Snowplow blade lifting mechanism
OwnerFloyd E. Curryinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The blade lifting mechanism includes a counterbalance offsetting the weight of the snowplow blade assembly and enabling the double-acting actuator to position the blade much more easily. IN a first embodiment, heavy duty download pressure springs in conjunction with a toggle link enable the downward force on the blade to be varied between a value which is a fraction of the weight of the blade to an amount which is several multiples of the magnitude of the weight of the blade assembly. In a second embodiment, the toggle link is replaced by a linear slide link.
Claims20
Apparatus for providing variable downward force on a snowplow blade comprising:
- a) a mounting frame attached to a support vehicle;
- b) a push frame attached between said mounting frame and the snowplow blade;
- c) counterbalance means offsetting an entire weight of said push frame and the snowplow blade;
- d) a toggle link pivotally connected to said mounting frame;
- e) spring means downwardly biasing said toggle link;
- f) an actuator connected between said push frame and said toggle link for moving the snowplow blade between a first retracted travel position and a second extended plowing position;
- whereby said actuator is required to produce minimal force to move said push frame with the snowplow blade up and down.
Apparatus for providing variable downward force on a snowplow blade comprising:
- a) a mounting frame attached to a support vehicle;
- b) a push frame attached between said mounting frame and the snowplow blade;
- c) counterbalance means offsetting a weight of said push frame and the snowplow blade;
- d) an actuator connected between said push frame and said mounting frame for moving the snowplow blade between a first retracted travel position and a second extended plowing position;
- e) means to transfer at least a portion of a vehicular weight to downward pressure on said push frame and the snowplow blade;
- whereby said actuator means is required to produce minimal force to move said push frame with the snowplow blade up and down.
Apparatus for providing variable downward force on a high strength, light weight snowplow blade comprising
- a) a mounting frame attached to a support vehicle;
- b) a push frame attached between said mounting frame and the snowplow blade;
- c) a double-acting actuator connected between said push frame and said mounting frame for moving the snowplow blade between a first retracted travel position and an extended plowing position;
- d) heavy duty spring means connected between said push frame and said mounting frame exerting a downward force on said push frame;
- e) means to transfer a portion of a weight of the support vehicle to down pressure on the snowplow blade;
- whereby variable downward pressure can be exerted on the high strength, light weight snowplow blade from an amount less than a weight of said snowplow blade to a value several times the weight of the snowplow blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.