle will become apparent below in conjunction with the discussion of
Referring again solely to
Not illustrated in the figures but used to reinforce the construction of the lift bar 432 are two additional rectangular reinforcing segments which are respectively located above the reinforcing segments 454 and 456. On the left side of the lift bar 432, the first of these additional reinforcing segments (preferably also made of steel) is located near the top of the U-shaped channel formed by the rear mounting support 438 and the angled stock segment 450, and is welded to the tops of the rear mounting support 438 and the angled stock segment 450. Similarly, the other of these reinforcing segments (preferably also made of steel) is located at near the top of the U-shaped channel formed by the rear mounting support 440 and the angled stock segment 452, and is welded to the tops of the rear mounting support 440 and the angled stock segment 452.
Extending between the lift bar support members 434 and 436 are a larger diameter hollow round upper pin support tube 458 and a smaller diameter round light bar brace 460. The upper pin support tube 458 and the light bar brace 460 are both also preferably made of steel. One end of the upper pin support tube 458 extends through an aperture 462 located in an intermediate position in the central support arm 442 of the lift bar support member 434, and the other end of the upper pin support tube 458 extends through an aperture 464 located in an intermediate position in the central support arm 444 of the lift bar support member 436. The ends of the upper pin support tube 458 are welded onto the central support arms 442 and 444. One end of the light bar brace 460 is welded onto the lift bar support member 434 at the intersection of the central support arm 442 and the light bar support 446, and the other end of the light bar brace 460 is welded onto the lift bar support member 436 at the intersection of the central support arm 444 and the light bar support 448.
Two upper pin hanger plates 466 and 468 are mounted on the upper pin support tube 458 in spaced-apart fashion near the middle of the upper pin support tube 458. The upper pin hanger plates 466 and 468 have apertures 470 and 472, respectively, extending therethrough near one end thereof, and the upper pin support tube 458 extends through these apertures 470 and 472. The upper pin hanger plates 466 and 468 are both also preferably made of steel, and are welded onto the upper pin support tube 458 in a manner whereby they are projecting forwardly. A tubular upper pin 474 extends through apertures 476 and 478 in the upper pin hanger plates 466 and 468, respectively, near the other end thereof. The upper pin 474 is also preferably made of steel, and is welded onto the upper pin hanger plates 466 and 468.
Located in the rear mounting support 438, the angled stock segment 450, the angled stock segment 452, and the rear mounting support 440 near the bottoms thereof are apertures 480, 482, 484, and 486, respectively, which are aligned with each other and which together define a pivot axis about which the lift bar 432 will pivot when it is mounted onto the main frame 344 (illustrated in
The apertures 488 and 490 define a first location into which a retaining pin (not shown in
Referring now to
Referring for the moment to
Located in the hitch brackets 504, 306, 508, and 510 in the bottoms of the rectangular notches 520, 522, 524, and 526, respectively, are slots 528, 530, 532, and 534, respectively. The slots 528, 530, 532, and 534 have rounded bottoms, and are axially aligned. Also located in the hitch brackets 504, 506, 508, and 510 above the tops of the rectangular notches 520, 522, 524, and 526, respectively, are apertures 536, 538, 540, and 542, respectively. The apertures 536, 538, 540, and 542 are also axially aligned.
Unlike the hitch brackets 506 and 508 which are flat, the hitch brackets 504 and 510 have their forward-most portions flanged outwardly to act as guides to direct the lift bar 432 (illustrated in
The respective ends of the square hitch frame tube 502 are mounted onto mounting plates 544 and 546. The mounting plates 544 and 546 are also preferably made of steel, and the ends of the square hitch frame tube 502 are welded onto the mounting plates 544 and 546. Located in the mounting plates 544 and 546 are a plurality of apertures 548 and 550, respectively, which will be used to mount the hitch frame nose piece 500 onto the frame of a truck (not shown in
Referring next to
The pivot plates 562 and 564 have apertures 570 and 572, respectively, located therein near a first corner of the triangle which will be used to mount the bellcrank 560 for pivotal movement from the apertures 392 and 394 of the pivot mount plates 388 and 390, respectively (illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring next to
In the preferred embodiment, a hollow cylindrical collar 612 (shown in
The pin 608 will thus extend sequentially through the aperture 480 in the rear mounting support 438 of the lift bar 432, the aperture 362 in the lug 358 of the main frame 344, the collar 612, and the aperture 482 in the angled stock segment 450 of the lift bar 432. The pin 608 will be retained in place by the setscrew 614 on the collar 612, which will contact the pin 608 when it is screwed into the collar. Approximately equal lengths of the pin 408 extend outwardly beyond the rear mounting support 438 and the angled stock segment 450 at each end of the pin 608. Alternately, the pin 608 may be welded in place on the rear mounting support 438 and the angled stock segment 450 of the lift bar 432, or C-clips (not shown herein) could be installed in annular groves (not shown herein) in the pin 608 at locations which correspond to the ends of the collar.
