COMBINATION SNOW BLOWER AND PLOW, AND RETROFIT KIT
A combination snow blower and plow apparatus provides at least two operating configurations including (i) a standard-width snow blowing configuration, and (ii) an expanded-width plowing and blowing configuration. Optionally, the apparatus may further be capable of an expanded-width snow plowing configuration. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a pair of snow-pushing plate assemblies that are pivotably attached to a snow blower mechanism, and are repositionable or reconfigurable to provide different plowing or blowing configurations, such as by directing snow into a snow blower intake or by pushing an accumulation of snow ahead of the blower mechanism. In other embodiments, the apparatus includes a pair of removable snow-pushing wings. The snow-pushing plate assemblies may be configured as a kit for retrofitting existing snow blowers. Optionally, inlet-blocking plates may be used to block the snow blower intake and form a substantially continuous plow across the front of the snow blower mechanism.
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The present application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/481,419, filed May 2, 2011, and of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/598,515, filed Feb. 14, 2012, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to snow moving equipment, and more particularly, to powered snow blowers or throwers and snow plows.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTwo primary types of powered snow-moving equipment include (i) snow blowers or throwers that receive snow through an inlet and use a powered auger or rotary paddle to discharge the snow a distance away from the snow blower, and (ii) snow plows that use one or more blades to push the snow from one area to another, generally without lifting the snow from the ground.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides, in its various forms, a combination snow blower and snow plow apparatus that can be readily converted between a pure snow blowing configuration, and/or a pure snow plowing configuration, and/or a hybrid snow blowing and plowing configuration. This allows an operator to select an optimal configuration for a given situation such as variations in the snow depth and/or density, the size or shape of an area to be cleared of snow, or the presence of obstructions. The combination snow blower and plow apparatus includes a substantially conventional snow blower mechanism, but includes one or more movably-mounted snow-pushing plates or blades that can be retracted or extended depending on whether the operator wishes to push snow or direct it into (or away from) the snow blower using the snow-pushing plates. The plates can also be moved to the retracted non-use position to operate the apparatus in a pure snow blower configuration. Optionally, an inlet-blocking plate is coupled to each snow-pushing plate for selectively blocking the snow from entering the snow blower intake. Thus, the combination snow blower and plow apparatus is configurable to clear a path that is substantially wider than the snow blower mechanism itself, either by pushing the snow as a plow, or by directing the snow into or away from the snow blower intake using wings or plates that extend out from the snow blower mechanism.
In one form of the present invention, a combination snow blower and plow apparatus including a snow blower mechanism with a housing having opposite sides defining a snow inlet portion and a snow discharge portion in communication with the snow inlet portion. The apparatus further includes a snow-pushing plate pivotably coupled to one of the opposite sides of the housing, with a support strut for supporting the plate at different angles relative to the housing. The snow-pushing plate is independently pivotable between a plurality of extended snow-pushing positions in which the snow-pushing plate extends outwardly at an angle from a respective one of the sides of the housing, and also to a retracted position in which the snow-pushing plate is positioned alongside and generally parallel to the opposite side of the housing. The support strut has first and second strut portions that are coupled to the side of the housing and the snow-pushing plate, respectively, the first and second strut portions being repositionable relative to one another to provide different lengths of the support strut for supporting the snow-pushing plate in the plurality of extended snow-pushing positions. The first and second strut portions are selectively pivotable relative to one another at a joint portion for positioning the snow-pushing plate at the retracted configuration. When the snow-pushing plate is in the extended snow-pushing position, the snow-pushing plate is operable to direct snow either toward or away from the snow inlet portion as the snow blower mechanism is moved through an accumulation of snow, and when the snow-pushing plate is in the retracted configuration, the snow-pushing plates substantially do not engage the snow or only minimally engage the snow to push the snow away from the respective sides of the housing as the snow blower mechanism is moved through the accumulation of snow.
In another form of the present invention, a retrofit kit is provided for use with a snow blower having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides, the snow blower further having a snow discharge portion in communication with the snow inlet portion. The kit includes a plate assembly configured for attachment to the snow blower, the plate assembly including a mounting plate, an outwardly-extendable snow-pushing plate, and a support strut. The mounting plate has a forward end portion and a rearward end portion, and is configured for attachment to one of the opposite sides of the snow blower housing. The snow-pushing plate is coupled to the mounting plate via a hinge and configured to be pivotally movable between an extended snow-pushing configuration in which the snow-pushing plates extend outwardly at an angle from the snow blower, and a retracted configuration in which the snow-pushing plates are positioned alongside and generally parallel to the opposite sides of the housing of the snow blower. The support strut has first and second strut portions that are coupled to the rearward end portion of the mounting plate and the snow-pushing plate, respectively. The support strut supports the snow-pushing plate in the extended snow-pushing position, while the first and second strut portions are selectively pivotable relative to one another at a joint portion for positioning the snow-pushing plate at the retracted configuration.
Optionally, the mounting plate includes a support tab that projects outwardly to support the support strut when the first and second strut portions are pivoted relative to one another at the joint portion and the snow-pushing plate is in the retracted configuration.
Optionally, an elastic retaining cord is provided which has a tethered proximal end portion coupled to one of the snow-pushing plate and the mounting plate, the retainer cord further having a distal end portion with an enlarged portion or member having a larger cross sectional dimension than a diameter of the retainer cord. A receiving element is coupled to the other of the snow-pushing plate and the mounting plate, and defines an opening having a smaller cross sectional dimension than the enlarged portion or member at the distal end portion of the retainer cord. The opening of the receiving element is configured to selectively receive a portion of the retainer cord while the receiving element is engaged by the enlarged portion or member, to thereby retain the snow-pushing plate in the retracted position.
The snow-pushing plate or plates may each include an inboard edge portion that is configured to extend inboard of the respective opposite side of the snow blower housing when the snow-pushing plate or plates are in the extended position. This allows the snow-pushing plate or plates to direct an accumulation of snow into the snow inlet portion of the snow blower housing including the inboard edge portion, to thereby prevent a portion of the accumulation of snow from passing through a gap defined between the snow-pushing plate or plates and the respective opposite side of the snow blower housing, as the snow blower mechanism is moved through the accumulation of snow.
