CA2535925A1

CA2535925A1 - Snow surface compactor and tracking device

Info

Publication number: CA2535925A1
Application number: CA002535925A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Klaus Kremer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Bomag GmbH and Co OHG
Priority date: 2005-02-11
Filing date: 2006-02-10
Publication date: 2006-08-11
Also published as: EP1690985A2; NO20060671L; EP1690985A3; US20060283052A1; DE202005002235U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a snow surface compactor 1 and a track holder 24 to be mounted thereto. The snow surface compactor 1 can be oscillated by an exciter device 2 and, thus, acts two-dimensionally upon the snow via its floor plate 3. It is provided with a suspension device 4 for being attached to a tractor. In the operational direction A of the snow surface compactor 1, the floor plate 3 is provided with a frontal area, positioned at the front and being bent upwards, and a reinforcement structure 5. The particular feature of the snow surface compactor 1 according to the invention is the fact that the exciter device 2 is arranged behind the center of gravity S. This way, it primarily affects with its rear floor plate 3 the snow located below the snow surface compactor 1 in a two-dimensional manner. Based on the floor plate being bent almost all the way through, it is possible in a particularly simple manner to change the surface structure created by rotating the snow surface compactor 1, without having to mount or dismount any track holders 24 and/or track body 23 for profiling.

Description

' 1 SNOW SURFACE COMPACTOR AND TRACKING DBVICE
[0001] The present invention relates to a snow surface compactor in accordance with the 'preamble of main claim 1 and a tracking device to be used on a snow surface compactor.

[0002] Snow surface compactors are used f~ preparing snow surfaces, especially for winter sports. In this connection, the preparation of the related snow surfaces, where said snow surfaces are smoothed and compacted is also relevant. The terns 'snow surfaces' refers to (ski) tracks, cross-country ski trails, sld jumps, freestyle facilities such as half pipes ar fun parks.

[0003] The most usual design form of such a snow surface compactor comprises a snow blower that is pulled by a track crawler, where partially multi-ember heavy plates made of rubber, plastic, or steel are attached to the snow blower. Thus in case of these snow surface compactors, first the lumps of snow and ice are broken up into smaller pieces by the snow blower and consequently smoothed and compacted by the effect of the weight of the plates that are pulled over the snow surface. Since these plates lie on the snow and compress the related snow surface only by their weight, this type of compaction is referred to as static ' compaction.

[0004] As opposed to these statically compacting snow surface compactors, there are also dynamically acting snow surface compactors in recent times that can be used in addition to or even completely without the snow blower. In these dynamic snow surface compactors, a plate is made to oscillate by an exciter device. The periodic vibration of the plate compresses the related snow surface and compacts it more strongly than is the case with plates made of rubber, plastic or steel that work purely statically.
-The stableness of a track or trail prepared using a dynamic snow surface compactor is markedly greater than that of conventionally preparCd snow surfaces.

[0005] This increases the comfort of the user of the related snow surfaces and involves significant cost advantages in the grooming of the tracks or trails since the snow surfaces no longer have to be prepared so often in case of an even surface quality. The known dynamic snow surface compactors are already successfully in use. However, there is a wish to still further increase the running smoothness and the application area of the snow surface compactor. .

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to create a dynamic snow surface compactor whose running smoothness as c~pared to the solutions disclosed so far is further improved and that has a wider area of application.

[0007] The object is achieved by the snow surface compactor pursuant to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are descn'bed in the dependent claims.

[0008] Thus the snow surface compactor according to the present invention is a dynamically acting compactor that comprises a base plate. The base plate can be made to osallatc by an exciter device and it acts flatly on the snow to be compacted. The base plate in tum comprises a front region that is located to the front in the working direction of the snow surface compactor and is bent upwards. In addition, the base plate has a reinforcing swcture. It is particularly advantageous if the reinforcing structure is an especially light and stiff cell structure. Furthermore, the snow surface compactor comprises a suspension device for attaching to a tractor, which is vibration-damped as far as possible so that the vibrations from the snow surface compactor are not transferred onto the tractor.

[0009] The snow surface compactor according to the present invention differs from the compactors known from prior art particularly in that the exciter device is arranged in the wa~rking direction behind the center of gravity of the snow surface compactor. Due to this, the oscillation amplitude is increased towards the rear edge of the snow surface compacta~r and the compacting effect is strengthened.

