US2144312A - Mounting for snow removing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1939. wwrzl KLAUER 2,144,312

MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 11th: up:

Jan. 17, 1939; w. E. KLAUER MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MEQHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllm,

IIII

Jan. 17, 1939. w. E. KLAUER 2,144,312

MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM ori inal Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 awe/whom Jan. 17, 1939. w. E. KLAUER 2,144,312

MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. '17, 1939.. w. E. KLAUER MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 3,936 6, Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 17, 193% w KLAUER 2,144,312

MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM- Original Filed Aug. 12, 1956 6 $heets$heet 6 Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOUNTING FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Walter E. Klauer, Dubuque, Iowa 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to mountings for snow removing mechanisms and particularly for such mechanisms adapted for use in removing snow from streets and highways. It is concerned more particularly 'with such mechanism which is carried by a motor truck.

This application is a division of my copending application S. No. 95,688, filed August 12, 1936.

In the past, the usual practice in the production of snow removing mechanism has been to mount the same permanently on a special truck. Such an arrangement is comparatively expensive. and its expense is increased because it can be used only during a short period of the year The advantage of the use of trucks as compared to tractors is that such devices can move easily from one place to another as required at a high rate of speed, which is almost a necessity.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide power driven snow removal mechanism of a practical and efficient type which is arranged so that it can be readily mounted on and removed from a truck. Both the snow remover and the power unit for driving the same are easily and readily demountable. manner, the mechanism may be applied to a standard truck, which is used during the snow season to carry the snow removing mechanism, and may be used during the remainder of the year for hauling purposes as a freight vehicle.

One of the special features by which this result is accomplished resides in a special frame which acts as a carrier for the snow remover and its lifting mechanism, and which is mountable as a unit on the front of a truck in such a manner that it rests on one of the truck chasis members and is supported directly thereby.

It is quite usual to have a snow remover mounted on the front of a vehicle in such a manner that it can be lifted or lowered either to pass over obstructions or to move at a given distance above the surface of the ground or road. In the past, however, and particularly with the rotary type of plow,to which my invention especially relates, the snow remover has been mounted in such a manner that it turns about an axis or pivot in its rising and falling movement. Such an arrangement tilts the snow remover either forward or backard, and throws it far out of line so that it does not act in its proper and intended manner. A further object of the present invention therefore is to provide a mounting for a snow remover on a vehicle such that it is capable of a substantially straight up and down movement without tilting. More especially I provide In this a specific mounting for giving this result. This mounting both acts as a guide to keep the snow remover in vertical position, as a carrying mechanism for the snow remover, and also as a thrust resisting mechanism for imparting the force exerted on the plow by the resistance of the snow to the chassis of the vehicle.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the snow remover is generally of a heavy and complicated nature. An object of the invention is to provide a simple lifting mechanism which is relatively light in weight and which is yet strong and effective. Also, the lifting arrangement is so designed as to avoid blocking the radiator of the truck: One of the principal features by which this result is accomplished resides in the fact that most of the parts of the lifting mechanism are under tension. and can thus be made in a simplified and considerably lightened form. Another important part of the invention is the arrangement of the lifting devices at opposite sides of the vehicle.

Furthermore, in vertically movable snow'removers heretofore known there has been a considerable disadvantage in that the means for 5 raising the two sides of the mechanism often do not work together and in synchronism. One side of such a device may rise as much as eight inches before the other side rises at all. Of course this often defeats the whole purpose of raising the 0 snow remover, since instead of giving a level out at a given height, a sloping cut is obtained. Furthermore, it causes considerable strain on the parts and thus reduces the life of the device.

Another object of the invention then is to pro- 35 vide an arrangement which will absolutely prevent one side of the snow remover from rising faster than the other, but will equalize at all times the motion of the two sides so that the snow remover is kept absolutely parallel to the 40 road surface. A further feature of the invention resides in an arrangement by which a rotary type of snow remover may be separated easily and quickly from the remainder of the device, and a plow of another type substituted therefor in such a manner that the second plow can be raised and lowered by the same arrangement which supports the rotary snow remover. More especially, Iprovide a device in which the removal of four pins is all that is necessary to take off the rotary plow and replace it by a push plow or other construction.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel thrust bar for resisting rearward movement of the lower end of a snow 55 remover. this bar comprising members under and simple structure of considerable strength is provided.