Likewise, the pin 610 will thus extend sequentially through the aperture 484 in the angled stock segment 452 of the lift bar 432, the other collar, the aperture 364 in the lug 360 of the main frame 344, and the aperture 486 in the rear mounting support 440 of the lift bar 432. The pin 610 will be retained in place by the setscrew on the collar, which will contact the pin 610 when it is screwed into the collar. Equal lengths of the pin 610 extend outwardly beyond the angled stock segment 452 and the rear mounting support 440 at each end of the pin 610. Alternately, the pin 610 may be welded in place on the angled stock segment 452 and the rear mounting support 440 of the lift bar 432, or C-clips (not shown herein) could be installed in annular groves (not shown herein) in the pin 610 at locations which correspond to the ends of the collar.
It will thus be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the lift bar 432 is pivotally mounted onto the main frame 344 using the pins 608 and 610. When the snow plow of the present invention is mounted onto a vehicle using the hitch frame nose piece 500, the ends of the pins 608 and 610 will be received in the pairs of slots 528 and 530, and 532 and 534 in the hitch frame nose piece 300 (illustrated in
The bellcrank 560 is pivotally mounted on the main frame 344 using two bolts 620 and two nuts 622. The pivot plates 562 and 564 of the bellcrank 560 will fit outside of the pivot mount plates 388 and 390 of the main frame 344, respectively. One of the bolts 620 will extend through the aperture 392 in the pivot mount plate 388 of the main frame 344 and the aperture 570 in the pivot plate 562 of the bellcrank 560, and one of the nuts 622 will be mounted on that bolt 620 to retain it in place. The other one of the bolts 620 will extend through the aperture 394 in the pivot mount plate 390 of the main frame 344 and the aperture 572 in the pivot plate 564 of the bellcrank 560, and the other one of the nuts 622 will be mounted on that bolt 620 to retain it in place.
The bolts 620 allow the bellcrank 560 to pivot on the main frame 344. In the preferred embodiment, a spacer and two washers (not shown) may be used with each of the bolts 620, the spacer going through the apertures in the parts being pivotally joined and being longer than the combined thickness of the apertures in the parts, and a washer being located on either end of the spacer to facilitate free rotation of parts, here movement of the bellcrank 560 with reference to the main frame 344. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a spacer and two washers will preferably be used at other points of relative movement between two elements of linkage of the snow plow described herein, although the spacer and two washers will not be specifically mentioned in conjunction with each of these pivoting connections made between two elements using a bolt. In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a pin retained by a cotter pin (not shown herein) could be used instead of a bolt and nut in many of the applications for a fastener used in the linkage discussed herein.
A hydraulic lift cylinder 624 is mounted at one end to the cylinder mounts 370 and 372 of the main frame 344 using a bolt 626 which extends through the aperture 382 in the cylinder mount 370 and the aperture 384 in the cylinder mount 372, with a nut 628 being used to retain the bolt 626 in place. The other end of the hydraulic cylinder 624 drives the third corner of the triangular pivot plates 562 and 564 of the bellcrank 560, with a bolt 630 extending between the aperture 578 in the pivot plate 562 of the bellcrank 560 and the aperture 580 in the pivot plate 564 of the bellcrank 560. A nut 632 is used to retain the bolt 630 in place. The bolts 626 and 630 allow the hydraulic cylinder 624 to move as it drives the bellcrank 560. Spacers (not shown herein) may be used on each side of the other end of the hydraulic cylinder 624 on the insides of the pivot plates 562 and 564 to center the hydraulic cylinder 624.