[0010] This property has great advantages particularly when compacting greater quantities of snow and fresh-fallen snow. While the dynamic snow surface compactors known from prior art can dig into the snow or tend to stagger or tilt, the snow surface compactor according to the present invention slides over the snow in a safe and stable manner. Therefore, the snow surface can be prepared with greater speed than was known so far.

[0011] It is advantageous if a predominant part of the base plate of the snow surface compactor is bent. Thus when compared with a compactor having an even base plate, the snow surface compactor stands on a very narrow strip. In other words, its ground contact area is very small. This results in a concentration of the compacting forces on the relatively narrow contact strip. The compaction performance is particularly concentrated in this case. This has great advantages especially when breaking up and disintegrating ice surfaces.

[0012] Furthermore, the snow surface compactor can swing properly into its best working position and comprises a base plate that is constantly bent up towards the front at the usual inclination angles. Thus the snow surface compactor can slide over snow accumulation without tilting or getting buried in it even in case of a lowered front region, strong inclination changes or very deep bumps in the ground. The snow surface compactor can thus be used independently of its attack angle against the snow cover that is to be compacted.
The improved operating characteristics of the snow surface compactor markedly increase its areas of application.

[0013] A predominant part of the base plate is expediently bent with a constant curve. This facilitates the production and manufacture of the snow surface compactor since it is then possible to use conventional, circularly bent sheet metals or tools. It is particularly advantageous if the part of the base plate that is bent with a constant curve stretches at Ieast over two-thirds of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface compactor. Thus it is possible to manufacture a relatively large portion of the snow surface compactor from uniformly bent components or sheet metals.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the snow surface compactor, the base plate comprises at least two variably strongly bent regions, where the region located in the working direction at the back has a larger bending radius and stretches at the most over a third of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface compactor. Thus the rear region of the base plate is less strongly bent than the region located at the front. As a result, the snow surface compactor does not tilt over backwards so easily and simultaneously comprises a large region with a stronger curvature that positively influences, the sliding properties of the snow surface compactor on bumpy grounds. The specific relation between flatter and stronger curvature results in the best possible compromise between concentrated compacting forces, tilt resistance, and effective compacting surface.

[0015] At least one tracking element is preferably arranged on the snow surface compactor for profiling the snow surface. This tracking element can be massive profile rails that are grooved, for example on their lower side and are attached to the rear end of the snow surface compactor transversely to the working direction.
The snow surface compactor thus creates a grooved structure in fhe compacted snow surface.

[0016] It is particularly advantageous to use the snow surface compactor according to the present invention when preparing cross-country tracks such as even skating tracks or classic cross-country trails having parallel tracks. There, the compaction of the snow surface that is substantially stronger compared to the static compactors creates better support for the skis and ski poles of the skiers.
The skiers can thus move forward more comfortably and more effectively due to which the cross-country tracks that have been prepared with the snow surface compactor according to the present invention enjoy maximum popularity.

[0017] For preparing a cross-country trail for the classic telemark technology, at least two tracking elements that stretch in their length essentially in the working direction, are arranged in pairs and parallelly at a distance from one another on the snow surface compactor. The tracking elements then have at least a width that is somewhat broader than a cross~ountry ski, a height that corresponds to the height of a cross-country ski and a substantially even lower side. The tracking elements are arranged in at a distance from one another that corresponds to an inner distance of approximately 20 cm.

[0018] It is preferred if the tracking element is arranged on the lower side of the base plate. This is the side of the base plate that is turned towards the snow to be compacted. The tracking element is expediently attached to the base plate such that it can be detached. Examples of suitable attachment means for this purpose are screws or clamps.

[0019] Ia an advantageous embodiment the tracking element is attached to the snow surface compactor with a tracking element holder. This tracking element holder comprises conveniently a rigid holding arm that can deviate as far as possible.

[0020] The tracking element holder expediently comprises an adjusting means for adjusting the position and/or adjusting the track depth of the tracking element. Thus in this embodiment of the snow surface compactor, tracks of varying depth can be created in the. snow. The adjusting means can be, for example, mechanical adjusting means such as screws that are guided into oblong holes, clamping screws, spanner nuts and the like. It is also expedient if the adjusting means is driven hydraulically. Thus, for example, a hydraulic cylinder can be used for adjusting the tracking element holder. Then it is possible to omit an expensive manual adjustment of the adjusting means or an adjustment that can be inconvenient for the operating personnel in bad weather.