In one aspect, the apparatus includes a mounting plate that is coupled to the housing for mounting the snow-pushing plate to the housing. The mounting plate includes at least one track that defines a longitudinal slot, and the snow-pushing plate includes a pin at a proximal end portion thereof. The pin of the snow-pushing plate is received in the longitudinal slot of the track to permit both translating and pivoting movement of the snow-pushing plate relative to the mounting plate.
In another aspect, the snow-pushing plate is pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis to permit movement of the snow-pushing plate from one of the extended snow-pushing positions to the retracted position.
Optionally, the snow-pushing plate is pivotably coupled to a pivot-mount plate, and the pivot-mount plate is pivotably coupled to the snow blower housing for rotation of the pivot-mount plate and the snow-pushing plate about the substantially horizontal pivot axis. A fastener may be provided at the pivot-mount plate; the fastener spaced radially from the substantially horizontal pivot axis and configured to selectively engage the snow blower housing side at two locations corresponding to the retracted and extended positions of the snow-pushing plate.
According to another form of the present invention, a combination snow blower and plow apparatus includes a snow blower mechanism having a housing with opposite sides, and at least one snow-pushing plate that is movably coupled to one of the sides of the housing. The snow blower housing defines a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides, and has a snow discharge portion in communication with the snow inlet portion. The snow-pushing plate is movable between an extended snow-pushing configuration in which the plate extends outwardly at an angle from the side of the housing, and a retracted configuration in which the snow-pushing plate is positioned alongside and generally parallel to the side of the housing. When the snow-pushing plate is in the extended snow-pushing configuration, the snow-pushing plate is capable of pushing an accumulation of snow ahead of the plate and may direct the snow toward the snow inlet portion as the snow blower mechanism is driven or moved forward. When the snow-pushing plate is in the retracted configuration, the snow-pushing plate does not engage the snow, or only minimally engages the snow to push the snow away from the side of the housing as the snow blower mechanism is moved forward.
In one aspect, a support member is coupled between the snow-pushing plate and the side of the housing to which the plate is pivotally attached, for fixedly supporting the snow-pushing plate in the extended snow-pushing configuration.
In another aspect, the apparatus includes a snow-pushing plate coupled to each side of the housing. The snow-pushing plates are independently movable or pivotable between respective extended and retracted configurations.
In yet another aspect, the apparatus includes a respective inlet-blocking plate that is movably coupled to each of the snow-pushing plates. The inlet-blocking plates are repositionable between an inlet-blocking use configuration, in which the inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially obstruct the snow inlet portion of the snow blower mechanism, and a stored configuration in which the inlet-blocking plates are positioned along the respective snow-pushing plates. When the inlet-blocking plates are positioned in their respective inlet-blocking use configurations, the inlet-blocking plates cooperate to limit or prevent snow from entering the snow inlet or intake of the snow blower mechanism as the apparatus is moved through an accumulation of snow. This allows the snow blower mechanism to push the snow in front of the snow blower mechanism, rather than permitting the snow to enter the snow inlet. Optionally, the inlet-blocking plates are pivotally coupled to respective snow-pushing plates.
In a further aspect, one of the inlet-blocking plates includes a first latch member portion, and the other inlet blocking plate includes a second latch member portion. When the inlet-blocking plates are in their respective inlet-blocking use configurations, the first and second latch member portions are engageable with one another to retain the inlet-blocking plates in their respective inlet-blocking use configurations.
Optionally, one of the latch member portions includes a slide member and the other latch member portion includes a receiver. The slide member substantially aligns for engagement with the receiver when the inlet-blocking plates are in their respective inlet-blocking use configurations.
In a still further aspect, each of the inlet-blocking plates and each of the snow-pushing plates includes a flexible scraper blade at a lower end portion of the respective plate. Optionally, these flexible scraper blades are replaceable.
In another aspect, the snow blower mechanism of the apparatus is a two-stage snow blower having an intake auger positioned in the snow inlet portion, and a discharge fan positioned in the snow discharge portion.
In yet another aspect, the apparatus is used in combination with a tractor that is operable to drive the snow blower mechanism through an accumulation of snow, and to simultaneously and/or selectively power the snow blower mechanism to forcibly discharge snow through the snow outlet.
According to another form of the present invention, a plate assembly is provided for attachment to a snow blower. The plate assembly includes a pair of outwardly-extendable snow-pushing plates and an inlet-blocking plate attached to each snow-pushing plate. Each snow-pushing plate is pivotally coupled to an opposite side of a snow blower via respective hinges, and is movable between an extended snow-pushing configuration in which the snow-pushing plates extend outwardly at an angle from the snow blower, and a retracted configuration in which the snow-pushing plates are positioned alongside and generally parallel to the snow blower. The inlet-blocking plates are pivotally coupled to the snow-pushing plate via respective hinges, and are repositionable between an inlet-blocking configuration in which the inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially obstruct a snow inlet portion of the snow blower, and a stored configuration in which the inlet-blocking plates are positioned along the respective snow-pushing plates. When the inlet-blocking plates are positioned in their respective inlet-blocking configurations, the inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially limit or prevent snow from entering the snow blower so that the snow blower is operable to push the snow with the inlet-blocking plates when the snow blower is moved through an accumulation of snow. When the snow-pushing plates are positioned in their respective snow-pushing configurations, the snow-pushing plates cooperate with the inlet-blocking plates to clear the snow from a surface in the manner of a snow plow having an overall width that is greater than that of the snow blower.
According to yet another form of the present invention, a retrofit kit is provided for a snow blower. The snow blower for which the retrofit kit is intended typically has a housing with opposite sides and defines a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides. The snow blower further includes a snow discharge portion in communication with the snow inlet portion. The kit includes a pair of plate assemblies, each with a snow-pushing plate, an inlet-blocking plate, and hinges for pivotally mounting the snow-pushing plates and inlet-blocking plates. The snow-pushing plates are configured to be pivotally coupled to opposite sides of the snow blower and movable between an extended snow-pushing configuration in which the snow-pushing plates extend outwardly at an angle from the snow blower, and a retracted configuration in which the snow-pushing plates are positioned alongside and generally parallel to the snow blower. Hinges are provided for coupling each snow-pushing plate to the snow blower. The inlet-blocking plates are configured to be pivotally coupled to each snow-pushing plate so that the inlet-blocking plates being repositionable between an inlet-blocking configuration in which the inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially obstruct the snow inlet portion of the snow blower, and a stored configuration in which the inlet-blocking plates are positioned substantially along the respective snow-pushing plates. Additional hinges are provided for coupling each inlet-blocking plate to a respective snow-pushing plate.
