Convertible snow plow

A convertible snow plow comprising:

• a support frame having a forward end and a rearward end, said rearward end adapted to be mounted to a vehicle,
• a pair of plow blades hinged together along inboard ends of said blades at a hinge at said forward end of said support frame,
• an actuator having opposite ends, one end connected to said support frame, and
• a two-position linkage connected to the other end of said actuator and to at least one of said blades,
• wherein when said linkage is in the first position said blades are in a straight blade configuration and said actuator is operable to position said blades in straight blade forward, straight blade left, and straight blade right positions, and
• wherein when said linkage is in the second position said blades are in a V-blade configuration and said actuator is operable to position said blades in forward swept V and rearward swept V positions,
• said linkage includes a drive link and a connecting link, each having opposite ends,
• one end of said drive link is connected to one of said blades and the other end of said drive link is connected to said other end of said actuator,
• wherein when said linkage is in the first position one end of said connecting link is connected to one of said blades and the other end of said connecting link is connected to the other of said blades, and
• wherein when said linkage is in the second position said one end of said connecting link is connected to said one of said blades and said other end of said connecting link is connected to said other end of said actuator.

A convertible snow plow comprising:

• a support frame having a forward end and a rearward end, said rearward end adapted to be mounted to a vehicle,
• a pair of plow blades hinged together along inboard ends of said blades at a hinge at said forward end of said support frame,
• one and only one actuator having opposite ends, one end connected to said support frame, and
• a linkage connected to the other end of said actuator and to at least one of said blades,
• said actuator operable to position said blades in straight blade forward, straight blade angled left, straight blade angled right, forward swept V, and rearward swept V positions.

A convertible snow plow comprising:

• a support frame having a forward end and a rearward end, said rearward end adapted to be mounted to a vehicle,
• a pair of plow blades hinged together along inboard ends of said blades at a hinge at said forward end of said support frame,
• an actuator having opposite ends, one end connected to said support frame, and
• a linkage connected to the other end of said actuator and to at least one of said blades,
• said actuator operable to position said blades in straight blade forward, straight blade angled left, straight blade angled right, forward swept V, and rearward swept V positions,
• wherein said linkage includes a pair of links, and wherein opposite ends of one of said links are connected in a first manner for straight blade configuration and in a second different manner for V-blade configuration,
• wherein opposite ends of the other of said links are connected in the same manner for straight blade configuration and for V-blade configuration,
• wherein said one of said links is a connecting link and said other of said links is a drive link,
• wherein only said drive link is connected to said actuator for straight blade configuration and wherein both said links are connected to said actuator for V-blade configuration.

A method of converting a snow plow from a straight blade configuration to a V-blade configuration comprising:

• providing a support frame having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end adapted to be mounted to a vehicle,
• providing a pair of plow blades hinged together along inboard ends of the blades at a hinge at the forward end of the support frame,
• providing one and only one actuator having opposite ends, one end connected to the support frame,
• providing a two-position linkage connected to the other end of the actuator and to at least one of the blades,
• connecting the linkage in the first position,
• energizing the actuator to position the blades in straight blade forward, straight blade angled left, and straight blade angled right positions,
• connecting the linkage in the second position, and
• energizing the actuator to position the blades in forward swept V and rearward swept V positions.

A method of converting a snow plow from a straight blade configuration to a V-blade configuration comprising:

• providing a support frame having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end adapted to be mounted to a vehicle,
• providing a pair of plow blades hinged together along inboard ends of the blades at a hinge at the forward end of the support frame,
• providing an actuator having opposite ends, one end connected to the support frame,
• providing a two-position linkage connected to the other end of the actuator and to at least one of the blades,
• connecting the linkage in the first position,
• energizing the actuator to position the blades in straight blade forward, straight blade angled left, and straight blade angled right positions,
• connecting the linkage in the second position, and
• energizing the actuator to position the blades in forward swept V and rearward swept V positions,
• wherein the linkage includes a drive link and a connecting link, wherein opposite ends of the connecting link are connected in a first manner for straight blade configuration and in a second different manner for V-blade configuration, and wherein opposite ends of the drive link are connected in the same manner for straight blade configuration and for V-blade configuration.