[0021] The tracking element is preferably attached to the deviating holding arm and can deviate into a working position that is located behind the base plate in the working direction. Thus the tracking element can be mounted on the snow surface compactor, but can be brought into a rest position in which it is not pressed into the snow to be compacted and thus leaves no tracks behind. It is thus easily possible to use the snow surface compactor both for profiling as well as for smoothing snow. surfaces.
The snow surface compactor can also be used both for tracking telemark tracks and skating tracks without necessitating a reassembly or disassembly of the tracking element for this purpose. Skating tracks are usually 2 m to 3 m broad, smooth;
even snow surfaces, while telemark tracks refer to surfaces that are structured with parallel grooves.

[0022] It is expedient if the tracking element is a pivoted wheel. The advantage of this embodiment of the tracking element is that it can rotate simultaneously with the snow to be compacted and causes low friction.
Alternatively, the tracking element can also be a pivoted roller that is profiled with annular elevations and/or depressions. The advantage of this embodiment is that between the elevations, the tracking clement contributes to a further smoothing of the compacted snow while the elevafions of the roller press the tracks into the snow. The roller can also consist of several disks or roller segments. The advantage of this is that the profile of the tracking element can easily be adjusted individually by inserting the variably thick roller parts on top of one another.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment of the snow surface compactor, the tracking element holder comprises a flexible strip- to which at least one tracking element is attached. The term "flexible" here refers to a property that is well adjusted to the shape of the base plate of the snow surface compactor. The tracking element-holder is thus not mounted on instead below the snow surface compactor and must be easy to bend due to the curvature of the base plate. The strip is expedicatly a plastic mat where even metal sheet strips or fabric sheets can be used. The strip comprises at least one holding means and a clamping means for attaching the tracking element-holder to the snow surface compactor. The holding means in the simplest embodiment is a claw or a bracket that can be hooked onto one end of the snow surface compactor. On its other side that is expediently located at the front in the working direction, the strip comprises at least one clamping means that can be a clamping screw. With the help of the clamping means, the strip is pulled tautly and pressed on the base plate of the snow surface compactor. On the outer side of the strip, the tracking element is attached that can thus be clamped easily and removably on the lower side of the base plate.

[0024] The strip can be expediently clamped using the tracking elements lying outside on a profiling rail that is attached to the base plate. This means, that the strip itself is either attached to the profiling rail or is guided over the profiling rail.

[0025] The tracking element preferably stretches in its length over about a third of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface compactor. The advantage of this embodiment is that by twisting the snow surface compactor, the tracking elements are turned into a position in which they no longer press into the compacted snow any. Thus by twisting the snow surface compactor, it is possible to change the surface structure created by it in the snow surface. Firstly, the driver of the tractor can twist the snow surface compactor into a ~~position in which the tracking elements are not pressed into the snow so that the result is a smooth working surface. Alternatively, he twists the snow surface compactor such that the rear end is lowered and the tracking elements are pressed into the snow. The snow surface compactor then creates a classic trail structure or the like in the snow.

[0026] The tracking element is expediently bent in the working direction with a height that reduces in the working direction. Thus it is well adjusted to the outer shape of the snow surface compactor. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the tracking element is a rigid body that has a top side which is shaped corresponding to the outer shape of the base plate and/or the shape of the profiling rail. Thus it can be easily placed outside on the base plate and in case of existing permanently screwed profiling rails, it can be easily placed on these rails.

[0027] The tracking element advantageously has a convex or Y-shaped lower side that pushes away the snow to be compacted to the sides so that a locally increased compacting value is not generated in the surfaces touched by the tracking element.

[0028] The object of the present invention is also achieved by a tracking device for use on a snow surface compactor with a tracking element and a tracking element-holder as described earlier.

[0029] The present invention is explained in more detail in the following description on the basis of a drawing, which schematically illustrates:

Fig. l a cross-section of a first embodiment of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 a cross-section of a second embodiment of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention with a wheel-shaped tracking element;
Fig. 3 the second embodiment illustrated in fig. 2 of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention in a working position that is angled for trail tracking;
Fig..4 a third embodiment of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention with a hydraulically deviating tracking element-holder;
Fig. 5 the third embodiment of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention illustrated in figure 4 with a tracking eleaarnt that is folded up for creating an even snow surface;
Fig. 6 a fourth embodiment of the snow surface compactor according to the present invention with tracking elements that are attached to a plastic mat and are clamped below the base plate in a working position to create an even snow surface; and Fig. 7 the cross-section of the fourth embodiment illustrated in figure 6 in a working position that is angled for preparing the trails.