According to another form of the present invention, a combination snow blower and plow apparatus includes a snow blower mechanism and a removable snow-pushing wing assembly. The snow blower mechanism includes a housing with opposite sides that define a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides, the snow blower mechanism further having a snow discharge portion in communication with the snow inlet portion. The snow-pushing wing assembly includes a snow-pushing surface and a mounting surface with a first mounting track disposed at the mounting surface. A second mounting track is disposed at one of the sides of the housing, and is configured for releasable engagement with the first mounting track. A fastener is positioned at the mounting surface of the snow-pushing wing assembly for selectively engaging the one of the sides of the housing and for securing the snow-pushing wing assembly at the housing when the first and second mounting tracks engage one another. The snow-pushing wing assembly is separable from the housing upon disengagement of the fastener from the one of the sides of the housing, and upon disengagement of the first mounting track from the second mounting track. Optionally, a pair of snow-pushing wing assemblies and corresponding mounting tracks may be provided separately from the snow blower mechanism, as in a wing assembly kit for mounting to an existing snow blower.
In one aspect, one of the mounting tracks has an I-shaped cross section and the other mounting tracks has a C-shaped cross section for receiving a portion of the I-shaped cross section. Optionally, at least two of the first mounting tracks and at least two of the second mounting tracks are provided, for engagement with corresponding ones of the first mounting tracks.
In another aspect, the mounting tracks are oriented substantially vertically and are configured to permit substantially vertical sliding movement of the snow-pushing wing assembly relative to the snow blower housing when the fastener is disengaged from the snow blower housing.
In a further aspect, a flexible or semi-rigid scraper blade is positioned along a lower end portion of the snow-pushing surface.
Accordingly, the combination snow blower and plow apparatus of the present invention provides an operator with two or more of the options of (i) using the snow blower in a conventional manner, i.e., with the snow-pushing plates and inlet-blocking plates in their respective retracted positions, (ii) using the apparatus in a plowing configuration in which the snow-pushing plates and inlet-blocking plates are extended to form a substantially continuous snow-pushing surface that limits or blocks snow from entering the snow blower intake, and (iii) using the apparatus in a hybrid plowing/blowing arrangement in which the snow-pushing plates are extended and the inlet-blocking plates are retracted, so that the snow-pushing plates direct snow from beyond the opposite sides of the snow blower housing into the snow intake, so that an enlarged path of snow can be cleared and discharged through the discharge portion of the snow blower mechanism. The arrangement allows the combination snow blower and plow to be used or stored in a compact configuration with the plates retracted, or to be configured for use in an expanded-width configuration that allows the apparatus to be used as either a snow blower or a snow plow.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a combination snow blower and plow 10 includes a snow blower mechanism 12 having a housing 14, to which left and right snow-pushing plate assemblies 16a, 16b are attached. Snow blower mechanism 12 includes a front intake or inlet portion 18 and a discharge portion 20 for receiving and ejecting or discharging snow, respectively, as the combination snow blower and plow 10 is pushed through an accumulation of snow in certain configurations. Left snow-pushing plate assembly 16a and right snow-pushing plate assembly 16b are each independently repositionable or reconfigurable between (i) a full-width plowing configuration in which intake portion 18 is substantially blocked (
Snow blower mechanism 12 may be a substantially conventional one or two stage snow blower. In the form shown in
The two-stage snow blower mechanism 12 of the illustrated embodiment includes respective left and right opposite sides or sidewalls 14a, 14b of housing 14. Left and right sidewalls 14a, 14b define the left and right ends of intake portion 18, and rotatably support intake auger 22 at respective bushings or bearings 28a, 28b in a conventional manner. A respective support tab 30a, 30b extends rearwardly from a rear portion of each sidewall 14a, 14b. A propeller shaft 32 projects rearwardly from discharge portion 20 for driving engagement by a drive shaft of a tractor or the like, and extends forwardly into housing 14 to drive intake auger 22 via a gearbox 34. Blower fan 24 comprises a plurality of fan blades extending outwardly from propeller shaft 32 where it passes through discharge portion 20 of snow blower mechanism 12.
In the illustrated embodiment, each snow-pushing plate assembly 16a, 16b includes a respective outwardly-extendable and substantially planar snow-pushing wing or plate 36a, 36b that is pivotably coupled to the respective left or right sidewall 14a, 14b of housing 14 via a respective hinge 38a, 38b. Each snow-pushing plate assembly 16a, 16b further includes a respective inlet-blocking plate 40a, 40b that is pivotally coupled to a respective wing 36a, 36b via a hinge 42a, 42b. A removable support member or rod 44a, 44b extends from a respective one of support tabs 30a, 30b at the rear of left and right sidewalls 14a, 14b of housing 14, to a respective support tab 46a or 46b that extends rearwardly from the distal end portion of each outwardly-extended wing 36a or 36b. A housing recess 48 extends laterally inwardly along housing 14, from each of left and right sidewalls 14a, 14b (near support tabs 30a, 30b), and receives or accommodates support tabs 46a, 46b when the wings 36a, 36b are pivoted or folded rearwardly to an out-of-use configuration as shown in
Hinges 38a, 38b permit wings 36a, 36b to be positioned between an angled, outwardly-extending snow-pushing or snow-channeling configuration (
In the illustrated embodiment, the length of each support rod 44a, 44b is selected so that outwardly-extended wings 36a, 36b are angled forwardly from left and right sidewalls 14a, 14b by an angle that is about twenty degrees forward of perpendicular, as best shown in
For example, longer support rods will position wings 36a, 36b further forward (i.e., at a greater or more obtuse angle relative to the respective sidewall 14a, 14b), and shorter support rods will allow the outwardly-extending wings 36a, 36b to be positioned at angles closer to perpendicular to sidewalls 14a, 14b, or even at acute angles relative to the sidewalls, which would tend to push snow away from the sidewalls 14a, 14b like a wedge, without channeling it into intake 18. Optionally, the support rods may be configured as adjustable-length rods to allow for infinite varying of the angles of the respective wing 36a, 36b. Optionally, the support rods may further include spring shock absorbers that allow the rod to expand and contract such as when a solid object is encountered by one of the wings, to permit at least limited pivoting movement or angle-variation of the respective outwardly-extending wings 36a, 36b.
