The present invention relates to a support apparatus for securing a wing plow relative to a vehicle used for a wing plow application such as a truck, a loader or a grader.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a support apparatus for securing a material moving wing plow relative to a vehicle used for a wing plow application such as a: truck, a loader or a grader.
Wing plows are often used for removing snow from the hard shoulder of a highway. They are also used for smoothing limestone or other materials during a road-making or road repairing operation. The wing plow extends laterally from the side of a vehicle and includes a brace or braces for supporting the outboard end of the wing plow.
Various support arrangements have been proposed for supporting the inboard end of the wing plow. Such support arrangements usually include means for raising or lowering the wing plow because when the wing plow is not being used, the wing plow must be in a raised disposition when the truck or other vehicle is moving so that the wing plow is not in contact with the ground.
Many wing plow support arrangements employ pairs of parallel arms extending laterally outwards from the front nearside of a vehicle. The arrangement is such that in operation, the wing plow is permitted to rise and fall as it moves over the material being moved and with the bottom working edge of the wing plow remaining substantially parallel to the surface of the material.
However, with the aforementioned prior art wing plow support arrangements, there is a strong tendency for the working edge of the wing plow nearest to the vehicle to sink or dive into the material being moved. When this happens and the inboard end of the wing plow dives, the outboard end of the wing plow flies upwards and often causes damage to the side of the vehicle.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problem by providing a trailing link mechanism such that the inboard end and/or the outboard end of the wing plow is supported 15 by a support arm which in turn is supported by trailing links rather than the prior art laterally extending links.
Consequently, by the provision of the trailing links according to the present invention, the inventors have found that in actual trials, the wing plow moves remarkably smoothly over various materials being moved and that such trailing links avoid diving of the wing plow at the inboard end thereof.
Therefore, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a support apparatus for securing a material moving wing plow relative to a vehicle that overcomes the problems associated with prior art wing plow supports.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a support apparatus for securing a material moving wing plow relative to a vehicle which avoids diving of the wing plow into material in the vicinity of the support apparatus.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention contained herein.
The present invention relates to a support apparatus for securing a material moving wing plow relative to a vehicle. The support apparatus includes a beam having a first and a second end, the beam being rigidly secured to the vehicle. The term vehicle used throughout the present invention includes a vehicle used for a wing plow application such as a truck, a loader or a grader or any other type of vehicle suitable for supporting and operating a wing plow. A plate having a first and a second extremity is rigidly secured to the beam. A first trailing link is pivotally secured to the plate about a first pivotal axis. A second trailing link is pivotally secured to the plate about a second pivotal axis. A support arm is provided for supporting the wing plow. The support arm has a first termination and a second termination and is pivotally secured to the first trailing link about a third pivotal axis. Also, the support arm is pivotally secured to the second trailing link about a fourth pivotal axis. The first, second, third and fourth pivotal axes are spaced and parallel relative to each other so that when the vehicle moves in a forward direction, the third and fourth pivotal axes trail behind the first and second pivotal axes relative to the forward direction of the vehicle. The arrangement is such that during a plowing operation, the wing plow supported by the support arm moves smoothly over the material being moved so that a potential diving of the wing plow into the material in a vicinity of the support arm is avoided.
In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, an anchoring plate is secured to the first end of the beam for rigidly securing the beam to the vehicle.
Also, a further plate has a further first and a further second extremity. The further plate is rigidly secured to the beam between the plate and the first end of the beam.
A further first trailing link is pivotally secured to the further plate about the first pivotal axis.
Additionally, a further second trailing link is pivotally secured to the further plate about the second pivotal axis.
An arm has a further first termination and a further second termination. The arm is pivotally secured to the further first trailing link about the third pivotal axis. Also, the arm is pivotally secured to the further second trailing link about the fourth pivotal axis.
Moreover, a first ear extends from the beam, the first ear being disposed between the plate and the further plate.
Furthermore, a second ear extends from the beam, the second ear being disposed spaced and parallel relative to the first ear. The ears are disposed between the plate and the further plate.
A ram has a first and a second end, the first end of the ram being pivotally connected to the ears.
The ram is operably connected to a source of hydraulic pressure.
A first stud extends from the first trailing link, the first stud pivotally cooperating with the second end of the ram.
Also, a second stud extends from the further first trailing link, the second stud pivotally cooperating with the second end of the ram. The arrangement is such that, in operation, when the ram is actuated by the source of hydraulic pressure, the support arm and the arm are moved s relative to the beam.
Additionally, the support arm and the arm remain substantially parallel to the plate and further plate when moved by the ram.
A first extension extends from the support arm adjacent to the first termination, the first extension defining a first hole.
Further, a second extension extends from the support arm adjacent to the second termination, the second extension defining a second hole.
A support pin extends through the first and second holes for locking and supporting the wing plow relative to the support arm.
Many modifications and variation in the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, such modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope of the s present invention as defined by the appended claims. Included in such modifications would be the provision of a ram operably connected to a source of compressed air or any other type of ram such as an electrically operated ram or a mechanically operated lifting mechanism.
Similar reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various Figures of the drawings.
In a more specific embodiment of the present invention an anchoring plate 50 is secured to the first end 18 of the beam 16 for rigidly securing the beam 16 to the vehicle 14.
A further first trailing link 58 is pivotally secured to the further plate 52 about the first pivotal axis 30.
Additionally, a further second trailing link 60 is pivotally secured to the further plate 52 about the second pivotal axis 34.
An arm 62 has a further first termination 64 and a further second termination 66. The arm 62 is pivotally secured to the further first trailing link 58 about the third pivotal axis 42. Also, the arm 62 is pivotally secured to the further second trailing link 60 about the fourth pivotal axis 44.
Moreover, a first ear 68 extends from the beam 16, the first ear 68 being disposed between the plate 22 and the further plate 52.
Furthermore, a second ear 70 extends from the beam 16, the second ear 70 being disposed spaced and parallel to the first ear 68, the ear 70 being disposed between the plate 22 and the further plate 52.
As shown in
Also, as shown in
Additionally, the support arm 36 and the arm 62 remain substantially parallel to the plate 22 and the further plate 52 when moved as shown by arrow 84 by the ram 72 and by reaction of the working edge 85 of the wing plow 12 with the material 48 as shown in
As shown in
Further, a second extension 90 extends from the support arm 36 adjacent to the second termination 40, the second extension 90 defining a second hole 92.
A support pin 94 extends through the first and second holes 88 and 92 respectively for locking and supporting the wing plow 12 relative to the support arm 36.
In operation of the support apparatus 10, the anchoring plate 50 is rigidly secured to the front of the vehicle 14. When the wing plow 12 is moved laterally outwardly as indicated by the arrow 96 shown in
Additionally, the second end 76a of the ram 72a is pivotally connected to a strap 100 extending between the plates 22a and 52a.
Therefore, the present invention provides a unique wing plow support arrangement in which the wing plow moves smoothly over the material being removed while avoiding having the wing plow dive into the material at the inboard end of the wing plow.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/804,948, which was filed on Aug. 2, 2010 and fully incorporated herein by reference. Not applicable.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12804948 | Aug 2010 | US |
Child | 14069800 | US |