[0030] As indicated in figure 1 with the arrow A, the illustrated snow surface compactor is pulled in a working direction A over the snow to be compacted. Thus, in this illustration, the left side is the backside and the right side is the front side of the snow surface compactor 1. In order to avoid getting twisted on uneven surfaces or digging into loose snow, the snow surface compactor 1 has a bent base plate 3 that is pulled strongly upwards especially in the front region. Furthermore, the snow surface compactor has a suspension device 4 for being attached to a tractor that runs ahead and that is usually a track-crawler. The base plate 3 is stiffened with a reinforcing structure 5. The reinforcing structure 5 consists of longitudinal walls 6 that stretch in the working direction and are provided partly with holes or recesses 7 for weight reduction. Transverse walls 8 run transversely to the longitudinal walls so that the reinforcing structure forms a cell structure on the whole. This reinforcing structure is covered upwards partly by cover sheet 9 especially in the front region of the snow surface compactor so that no snow can penetrate into the reinforcing structure.

[0031] The special feature of the snow surface compactor 1 according to the present invention is that the exciter device 2 is arranged behind the center of gravity S. The exciter device 2 is a customary unbalance exciter with semi-circular imbalances that are seated parallel to and at a distance from one other on a rotary shaft 10 that stretches transversely to the working direction A. By fuming this imbalance exciter shaft 10, the snow surface compactor 1 is made to oscillate and acts particularly with the rear region of its base plate 3 flatly on the snow that is located below the snow surface compactor 1. The exciter device 2 sits in a trough-shaped exciter housing 11 that is closed with a removable lid 12 and is thus protected against damages caused by the deposited snow.:

[0032] The base plate 3 has a three-part design. A first segment 13 located to the front in the working direction A is an even, straight plate to which a middle segment 14 is connected that is bent with a first constant bending radius 15. Connected to the second base plate segment 14 is the third base plate segment 15 that starts in the embodiment illustrated here below the center point of the exciter shaft 10 and stretches up to the end of the base plate 3 that is located in the working direction A at the back. The third base plate segment 15 is bent less strongly than the second base plate segment 14. In the embodiment illustrated here, the second bending radius 17 with around 1.4 m is about twice as big as the first bending radius 15 with 0.73 m. Both the bent base plate seg~nts 14, 15 are thus bent up circularly where even other bending radii or bending progressions can also be used.

[0033] The projections of the base plates 13, 14, 16 on a base result in the partial cross-sectional widths 38, 39, 40. The total cross-sectional width B of the snow surface compactor 1 thus corresponds to the sum of the partial cross-sectional widths 38, 39, 40, and amounts to 0.974 m with a working width of around 2.5 m to 3 m in the embodiment illustrated here. The sum of the partial cross-sectional widths 38 and 39 is greater than 2/3 of the total cross-sectional width B of the snow surface compactor 1. In addition, both the exciter device 2 as well as the plate segment 16 are seated visibly in the rear third B/3 of the snow surface compactor 1 where the exciter shaft axis 10 is at a distance of around 0.23 m from the rear edge of the snow surface compactor 1.

[0034] A wear protection device 18 is located below the base plate 3. Said wear protection device 18 consists of a plastic plate that is clamped on the base plate 3 ~in this embodiment.
The wear protection device 18 is hooked on to the rear end of the base plate 3 in a hook 19 and is locked in position by means of a screw 20 on the front end of the base plate 3. A profiling rail 21 is mounted on the rear end of the wear protection device 18. This profiling rail comprises a wavy profile on its lower side and stretches over the width of the base plate 3. Due to the wavy structure of the profiling rail 21, the snow surface compactor 1 creates a rippled structure in the compacted snow.

[0035] The suspension device 4 is a bow-shaped plate that is welded with the reinforcing swcture and that comprises two damping elements 22 on each of its sides. The snow surface compactor can be attached to these damping elements 22 on the holding arm (not illustrated) of the tractor in a torque-proof manner and is vibration-damped. Thus by fuming the holding arm of the tractor, the snow surface compactor 1 can be deviated around an axis stretching transversely to its working direction.

