Adjustable wing plow

A plow assembly for vehicles, said assembly comprising:

• a plow having first and second ends, a front material engaging surface, and a rear surface opposite said front surface;
• a support for attaching said plow to the vehicle;
• first and second extendable plow wings, each wing having a cross-sectional contour corresponding to said plow, inner and outer ends, a front, material engaging surface, and a rear surface opposite said front surface;
• said first wing being mounted for sliding movement along said front surface of said plow at a first of said plow ends, said second wing being mounted for sliding movement along said front surface of said plow at the second of said plow ends, each of said wings being movable between a retracted position in which said outer end of said wing is adjacent its respective end of said plow and an extended position in which said outer wing end is spaced outwardly from its respective end of said plow, each of said wings being generally aligned with said plow front surface when in said extended position;
• each plow wing also including a hinge and being pivotally mounted on said hinge for movement between said extended position and a forwardly angled position in which said wing front surface extends at an angle to said plow front surface;
• and
• two pair of extendable fluid power cylinders including a first pair of fluid power cylinders operable to move said first plow wing, and a second pair of fluid power cylinders operable to move said second plow wing, each of said plow wings being operable independently of the other plow wing such that said plow wings are independently movable between said respective retracted, extended, and forwardly angled positions, said plow wings forming a general U-shape with said plow when both plow wings are in their forwardly angled positions to facilitate pushing material being plowed without such material slipping off the plow ends.

A plow assembly for vehicles including pickup trucks and utility vehicles, the vehicle having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the direction of motion of the vehicle when traveling in forward or reverse, said assembly comprising:

• a plow having first and second ends, a front material engaging surface, and a rear surface opposite said front surface;
• a support frame for attaching said plow to the front of the vehicle, said plow being pivotally mounted on said support frame for movement about a first, generally vertical pivot axis from a centered position extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle to a series of angled positions in which said plow is angled to the left or right of said centered position;
• first and second extendable plow wings, each wing having a cross-sectional contour corresponding to said plow, inner and outer ends, a front, material engaging surface, and a rear surface opposite said front surface;
• said first wing being mounted for sliding movement along said front surface of said plow at a first of said plow ends, said second wing being mounted for sliding movement along said front surface of said plow at the second of said plow ends, each of said wings being movable between a retracted position in which said outer end of said wing is adjacent its respective end of said plow and an extended position in which said outer wing end is spaced outwardly from its respective end of said plow, each of said wings being generally aligned with said plow front surface when in said extended position;
• each plow wing also including a hinge and being pivotally mounted on said hinge for movement between said extended position and a forwardly angled position in which said wing front surface extends at an angle to said plow front surface;
• first and second slides mounted on said plow, said first plow wing and first hinge mounted on and movable with said first slide, said second plow wing and second hinge mounted on and movable with said second slide;
• said plow including first and second openings extending through said front material engaging surface, said first slide being slidably mounted on said rear surface of said plow in alignment with said first opening with said first hinge extending through said first opening for pivotally mounting said first plow wing;
• said second slide being slidably mounted on said rear surface of said plow in alignment with said second slide with said second hinge extending through said second opening for pivotally mounting said second plow wing;
• each of said slides including a wall covering said respective first or second opening when said plow wing is in said extended position and said forwardly angled position such that said openings through said front material engaging surface of said plow are closed with said plow wings extended and forwardly angled;
• two pair of extendable, fluid power cylinders including a first pair of fluid power cylinders operable to move said first plow wing, and a second pair of fluid power cylinders operable to move said second plow wing, each of said plow wings being operable independently of the other plow wing such that said plow wings are independently movable between said respective, retracted, extended, and forwardly angled positions.