Hinges 42a, 42b permit inlet-blocking plates 40a, 40b to be positioned between an inlet-blocking or plowing configuration (
Optionally, the hinges that attach the inlet-blocking plates to the wings may be arranged to have the same pivotal axis as the hinges that attached the wings to the sidewalls of the snow blower mechanism. For example, the hinges that attach the inlet-blocking plates to the wings may be arranged to have the same pivotal axis as the hinges that attached the wings to the sidewalls, while allowing the inlet-blocking plates to pivot at least about 270 degrees with respect to the snow blower mechanism and the wings. This would allow the inlet-blocking plates to be deployed to the inlet-blocking position regardless of the position of the wings, so that the combination snow blower and snow plow could be operated as a regular-width snow plow without the added surface-clearing width of the extended wings, if desired.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, each wing 36a, 36b includes a respective flexible scraper blade 58a, 58b along a lower end portion thereof. Likewise, inlet-blocking plates 40a, 40b include respective flexible scraper blades 60a, 60b at their bottom end portions. The flexible scraper blades may be removable and replaceable as wear items, and their flexibility or resilience permits substantial clearing of a surface of accumulated snow while accommodating surface variations that might otherwise lift the snow-pushing plate assemblies 16a, 16b above the surface being cleared. The flexible scraper blades 58a, 58b and 60a, 60b may be made of stiff rubber or polymeric material, for example, which remains at least somewhat compliant or resilient in sub-freezing temperatures.
Each substantially planar wing 36a, 36b includes a respective forwardly-projecting upper edge portion 62a, 62b that stiffens the wings to help limit or prevent flexing of the wings as the combination snow blower and plow 10 is pushed forwardly through an accumulation of snow. Optionally, a rearward-projecting upper edge portion and/or other stiffening elements such as angled edge portions or stiffening ribs may be used to strengthen or stiffen each wing as desired. In the illustrated embodiment, inlet-blocking plates 40a, 40b are shorter in height than the wings 36a, 36b to which they are attached, and thus block only a lower portion of intake 18 when they are in their respective inlet-blocking configurations, such as shown in
Optionally, and as shown in
Accordingly, the present invention provides a combination snow blower and plow that can be operated in any of at least three different modes or configurations for pushing/plowing snow and/or blowing or discharging snow a distance away from the combination snow blower and plow. Combination snow blower and plow 10 can be readily configured by an operator to a pure plowing configuration with wings 36a, 36b extended outwardly from left and right sidewalls 14a, 14b, and with inlet-blocking plates 40a, 40b extended and latched in their inlet-blocking positions (
The combination snow blower and plow 10 can be pushed or pulled along a surface to be cleared of snow by a tractor 64 (
Optionally, another combination snow blower and plow of the present invention may be reconfigurable between a standard-width snow blowing configuration and one of a plurality of expanded-width snow blowing and clearing configurations. For example, and with reference to
Each snow-pushing plate assembly 116 includes a mounting plate 162 attached to a respective left or right sidewall 114a, 114b of housing 114 (
In the illustrated embodiment, snow-pushing plates 136 are two-piece units including a molded body 164 defining a substantially planar front panel 166 and a perimeter wall 168, which cooperate to stiffen the snow-pushing plates while also defining a rear cavity 170 (
A flexible scraper blade 158 is attached to a lower portion of each front panel 166 via a plurality of fasteners 172, which extend through front panel 166 and are secured where they protrude into rear cavity 170 (
Flexible scraper blade 158 includes an inboard edge portion 158b that extends laterally beyond front panel 166 of molded body 164, in the vicinity of hinge 138, such as shown in
Optionally, and with reference to
The mounting arrangement of backing plate 240 and scraper blade 258 permits the operator to independently select and set the height of scraper blade 258 relative to molded body 264, and to independently select and set the height of backing plate 240 relative to molded body 264 and scraper blade 258, to thereby adjust the degree to which scraper blade 258 contacts a ground surface to be cleared, and to adjust the stiffness of scraper blade 258. For example, by adjusting backing plate 240 to a lower position in which its lower edge 240a is in close proximity to a lower edge 258a of scraper blade 258, backing plate 240 provides increased support and stiffness for scraper blade 258 as the blade is moved across the surface being cleared. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous when clearing surfaces of dense snow, heavy slush, or ice accumulations in which a stronger and stiffer scraper blade is helpful to clear the heavy accumulations. By adjusting backing plate 240 to a higher position in which its lower edge 240a is further separated (i.e. positioned further above) the lower edge 258a of scraper blade 258, backing plate 240 provides less support for scraper blade 258, which allows the scraper blade 258 to flex more and provide more of a “squeegee” effect as it moves along the surface being cleared. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous when clearing surfaces of light snow or other low-density or light-weight accumulations, which do not require a stiff scraper blade, and which may be more effectively cleared when surface undulations can be accommodated by a more flexible scraper blade.
Backing plate 240 and scraper blade 258 include respective inboard edge portions 240b, 258b that extend laterally beyond front panel 266 of molded body 264, in the vicinity of hinge 238 (
Each support strut 144 includes a tubular forward strut portion 144a receiving a rearward strut portion 144b in a telescoping arrangement that permits the overall length of support strut 144 to be adjusted by an operator, to thereby select the desired angle of each snow-pushing plate 136 relative to housing 114. Forward strut portion 144a couples to snow-pushing plate 136 at support tab 146 (
Forward strut portion 144a is longitudinally separable from rearward strut portion 144b regardless of whether lock pin 178a is in place, such as shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, rearward portion 180b of elastic cord 180 is looped around and through a ring 186 at rearward strut portion 144b, which permits elastic cord 180 to pivot at ring 186, and which also permits elastic cord 180 to bend or flex at joint region 184, such as best shown in
This arrangement has several advantages, including (i) lock pin 178a need only be inserted in one of the holes 179 of rearward strut portion 144b, and does not need to be aligned with additional holes in the forward strut portion; (ii) lock pin 178a need not be removed from rearward strut portion 144b in order to separate the strut portions prior to moving snow-pushing plate 136 to its retracted configuration; and (iii) snow blower housing 144 can more easily be moved backwards through an accumulation of snow because elastic cord 180 can stretch to permit the plates 136 to pivot forwardly if they contact snow or other obstructions while moving backwards, and the plates will return to the angled position set by lock pin 178a after the obstructions are cleared or the housing 114 is again moved forwardly. Optionally, however, it is envisioned that cross-drilled holes may be formed or established in the forward strut portion so that these holes may be selectively aligned with holes 179 in rearward strut portion. In such an arrangement, lock pin 178a may be positioned in the aligned holes of the forward and rearward strut portions to effectively lock the strut portions together and thereby substantially prevent pivoting movement of the corresponding snow-pushing plate 136 in either direction until the lock pin is removed.
