US1849296A

US1849296A - Rotary snowplow

Info

Publication number: US1849296A
Application number: US529447A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harleigh R Holmes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-04-11
Filing date: 1931-04-11
Publication date: 1932-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1949-03-15

Description

Mmh 15, 1932. H. R. HOLMES 1,849,296

ROTARY sNowPLw Filed April ll. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Mal'Ch 15, 1932. R- HOLMES 1,849,296

ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed April 11, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 J5 55 k57 J6 i3 Patented Mal-.15, 1932 UNITED STATES HARLEIQH n. HOLMES, or LITTLETON, ooLoRAno ROTARY sNoWPLoW Application led April 11,

This invention relates to improvements inv snowplows and has' reference more particularly to an improved rotaryzsnowplow'for use in removing snow from the highway.

It is of great importancev to the country I that the main .highways should be open to u traffic at all times and in order to maintain then in open condition during the winter months 1t often becomesnecessary to remove great quantitiesof snow and to cut through heavy drifts. For'the purpose of removing snow from highways, a large number of different devices including machines having rotors have been invented and used.

It is the obj ect of this invention to produce an apparatus that shall be so constructed that it can be applied to an ordinary truck when i it is to be used and which can readily be removed from the truck during the summerv much less power to operate it than would be Y required if the usual housing were employed. A still further object of this invention is, to produce a snow removing mechanism that forced into the snow for the purpose of directing the snow to the rotor, but which instead of such cutting edges and scoops, shall be provided with a planer cylinder that lis mounted for-rotation about a horizontal aXis and which is located directly tothe rear..

of the rotor and operated in such a way that it scrapes the snow and ice from the pavement and throws it towards the rotor which then carries it out over the sides of the road.

Another object ofV this invention is to produce a machine of the type referred toin which the rotor and the planer cylinder `can be adjusted simultaneously towards and away from the road surface and' in which 5 vdoes not require any cutting edges to beV bers 6 is an angle iron 8. j This angle iron is 1931'.` Serial' No. '529,447'.`

they ycan also be adjusted relative, to each other. i' e The above Aand other vobjects that may'appear as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrange-y ment ofgpartsthatwillnow be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention l 3 has been illustrated, and in which: j

Fig. l is a side elevation of a truckshowv ing the improved snow removing apparat-us in place thereon; l 4 l" v Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe rear portion ofthe truck, showing the parts to a some- 5 what larger scale than in Fig. l; i j

Fig. 3 is a section taken online 3-3, Fig. l;

Fig. l is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Fig. 2gandV y Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction'of arrows 6 6, in Fig. 1.` n

ln the drawings the apparatus that forms the subject of this invention has been shown as secured to an ordinary truck chassis. The.

, side members of the chassis frame have been designated by referencenumerall, thefront wheels by reference numeral 2 andthe rear wheels by reference numeral 3. The engine for operating the truck vis located underneath the enginehood el, but has `not been shown" because it forms no part of this inyention. .The 'truclris provided with 'the ordinary semi-elliptical springs 5 between the-chassis frame andthe a-Xle. Secured, to the truck frame is another frame havingside members 6 thaty are located above the members 1 and are secured to the latter by means of .bolts 7 Connecting the rear ends of the side memheld in place by means of angle brackets 9 as shown in Fig.14. Secured to thehori'zontal flange of the angle iron is a bearing 10 in which the shaft ll is rotatably mounted. v

