CA2120207A1

CA2120207A1 - Tracula

Info

Publication number: CA2120207A1
Application number: CA 2120207
Authority: CA
Inventors: Christopher Lawrence Milburn; Pat Cannon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-06-17
Filing date: 1994-06-17
Publication date: 1995-12-18

Abstract

On a T-Bar ski lift track as well as on cross country ski trails it is often necessary to groom the icy conditions resulting from frequent use and weather conditions. This invention incorporates the use of a drive roller which is coupled to a tiller roller by use of a chain and sprocket assembly or a belt and pulley assembly. These rollers are housed under a shroud constructed from aluminium. The unit described has a yoke and seat attached to it which is then hooked onto the existing T-Bar by means of a quick release safety belt. The operator rides behind the T-Bar seated on the cross member of the yoke. As the T-Bar progresses up the hill the drive roller rolls along causing the tiller roller to spin and chew up the icy surface. As in use on cross country ski trails the unit will be towed behind a snow-mobile causing the same results.

Description

,- 21~07 Specification:
This invention relates to a mechanically driven tiller for grooming snow on T-Bar ski lift lines and cross country ski trails.

It is common to drag a 'rake' assembly up a T-Bar ski lift line in a similar fashion. This system has proved to be much less effective under most conditions than our invention which literally breaks up the ice then smooths the debris with a section of belting which is attached to the rear of the unit. Another means of grooming the lift line is to run a snow cat up the track, but this is costly and cannot be done with people on the lift.

The effect our invention has on the snow is comparable to that of ~he snow cat with it's hydraulically operated tiller but at considerably less cost. It can be used with-out affecting the publics use of the lift and without affecting any activities anywhere near the lift.

.- ~

-Comparison to the 'rake' style groomer is unfair as it is not possible to use it to groom cross country trails as well as what was mentioned previously. The 'rake' is not as effective as our invention when grooming the lift line.

Previously cross country trails have been groomed by snow cats. This is very costly. By pulling our invention behind a snowmobile it is much less costly and as effective.

21202~7 In drawings which illustrated embodiments of the invention, figure 1 shows our invention viewed from the underside.
Figure 2 shows our invention from the right side.

The machine illustrated comprises a quick release safety belt 1 which is looped around a T-Bar A which pulls the machine up the lift track. The operator of the machine who is wearing ski's is seated against the yoke cross member 2.
As drive roller 3 rolls along the surface of the snow it rotates the shaft 4 through pillow block bearings 5.
Mounted on drive roller shaft 4 is a large sprocket or pulley 6 transmitting power through a chain or belt to a small sprocket or pulley 7 which is attached to tiller shaft 8 which rotates freely through pillow block bearing 9.
Tiller shaft 8 is securely fixed to tiller 10 which chops up the snow and ice. Tiller depth adjustment is achieved by a simple threaded device which is attached to short ski's 11.
Chopped up snow and ice from the tiller is smoothed out and textured by ribbed plastic sections 12 which are attached to the machine with belting 13. An added safety feature is an anti-rollback device 14 (clutch bearing) which is mounted on to the drive roller shaft 4. The mechanical workings of this machine are enclosed within an aluminium shroud 15 open only on the under side, for safety as well as enabling the operator of this machine to flip the machine upside down at the top of the lift and ski it back down to the bottom. Frame work 16 and yoke assembly complete 17 are made of light gauge steel tubing.

Unlike the situation of grooming T-Bar lift tracks, when grooming cross country trails the operator would no longer ride the machine he or she would drive a snowmobile with the trail groomer in tow.

Claims

Claim:
"A snow grooming device comprising a drive roller which has spikes welded to it, connected through a chain or belt to a tiller roller which has blades welded to it, which is driven at a higher rate of speed than the drive roller by a ratio achieved by the large drive sprocket or pulley and the smaller tiller roller with it's smaller sprocket or pulley, utilising power from being towed by a T-Bar ski lift or a snowmobile, enableing this grooming machine to chop up hard snow and ice on the T-Bar lift tracks and cross country ski trails without the use of any hydraulics or motor assembly."