At its rearward end, rearward strut portion 144b has a 90-degree bend that is received in an opening in the tab 188 formed by the rearward end portion 162b of mounting plate 162, such as shown in
Each snow-pushing plate 136 may be selectively retained in its retracted configuration by a retainer system that includes an elastic retainer cord 190 having a knob or ball 192 at its distal end, and a forked receiving element 194 defined by rearward end portion 162b of mounting plate 162. As best shown in
Receiving element 194 includes two spaced and rearwardly-extending retainer tabs 200 defining a channel 202 therebetween for receiving a portion of elastic retainer cord 190 (
The angle of each snow-pushing plate 136 relative to snow blower housing 114 may be adjusted by removing the lock pin 178a at joint region 184 of support strut 144, adjusting the overall length of support strut 144 by axially sliding forward strut portion 144a relative to rearward strut portion 144b until the desired hole 179 is exposed, and re-inserting the lock pin 178a into the desired hole 179 to thereby fix the support strut 144 at its new length, to provide the desired plate angle. For example, at longer lengths of support strut 144, the snow-pushing plates 136 will funnel snow into the intake portion 118 of snow blower housing 114, to permit the snow blower mechanism 112 to clear a larger width path through an accumulation of snow than would be possible without the plates. At an intermediate length of support struts 144, the snow-pushing plates 136 may each be set at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to the corresponding sidewalls of housing 114, so that the snow-pushing plates 136 will push snow ahead of the plates as the snow blower mechanism is moved forward through an accumulation of snow, but will not substantially bias the snow toward or away from the intake portion 118 of housing 114. At shorter lengths of support strut 144, snow pushing plates 136 will be angled rearwardly to push an accumulation of snow laterally outwardly away from housing 114 as the snow blower mechanism 112 is pushed forwardly through an accumulation of snow.
To reconfigure the snow-pushing plates 136 from one of the extended positions to the fully retracted position, the lock pin 178a at joint region 184 may be left in place in the rearward support strut 144b while forward strut portion 144a is pulled outwardly until it separates from rearward strut portion 144b. This may be accomplished by moving the corresponding snow-pushing plate 136 to an over-extended forward position, such as shown in
As described above, the forward and rearward strut portions 144a, 144b remain attached to one another at joint region 184 by elastic cord 180. The elastic cord 180 permits the strut portions to be pivoted to substantially any degree relative to one another (e.g., approximately 170-180 degrees when snow-pushing plate 136 is fully retracted), such as shown in
Optionally, if the operator wishes to remove one or both snow-pushing plates 136 from snow blower housing 114, this may be accomplished by removing the lock pin 178b where the bent end portion of rearward support strut 144b passes through tab 188 of the rearward end portion 162h of mounting plate 162, and by removing a hinge pin 204 of hinge 138. Hinge pin 204 is removed by grasping an upper gripping portion 204a of the hinge pin, and pulling the hinge pin upwardly to leave only mounting plate 162 attached to the corresponding sidewall of snow blower housing 114 (
It will be appreciated that combination snow blower and plow apparatus 110 may be fitted with inlet-blocking plates pivotably mounted at respective ones of the respective snow-pushing plates, in substantially the same manner as described above with reference to apparatus 10 with its inlet-blocking plates 40a, 40b. The operation of the inlet-blocking plates would be substantially the same, and would provide apparatus 110 with the ability to be operated in a pure plowing configuration, by substantially blocking inlet 118.
Optionally, another combination snow blower and plow apparatus of the present invention includes snow-pushing plate assemblies that are pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis between extended use and retracted non-use positions. For example, and with reference to
Each snow pushing plate assembly 316 includes a snow-pushing plate 318 that is pivotally coupled to a pivot-mount plate 320 via a hinge 322. An adjustable-length support strut 324 is coupled between a rear support member 326, one of which is mounted to each of the snow blower housing sidewalls 314a and 314b, and a forward support member 328, one of which is mounted to a rear surface of each snow-pushing plate 318. Each pivot-mount plate 320 is pivotally coupled to a respective housing sidewall 314a or 314b via a pivot pin 330 or the like (
Support strut 324 includes a forward strut portion 324a and a rearward strut portion 324b, the latter being telescopingly received inside of forward portion 324a. A joint region 334 is defined generally where rearward portion 324b enters forward portion 324a, with each portion of the support strut 324 having one or more through-holes or cross-bores 336 (
Pivot mount plate 320 and snow-pushing plate 318 are substantially free to pivot about pivot pin 330 when the fastener associated with knob 332 is disengaged from the corresponding snow blower housing sidewall 314a or 314b. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener associated with knob 332 is a threaded shaft that is received in one of two threaded bores 340a, 340b (
With snow-pushing plate 318 and pivot mount plate 320 in the raised non-use position of
Typically, it is desirable to first position snow-pushing plate 318 in substantially co-planar or parallel alignment with pivot-mount plate 320 prior to pivoting snow-pushing plate assembly 316 to the raised non-use position. This is shown, for example, in
Adjustable-length support strut 324 remains coupled to both rear support member 326 and forward support member 328 when plate assembly 316 is moving between the lowered use position and the raised non-use position. To facilitate this, each of the support members 326, 328 includes a respective stationary bracket portion 326a, 328a and a respective pivotable sleeve or barrel portion 326b, 328b. Barrel portion 326b forms an opening that receives a bent tip portion 329 of rear strut portion 324b, while barrel portion 328b is coupled to a forward tip portion 331 of forward strut portion 324a, such as shown in
For example, barrel portion 328b of forward support member 328 pivots approximately 30-35 degrees (clockwise, as shown in
Accordingly, snow-pushing plate assemblies 316 may be moved from the extended or lowered use positions to the retracted or raised non-use positions by removing lock pin 338 from cross bores 336 in joint region 334 of support strut 324, pivoting snow-pushing plate 318 forwardly until it is substantially coplanar or parallel with pivot-mount plate 320 (double-arrow A2 in
Thus, combination snow blower and plow apparatus 310 can be repositioned between its use and non-use positions simply by removing one pin and one threaded fastener, pivoting the snow-pushing components upwardly, and re-setting the threaded fastener to secure the snow-pushing wing in the raised non-use position. It will be appreciated that other types of fasteners may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and, further, that the snow-pushing plate assemblies may be provided as a retrofit kit for attachment to an existing standard snow blower housing or the like.
