Flexible wing apparatus and method
AssigneesFrançois Vachon, Alain Duchesne
InventorFrançois Vachon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a wing apparatus for snow removal to remove snow and ice debris from an ice rink area delimited by boards without damaging the boards. The wing apparatus includes a first end configured for attaching the wing to the snow removal machine; a second end having at least one bearing roller for rolling on the boards; and a portion there between for receiving and directing the snow and ice debris towards the snow removal machine. Several mechanisms are disclosed to adapt the wing to be flexible to different operating ranges from the boards without damaging the boards.
Claims20
A wing apparatus suitable for cooperation with a snow removal machine operating to remove snow from an ice rink area delimited by boards without damaging the boards, the wing apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first end configured for attaching the wing to the snow removal machine;
- (b) a second end having at least one bearing roller for rolling on the boards;
- and
- (c) a portion there between for receiving and directing the snow towards the snow removal machine;
- thereby preventing damage to the boards in the event that the wing apparatus contacts the boards by operation of the at least one bearing roller to protect the boards of the ice rink against friction of the wing, while enabling the snow removal machine to remove snow.
A wing apparatus suitable for cooperation with a surface material removal machine operating to remove surface material from an area delimited by boards without damaging the boards, the wing apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first end configured for attaching the wing to the removal machine;
- (b) a second end having at least one bearing roller for rolling on the boards;
- and
- (c) a portion there between for receiving and directing the matter towards the removal machine;
- thereby preventing damage to the boards in the event that the wing apparatus contacts the boards by operation of the at least one bearing roller while enabling the removal machine to remove the material.
A method of operating a snow removal machine to remove snow from an ice rink area delimited by boards without damaging the boards, the method including the steps of:
- (a) providing a wing apparatus comprising:
- (i) a first end configured for attaching the wing to the snow removal machine;
- (ii) a second end having at least one bearing roller for rolling on the boards;
- and
- (iii) a portion there between for receiving and directing the snow and ice debris towards the snow removal machine;
- (b) if the snow removal machine is below a predetermined distance from the boards, operating the snow removal machine so that the bearing roller rolls on the boards;
- and
- (c) if the snow removal machine is above the predetermined distance from the boards, operating the snow removal machine so that the bearing roller does not roll on the boards.
- thereby preventing damage to the boards in the event that the wing apparatus contacts the boards by operation of the at least one bearing roller to protect the boards of the ice rink against friction of the wing, while enabling the snow removal machine to remove snow.
A method of operating a surface material removal machine to remove surface material from an area delimited by boards without damaging the boards, the method including the steps of:
- (a) providing a wing apparatus comprising:
- (i) a first end configured for attaching the wing to the surface material removal machine;
- (ii) a second end having at least one bearing roller for rolling on the boards;
- and
- (iii) a portion there between for receiving and directing the surface material towards the surface material removal machine;
- (b) if the surface material removal machine is below a predetermined distance from the boards, operating the surface materials removal machine so that the bearing roller rolls on the boards;
- and
- (c) if the surface material removal machine is above the predetermined distance from the boards, operating the surface material removal machine so that the bearing roller does not roll on the boards.
- thereby preventing damage to the boards in the event that the wing apparatus contacts the boards by operation of the at least one bearing roller to protect the boards of the ice rink against friction of the wing, while enabling the surface materials removal machine to remove surface materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.