The lift link 590 is used to connect the bellcrank 560 to pivot the lift bar 432. A bolt 634 is used to connect the lift link 590 to the lift bar 344, with the bolt 634 extending sequentially through the aperture 604 in the arm 592 of the lift link 590, the upper pin 474 from the end extending through the upper pin hanger plate 466 to the end extending through the upper pin hanger plate 468 of the lift bar 432, and the aperture 606 in the arm 594 of the lift link 590. A nut 636 is used to retain the bolt 634 in place. The bolt 634 allows the lift link 590 to pivot on the lift bar 432, and a spacer and two washers may also be used as mentioned hereinabove.
The second corner of the triangle formed by the pivot plates 562 and 564 of the bellcrank 560 drives the ends of the arms 592 and 594 of the lift link 590 which are not connected to the lift bar 432. Two bolts 638 are used to connect the bellcrank 560 to the lift link 590, with one of the bolts 638 also being used to mount a stand 640. The stand 640 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,688, to Struck et al., which patent is assigned to the assignee of the inventions described herein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,688 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
One bolt 638 extends through the aperture 600 in the arm 692 of the lift link 590 and the aperture 574 of the pivot plate 562 of the bellcrank 560, with a nut 642 being used to retain the first bolt 638 in place, and a spacer and two washers may also be used as mentioned hereinabove. The other bolt 638 (not shown) extends sequentially through an aperture (not shown) in the upper portion of the stand 640, the aperture 576 of the pivot plate 564 of the bellcrank 560, and the aperture 602 in the arm 594 of the lift link 590, with a nut 642 being used to retain the second bolt 638 in place. The second bolt 638 allows the lift link 590 to pivot on the bellcrank 560, and a spacer and two washers may again be used as mentioned hereinabove. A removable pin (not shown) extending through an aperture near the top of the stand 640 and apertures located in the lift link 590 is used to link the stand 640 with the lift link 590.
The hydraulic cylinder 624 is shown in
Turning next to
Likewise, the reversible wing 51 is arranged on the tower 174 so that the tubular hinge pieces 134 on the reversible wing 51 coaxially interfit with the tubular hinge pieces 208 on the tower 174, as best illustrated in
Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the reversible wing 50 is hingedly attached to the tower 174 and can move forward and back accordingly. In addition, in case of damage to either reversible wing 50 or 51, the reversible wings 50 and 51 are easily removed from the center section 48 by simply removing the nuts and bolts and removing the elongated pins 650 and 658, respectively. Accordingly, replacement wings are easily mounted to the center section 48 as described above.
Turning next to
Likewise, the swing cylinder 672 is secured at one end to the cylinder mount bracket 274 on the trip plate 254 of the center section 48 using the pin 278 which passes consecutively through the top aperture 276 in the cylinder mount bracket 274, through the end of swing cylinder 672, and through the bottom aperture 276 of the cylinder mount bracket 274 (not shown in
As best illustrated in
Each of the shoes 162 includes a post 680 which are received by the support shoe mounting hardware 160. The shoes 162 are adjusted using a combination of washers and tubular spacers, which are placed on the posts 680 either above or below the support shoe mounting hardware 160 to adjust the height of the shoes 162. The position of the shoes 162 relative to the reversible wings 50 and 51 (and the plow blade assembly 46) may be adjusted to adjust the height of the reversible wings 50 and 51 relative to the surface to be plowed. This allows the degree to which the wearstrip 148 scrapes the surface to be plowed to be controlled. Retaining pins 682 are used on the posts 680 to retain them in the support shoe mounting hardware 160. The support shoes 162, however, may be removably attached to the support shoe mounting hardware 160 using any means known to those skilled in the art that will permit easy replacement of the support shoe if it becomes worn or damaged.
The shoes 162 are typically made of cast iron. It should be noted that although the rear scraper 168 is not shown in
Referring next to
Referring next to
The intermediate section 282 also includes a support shoe 692. The shoe 692 will bear at least a portion of the overall weight of the snow plow frame and is designed to ride in sliding contact with the surface to be plowed. The shoe 692 is preferably constructed of cast iron. The shoe 692 is mounted on a post 694 to secure the shoe 692 to the intermediate section 282. The post 694 of the shoe 692 is inserted consecutively through both the aperture 306 in the bottom plate 294 and through the coaxial aperture 300 in the top plate 292 of the intermediate section 282.