Further objects and advantages of the inventisn will appear more fully from the following description, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a. part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a snow remover embodying my invention and shown as mounted on a truck.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the snow remover frame.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unita frame.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation showing the lifting, guiding and equalizing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a front view of one side of this mechanism with the snow remover disconnected.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of one side of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 with parts broken away.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line -0 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the arrangement for holding the snow remover in raised position.

As shown in Fig. l, the snow remover is mounted'on a truck A of any standard type. This truck has a chassis consisting of longitudinal members 2, and a front cross member 4, wheels 0, supported by axles such as the front axle I0. The wheels, preferably the rear wheels, are driven by a motor mounted in the hood I2 and provided with a radiator I4. The truck also has a cab I0 of any suitable type.

Mounted on the rear end of the truck is a power unit. The power unit consists of a motor or engine controlled by a throttle which may be operated by a. lever 22 inside the cab I0 through a flexible or Bowden cable 24. The unit also includes a gasoline tank for supplying fuel to the engine and a suitable pump for forcing a liquid such as oil under pressure into a supply tank. The motor drives a clutch which is mounted in a housing and is controlled through a link and lever system 02 by a lever 04 in the cab of the truck. The clutch is adapted to couple and uncouple a shaft to and from the motor.

C indicates in general the snow remover. It consists in the preferred form of a casing having side walls 00, a bottom wall and a scraper blade 40 and a rear wall 42. An opening in the rear wall 42 communicates with the interior of a fan casing 40 in which is mounted a fan for ejecting snow through the spout 40. Within the casing formed by walls 00, 40 and 42 are mounted three augers or conveyers 00 on horizontal vertically spaced axes. These augers are all driven, by a suitable chain drive mechanism 41 from a sprocket mounted on a shaft 40, to feed snow towards the center of the casing so that it can pass through the opening into the fan casing 40.

The snow removing mechanism is driven through a shaft mechanism running underneath the truck. The power unit drives a shaft section 00. Section 00 is mounted in a flexible or selfaiigning bearing 61 which allows variation of the angular position of the shaft with respect to the bearing. In front of the bearing 01 is arranged a universal joint 00 which drives another shaft section 00. The front end I0 of shaft 00 is reduced in cross section and fits into a coupling member II in keyed relation thereto. The members l0 and II are slldable endwise with respect to each other. Member II is connected by a universal Joint I2 to a shaft II which is fixed in the snow remover and drives the rotary augers and the fan thereof.

Various possible mountings may be used for the intermediate bearing 01. In the form shown, the bearing 01 is mounted through angle members I4 on the front axle I0 of the vehicle.

The mounting of the snow remover on the truck will now be described.

The snow remover is carried by a frame having transverse front top and bottom members 02 and 00, transverse rear top and bottom members 04 and 95. top side members 01, vertical members 06, and horizontal bottom members 98 which support the ends of scraper 40 forming the bottom portion of the wall of the auger casing.

I provide a unitary frame which may be easily applied to and removed from a truck for carrying the snow remover and the mechanism for manipulating the same. This frame is shown in Figs. 4 to 8.

The supporting and guiding unitary frame for the plow includes a front cross member I02 adapted to be secured by bolts I04 to the front cross piece 4 of the chassis and side plates I00 adapted to be secured by bolts I00 to the side frame members 2 of the chassis. The cross member I02 has secured thereto and above it another cross member I I2 which extends out beyond the sides of the chassis frame. It will be noted (Fig. 8) that member II2 also extends rearwardly slightly beyond member I02, and that this extension rests on the top of front chassis member 4. In this fashion the chassis member supports the weight of the snow remover directly and the whole load thereof is not carried by the bolts.

