Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to snowthrowers and, more particularly, to an auger housing and resilient ground surface scraper for use with the same.
Snowthrowers are known for clearing snow from ground surfaces such as driveways and walkways. Such machines typically fall into one of two categories: single-stage; and multi-stage. An example of the latter is a two-stage snowthrower that includes a rigid helical auger (first stage) extending transversely across an auger housing, the housing having a front-facing collection opening. Snow is collected in the auger housing as the snowthrower moves forwardly, wherein the auger cuts the snow and moves it transversely toward a discharge area. Once the snow reaches the discharge area, a high-speed impeller (second stage) ejects the snow outwardly away through a directional discharge chute. Wheels or other powered propulsion members are typically included to propel the snowthrower over the ground surface during snowthrower operation.
Conversely, single-stage snowthrowers typically achieve both snow collection and ejection using a single, horizontally-extending high-speed auger. Single-stage snowthrowers generally lack a dedicated propulsion system, although some may utilize ground contact of the high-speed auger to assist with snowthrower propulsion.
Embodiments described herein may provide a snowthrower including an auger housing having spaced-apart first and second sidewalls connected to one another by a rear wall to define a front-facing collection opening, wherein the rear wall includes a lower edge. The snowthrower further includes: an auger positioned within the auger housing between the collection opening and the rear wall; and a resilient scraper connected to the lower edge of the rear wall, the resilient scraper extending downwardly from the rear wall toward a ground surface.
In another embodiment, a snowthrower is provided that includes an auger housing again having spaced-apart first and second sidewalls connected to one another by a rear wall to define a front-facing collection opening, wherein the rear wall includes a lower edge. The auger housing may be supported upon a ground surface at least partially by first and second skids attached to the first and second sidewalls, respectively. The snowthrower further includes an auger positioned within the auger housing between the collection opening and the rear wall. The auger includes an auger shaft having first and second end portions terminating at or near the first and second sidewalls, respectively, wherein the auger shaft defines an auger axis intersecting the sidewalls. The auger shaft is configured to rotate, relative to the auger housing, about the auger axis. The auger further includes at least one flight attached to, and radially spaced-apart from, the auger shaft. A resilient scraper is also provided and forms a cantilever having an upper end connected to the lower edge of the rear wall, wherein the resilient scraper extends downwardly toward the ground surface to terminate at a lower end.
In still another embodiment, a self-propelled snowthrower vehicle is provided that includes a chassis having a front end and a rear end, the rear end spaced-apart from the front end along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The chassis may further include a control tower extending upwardly at or near the rear end. The vehicle further includes: ground-engaging members adapted to support a portion of the chassis upon a ground surface; a support platform attached to the chassis at or near the rear end and configured to support an operator; and a snowthrower attached to the chassis. The snowthrower includes: an auger housing having spaced-apart first and second sidewalls connected to one another by a rear wall to define a front-facing collection opening, the rear wall comprising a lower edge; an auger positioned within the auger housing between the collection opening and the rear wall; and a resilient scraper attached to the lower edge of the rear wall, the resilient scraper extending downwardly from the rear wall toward the ground surface.
The above summary is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation. Rather, a more complete understanding of illustrative embodiments will become apparent and appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments and claims in view of the accompanying figures of the drawing.
Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the figures of the drawing, wherein:
The figures are rendered primarily for clarity and, as a result, are not necessarily drawn to scale. Moreover, various structure/components, including but not limited to fasteners, electrical components (wiring, cables, etc.), and the like, may be shown diagrammatically or removed from some or all of the views to better illustrate aspects of the depicted embodiments, or where inclusion of such structure/components is not necessary to an understanding of the various exemplary embodiments described herein. The lack of illustration/description of such structure/components in a particular figure is, however, not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the various embodiments in any way.
In the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying figures of the drawing which form a part hereof. It is to be understood that other embodiments, which may not be described and/or illustrated herein, are certainly contemplated.
All headings presented are for the convenience of the reader and should not be used to limit the meaning of any text that follows the heading, unless so specified. Moreover, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, and all terms expressing direction/orientation (e.g., vertical, horizontal, parallel, perpendicular, etc.) in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified by the term “about.” The term “and/or” (if used) means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements. The term “i.e.” is used as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est and means “that is.” The term “e.g.” is used as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia and means “for example.”
In general, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to snowthrowers and to vehicles incorporating the same. Such snowthrowers may include a rigid (e.g., metal) auger housing having spaced-apart first and second sidewalls connected to one another by a rear wall to define a front-facing collection opening, wherein the rear wall includes a lower edge. An auger or auger assembly may be positioned within the auger housing between the collection opening and the rear wall. Snowthrowers in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may also include a resilient scraper attached to the lower edge of the rear wall. The resilient scraper may extend downwardly from the rear wall toward a ground surface upon which the snowthrower operates.
