# US 2014/0360057 A1 · Three-stage snow thrower > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360057 A1 - Document ID: US20140360057A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/467,464 - Filed: 2014-08-25 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-12 - Assignees: MTD Products Inc - Applicants: MTD Products Inc - Inventors: Ryan Cmich; Tim Dilgard; Jimmy N. Eavenson, SR.; Dave Hein; Joe Jocke; Amit Saha - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360057A1 ## CPC - E01H 5/098: {about horizontal or substantially horizontal axises perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction of clearing} - E01H 5/045: {Means per se for conveying or discharging the dislodged material, e.g. rotary impellers, discharge chutes (dislodging apparatus provided therewith E01H5/07, E01H5/08, E01H5/104, E01H5/12)} - E01H 5/09: the elements being rotary or moving along a closed circular path, e.g. rotary cutter, digging wheels - E01H 5/096: {about axes parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of clearing} - E01H: STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING {OR PREVENTING} FOG IN GENERAL {CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS}(cleaning in general B08B) ## Abstract A three-stage snow thrower having a housing, a power supply operatively connected to said housing, a longitudinal drive shaft extending from the power supply into the housing, and a lateral drive shaft extending rotatably attached to opposing side walls of the housing and being meshingly engaged with the longitudinal drive shaft within a gear assembly. The power supply drives the longitudinal drive shaft, thereby causing the longitudinal drive shaft to rotate, and at least a portion of such rotation is transferred to the lateral drive via a gear assembly. The first stage assembly includes a plurality of augers attached to the lateral drive shaft, wherein the first stage assembly pushes loosened snow axially toward the gear assembly. The second stage assembly includes at least one auger attached to the longitudinal drive shaft, wherein the second stage assembly pushes the snow from the first stage assembly axially rearward in a transverse manner relative to the first stage assembly. The third stage assembly includes an impeller that rotates to throw the snow from the second stage assembly through a chute attached to the housing to expel the snow from the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-stage snow thrower comprising: a power supply; a housing operatively connected to said power supply; a longitudinal drive shaft operatively connected to said power supply and at least a portion of said longitudinal drive shaft positioned within said housing, wherein said power supply selectively rotates said longitudinal drive shaft; a lateral drive shaft operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, wherein said lateral drive shaft is oriented transverse relative to said longitudinal drive shaft, and rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes rotation of said lateral drive shaft; a first stage assembly operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft for moving snow axially relative to said lateral drive shaft; a second stage assembly operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft for receiving said snow from said first stage assembly and moving said snow axially relative to said longitudinal drive shaft; and a third stage assembly operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft adjacent to said second stage assembly for receiving said snow from said second stage assembly and moving said snow radially into a chute attached to said housing to discharge said snow from said housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 1, wherein said first stage assembly includes at least two augers operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft, and rotation of said lateral drive shaft causes said at least two augers to rotate about said lateral drive shaft to move said snow axially along said lateral drive shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 2, wherein said first stage assembly includes two opposing augers operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft, and rotation of said lateral drive shaft causes each of said augers to rotate about said lateral drive shaft and move said snow axially toward the other of said augers along said lateral drive shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 1, wherein said second stage assembly includes at least one auger operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, and rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes said at least one auger to rotate about said longitudinal drive shaft to move said snow axially along said lateral drive shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 1, wherein said second stage assembly moves snow in a direction transverse relative to a direction said first stage assembly moves snow. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 1, wherein said third stage assembly includes an impeller operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, and rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes said impeller to rotate about said longitudinal drive shaft to move said snow radially away from said longitudinal drive shaft into said chute. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 1 further comprising a gear assembly operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft and said lateral drive shaft, wherein rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft is transferrable to said lateral drive shaft within said gear assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 7, wherein said longitudinal drive shaft includes a first worm gear formed into a portion of an outer surface thereof and said lateral drive shaft includes a second worm gear formed into a portion of an outer surface thereof, said first and second worm gears being in meshed engagement within said gear assembly. ### Claim 9 A three-stage snow thrower comprising: a housing, wherein a chute extends from said housing, and snow is expellable from said housing through said chute; a power supply operatively connected to said housing; a first stage assembly positioned within said housing, wherein said first stage assembly moves said snow in a lateral direction within said housing; a second stage assembly at least partially positioned within said housing, wherein said second stage assembly moves said snow longitudinally within said housing in a direction transverse to said lateral direction; and a third stage assembly positioned within said housing, wherein said third stage assembly moves said snow radially to said chute to be expelled from said housing; wherein said power supply is operatively connected to said first, second, and third stage assemblies for providing rotational power to each of said stage assemblies. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 9, wherein said first stage assembly includes a lateral drive shaft rotatably attached to opposing side walls of said housing and at least two augers operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 10, wherein said second stage assembly includes a longitudinal drive shaft selectively rotatable by said power supply and at least one auger operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, and said longitudinal drive shaft being operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft in a transverse relationship, wherein rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft produces rotation of said lateral drive shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 11 further comprising a gear assembly having a casing, wherein said longitudinal drive shaft is meshingly engaged with said lateral drive shaft within said housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 11, wherein said third stage assembly includes an impeller operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft. ### Claim 14 A three-stage snow thrower comprising: a housing, wherein a chute extends from said housing, and snow is expellable from said housing through said chute; a power supply operatively connected to said housing; a longitudinal drive shaft rotatably driven by said power supply, at least a portion of said longitudinal drive shaft extending between said power supply and a casing of a gear assembly; a lateral drive shaft rotatably attached to opposing side walls of said housing, said lateral drive shaft being meshingly engaged with said longitudinal drive shaft within said casing of said gear assembly, wherein rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes rotation of said lateral drive shaft through said meshing engagement therebetween; a first stage assembly operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft, wherein rotation of said lateral drive shaft causes said first stage assembly to move said snow within said housing toward said gear assembly; a second stage assembly operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, wherein rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes said second stage assembly to move said snow near said gear assembly toward said power supply; and a third stage assembly operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, wherein rotation of said longitudinal drive shaft causes said third stage assembly to move said snow from said second stage assembly toward said chute for expelling said snow from said housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 14, wherein said first stage assembly includes at least one auger operatively connected to said lateral drive shaft and located between said gear assembly and each of said opposing side walls of said housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The three-stage snow thrower of claim 14, wherein said second stage assembly includes a pair of augers operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft and located adjacent to said gear assembly, wherein a downstream auger of said second stage assembly is positioned between said gear assembly and said power supply and an upstream auger of said second stage assembly is positioned adjacent to an opposing side of said gear assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The three stage snow thrower of claim 14, wherein said third stage assembly includes an impeller operatively connected to said longitudinal drive shaft, said impeller being positioned adjacent to said chute and between said gear assembly and said power supply.