Both the mmebers I02 and H2 are angle irons. The side members I06 extend forwardly of the chassis frame and of the cross member I02 and at their forward ends support vertically arranged T-shaped rails having leg portions II4, bolted to the extensions H of the side plates, and cross portions or arms H0. Plates I26 are secured to and extend downwardly from the ends of the cross member H2, and angle members I are secured to the side pieces I00. The parts of this frame are preferably both riveted and welded together, so that the whole frame acts as a unit which may be secured bodily to the truck and will serve as the connection between the snow remover and the vehicle.

Guide blocks or slide members I I0 are provided with T-shaped slots I20 which fit over the arms of the T rails and thus the blocks IIO are guided thereby for vertical sliding movement. Pins I22 pass through the blocks I I0 and through the arms or brackets I24 secured on the cross member 04 of the plow frame, one of these brackets being arranged on each side of each block- IIO. Thus the plow frame is guided at both sides for straight up and down movement.

For raising and lowering the plow a special hydraulic arrangement is provided. Through the pairs of parallel plates I20 and I20 are inserted pins I 00 on which are pivotally mounted blocks I02 supporting transverse pins I04. The pins I04 provide pivots for hydraulic cylinders I00, one on each side of the snow remover. in which are slidably arranged pistons I00.

Secured to the frame side members I00 at points to the rear of the front cross chassis memfront of the snow remover.

her are uprights I40, which are braced. by links I42 connected at one end to the uprights and at the other end to the ends of the transverse member I I2. Pivotedto the upper end of the uprights are. beams orwlinks I 44, preferably I beams. These beams carry'blocks I46 to which are pivoted the pistons I38 and links I48 which at their other ends are traversed by'the pins I22 in the neighborhood of the outer brackets I24.

Of course one of these .lifting devices is provided on each side of the plow, and the other ends of the beams I44 are connected by a spacer and bracing rod I50. It will be notedthat this provides a simple and convenient mechanism for raising and lowering the snow remover without blocking in any manner the front of the radiator of the truck. This is a special advantage since when suchtrucks are in operation there is danger that the engine will become overheated if the radiator is blocked.

The hydraulic cylinders I36 are supplied with fluid under pressure through flexible pipes I52, releasable connections I54 and pipes I56. The supply of fluid to pipes I56 is controlled through a handle I62 lobated' in the cab of the truck. The details of this control arrangement form no part of the invention, and it is suificient to state that when the handle is moved to one position the piston will be caused to rise, while in the other position it will drop. Fluid under pressure is supplied from a tank.

In order to take the load off this hydraulic system when the truck is being driven over long distances and the snow remover is not in use, I may provide pins I6I adapted to pass through holes in the T rails II4 just below the blocks IIB when the same are in raised position. These pins may be secured to the T rails by chains I63 so that they will not be lost. Preferably the pins have pointed ends and annular grooves I64 at points spaced from the ends, so that the pressure caused by the weight of the plow exerted through engagement of blocks IIB with the ends of the pin will cause the grooves I64 to engage the sides of the openings in the rails H4 and thus prevent the pins from slipping out of position even though subjected to the shocks caused by inequalities in the road.

Additional mechanism is provided to make certain that one side of the plow does not rise faster than the other, and to insure leveling of the snow remover at all times. Brackets I66 secured to the upper ends of the T-shaped rails II4 support a shaft I68 which extends across the At each side of the snow remover are arranged levers I'I0 both keyed to the shaft. Links "2 are each pivoted at one end to one of said levers I and at the other ends engage the pins I22. This arrangement prevents one side of the plow from moving faster or slower than the other, since any motion imparted to one side will be equalized on the other side through the links, levers and shaft. It will be noted that when theplow is in its raised position, shown in Fig. 5, the levers I10 are substantially upright, and thus also help to take the load off the hydraulic mechanism.

In order to brace the bottom of the plow against backward tilting because of the pressure of snow, a special type of thrust bar is provided.