During snowthrower operation, various obstacles may be encountered. For instance, utility covers such as handhole and manway covers may protrude (e.g., due to frost heave) above the surrounding ground surface. These generally immovable obstacles, which may be difficult for an operator to detect beneath snow, can cause damage to the auger housing should the obstacle be of sufficient height to catch on the lower edge of the rear wall. This potential for damage is elevated in commercial/contract operator settings due to, for example, operator unfamiliarity with the presence of such obstacles on the property, and potentially higher ground speed snowthrower operation often associated with commercial usage.
To address this problem, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a resilient lip or scraper extending along the transverse lower edge of the rear wall of the auger housing. As a result, instead of contact with the rigid auger housing, elevated obstacles may instead contact the resilient scraper, which may then deflect sufficiently to ride up and over the obstacle as further described below.
In the following description, the resilient scraper may be described as a component separate from the remainder of the auger housing. Such a distinction is for simplicity of description, however, as the scraper may also be considered to be part (e.g., form the ultimate lower edge) of the auger housing itself.
The term “resilient” may be used herein to describe a member or material having the ability to elastically recover to its initial size and shape after deformation (e.g., after deflecting, bending, compressing, stretching). Examples of resilient materials include, but are not limited to, elastomers such as rubber (natural and synthetic), silicone, and polyurethane.
It is noted that the terms “have,” “include,” “comprise,” and variations thereof, do not have a limiting meaning, and are used in their open-ended sense to generally mean “including, but not limited to,” where the terms appear in the accompanying description and claims. Further, “a,” “an,” “the,” “at least one,” and “one or more” are used interchangeably herein. Moreover, relative terms such as “left,” “right,” “front,” “fore,” “forward,” “rear,” “aft,” “rearward,” “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” and the like may be used herein and, if so, are from the perspective shown in the particular figure, or while the vehicle 100/snowthrower 200 is in an operating configuration (e.g., while the vehicle 100 is positioned such that wheels 106 and 108 rest upon a generally horizontal ground surface 103 as shown in
With reference to the figures of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and assemblies throughout the several views,
The vehicle 100 may include a traction frame or chassis 102 supporting a prime mover, e.g., internal combustion engine 104 or electric motor. A pair of ground-engaging members (e.g., first (left) and second (right) drive wheels 106) may be coupled for rotation, respectively, to the left and right rear sides of the chassis to support and propel the vehicle 100 relative to the ground surface 103. A transmission (not shown) may be configured to power one or both of the first and second drive wheels 106. In the illustrated embodiment, each drive wheel 106 may be powered by its own transmission (e.g., by its own hydrostatic motor and pump) powered by the engine 104. Other transmissions, e.g., mechanical gear- or pulley-driven systems, single or independent electric motors, etc. are also possible.
Operator controls 110 are provided and permit independent control of the speed and direction of each drive wheel 106, allowing control of vehicle speed and direction from a walking or riding (e.g., standing) position. A pair (e.g., left and right) of front caster wheels 108 (only left wheel 108 visible in
Although the illustrated vehicle has the drive wheels 106 in the rear and caster wheels 108 in front, this configuration is not limiting. For example, other embodiments may reverse the location of the wheels, e.g., drive wheels in front and driven or undriven wheels in back, while other embodiments may replace the wheels with other members such as tracks or skis. Moreover, still other configurations may use different wheel configurations altogether, e.g., a tri-wheel configuration or a vehicle using conventionally steered (e.g., Ackermann-type) wheels. Accordingly, most any wheeled, tracked, or other configuration is contemplated.
The exemplary vehicle 100 may further include a support platform 120 attached to the chassis 102 at or near a rear end 109 thereof and configured to support a standing operator. In some embodiments, the platform may be moved between a deployed position as shown in
As further illustrated in
The snowthrower 200 (described in more detail below) may include an auger housing partially enclosing one or more helical augers as is known in the art. The auger(s) may be operatively powered by the engine 104 (e.g., mechanically or via a hydraulic system). That is, during operation, power is selectively delivered to the snowthrower 200, whereby the auger(s) rotate to collect snow, while a powered impeller ejects the collected snow through a discharge chute as also described below.
In some embodiments, the vehicle 100 may be a utility vehicle such as the GrandStand Multi Force model utility vehicle sold by The Toro Company of Bloomington, Minn., USA. Such a utility vehicle is adapted to receive a variety of different attachments such as snowthrowers, plow blades, lawn mower cutting decks, debris blowers, etc. However, most any snowthrower, including dedicated and non-dedicated snowthrower machines configured for ride-on, walk-behind, remote, or autonomous control are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure.
With reference to
The housing 202 may also include an upper wall 203 and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls 212 connected to one another by a rear wall 214 such that the housing forms a front-facing collection opening 210 positioned forward of the auger 206. The auger may be positioned between the collection opening 210 and the rear wall 214 as shown in
The auger may also include an auger shaft 209 having first and second end portions terminating at or near the first and second sidewalls 212, respectively, and defining an auger axis 211 intersecting the sidewalls such that the auger shaft is configured to rotate, relative to the auger housing, about the auger axis. The auger may also include at least one flight 207 (described below) attached to, and radially spaced-apart from, the auger shaft/auger axis, for example, by arms 205 (see
As used herein, “longitudinal axis” or “longitudinal direction” refers to a long axis of the vehicle 100 or snowthrower 200, e.g., the centerline longitudinal axis 111 extending in the travel or fore-and-aft direction as shown in
The housing 202 may also define a discharge opening or outlet 216 and a discharge chute 220. The discharge chute 220 may be operatively coupled to the housing 202 such that the discharge chute 220 fluidly communicates with the discharge outlet 216 so that snow within the housing 202 may be ejected through the discharge chute 220 (via the discharge outlet 216). The discharge chute 220 may be adapted to rotate about a chute axis and may include an adjustable deflector to direct snow exiting the discharge chute 220.
