CA2349753C - Automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute - Google Patents
Automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2349753C CA2349753C CA 2349753 CA2349753A CA2349753C CA 2349753 C CA2349753 C CA 2349753C CA 2349753 CA2349753 CA 2349753 CA 2349753 A CA2349753 A CA 2349753A CA 2349753 C CA2349753 C CA 2349753C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- disc
- bracket
- cable
- gear
- control mechanism
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
- E01H5/00—Removing snow or ice from roads or like surfaces; Grading or roughening snow or ice
- E01H5/04—Apparatus propelled by animal or engine power; Apparatus propelled by hand with driven dislodging or conveying levelling elements, conveying pneumatically for the dislodged material
- E01H5/045—Means per se for conveying or discharging the dislodged material, e.g. rotary impellers, discharge chutes
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Transmission Devices (AREA)
- Cleaning Of Streets, Tracks, Or Beaches (AREA)
Abstract
This invention provides for an automated control mechanism that rotates the swivelling discharge chute in the direction of the user's desire using the power derived from the snow blower engine.
The user pulls cable fevers located on the handlebars. The lever is connected to a cable, which is connected to a bracket axis that is attached to two rubber discs Depending on which lever is being tightened, the bracket swivels either left or right, allowing either the up or down disc to make contact with the main driving disc. The driving disc is attached to the snow auger, which provides the driving rotational force. This rotational farce is transferred iron n the discs to a sprocket and a chain that is connected to another sprocket near the snow discharge chute. The sprocket is connected to a clutch and a worm gear, and the worm gear is connected to the swivelling discharge chute.
The user pulls cable fevers located on the handlebars. The lever is connected to a cable, which is connected to a bracket axis that is attached to two rubber discs Depending on which lever is being tightened, the bracket swivels either left or right, allowing either the up or down disc to make contact with the main driving disc. The driving disc is attached to the snow auger, which provides the driving rotational force. This rotational farce is transferred iron n the discs to a sprocket and a chain that is connected to another sprocket near the snow discharge chute. The sprocket is connected to a clutch and a worm gear, and the worm gear is connected to the swivelling discharge chute.
Description
1 AUTOMATED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A SNOW BLOWE~,R DISCHARGE CHUTE
? 'this invention provides for an automated control mechanism that rotates the swivelling discharge 3 chute in the direction of"the user's desire.
S BACKGROCIND OF THE INVENTION
6 Snow blowers are a common tool used particularly in colder climates. There are many different 7 designs, but few have automated swivelling discharge chutes. n~fost snow blowers have a crank that 8 must be manually rotated to swivel the chute in the proper direction, making it difficult to operate 9 the snow blower at the same time. 'those that do have automated discharge chutes are driven by a separate electric motor, which also requires a battery and a greater magneto.
These added parts adds I 1 considerable cost and complexity to the construction of the snow blower.
Those that are driven by 12 the engine are mechanically complex, expensive to build and demonstrate considerable wear on l 3 rapidly rotating parts. Typical automated snow chute, of these types are shown, for example, in the 14 following patents from the United Kingdom, the Clnited States of American and Canada:
IS U.K. Patent Number: EPW72ls0 HANYU
l~ C.~.S. Patent Number: L,~S54449?7 SOSENKO
17 Although automated discharge chutes have been incorporated into higher-end snow blower designs, 18 there has been a continuing need for a less costly and simpler solution.
l ?0 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
21 The automation mechanism comprises of three rubber discs, two cot which are connect to a 22 swivelling bracket. The bracket is directed by two cables and two cable levers, each one connected 23 to each handlebar. The swivelling bracket consists of two rubber disc; that makes contact to a disc ~4 at the left side of the shroud. This disc is connected to the rotating snow auger inside the shroud, 25 which is the driving force for this invention. When one of the rubber discs makes contact with the 26 rotating rubber disc at the centre, it rotates a drive chain that is connected to a sprocket near the ~7 discharge chute. The sprocket rotates a clutch that rotates a worm gear, ;end in turn, rotates the 28 discharge chute. Once the discharge chute reaches its maximum rotating limit, the clutch 29 disengages by slipping. The operator can move the chute either right or left by pulling on either the 30 left or right lever on the handlebars and while operating the snow blower at the same time. The 31 auger must be engaged in order for the swivelling discharge chute to work.
s2 JJ
.>
I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
p Figure l : is a left side view of a snow blower with the automatism mechanism attached to the left 4 side of the shroud.
_5 6 Figure 2: is a detailed side view of the mechanism in a neutral position, with some parts enlarged 7 for clarity of illustration.
