Blade assembly for a compacting vehicle

A blade assembly adapted for use on a compacting vehicle having a compacting mechanism located on each side of the compacting vehicle in spaced apart relationship and a lift cylinder mechanism for raising and lowering the blade assembly, the blade assembly comprising;

• a frame having first and second connection joints adapted, when assembled, for pivotable connection with the compacting vehicle, and a third connection joint adapted for pivotable connection, when assembled, with the lift cylinder mechanism;
• a blade pivotally connected to the frame and movable between a first operative position and a second operative position, the blade defining a vertical plane therein transverse to a travel path of the compacting vehicle and has a working edge that defines a plane in the first operative position that is substantially parallel with a surface traversed by the compacting mechanisms of the compacting vehicle, the working edge has a first portion thereof extending forwardly of the vertical plane and a remaining portion located at or behind the vertical plane and having portions thereof located on opposite sides of the first portion, and the blade being free of other working edges disposed below the substantially parallel plane;
• and
• means for pivoting the blade, when in use, relative to the frame between the first operative position and the second operative position at which the first portion is at a level, relative to the surface traversed by the compacting mechanisms of the compacting vehicle, lower than the level of the remaining portion so that upon raising the blade above the surface traversed by the compacting mechanisms of the compacting vehicle and pivoting the blade forwardly to the second operative position thereof the first portion of the working edge is closer to the surface being traversed by the compacting mechanisms of the compacting vehicle than the remaining portion of the working edge.