Since the truck to which the apparatus thatforms the subject of this invention is applied, is intended to travel in reversefwhen the snow removing mechanism is in operation, the end of the truck that is usually referred to as ythe rear end willbe referred tofjas the frontend in this description. The rear end of shaft 11 extends into a gear casing 12 that contains the reversing gear mechanism. These gears are controlled by means of a lever 13. Since the reversing gear can be of any standard design, it will not be described in detail, but it is to be understood that by means of this gear shafts 11 and lll can be rotated in the same direction or in opposite directions as may be desired. Shaft 14 is driven directly by one or more engines 15 and rotatesv in the same direction at all times. Secured to the forward end of shaft 11 are three rotors A, B and C. The rotors each comprise a circular plate 16 that is secured to `the shaft by means of a pinfl? or some other suitable means and extending radially from these plates are arms that have an angularY cross section. The arms have been designated by reference numeral 18.; The rotor indicated by letter A is the largest and is preferably provided with six varms that yextend radially or substantially` radially therefrom; The outer ends-of the arms on rotor A are connected by means of rods The outer ends'of the blades 18 on 'rotor B are also connected by means of rods 19 and this is also true with the rotor indicated by letter C. Rotors B and C are each provided with three arms, while rotor A, as above explained, has six arms but the exact number of arms is a matter of choice and is not a material feature of this invention. The assembly comprising the three rotors forms a blades can be smaller than would be required ,for a single rotor. By means of the reversing gear, the rotor assembly can be turned in either direction. Attention is called at this pointl to the/fact that the rotor assembly is necessary for the reason that when the inachineis cutting its way through a snowdrift,

- the sno'witself, forms a substitute for the casing 'and assoon as the blades reach a point above the snowbank, the snow carried by the blades will be thrown outwardly by the centrifugal force, and therefore an enclosing casingor housing has been found to be unnecessary.

lt is evident that if the machine construce'd as above described is driven into a snow- Vdrift with the rotors operating, it will out a circular opening through the snow; but it is truck, and the latter Vwould therefore climbV on the snow and raise the mechanism above the surfaceof the roadway to such an extent vDiagonal braces t6 are provided'and cient to give the results desired. In order to clear the roadway to within a given distance of the surface thereof, the machine has been provided with a planer hea-d that rotates on a shaft 2O which extends horizontally a short distance above the roadway and between the truck and the rotor A. The planer head as now constructed consists of two angular members 21 that are held in place on the shaft 2O by means of bolts 22 or other equivalent means. yRemovable blades 23 are secured to members 21. Shaft 2() is journalled in bearings 2e and has one end provided with a bevelled gear A shaft 26 carries a bevel pinion 27 that cooperates with the gear 25. Shaft 26 extends diagonally upwards and has its upperend provided with a pinion 28 that cooperates with another pinion 29 that is carried by a shaft 80. 'Shaft 30 has a pinion 31 that meshes with av pinion 32 on shaft 33. Jfinions 31 and 32 are located within-a housing 34: andthe vouter end ofshaft 33 has a sprocket wheel 35. A sproclretfchain 36 connects the' sprocket gear 25 with a similar Ysprocket wheel 37 on shaft 14. The different "therefore move in the vdirection in which the mechanism is travelling and will throw the snow and ice forwardly into the path ofthe rotor A which will carry the same out and throw it to the side of the road. rlhe planer head is mounted in a frame that comprises two vertical angle irons 38that are Veach proided with a slot 39 through which a bolt l0 extends. The'upper ends ofthe angle irons are provided with an out-turned portion llto which the lower vend of a screw 42 is connected. rlhis screw passes through a threaded opening inl a bracket liiand whenthe screw isV turned in either direction, the angle iron that is connected .with it will be moved ina corresponding direction. rlhe two screws 42 must lbe rotated substantially simultaneously, and may, if desired, be interconnected by means of a sprocket chain which has not been shown. .Carried by the anglesv 38 is a plate 44 whose lower end is curved forwardly and downwardly and terminates at L5 whichiis substantially on the level with the. shaft 20. y n these support the back wallof the housing in which the planer head rotates. rhis rear wall consists of a plate A7 to the upper and lower edges of which angles and i9 are respectively connected. Push .rods 50. extend from the ends of the axle 5l Yto lugs or ears 52 carried by the rear wall vof the housing in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and The push rods'hold'tjhe Yframe in :position during the operation of the machine. Byrturning the screws 42v the planer *head can kbe adjusted with respect to the road without altering the adjustment of the rotors. Y