Referring now to
Mount plate 420 may be formed from a single sheet of metal, such as steel or aluminum alloy, by forming or establishing longitudinal slots 432 prior to bending the upper and lower end portions of the plate to form the upper and lower tracks 422a, 422b, and cutting a central hole or opening 421 to provide access to an auger-mounting region of each snow blower housing sidewall 414a, 414b. Upper track 422a and lower track 422b of mount plate 420 each defines a respective longitudinal slot 432 having enlarged semi-circular openings 434a and 434b (
Each pin 436a, 436b has a diameter that is substantially equal to or smaller than the width of longitudinal slot 432 formed in the respective upper and lower tracks 422a, 422b of mount plate 420. This permits the pins 436a, 436b to slide or translate along longitudinal slots 432 and freely enter the enlarged openings 434a, 434b at each end of longitudinal slot 432. Thus, upper and lower pins 436a, 436b permit snow-pushing plate 418 to pivot relative to mount plate 420, and also permit the snow-pushing plate 418 to slide along upper and lower tracks 422a, 422b when repositioning the snow-pushing plate 418 between an extended use position (
Each pin 436a, 436b further includes a lower shoulder or enlarged-diameter portion 438 (
It will be appreciated that the force of gravity will tend to cause snow-pushing plate 418 and its pins 436a, 436b to drop relative to mount plate 420 and tracks 422a, 422b, which would tend to disengage the shoulder portion 438 of each pin 436a, 436b from the respective enlarged openings 434a, 434b. Therefore, a biasing member such as a compression spring 440 (
To accomplish this upward-biasing or lifting effect, compression spring 440 is disposed between an upper washer 442 and a middle washer 442b, which are positioned in spaced arrangement along upper pin 436a and above the upper track 422a (
Each snow-pushing plate 418 includes a flexible scraper blade 446 coupled to a support plate 448, which in turn is pivotably coupled to a lower end portion of snow-pushing plate 418 via a hinge 450 that defines a substantially horizontal pivot axis, such as shown in
Hinge 450 permits support plate 448 and flexible scraper blade 446 to pivot forwardly (as indicated by curved arrow A3 in
To move snow-pushing plates 418 from their extended use positions of
Snow-pushing plate 418 is then manually urged downwardly against the upward biasing force of compression spring 440, as indicated by arrow A4 in
In the stowed, non-use position, the rearward strut portion 424b is substantially fully retracted inside of forward strut portion 424a (
Thus, combination snow blower and plow apparatus 410 can be repositioned between its use and non-use positions by lifting only the relatively light-weight scraper blade portion, and then pivoting and sliding the snow-pushing wing rearwardly alongside the snow blower housing to its retracted and stowed position, while the support strut remains coupled between the housing and the snow-pushing wing. Snow-pushing plate assemblies 416 may be provided separately from the snow blower mechanism, such as for use as a retrofit kit that can be attached to an existing snow blower via mechanical fasteners, for example.
Referring now to
Each snow-pushing wing 516 includes a body portion 518 having a substantially planar forward snow-pushing surface 520, an upper lip 522 that projects forwardly of forward snow-pushing surface 520, and perimeter walls 524a-d that extend rearwardly from forward surface 520 and upper lip 522. As best shown in
A pair of vertically-aligned mounting rails 530 are positioned in spaced arrangement along inboard perimeter wall 524d of body 518. Each mounting rail 530 has a generally I-shaped cross section for engaging a corresponding C-shaped bracket 532 that is positioned along each sidewall 514a, 514b of snow blower housing 514 (FIGS. 45 and 47-49). Each snow-pushing wing 516 may be moved up and down relative to snow blower housing 514, with mounting rails 530 slidably engaging the corresponding brackets 532 for installation and removal of the wings 516, such as shown in
Snow-pushing wing 516 is at its optimal height when a bore 534 (
Accordingly, snow-pushing assemblies 516 are simple and lightweight structures that are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Although it is envisioned that a provision could be made for mounting the wings to a snow blower housing in a non-use position, such as a raised position or on top of the housing, the embodiment described herein is intended for simple installation and removal of the wings, which would typically be stored separately from the snow blower mechanism when they are not in use. Wings 516 may be readily retrofitted or adapted for installation on a standard snow blower, such as by attaching brackets 532 to the snow blower sidewalls and drilling or establishing a bore for receiving the fastener 535 associated with knob 538, for example.
Thus, the combination snow blower and plow apparatuses of the present invention can be used to push or plow snow from a surface on which the snow has accumulated, and may be reconfigured to clear an extra-wide path while discharging snow some distance away from the blower using the blower mechanism. The apparatus can also be operated as a conventional or standard-width snow blower in which the wings and inlet-blocking plates are folded rearwardly against the sidewalls of the housing. This reconfigurability allows areas of snow accumulation to be rapidly cleaned in a plowing mode, which may be particularly useful in areas of minimal snow or in particularly heavy/wet snow that is difficult to discharge an appreciable distance using the snow blower mechanism. Larger snow accumulations may best be cleaned by use of the snow blower mechanism, either with or without the wings extended to expand the width of the path cleared by the snow blower and plow in a single pass. This allows snow to be discharged well away from the surface being cleared, such as to prevent undesired buildups of snow on the edges of cleared areas. It is envisioned that the snow-pushing plate assemblies and their respective hinges (when so-equipped) may be provided as a retrofit kit for attachment to existing snow blowers or snow blower mechanisms.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.
