Blade attachment for an all-terrain vehicle

A blade attachment for an off-road vehicle having a forward end, a rearward end, a right side, a left side, and an underside, comprising in combination:

• a mounting frame having rearward and forward ends;
• said rearward end of said mounting frame being pivotally connected, about a horizontal axis, to said vehicle and extending forwardly therefrom so that its said forward end is positioned forwardly of said forward end of said vehicle;
• said forward end of said mounting frame being selectively movable between raised and lowered positions;
• a first plate means secured to said forward end of said mounting frame;
• a hinge plate selectively movably positioned on said first plate about a vertical axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;
• said hinge plate having a blade position lever opening formed therein;
• said hinge plate having a plurality of spaced-apart notches formed in its said rearward end;
• a blade secured to said hinge plate;
• a blade position lever operatively pivotally movably mounted on said hinge plate which extends downwardly therefrom through one of said notches and through said blade position lever opening;
• said blade position lever being selectively movable between locked and unlocked positions;
• said blade position lever normally being in its said locked position;
• an electrically driven motor operatively mounted on said mounting frame;
• said motor being operatively connected to said hinge plate for moving said hinge plate and said blade to various angular positions with respect to said mounting frame and the vehicle when said blade position lever is in its said unlocked position;
• said blade position lever being in an unlocked position when said forward end of said mounting frame and said blade are positioned at a first predetermined height with respect to the vehicle;
• said locking mechanism being in a locked position when said forward end of said mounting frame and said blade are positioned below said first predetermined height;
• a latching spring connected to said blade position lever which yieldably urges said blade position lever towards its said locking pin;
• and an unlatching spring connected to said blade position lever which yieldably urges said blade position lever towards its said unlocked position.

A blade attachment for an off-road vehicle having a forward end, a rearward end, a right side, a left side, and an underside, comprising in combination:

• a mounting frame having rearward and forward ends;
• said rearward end of said mounting frame being pivotally connected, about a horizontal axis, to said vehicle and extending forwardly therefrom so that its said forward end is positioned forwardly of said forward end of said vehicle;
• said forward end of said mounting frame being selectively movable between raised and lowered positions;
• a first plate means secured to said forward end of said mounting frame;
• a hinge plate selectively movably positioned on said first plate about a vertical axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;
• said hinge plate having a blade position lever opening formed therein;
• said hinge plate having a plurality of spaced-apart notches formed in its said rearward end;
• a blade secured to said hinge plate;
• a blade position lever operatively pivotally movably mounted on said hinge plate which extends downwardly therefrom through one of said notches and through said blade position lever opening;
• said blade position lever being selectively movable between locked and unlocked positions;
• said blade position lever normally being in its said locked position;
• an electrically driven motor operatively mounted on said mounting frame;
• said motor being operatively connected to said hinge plate for moving said hinge plate and said blade to various angular positions with respect to said mounting frame and the vehicle when said blade position lever is in its said unlocked position;
• said blade position lever being in an unlocked position when said forward end of said mounting frame and said blade are positioned at a first predetermined height with respect to the vehicle.