For the purpose of simultaneously adjust` lingV the rotors and the planer head with respect'to the roadway, means has been provided for compressing thesprings 5 so as to move Located within'the cylinder is a piston 55 and a piston rod 56 extends from thev piston `through the cylinder head 57 andis secured to its upper end to across head 58;` Rods 59 extend downwardly: from the .ends of the cross head 58 andare connected with the plate 60 on top of the spring. A hydraulic pump 6l `is provided for pumping oil into the cylinder below the piston. As the piston moves upwardly, the chassis frame will move `downwardly due to the fiexure of the spring.

One hydraulic cylinder is provided onV each side of the chassis frame and both ofthem are connected to the pump by means of pipes and 63. The space above the piston can be utilized lfor storing the oil.v

Located in front of each of the wheels 3 is an inclined blade 64 that serves to scrape the snow outwardly in front of the wheels and thereby prevent the wheels from lclimbing as they would otherwise do. n

The machine above described is operated. by moving `it in the direction in which the propeller or rotor is pointing and the latter will therefore be forced againstthe snowdrifts and the several sections of the rotor will. cut the snow and throw the same to the side of the roadway. As the machine moves forwardly the rotating planer head cuts the snow and ice adjacent the road surface and piles the same into a position where the lower ends of the blades Aon rotor A can catch them and remove them from the roadway. Any loose snow or iceis removed by means of the blades 64 and the wheels 3 therefore remain certain distance ,from the surface of the roadway lregardless of the thickness of the .snowdrifts and after the machine has passed over the road the Vsnow and ice will be removed to a given depth over the whole width of the roadway.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the rotors are not enclosed and that the construction is therefore much cheaper and simpler than if a housing were employed. Another feature of the construction that is of great importance is that the planer head y employedifor other purposes,,andindthis lway the investment yis much smaller than where the snow removing mechanism lsfso constructed that` it forms ,part of thetruck for in the latter case the truckcanbeusled for no other purpose and the eutirelinvestment is therefore left -idleexcept for the few l days in winter when it is neededa Having described the claimed as new is:

Hf .1. snowplow comprising, in combina tion, a truck, means for propellingrthe same,

a rotor. carried by the forwardendof, the

inventiony what A iis' truck and mounted for rotation' about an i axis parallelwith the v`direction ,of .travel and a planer headmounted forrotationabout a ltransverse axis, said head lying between the rotor and the ,'truckand directly above the roadbed andmeans for turning the head so that its lower part Ytravels forwardly, the

head having a pluralityof planer blades. 2. A snowplow comprising, jin combination, a truck, means for propelling the same,

a rotor carried by the forward end 'ofthe`4rr` truck and mounted for rotation about an axis parallel with the'direction oftravel, 'a planer head mounted for rotation about a transverse axis, said head lying between the rotor and the truck and directly above thefroadbed,

means for turning the head so that its lower parttravels forwardly, the: head having av plurality of planer. blades and means for adjusting the planer head withv respect to the road surface.` y y 3. A snowplow comprising', in` combination, a truck, means for propelling' the same, a rotor carried by the forward endpof `the truck and'mounted for rotation about an aXis parallel with the direction oftraveha planer head mounted for rotation about a` transverse axis, said head 'lying between the `rotor and the `truck and directly above the roadbed, means for turning the head so that its lower part travels forwardlyMthe head having a pluralityv of planer blades; and

means for simultaneously adjusting lthe c pla-ner head and the rotor towards and away from the road surface. Y

4. A snowplow comprising, combina- 1 i tion, a truck, means `for propelling the same, a rotor carried'by .the forward end kof the truck and mounted for rotation about anaXis y parallel with the direction of travel, a planer plurality of .planer blades, meansV for ad-V justing the planer head with respectto the road surface andmeans for simultaneously adjusting the planer head and the `rotor towards and away from the road surface.