Claims
1. A combination snow blower and plow apparatus comprising:
- a snow blower mechanism having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between said opposite sides, said snow blower mechanism further having a snow discharge portion in communication with said snow inlet portion;
- a snow-pushing plate pivotably coupled to one of said opposite sides of said housing, said snow-pushing plate being independently pivotable between a plurality of extended snow-pushing positions in which said snow-pushing plate extends outwardly at an angle from a respective one of said sides of said housing, and a retracted position in which said snow-pushing plate is positioned alongside and generally parallel to said one of said opposite side of said housing;
- a support strut having first and second strut portions that are coupled to said side of said housing and to said snow-pushing plate, respectively, said first and second strut portions being repositionable relative to one another to provide different lengths of said support strut for supporting said snow-pushing plate in said plurality of extended snow-pushing positions, and said first and second strut portions being further repositionable relative to one another for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position; and
- wherein when said snow-pushing plate is in said plurality of extended snow-pushing positions, said snow-pushing plate is operable to direct snow toward said snow inlet portion as said snow blower mechanism is moved through an accumulation of snow, and when said snow-pushing plate is in said retracted position, said snow-pushing plates do not substantially engage the snow as said snow blower mechanism is moved through the accumulation of snow.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second strut portions are configured in telescoping arrangement, and at least one of said strut portions comprises a plurality of lateral bores in spaced arrangement near a joint portion of said support strut, said lateral bores for selectively receiving a pin which, when disposed in one of said bores, substantially fixes said strut portions relative to one another, thereby fixing at least one of the minimum length and the maximum length of said support strut.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first and second strut portions are selectively pivotable relative to one another at said joint portion of said support strut for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position with said first and second strut portions at least partially separated and pivoted relative to one another.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an elastic cord for coupling said first and second strut portions to one another, said elastic cord configured to act as a hinge that couples said first and second strut portions together when said strut portions are pivoted relative to one another for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a mounting plate coupled to said housing for mounting said snow-pushing plate to said housing, wherein said mounting plate comprises a support tab that projects outwardly for supporting said support strut when said first and second strut portions are pivoted relative to one another at said joint portion and said snow-pushing plate is in said retracted position.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said snow-pushing plate is pivotable about a substantially vertical pivot axis to move said snow-pushing plate from one of said extended snow-pushing positions to said retracted position.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:
- an elastic retainer cord having a tethered proximal end portion coupled to one of said snow-pushing plate and said housing of said snow blower mechanism, said retainer cord further having a distal end portion comprising an enlarged portion having a larger cross sectional dimension than a diameter of said retainer cord;
- a receiving element coupled to the other of said snow-pushing plate and said housing, said receiving element defining an opening having a smaller cross sectional dimension than said enlarged portion at said distal end portion of said retainer cord; and
- wherein said opening of said receiving element is configured to selectively receive a portion of said retainer cord when said receiving element is engaged by said enlarged portion, to thereby retain said snow-pushing plate in the retracted position.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said enlarged portion of said retainer cord comprises a generally spherical knob.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a mounting plate that is coupled to said housing for mounting said snow-pushing plate to said housing, said mounting plate comprising at least one track defining a longitudinal slot, and said snow-pushing plate comprising a pin at a proximal end portion thereof, said pin of said snow-pushing plate being received in said longitudinal slot of said track to permit both translating and pivoting movement of said snow-pushing plate relative to said mounting plate.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said snow-pushing plate is pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis to move said snow-pushing plate from one of said extended snow-pushing positions to said retracted position.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a pivot-mount plate to which said snow-pushing plate is pivotably coupled, wherein said pivot-mount plate is pivotably coupled to said snow blower housing for rotation about said substantially horizontal pivot axis.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a fastener at said pivot-mount plate, said fastener spaced radially from said substantially horizontal pivot axis and configured to selectively engage said snow blower housing side at two locations corresponding to said retracted and extended positions of said snow-pushing plate.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- one of said snow-pushing plates pivotably coupled to each of said opposite sides of said housing;
- an inlet-blocking plate movably coupled to each of said snow-pushing plates, said inlet-blocking plates being repositionable between an inlet-blocking use configuration in which said inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially obstruct said snow inlet portion, and a stored configuration in which said inlet-blocking plates are positioned substantially along said respective snow-pushing plates; and
- wherein when said inlet-blocking plates are positioned in their respective inlet-blocking use configurations, said inlet-blocking plates cooperate to substantially limit or prevent snow from entering said snow inlet as said snow blower mechanism is moved through the accumulation of snow, so that said snow blower mechanism is operable to push the snow in front of said snow blower mechanism.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said snow-pushing plate comprises an inboard edge portion that extends inboard of the respective opposite side of the snow blower housing when said snow-pushing plate is in the extended position, whereby an accumulation of snow is directed into the snow inlet portion of the snow blower housing by the snow-pushing plate, including said inboard edge portion, to thereby prevent an accumulation of snow from passing between said snow-pushing plate and the respective opposite side of the snow blower housing as the snow blower mechanism is moved through the accumulation of snow.
15. A combination snow blower and plow apparatus comprising:
- a snow blower mechanism having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between said opposite sides, said snow blower mechanism further having a snow discharge portion in communication with said snow inlet portion;
- a snow-pushing plate pivotably coupled to one of said opposite sides of said housing, said snow-pushing plate being independently pivotable between a plurality of extended snow-pushing positions in which said snow-pushing plate extends outwardly at an angle from a respective one of said sides of said housing, and a retracted position in which said snow-pushing plate is positioned alongside and generally parallel to said one of said opposite side of said housing;
- a support strut extending between said snow-pushing plate and said one of said opposite sides of said housing for supporting said snow-pushing plate in said extended position;
- an elastic retainer cord having a tethered proximal end portion coupled to said snow-pushing plate and said housing, said retainer cord further having a distal end portion comprising an enlarged portion having a larger cross sectional dimension than a diameter of said retainer cord;
- a receiving element coupled to the other of said snow-pushing plate and said housing, said receiving element defining an opening having a smaller cross sectional dimension than said enlarged portion at said distal end portion of said retainer cord; and
- wherein said opening of said receiving element is configured to selectively receive a portion of said retainer cord while said receiving element is engaged by said enlarged portion to thereby retain said snow-pushing plate in the retracted position.