[0036] A cross-section of a second embodiment of the snow surface compactor l according to the present invention is illustrated in figure 2 that is intended for the preparation of a classic trail. A tracking device 37 is attached to the snow surface compactor 1 for this purpose. This tracking device consists of two parallel tracking elements 23 that are mounted at a distance of 20 cm from one another for profiling the snow surface 31 and that are attached on the snow surface compactor 1 using two tracking element holders 24. The tracking elements 23 are aligned such that they are seated at the rear end of the snow surface compactor 1.
Due to the cross-sectional illustration of figure 1, however, the second tracking element and/or the second tracking ele~nt-holder are hidden and cannot be seen.

[0037] The tracking elements 23 in the embodiment illustrated here are metal disk wheels that are attached in a torque-proof manner to the tracking element-holders 24. The individual tracking element-holder 24 consists of a deviating stiff holding arm 25 that in tum consists of two T-shaped plates, which are screwed against one another by means of spacers. The T-shaped holding arm 25 is pivoted on one end on the snow surface compactor 1 in a holder 26. On its other end, the holding arm 25 is loosely connected to a rod 27.
The rod .27 comprises an oblong hole 28 on its end that is. opposite to the holding arm 25. The rod 27 can be attached to a second holder 29 thmugh this oblong hole 28 such that it 27~can be adjusted in its longitudinal direction. The holder 29 is attached in tum to the reinforcing structure 5.

[0038] By loosening the screw 30 that is guided in the oblong hole 28, the tracking element 23 and/or the holding arm 25 with the tracking element 23 can be deviated around the pivot point 26, Thus it is easily possible to adjust the tracking element 23 in its elevation with respect to the snow surface compactor 1. If the tracking element 23 is to be lowered, the screw 30 is Ioosencd and the rod 28 is pushed against the working direction A towards the back Due to this, the tracking element 23 lowers below the base plate 3. In the working position of the snow surface compactor 1 illustrated in figure 2, the tracking clement is located in a neutral position. This means that the tracking element 23 is not pressed into the snow 31. The snow surface compactor 1 is angled such that its rear region and/or the rear edge is raised. Thus the tracking element 23 as well as the profiling rail do not come into contact with the snow surface 31.
The surface structure created by the snow surface compactor 1 in the snow surface 31 is smooth due to the smooth lower side of the wear protection mat 18.

[0039] Should the tracking element 23 be used, the snow surface compactor 1 is easily tilted and/or twisted slightly backwards so that the tracking element 23 that is rigidly mounted on the tracking element holder 24, is pressed into the snow 31. The twisting action of the snow surface compactor 1 takes place by a twisting or angling of the holding arm (not illustrated) of the tractor.

[0040] If the tractor islnot able to twist the snow surface compactor 1 in its angular position Qansversely to the working direction A, then it is expedient if the rod 27 is replaced by a hydraulic cylinder 32 as illustrated in figure 4. By activating the hydraulic cylinder 32, the holding arm 25 is deviated around the first attachment point 26. Thus it is easily possible to lower or to raise the tracking element 23 without changing the position of the snow surface compactor 1.

[0041] A fourth embodiment of the snow surface compactor 1 according to the present invention is illustrated in figure 6 in which the tracking element holder 24 consists of a flexible plastic mat. This soft plastic mat is provided with wedge-shaped tracking elements 23 on its end. The tracking element holder 24 penetrates the tracking element 23 and comprises a holding hook 33 on the end located at the back in the working direction. At the end of the snow surface compactor 1 that is located at the front in the walking direction, a U shaped profile 34 is placed on the fiont edge of the snow surface compactor 1. A spanner nut 35 is attached on one side of this U-profile 34 on the outer side. Said spanner nut 35 is attached on its other side to the tracking element holder 24. With the help of tk~ spanner nut 35 it is thus possible to clamp the tracking element holder 24 on the lowar side of the snow surface compactor.

[0042] The tracking element holder 24 illustrated here serves for tracking an individual trail. Therefore, it is somewhat kuoader than an individual trail track, thus approx. 30 em to 50 cm wide. Should, for example, two trail tracks be tracked next to one another and simultaneously, a second tracking element holder is clamped easily next to the holder illustrated here on the base plate 3. The tracking element holders 24 are thus also narrower than. the wear protection device 18 that covers the entire working width, wluch stretches transversely to the working direction A. The individual tracking element holders 24 are directky clamped on the continuous wear protection device 18. Thus the base plate 3 does not wear out near the tracking element holders 24.