9 Figure 3: is a detailed view of a cable adjuster and a tension spring holding the mechanism in neutral.
12 Figure 4: is a front view of the entire mechanism without the calales and snow blower.
14 Figure 5: is a detailed view of the swivelling disc mechanism, including, its inner parts.
The automated mechanism for the swivelling snow discharge chute essentially consists of a rubber 3 disc 3 that drives the chain 8 to rotate the worm gear 21. The rubber disc 3 is bolted to the auger of 4 the snow blower, which is the driving force needed to rotate the snow discharge chute. Discs 5 and ~ are bolted to a swivelling bracket 14 that is beside the disc connected to the auger. The bottom (i rubber disc ~ contains one bearing >C~ forced into each side of the disc;
5. The rubber disc 5 is 7 mounted to the bracket 14 using a screw 39 and it is secured in place with a washer 46 and nut 37.
8 'The top disc 6 is bolted with three bolts 45 to a large washer 40 an each side of the rubber disc 6 and 9 the washers 42 are welded onto a shaft 4 l . The shaft 41 rests inside of a bearing 38, which is press I 0 tit into the bracket 14. This provides the easy rotation of the rubber disc; 6.
I ? The swivelling bracket 14 is bolted to the shroud, and it swivels by riding on the thread of the bolt.
is The operator controls the swivelling bracket 14 by pulling the levers that are connected to the cables 14 1. One cable I is a wire cable 17 with an outer casing l . Z'he cable I
rests inside of a cable adjuster I S 1 I . Inside the cable adjuster 1 I, the cable outer casing 1 is cut short about I centimetre from the 1C~ setscrew 1(i to allow for enough slack when the other opposing cable I is pulled. This slack is 17 required to allow for the swivelling bracket 14 to move in either direction. The cable adjuster I 1 is i 8 bolted to a mounting bracket 10 using a setscrew 1 fi, which in turn is bolted to the shroud. The 19 cable wire 17 is connected to a cable retainer t 3, and is held there by 4a setscrew. Springs 1 ~ located 20 at the end of each cable adjuster 1 1 is needed to hold the swivelling bracket 14 in the neutral 21 position so that it does not engage the driving disc 5 involuntarily. 'fhe nut 16 holding the cable ?? adjuster 1 I in place is adjustable to allow the correct posltlomng of the bracket 14 in the neutral 3 i position.
25 When one of the levers is pulled, the cable wire l 7 pulls the swivelling bracket 14 to engage one of 2C the rubber discs 5 or 6 to the driving rubber disc :i. Looking at tile sncyw blower from the left side, 27 the right lever pulls the bracket 14 to the left so that the rubber disc at the top 6 engages the driving ?8 rubber disc 3, rotating disc 6 clockwise. When the left lever is pulled, the bottom of the bracket 14 ?9 engages the bottom rubber disc S with the driving rubber disc s. The bottom disc 5. also rotates 30 clockwise. The bottom disc 5 is mounted on a sliding "I_1" bracket I 8, which allows it to be mated i t permanently by friction to the top disc 1. The '-U" bracket 18 is constantly pushed using a tension s2 spring 20, which is mounted to another "l:1" bracket 19. As the bottom disc S rotates clockwise 3 > while engaged to the driving rubber disc 3, it rotates the top disc ~
counter-clockwise.
1 The top rubber disc 6 is connected to a sprocket 44 on a small shaft 41 held on by a setscrew 27.
The sprocket 44 drives a chain 8 to another sprocket 48 above the auger shroud. The top sprocket 3 48 is connected to a shaft 4 and is held olltU this shaft 4 by a setscrew.
The shaft 4 rests inside a 4 bearing, which is located inside the bearing mount 7. The shaft 4 is connected to the clutch 2b through a steel mount, which is the tap of the clutch ~ 5, and a setscrew secures this shaft 4. The 6 clutch 26 is made up of two different metals. Items 34, 32 and 31 are made out of steel, while the 7 item 33 is made out of brass. Item 32 is connected to a shaft 34 with a retaining pin, and the brass 8 bushing > 3 rest on the shaft 34. The steel washer 3 l is welded auto a tension spring 30, which in 9 turn, is welded to a nut 29. This nut 29 is the adjustable pau of the clutch 26 creating the right amount of tension needed to turn the discharge chute, but allowing the clutch ?6 to slip once the I 1 discharge chute has reached its ma~:imum turning radius. The nut 24 is secured in place with 12 another nut 28, retaining the proper adjustment of the tension spring 30.
The shaft 34 is connected 13 to a worm gear 21 which turns the discharge chute. t~~hile looking at the snow blower from the 14 front of the machine, the left side of the shaft is mounted to a bearing.:
mount 47, which is welded 1 s onto the snow blower.
? 'this invention provides for an automated control mechanism that rotates the swivelling discharge 3 chute in the direction of"the user's desire.