The thrust bar I92 consists of an I beam. The front end of this thrust bar is secured by a pin I94 to the lower corner of the plow supporting frame. Obviously one of these bars is arranged on each side of the snow remover.

The fan casing 46 is mounted to rotate for example in the manner shown in the Wandscheer Patent No. 1,886,069. It is important to be able to shift the position of the spout 48 from one side to the other of the snow remover so that the direction'of the stream of snow may be changed. For this purpose, I provide a hydraulic device for controlling the position of the fan casing." A lever I 96 in the cab of the truck controls the supply of fluid under pressure from a reservoir to pipes 202 extending from this reservoir to the front of the truck, and connected through couplings 204 to flexible hoses 206.

Mounted on the cross member 94 is a bracket which supports one end .of a hydraulic cylinder 2I2. The member 94 also supports a pairof spaced U-shaped rails 2I4 between which slides a cross head. A piston slidable in the cylinder 2 I2 has an extension which is connected by a pin 1 While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a snow removing mechanism, a vehicle, a

snow remover, means to mount said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said means comprising a plurality of T-shaped vertical rails, means for removably securing said rails on the front of a vehicle, said snow remover having lugs extending rearwardly therefrom, blocks having T-shaped grooves slidably mounted on said rails, pins extending through said blocks and said lugs, and means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover, said last means comprising elements engaging said pins and traversed thereby.

2. In a snow removing mechanism, a vehicle, a snow remover, means to mount said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said means comprising a plurality of T- shaped vertical rails. means supporting said rails on the front of a vehicle, said snow remover having lugs extending rearwardly therefrom, blocks having T-shaped grooves slidably mounted on said rails, pins extending through said blocks and said lugs, means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover, and means connected to the lower part of said frame and to said vehicle to resist rearward movement of the lower part of said snow remover, said last means comprising members connected to said vehicle, and pins connecting said members to said snow remover.

3. In a snow removing mechanism, a vehicle, a snow remover, means to mount said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said means comprising a plurality of T- 'shaped vertical rails, means for removably securing said rails on the front of avehicle, said snow remover having a frame provided with a horizontal frame member extending transversely thereof, lugs extending rearwardly from said frame member, blocks having T-shaped grooves slidably mounted on said rails, pins extending through said blocks and said lugs, means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover, said last means comprising elements enga ing said pins and traversed thereby, and means connected to the lower part ofsaid frame and to said vehicle to resist rearward movement of the lower part of said snow remover, said last means comprising members connected to said vehicle, and pins connecting said members to said frame.

4. In a snow removing mechanism. a vehicle, a snow remover, means to mount said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said means comprising a plurality of vertical rails, means supporting said rails on the front of a vehicle, said snow remover having lugs extending rearwardly therefrom, blocks slidably mounted on said rails. pins extending through said blocks and said lugs,means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover, and means connected to the lower part of said frame and to said vehicle to resist rearward movement of the lower part of said snow remover, said last means comprising members connected to said vehicle, and means connecting said members to said snow remover.

5. In a snow removing mechanism, a vehicle, a snow remover, means to mount said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said means comprising a plurality of vertical rails, means securing said rails on the front of a vehicle, said snow remover having lugs extending rearwardly therefrom, blocks slidably mounted on said rails, pins extending through said blocks and said lugs, and means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover. said last means comprising elements engaging said pins and traversed thereby.

6. In a snow removing mechanism, a vehicle a snow remover, guide means mounting said snow remover on the vehicle for vertical movement with respect thereto, said guide means including two members vertically guided, a pin connecting the snow remover to each of said members, means mounted on the vehicle to raise and lower the snow remover with respect to the vehicle including elements engaging said pins, means connected to the lower part 01 the snow remover and to the vehicle to resist rearward movement of the lower part of the snow remover including two bracing members connected to the vehicle and a pin securing each said bracing members to the snow remover, said four pins forming the sole supporting connection between the snow remover and the vehicle.

WALTER E. KLAUER.

Images