[0043] l3xactly as in case of the embodiment illustrated in figures 2 and 3, even in this embodiment of the snow surface compactor 1, the profiling of the snow surface 31 can be selected by the angular position of the snow surface compactor 1. Should the tracking elements 23 be pressed into the snow, only the adjusting angle of the snow surface compactor needs to be changed. If the snow surface compactor is twisted such that its rear end is pressed into the snow, the tracking element 23 arranged in the rear end region is automatically pressed into the snow surface 31. Should the rear end region be raised, the snow surface 31 is compacted essentially with the smooth middle segment 14 of the base plate 3 and a smooth snow surface 31 is created.
Due to the base plate 3 that is almost continuously bent over the entire cmss-sectional width, it is thus also possiblo when wing the flexible tracking element holder 24, to change the surface structure created in the snow 31 without attaching or having to attach the tracking devices 37 with traclting ele~nt holders 24 and tracking elements 23 for this purpose.

Claims

1. Snow surface compactor (1) having a base plate (3), which can be made to oscillate by an exciter device (2) and that acts flatly on the snow to be compacted and a suspension device (4) to be attached to a tractor, whereby the base plate (3) comprises a front region that lies in front in the working direction (A) of the snow compactor (1) and that is bent upwards and a reinforcing structure (5), characterized in that the exciter device (2) is arranged in the working direction behind the center of gravity (S) of the snow surface compactor (1).

2. Snow surface compactor pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that the exciter device (2) is arranged in one-third part of a cross-section of the snow surface compactor (1) where said one-third part is located in the working direction (A) at the back and said cross-section expands essentially in the working direction (A).

3. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the exciter device (2) is arranged in the working direction (A) behind the suspension device (4).

4. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that a predominant part of the base plate (3) is bent.

5. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a predominant part of the base plate (3) is bent with a constant curvature.

6. Snow surface compactor pursuant to claim 5 characterized in that the part of the base plate (14, 16) that is bent with at least one constant curvature stretches at least over two-thirds of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface compactor (1).

7. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the base plate (3) comprises at least two variably bent regions (14, 16), where the region (16) located at the back in the working direction (A) has a larger bending radius (17) and stretches at the most over a third of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface compactor (1).

8. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one tracking element (23) is arranged on the snow surface compactor (1) for profiling the snow surface.

9. Snow surface compactor pursuant to claim 8 characterized in that at least two tracking elements (23) ace arranged in pairs and parallel to and at a distance from one another on the snow surface compactor (1) for preparing the cross-country ski trails.

10. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracking element (23) is arranged on the lower side of the base plate (3), which is turned towards the snow (31) to be compacted.

11. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element (23) is detachably fastened to the base plate (3).

12. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking device (23) is fastened to the snow surface compactor (1) using a tracking device-holder (24).

13. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element-holder (24) comprises a rigid holding arm (25).

14. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the holding arm (25) can deviate.

15. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element holder (24) comprises an adjusting means (27, 28, 30; 32) for adjusting the location and/or adjusting the tracking depth of the tracking element (23).

16. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the adjusting means (32) is driven hydraulically.

17. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element (23) is attached to the deviating holding arm (25) and can deviate into a working position that is located in the working direction (A) behind the base plate (3).

18. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracking element (23) is a wheel.

19. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracking element (23) is a roller, which is profiled with ring-shaped elevations and/or depressions.

20. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the tracking device-holder (24) comprises a flexible strip (36) to which the tracking element (23) is fastened.

21. Snow surface compactor pursuant to claim 20 characterized in that the strip (36) is a plastic mat.

22. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims 20 or 21, characterized in that the strip (36) comprises at least one holding means (33) and a clamping means (35) far attaching the tracking element-holder (24) to the snow surface compactor (1).

23. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims 20 to 22 characterized in that the strip (36) can be clamped using tracking elements (23) lying outside on a profiling rail (21) attached to the use plate (1).

24. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element (23) stretches in its length over approximately one third of the cross-sectional width of the snow surface for (1).

25. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracking element (23) has a height that is reduces in the working direction.

26. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracking element (23) is bent in the working direction (A).

27. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element (23) is a rigid element, which comprises a top side that is shaped corresponding to the outer shape of the base plate (3) and/or the shape of the profiling rail (21).

28. Snow surface compactor pursuant to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tracking element (23) has a convex or V-shaped lower side that is turned towards the snow surface (31) to be compacted.

29. Tracking device (37) for use on a snow compacter (1) having a tracking element (23) and a tracking element-holder (24) pursuant to any of the preceding claims.