Like the shoes 162 on each reversible wing 50 and 51, the shoe 692 is adjusted using a combination of washers and tubular spacers, which are placed on the post 694 either below or above the bottom plate 294 and/or top plate 292 to adjust the height of the shoe 301. The position of the shoe 692 relative to the snow plow blade may be adjusted relative to the surface to be plowed. The shoe 692 is secured in place using a retaining pin 696. Optionally, washers may also be inserted onto the post 694 to ensure the shoe 692 is tightly secured in place. It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that more than one shoe may be located on the intermediate section 282 and such shoes may be located in any position in which it would be convenient to secure a support shoe for support of the snow plow blade. For example, support shoes may be secured to one or both of the first and second sides 308 and 310 of the intermediate section 282 for adding additional support to the snow plow blade assembly 46.
Trip springs 700 and 702 are connected at one end to the eyebolts 214 on the tower 174 and to the tabs 316 and 326 on the intermediate section 282, respectively. The trip springs 700 and 702 will be used to bias the tower 174 and the reversible wings 50 and 51 into a trip return position and to resist movement of the tower 174 and the reversible wings 50 and 51 into the tripped position. Thus, the intermediate section 282 is pivotally mounted onto the tower 174 such that the trip springs 700 and 702 permit the tower 174 to move between a tipped forward position (as shown in
Accordingly, when the plow blade encounters and object, the trip springs 700 and 702 permit the top 188 (see
As illustrated in
In the preferred embodiment, the cushions 226 and 690 are made of polyurethane, such as, for example, Quazi formulated methylenebisdiphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) polyester-based 93 durometer (Shore A scale) polyurethane, available commercially from Kryptonics, Inc. under the trademark Kaptane 93 black.
Referring next to
In addition, bolts 710 are provided in each of the apertures 406, 408, 410, and 412 of the hinge brackets 402 and 404, respectively. The bolts 708 are secured into place by nuts 414, 416, 418 and 420 secured onto the apertures 406, 408, 410, and 412, respectively. The bolts 708 are adjustable to permit movement of the intermediate section 282 and act as limits to such movement.
Referring back to
Also not shown or discussed herein is the hydraulic system to operate the snow plow, the construction and operation of which is also well known to those skilled in the art. The swing cylinders 670 and 672 are used to pivot reversible wings 50 and 51, respectively. The hydraulic cylinder 624 (shown in
Turning next to
The snow plow is mounted onto the hitch frame nose piece 300 with the plow standing on the stand 640 (shown in
A this point, the hydraulic cylinder 624 (shown in
Turning next to
Next, as shown in
As shown in
At this point, one of the retaining pins 730 is inserted sequentially through the aperture 542 in the hitch bracket 510, the aperture 494 in the rear mounting support 440, the aperture 492 in the angled stock segment 452, and the aperture 540 in the hitch bracket 508 (all of which are best shown in
Turning next to
It may therefore be appreciated from the above detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention that it teaches a snow plow having reversible wings wherein the snow plow wing frame may be used on either side of a hinged/articulated snow plow. Thus, the reversible wing of the present invention completely eliminates the need for manufacture, assembly and purchase snow plow blade wings specifically designed for either the “left” or the “right” side of the hinged snow plow blade assembly. Accordingly, the reversible wing of the present invention is less expensive to manufacture than conventional hinged snow plow wings.
The reversible wing of the present invention is of high strength, yet it is light of weight. Accordingly, the present invention provides a lighter weight snow plow system in which the hydraulic system utilized in positioning each reversible wing is configured in a manner that increases the force and stability of the snow plow blade when in contact with heavy snow, and which requires a lighter hydraulic system. Thus, the snow plow wings, and hence, the snow plow blade can be of a lighter weight construction and yet can effectively remove snow. Such a light snow plow blade construction is light/easier to transport and causes less mechanical stress on the snow plow vehicle than other conventional hinged snow plow blade configurations.
The snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention is of a construction which is both durable and long lasting, and which will require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention is also of inexpensive construction to enhance its market appeal and to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention are achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
Although the foregoing description of the snow plow having reversible wings of the present invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications, variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