AnY apparatus for removing'snow from a roadway comprising, in combination, a self- 4 'roadway comprising, lpropelled truck, a rotor ycarried by the truck stantially radial blades Whose 'lengt-h is somewhat less than the distance from the axis of rotation to the surface of the roadway, means i for turning the rotor, means comprising a 'planer head provided with blades for removing snow from thetop of the roadway,

.said planer head being located between the rotor land the truck and means for turning. the planer head so that the lower part there- Vof rotates in the direction ofvtravel.

6.y An apparatus for removing snow from a in combination, a selfand mounted for rotation about anaXis that extends in the direction in' which the truck travels, the rotor having a plurality of substantially radial blades whose length is somewhat less than the distance from the axis of rotation. to the surface of the roadway, means for turning the rotor, a planer head carried by the truck at a point directly to the rear of the rotor, said head having a plurality of planer blades and mounted for rotation about an aXis substantially perpendicular to the 'direction of travel and located a short distance above the roadway and means for turning the planer head in such a direction that the underside moves in the direction of travel.

'7. An apparatus for removing snow from a roadway comprising, in combination, a selfpropelled trunk, a rotor carriedr by the truck and mounted for rotation about an axis that yextends in the direction in which the truck travels. the rotor having a plurality of substantially radial blades whose length is somewhat less than the'distance from the axis of rotation to the surface of the roadway, means for turning therotor, a planer head carried by the truck at a point directly to the rear of the rotor, said head having a plurality of planer blades and mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel and located' a short distance above the roadway, means for turning the planer head in such a direction that the underside moves in the direction of travel and means for adjusting the position of the planer with respect to the surface of the roadway.

8. An apparatus for removing snow from a roadwaycomprising, in combination, a selfpropelled truck, a rotor carried by the truck and mounted for rotation about an aXis that extends in the direction in which the truck Y travels, the rotor having a plurality of substantiallyradial blades whose length is somewhat less than the distance from the aXis of rotation to the surface of the roadway, means for turning the rotor, a planer head carried by the truck at a point directly to the rear of the rotor, said head having a plurality of planer blades, and mounted for` vrotation rparallelwith the direction of motion, meansV about an. axis substantially perpendicularto lthe direction of travel'and located'a short the underside moves in vthe direction of travel, means for adjusting the positionof Vthe planer head Withrespect to the surface of the roadway and means for simultaneously adjusting the rotorv and the planer head with respect to the roadway surface.

'9; A device for removing snow from a roadway comprising,A in combination, a `self. propelled truck, a motor carried by the truck, a shaft mounted for yrotation about an axis for rotating the shaft by power derived from the motor, a plurality of separaterotors secured to the shaft in front ofthe truck, the

rotor nearest the truck being larger than the others and the rotor rfarthest from .the'truck sembly is produced, each rotor having a plurality of radial blades, a planer head carried by the truck, said cylinder being located'between the rotor and the truclr and mounted..

-8,5 being the smallest whereby a conical rotor astating the planer head in such a directionthat the lower part thereof moves in the direction ,.95

of travel.

HLA device for removing snow from a roadway comprising, inn combination, a selfl propelled truclna motor carriedby the truck, a shaft mounted for rotation about an'aiiis. parallel with the direction of motion, means for rotating Vthe shaftby power derived from the motor, a pluralityr of separater rotors secured to the shaft in front of the truck, the

rotor nearest the truck being larger than the others and the rotor farthest from the truck being the smallest whereby a conical rotor. assembly isV produced, each rotor having a plurality of radial blades, a planer head carried by the truck, said head being located between, .i

planer. head'in sucha direction that the lower part thereof moves in the direction of travel and means for adjusting the position of the rotor and the planer head with respect to the roadway. l i I I l In testimony whereof I aifix my signature..

HARIVJEIGHk R.