V-shaped snowplow blade having trip edges
AssigneeVenture Products, Inc.
InventorMichael S. Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A V-blade for a snowplow, a snowplow incorporating the V-blade and a method of use thereof. The blade includes left and right wings engaged with one another. A trip edge is provided on each wing and includes a lower section of moldboard, a cutting edge, and a snow shield. Each trip edge engages an upper section of the associated moldboard via a biasing assembly. The biasing assembly biases the trip edge into alignment with the moldboard's upper section and also biases the trip edge towards a central vertical axis. When the V-blade strikes an obstacle on the surface during snow removal, the trip edges individually pivot about a horizontal axis extending along a shaft of the associated biasing assembly. The trip edges subsequently translate linearly along the horizontal axis and away from the vertical axis.
Claims17
A V-blade for a snowplow comprising:
- a left wing;
- a right wing;
- and
- a trip edge provided on each of the left wing and the right wing;
- wherein each trip edge has a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom;
- wherein each trip edge is adapted to be tripped during use by encountering an obstacle on a surface being cleared of snow by the V-blade;
- wherein the trip edge undergoes a first motion and a subsequent second motion when the trip edge is tripped, and the second motion is different from the first motion;
- and
- wherein the first motion is rotational motion about a horizontal axis and the subsequent second motion is linear motion along the horizontal axis.
A V-blade for a snowplow comprising:
- a left wing;
- a right wing;
- and
- a trip edge provided on each of the left wing and the right wing;
- wherein each trip edge has a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom;
- wherein the first degree of freedom is rotational motion about a horizontal axis and the second degree of freedom is linear motion along the horizontal axis;
- wherein each trip edge is adapted to be tripped by encountering an obstacle on a surface being cleared of snow by the V-blade;
- and
- a cam provided on the trip edge, wherein the cam transforms the rotational motion to the linear motion.
In combination:
- a utility vehicle;
- a blade adapted to clear snow from a surface;
- and
- a hitch assembly that detachably engages the blade to the utility vehicle, wherein the hitch assembly is operable to manipulate the blade relative to the surface being cleared of snow;
- wherein the blade includes:
- a moldboard and a trip edge provided on each of a left wing and a right wing of the blade, wherein each trip edge has a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom relative to the associated moldboard, wherein each trip edge is adapted to trip by encountering an obstacle on the surface being cleared of snow;
- wherein the trip edge undergoes a first motion and a subsequent second motion when the trip edge is tripped, and the second motion is different from the first motion;
- wherein the trip edge moves through the first motion and the second motion when the blade is in a V-configuration and the trip edge is tripped;
- and
- wherein the first motion when the trip edge is tripped is rotation about a horizontal axis;
- and the second motion when the trip edge is tripped is linear motion along the horizontal axis.
A method of preventing damage to a V-blade of a snowplow comprising:
- operatively engaging a left wing and a right wing of the V-blade with a central shaft;
- providing a trip edge on a moldboard of each of the left wing and the right wing of the V-blade;
- biasing the trip edge into alignment with the moldboard;
- biasing the trip edge toward the central shaft;
- pivoting the trip edge relative to the moldboard about a horizontal axis when the trip edge impacts an obstacle on a surface from which the V-blade is clearing snow;
- and
- translating the trip edge linearly in a first direction along the horizontal axis when the trip edge pivots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.