S BACKGROCIND OF THE INVENTION
6 Snow blowers are a common tool used particularly in colder climates. There are many different 7 designs, but few have automated swivelling discharge chutes. n~fost snow blowers have a crank that 8 must be manually rotated to swivel the chute in the proper direction, making it difficult to operate 9 the snow blower at the same time. 'those that do have automated discharge chutes are driven by a separate electric motor, which also requires a battery and a greater magneto.
These added parts adds I 1 considerable cost and complexity to the construction of the snow blower.
Those that are driven by 12 the engine are mechanically complex, expensive to build and demonstrate considerable wear on l 3 rapidly rotating parts. Typical automated snow chute, of these types are shown, for example, in the 14 following patents from the United Kingdom, the Clnited States of American and Canada:
IS U.K. Patent Number: EPW72ls0 HANYU
l~ C.~.S. Patent Number: L,~S54449?7 SOSENKO
17 Although automated discharge chutes have been incorporated into higher-end snow blower designs, 18 there has been a continuing need for a less costly and simpler solution.
l ?0 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
21 The automation mechanism comprises of three rubber discs, two cot which are connect to a 22 swivelling bracket. The bracket is directed by two cables and two cable levers, each one connected 23 to each handlebar. The swivelling bracket consists of two rubber disc; that makes contact to a disc ~4 at the left side of the shroud. This disc is connected to the rotating snow auger inside the shroud, 25 which is the driving force for this invention. When one of the rubber discs makes contact with the 26 rotating rubber disc at the centre, it rotates a drive chain that is connected to a sprocket near the ~7 discharge chute. The sprocket rotates a clutch that rotates a worm gear, ;end in turn, rotates the 28 discharge chute. Once the discharge chute reaches its maximum rotating limit, the clutch 29 disengages by slipping. The operator can move the chute either right or left by pulling on either the 30 left or right lever on the handlebars and while operating the snow blower at the same time. The 31 auger must be engaged in order for the swivelling discharge chute to work.
s2 JJ
.>
I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
p Figure l : is a left side view of a snow blower with the automatism mechanism attached to the left 4 side of the shroud.
_5 6 Figure 2: is a detailed side view of the mechanism in a neutral position, with some parts enlarged 7 for clarity of illustration.
9 Figure 3: is a detailed view of a cable adjuster and a tension spring holding the mechanism in neutral.
12 Figure 4: is a front view of the entire mechanism without the calales and snow blower.
14 Figure 5: is a detailed view of the swivelling disc mechanism, including, its inner parts.
The automated mechanism for the swivelling snow discharge chute essentially consists of a rubber 3 disc 3 that drives the chain 8 to rotate the worm gear 21. The rubber disc 3 is bolted to the auger of 4 the snow blower, which is the driving force needed to rotate the snow discharge chute. Discs 5 and ~ are bolted to a swivelling bracket 14 that is beside the disc connected to the auger. The bottom (i rubber disc ~ contains one bearing >C~ forced into each side of the disc;
5. The rubber disc 5 is 7 mounted to the bracket 14 using a screw 39 and it is secured in place with a washer 46 and nut 37.
8 'The top disc 6 is bolted with three bolts 45 to a large washer 40 an each side of the rubber disc 6 and 9 the washers 42 are welded onto a shaft 4 l . The shaft 41 rests inside of a bearing 38, which is press I 0 tit into the bracket 14. This provides the easy rotation of the rubber disc; 6.
I ? The swivelling bracket 14 is bolted to the shroud, and it swivels by riding on the thread of the bolt.
is The operator controls the swivelling bracket 14 by pulling the levers that are connected to the cables 14 1. One cable I is a wire cable 17 with an outer casing l . Z'he cable I
rests inside of a cable adjuster I S 1 I . Inside the cable adjuster 1 I, the cable outer casing 1 is cut short about I centimetre from the 1C~ setscrew 1(i to allow for enough slack when the other opposing cable I is pulled. This slack is 17 required to allow for the swivelling bracket 14 to move in either direction. The cable adjuster I 1 is i 8 bolted to a mounting bracket 10 using a setscrew 1 fi, which in turn is bolted to the shroud. The 19 cable wire 17 is connected to a cable retainer t 3, and is held there by 4a setscrew. Springs 1 ~ located 20 at the end of each cable adjuster 1 1 is needed to hold the swivelling bracket 14 in the neutral 21 position so that it does not engage the driving disc 5 involuntarily. 'fhe nut 16 holding the cable ?? adjuster 1 I in place is adjustable to allow the correct posltlomng of the bracket 14 in the neutral 3 i position.