16. A retrofit kit for a snow blower, the snow blower having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides, the snow blower further having a snow discharge portion in communication with said snow inlet portion, said kit comprising:
- a pair of plate assemblies configured for attachment to the snow blower, each of said plate assemblies comprising: a mounting plate having a forward end portion and a rearward end portion, said mounting plate configured for attachment to one of the opposite sides of the snow blower housing; an outwardly-extendable snow-pushing plate coupled to said mounting plate via a hinge and configured to be pivotally movable between an extended snow-pushing position in which said snow-pushing plate extends outwardly at an angle from the snow blower, and a retracted position in which said snow-pushing plate is positioned alongside and generally parallel to the snow blower; a support strut having first and second strut portions that are coupled to said rearward end portion of said mounting plate and said snow-pushing plate, respectively, said support strut for supporting said snow-pushing plate in said extended snow-pushing position, and said first and second strut portions being selectively repositionable relative to one another for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position.
17. The retrofit kit of claim 16, wherein said first and second strut portions are configured in telescoping arrangement, and at least one of said strut portions comprises a plurality of lateral bores in spaced arrangement near said joint portion, said lateral bores for selectively receiving a pin which, when disposed in one of said bores, substantially fixes said strut portions relative to one another, thereby fixing at least one of the minimum length and the maximum length of said support strut.
18. The retrofit kit of claim 15, wherein said first and second strut portions are pivotable relative to one another at a joint portion of said support strut for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position.
19. The retrofit kit of claim 18, further comprising an elastic cord for coupling said first and second strut portions to one another, said elastic cord configured to act as a hinge coupling said first and second strut portions together when said strut portions are pivoted relative to one another for positioning said snow-pushing plate in said retracted position.
20. The retrofit kit of claim 19, further comprising:
- an elastic retainer cord having a tethered proximal end portion coupled to said snow-pushing plate, said retainer cord further having a distal end portion comprising an enlarged portion with a larger cross sectional dimension than a diameter of said retainer cord;
- a receiving element coupled to said rearward end portion of said mounting plate, said receiving element defining an opening having a smaller cross sectional dimension than said enlarged portion at said distal end portion of said retainer cord; and
- wherein said opening of said receiving element is configured to selectively receive a portion of said retainer cord while said receiving element is engaged by said enlarged portion, to thereby retain said snow-pushing plate in the retracted position.
21. The retrofit kit of claim 20, wherein said mounting plate comprises a support tab projecting outwardly between said forward and rearward end portions, said support tab configured to support said support strut when said first and second strut portions are pivoted relative to one another at said joint portion and said snow-pushing plate is in said retracted position.
22. The retrofit kit of claim 21, further comprising:
- an elastic retainer cord having a tethered proximal end portion coupled to one of said snow-pushing plate and said mounting plate, said retainer cord further having a distal end portion comprising an enlarged portion having a larger cross sectional dimension than a diameter of said retainer cord;
- a receiving element coupled to the other of said snow-pushing plate and said mounting plate, said receiving element defining an opening having a smaller cross sectional dimension than said enlarged portion at said distal end portion of said retainer cord; and
- wherein said opening of said receiving element is configured to selectively receive a portion of said retainer cord while said receiving element is engaged by said enlarged portion, to thereby retain said snow-pushing plate in the retracted position.
23. A combination snow blower and plow apparatus comprising:
- a snow blower mechanism having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between said opposite sides, said snow blower mechanism further having a snow discharge portion in communication with said snow inlet portion;
- a snow-pushing wing assembly comprising a snow-pushing surface and a mounting surface with a first mounting track disposed at said mounting surface;
- a second mounting track disposed at one of said sides of said housing, said second mounting track configured for releasable engagement with said first mounting track;
- a fastener positioned at said mounting surface of said snow-pushing wing assembly for selectively engaging said one of said sides of said housing and operable to secure said snow-pushing wing assembly at said housing when said first and second mounting tracks are in engagement with one another; and
- wherein said snow-pushing wing assembly is separable from said housing upon disengagement of said fastener from said one of said sides of said housing, and upon disengagement of said first mounting track from said second mounting track.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein one of said first and second mounting tracks comprises an I-shaped cross section and the other of said first and second mounting tracks comprises a C-shaped cross section for receiving a portion of the I-shaped cross section.
25. The apparatus of claim 23, comprising at least two of said first mounting tracks and at least two of said second mounting tracks, wherein each of said second mounting tracks corresponds to a respective one of said first mounting tracks.
26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said first and second mounting tracks are oriented substantially vertically and are configured to permit substantially vertical sliding movement of said snow-pushing wing assembly relative to said snow blower housing when said fastener is disengaged from said snow blower housing.
27. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a flexible scraper blade positioned along a lower end portion of said snow-pushing surface.
28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said wing assembly comprises a unitarily formed body that includes said snow-pushing surface and said mounting surface.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said unitarily formed body comprises molded resinous plastic.
30. A retrofit kit for a snow blower, the snow blower having a housing with opposite sides and defining a snow inlet portion between the opposite sides, the snow blower further having a snow discharge portion in communication with said snow inlet portion, said kit comprising:
- a pair of snow-pushing wings, each wing comprising a snow-pushing surface and a mounting surface;
- a first mounting track disposed at said mounting surface of each of said wings;
- a second mounting track configured for coupling to each of said sides of said housing, said second mounting track configured for releasable engagement with said first mounting track; and
- a fastener configured to be positioned at said mounting surface of said snow-pushing wing assembly for selectively engaging said one of said sides of said housing, wherein said fastener is operable to secure said snow-pushing wing assembly at said housing when said first and second mounting tracks are in engagement with one another.
31. The retrofit kit of claim 30, wherein said wings each comprise a unitarily formed body that includes said snow-pushing surface and said mounting surface.
32. The retrofit kit of claim 31, wherein said unitarily formed body comprises molded resinous plastic.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 23, 2012
Publication Date: Nov 8, 2012
Applicant: (Chassell, MI)
Inventors: Cal G. Niemela (Chassell, MI), Terry L. Lahti (Houghton, MI)
Application Number: 13/428,295
International Classification: E01H 5/04 (20060101); E01H 5/06 (20060101); E01H 5/09 (20060101);