The auger 206 may be configured to rotate, relative to the housing 202, about the auger axis 211. A helix angle of the auger 206 may be configured to transport snow entering the collection opening 210 of the housing 202 towards the center of the housing. Specifically, the auger may include two (left and right) auger sections, wherein the helix angles and rotational direction of the auger sections transport snow captured between the sidewalls 212 and direct it towards the center of the collection opening 210.
Along the rear wall 214 near the center of the collection opening 210, the snow may enter an impeller chamber 241 (see
The impeller 240 may be operatively powered by the engine 104 to rotate about an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis 111 (see
Auger housings in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may also incorporate a resilient scraper 260 as shown in
While a single scraper element could be provided extending across the entire desired length, multiple segments may permit increased flexibility, resulting in more effective obstacle traversal. In yet other embodiments, a single segment spanning most or all of the desired length may be provided, but include one or more slits or cuts (e.g., slits vertical or perpendicular to the lower edge 215 of the rear wall) along the length of the scraper to provide similar deflection capabilities as a multi-segmented scraper.
As further shown in
While shown using the fasteners 266 and retaining members 268, such a configuration is not limiting. In fact, most any configuration is contemplated that permits an upper end of the resilient scraper to connect (e.g., be secured relative) to the lower edge 215 of the rear wall 214 such that the resilient scraper forms a cantilever or cantilevered member having an unsupported lower end.
In some embodiments, the openings 272 of the resilient scraper 260 may be vertically elongated to permit vertical adjustment of the position of the resilient scraper. Such adjustment may be beneficial to, for example, change the effective cantilever length and/or ground clearance of the resilient scraper, or to adjust the scraper as wear occurs.
While not wishing to be bound to any specific material or material properties, the resilient scraper 260 (e.g., each of the segments 260L, 260C, and 260R), may in some embodiments, be formed of polyurethane sheet having a thickness of 0.2 to 0.5 inches (e.g., 0.38 inches) and a durometer of 70 to 90 Shore A (e.g., 80 Shore A). Such a configuration may provide sufficient thickness to scrape snow effectively, while providing the desired deformation properties to permit obstacle traversal.
Each section (left and right) of the auger 206 may include one or more helical flights 207 connected to the auger shaft 209 by arms 205 such that the flights may rotate with the shaft. As the flights 207 rotate, they define a surface of revolution 213 about the auger axis 211, the surface of revolution 213 spaced-apart from the ground surface 103 (during normal snowthrower operation) by an auger offset distance 217. While not wishing to be bound to any particular geometry, the auger offset distance 217 may, in some embodiments, be 1 to 2 inches (e.g., 1.5 inches). The auger offset distance 217 may create an auger clearance zone 219 between the auger (surface of revolution 213) and the ground surface 103 as shown. Of course, the auger offset distance may vary, potentially significantly, depending on other parameters and ground surface conditions, as well as particular snowthrower geometry.
To ensure collection of snow located within the clearance zone 219, the resilient scraper 260 may be attached to the lower edge 215 of the rear wall 214 such that the resilient scraper extends downwardly from the rear wall toward the ground surface 103 (i.e., a lower end 215A of the resilient scraper extends downwardly into the auger clearance zone 219) as shown. In some embodiments, the lower end 215A of the resilient scraper 260 may extend downwardly to a position at or near the ground surface 103 as shown. Once the resilient scraper 260 is installed, the lower end 215A may effectively form the lower edge of the rear wall of the auger housing.
During snowthrower operation, the snowthrower may move forwardly (in the direction 201) such that snow enters the housing 202 through the collection opening 210. As snow enters the collection opening, the auger sections move the snow toward the impeller 240 (see
As stated elsewhere herein, an obstacle 300 (e.g., handhole, manway, etc.) may exist beneath the snow. Should the obstacle 300 impact either of the skids 208, a front ramp 218 of the skid (see
Snowthrowers in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may thus allow traversal of various ground obstacles without damage that could otherwise occur using a conventional snowthrower with a more rigid scraper edge.
The complete disclosure of the patents, patent documents, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each were individually incorporated. In the event that any inconsistency exists between the disclosure of the present application and the disclosure(s) of any document incorporated herein by reference, the disclosure of the present application shall govern.
Illustrative embodiments are described and reference has been made to possible variations of the same. These and other variations, combinations, and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it should be understood that the claims are not limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.
This application claims priority to and/or the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/131,148, filed Dec. 28, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63131148 | Dec 2020 | US |