25 When one of the levers is pulled, the cable wire l 7 pulls the swivelling bracket 14 to engage one of 2C the rubber discs 5 or 6 to the driving rubber disc :i. Looking at tile sncyw blower from the left side, 27 the right lever pulls the bracket 14 to the left so that the rubber disc at the top 6 engages the driving ?8 rubber disc 3, rotating disc 6 clockwise. When the left lever is pulled, the bottom of the bracket 14 ?9 engages the bottom rubber disc S with the driving rubber disc s. The bottom disc 5. also rotates 30 clockwise. The bottom disc 5 is mounted on a sliding "I_1" bracket I 8, which allows it to be mated i t permanently by friction to the top disc 1. The '-U" bracket 18 is constantly pushed using a tension s2 spring 20, which is mounted to another "l:1" bracket 19. As the bottom disc S rotates clockwise 3 > while engaged to the driving rubber disc 3, it rotates the top disc ~
counter-clockwise.
1 The top rubber disc 6 is connected to a sprocket 44 on a small shaft 41 held on by a setscrew 27.
The sprocket 44 drives a chain 8 to another sprocket 48 above the auger shroud. The top sprocket 3 48 is connected to a shaft 4 and is held olltU this shaft 4 by a setscrew.
The shaft 4 rests inside a 4 bearing, which is located inside the bearing mount 7. The shaft 4 is connected to the clutch 2b through a steel mount, which is the tap of the clutch ~ 5, and a setscrew secures this shaft 4. The 6 clutch 26 is made up of two different metals. Items 34, 32 and 31 are made out of steel, while the 7 item 33 is made out of brass. Item 32 is connected to a shaft 34 with a retaining pin, and the brass 8 bushing > 3 rest on the shaft 34. The steel washer 3 l is welded auto a tension spring 30, which in 9 turn, is welded to a nut 29. This nut 29 is the adjustable pau of the clutch 26 creating the right amount of tension needed to turn the discharge chute, but allowing the clutch ?6 to slip once the I 1 discharge chute has reached its ma~:imum turning radius. The nut 24 is secured in place with 12 another nut 28, retaining the proper adjustment of the tension spring 30.
The shaft 34 is connected 13 to a worm gear 21 which turns the discharge chute. t~~hile looking at the snow blower from the 14 front of the machine, the left side of the shaft is mounted to a bearing.:
mount 47, which is welded 1 s onto the snow blower.
Claims (4)
1. An automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute comprising, a three part rubber disc mechanism consisting of a driving disc mounted on the outer edge of a shall of an auger on a snow blower for rotation on a horizontal axis, two trailing discs wherein said trailing discs are each mounted on opposite sides of a bracket, said trailing discs comprising of a top disc and a bottom disc, said tog disc and gear are mounted together onto a single shaft, said bottom disc is mounted on a bolt, each said trailing disc is always in contact with flue other, said bracket mounted to a snow blower shroud, whereby movement of said bracket engages only one of said trailing discs at one time, engagement of said top disc to said driving disc means for rotational driving of said gear in the clockwise direction, engagement of said bottom disc to said driving disc rotates said bottom disc in the clockwise direction whereby said connected top disc rotates in the counter-clockwise direction, means for rotational driving of said gear in the counter-clockwise direction, a driving chain connecting said gear to a top gear wherein said top gear is connected to a worm gear, means for rotational driving of the chute in either the right or 1e8 direction, a two part lever mechanism wherein each lever is connected to a flexible cable wherein said cable is connected to said bracket, means for operator to engage one of said trailing discs whereby the operator moves the chute in either the left or right direction;
2. The automated control mechanism as defined in Claim 1, wherein sand cable is connected to the top portion of said bracket using a cable adjuster on each side of said bracket, for cable slack to allow for movement of said bracket, a tension spring on each side of said bracket means for keeping said bracket in a neutral position;
3. The automated control mechanism as defined in Claim 1, wherein said bottom disc is permanently in contact with said top disc using a tension spring mounted on a u-shaped bracket mounted on said bolt under said bottom disc, for maintaining contact between said trailing discs;
4. The automated control mechanism as defined in Claim 1, wherein said worm gear comprises a clutch mechanism whereby said clutch mechanism slips when the chute reaches its maximum radius of rotation.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2349753 CA2349753C (en) | 2001-05-31 | 2001-05-31 | Automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2349753 CA2349753C (en) | 2001-05-31 | 2001-05-31 | Automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2349753A1 CA2349753A1 (en) | 2002-11-30 |
| CA2349753C true CA2349753C (en) | 2003-12-02 |
Family
ID=4169210
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2349753 Expired - Fee Related CA2349753C (en) | 2001-05-31 | 2001-05-31 | Automated control mechanism for a snow blower discharge chute |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2349753C (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2388142B (en) * | 2002-05-02 | 2005-11-30 | Beaudoin Gilles Joseph | Control mechanism for a snow blower discharge shoot |
| CN109736242A (en) * | 2019-01-14 | 2019-05-10 | 张华明 | A kind of construction Intelligent temperature reduction device |
-
2001
- 2001-05-31 CA CA 2349753 patent/CA2349753C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2349753A1 (en) | 2002-11-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |