US2763939A

US2763939A - Ice rink resurfacing machine

Info

Publication number: US2763939A
Application number: US316495A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank J Zamboni
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-10-23
Filing date: 1952-10-23
Publication date: 1956-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1973-09-25

Description

P 1956 F. J. ZAMBONI ICE RINK RESURFACING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 25. 1-952 ZNVENTOR. Fem/z J. Zmmav/ BY J1 i A rap/v5 Sept. 25, 1956 F. J. ZAMBONI ,7

ICE RINK RESURFACING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IGI INVENTOR. Fen/w: J. ZpMaa/v/ 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F. J. ZAMBON] ICE RINK RESURFACING MACHINE M R E W a. J W e m f V. B \m: e: Om. Im-

Sept. 25, 1956 Filed Oct. 25, 1952 p 1955 F. J. ZAMBONI ICE RINK RESURFACING MACHINE 4 Sheet-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. as, 1952 IaBWB mmvroze. 58 Fem/k ZQMEQN/ BY 7 I85 I78 7 United States Patent ICE RINK RESURFACING MACHINE Frank J Zamboni, Paramount, Calif. Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,495 8 Claims. (CI. 37-13) The present invention relates to ice rink resurfacing machines, and is in the nature of an improvement on the machine shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 93,478, filed May 16, 1949, now Patent No. 2,642,679.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved machine for smoothing and renewing the surface of the ice in a skating rink after the same has been cut up and roughened by skates, and more particularly, to provide an improved machine capable of refinishing the ice to a smooth, unblemished sur face in a single pass.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class described embodying .a new and improved arrangement for supporting the blade which shaves the ice, and for holding the same firmly down against the ice.

A further object is to provide a machine having a spreader trailing behind the shaving blade, wherein water is continuously supplied to the spreader, and any surplus water is continuously drawn off and discharged into a suitable receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ice resurfacing machine having means for picking up excessive Water standing on the surface of the ice, leaving the ice with only a thin film of water on the surface to fill up cracks and cuts that are too deep to be removed.

Still another object of the invention, in one of its aspects, is to provide a machine having a water spreader, wherein the water is taken from the same receptacle into which the shaved ice is discharged.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partially cut away side elevational view of a machine embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the ice resurfacing mechanism, taken at the section line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at 44 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewtaken at 5--5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section'takenat 6--6in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at 7-7 in Fig. 3, showing the water spreader resting on the 'ice in operating position;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to 'Fig. 7, but showing the spreader raised to transport position;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section, taken at99 in Fig. '3; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view takenat 10-10 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the machine is seen to comprise a small, four wheel drive automotive vehicle '15 of the type known popularly as a jeep, upon which are mounted a snow box 16, water tank 17, ice refinishing mechanism 18, and elevator-'conveyer 19.

j ture which rests on the ice and The vehicle 15 has fore and aft extending frame members 20, and welded to the front ends thereof is a trans: verse channel member 22. A transverse angle iron 24 is welded to the rear ends of the frame members 20, and mounted on the said angle iron are two laterally spaced, vertical posts 26, which support the rear end of the snow box 16.

Other posts

28 and 30 support th center and front ends of the snow box, and these are welded or otherwise attached to the frame members 20: A framework of channel irons 32 is secured to the tops of the posts, and the box. 16 is mounted thereon. I

The driver's seat is shown at 34, and is carried at the end of a supporting pipe 35, which is welded to and pro jects rearwardly from the angle iron 24 at the left-hand end thereof. A steering wheel 36 is connected by means of a torque tube 38 and universal joint 39 to an extension 40 of the steering shaft. Located ahead of the drivers seat and projecting laterally from the vehicle body are the other driving controls, comprising a clutch pedal 41, brakepedal 42 and accelerator pedal 43. These are connccted by suitable linkage and cables (not shown to the clutch mechanism, brakes, and throttle, respectively, and function in substantially the same manner as conventional automobile controls. Since the controls form no part of the invention, it is deemed unnecessary to describe the same in more detail. It will'also be appreciated that the location of the drivers seat is not necessarily limited to the locationshown, but might be placed considerably higher to afiord a better view of the ice. However, the arrangement shown has the advantage of placing the driver close to the ice resurfacing mechanism 18, where he can closely observe the operation of the mechanism and the condition of the ice resurfaced thereby.

The ice refinishing unit 18 consists of a sled-like strucis towed behind the vehicle (see Figures 1 and 3), which axle adjacent the left and right by drawbars 45 and 46 are attached to the rear hand springs, respectively. The drawbars 45, 46 may be solid steel bars, with their rear ends bent downwardly and projecting thru holes in cars 47 on the front edge of the unit. The attachment .of the drawbars 45, 46 to the rear axle. of the vehicle is a pivotal connection, which allows them to swing in a horizontal plane. A third bar 48 is similarly connected to the rear axle of the vehicle adjacent the left hand spring, and extends diagonally rearward to a slotted plate 49 on the front edge of the unit '18. The slot in the plate 49 extends transverse to the direction of forward travel, and the: rear end of the bar 48 is "bent downwardly into the slot, where it is slidable along the length thereof. This arrangement permits a limited amount of lateral shifting of the unit 18 with respect to the vehicle, so that the operator can slide the unit over into corners of the rink as he rounds the .corners. Such lateral shifting of the unit 18 is, of course, limited to the confines of the slot.

The sled-like structure of the unit 18 is made up of two .ioraand-aft spaced, transversely extending

angle irons

52 and 53, the ends of which abut against and are joined to ,

end plates

54 and 55,. The bottom edges of the end plates are bent inward y to form narrow flanges 56, which function as runners .on the ice, while the top edges of the end plates :are bent in to form wider flanges 57 that reinforce and stiffen the plates. The angle irons 52, 53am also connected togetherintermediate theirends by four laterally spaced bars .60, .60, 61 and 61, which have other functions that ,will be described presently.

Mounted on the unit 18 transverse to the direction of forward travel is a heavy, extremely sharp knife blade 64, which :is bolted :to the underside of an. inverted 7T- shaped beam '65. :Disposed directly ahead of the blade '64:'topick::up the shaved ice produced thereby and carry it in toward the center of the machine is a worm screw conveyor 66 having two oppositely wound

helix blades

67 and 68, that are separated at the center by a space to permit passage of the chain and paddles of the endless elevator-conveyor 1 9. The shaft69 of the screw conveyor 66' is journaled at its endslin bearings 70, which are mounted on the inside face of the end plates 54, S5, A sprocket wheel 71 (Figure 3) is secured to the shaft 69 at itsmidpoint, and the conveyor 66 is' dfiv'en' by the chain 72 of conveyor 19, which is tfaine'd around the sprocket. The chain 72 has transversely disposed paddles 73 attached thereto at spaced intervals, and shaved ice pushed in to the centerby the worm screw conveyor 66 is picked up by the paddles as and startup thru a vertical conveyor housing 74. The housing 74 is of rectangular cross section, dimensioned to provide a fairly close fit for the paddles 73, and extends up from a point just above the surface of the ice,

the latter pass under the sprocket 71 to a point above the back board 75 of the snow box 16.

At the top end of the housing is another sprocket wheel (not shown) mounted on a shaft 76, and the conveyor chain 72 passes over this last-named sprocket and leaves the housing thru an opening irithe front wall thereof.

Side wings 77 keep the snow from falling away from I the paddles 73 until the latter have passed over the back board 75 of the snow box, at whichpoint the unsupported snow drops from the conveyor into the box.-

The conveyor chain travels forwardly over the top of the snow box, and at the front end thereof, passes over a sprocket in the top of another vertical housing 80, to descend thru the latter to the surface of the ice. At the bottom end of the housing 80, the chain passes under another sprocket and then travels rearwardly therefrom to the sprocket 71. The front housing 80 is mounted on the transverse channel member 22 for support, and the top ends of the two

housings

80, 74 are held in fixed spaced relation to one another by an adjustable turnbuckle rod 81. p

The drive for both of the

conveyors

19 and 66 is taken from a power take-off (not shown) on the vehicle, and in the embodiment illustrated, is transmitted thru a flexible shaft 82 (Figure 2). The flexible shaft 82 is connected to the power take off underneath the body of the vehicle, and passes up along the right-hand side of the machine to a driving connection with a shaft 83. The shaft 83 is rotatably supported in abearing block 84 mounted on the front side of the housing 74 somewhat below the top end thereof, and fixed on the shaft is a sprocket wheel 85 that drives a chain 86. The chain 86 passes over another sprocket 87 on shaft 76, and in this manner, the chain 72 is driven by the power take off. As was pointed out earlier, the chain 72 drives the worm screw conveyor 66 thru sprocket 71, and thus both conveyers are driven.

The rear housing 74 is detachably supported on the I frame structure of the unit 18 by means of the two center bars 61, 61, thru which the housing passes. Trunnion pins 90 (Figures 3 and 9) project laterally from opposite sides of the housing 74, and these are received within" slots 91 formed in the top edges of the bars 61, 61. The pins 90 are confined within the slots 91 by means of two short bars 92, each ofwhich is pivotally connected to one of the bars 61, 61 by a bolt 93. The bars 92 are provided with notches in their bottom edges which are located to receive the projecting ends of the pins 90, and the latter are thus overlaid by the bars. A pin 94 is passed thru aligned holes in the bars 61 and 92, to lock the latter in place.

When the parts are in the condition shown in Figure 9, the housing 74 is solidly attached to the bars 61, 61, and therefore is supported on the frame of the unit 18. When the unit 18 is raised to transport position, as will be described shortly, the housing 74 rises with it; being maintained parallel with the front housing 80 by the link 81. To disconnect the housing 74 from the unit 18, as when the machine is being stripped for shipment, it is necessary The unit 18 is raised to transport position by means of three vacuum booster units 96, which are mounted on the vehicle across the back side of the snow box 75. The units 96 are of the type used to operate truck brakes, and the purpose of using three of them is to get enough power to lift the weight of the unit 18. Vacuum for the booster units 96 is taken from the intake manifold of the vehicle engine, and a reservoir tank 97 is mounted on the right rear fender to provide increased vacuum capacity for simultaneous operation of the three units 96. The tank 97 is connected to the intake manifold, and is constantly being exhausted while the engine is idling or operating at normal speed. A pipe 98 connects the tank 97 with the units 96 thru a valve 99, and by opening the latter, the units 96 are operated.

A pull rod 102 projects downwardly from the bottom of each of the booster units 96, and a clevis at the lower end thereof is connected by a pin 103 to an. arm 104. The arm 104 is fixed to and extends rearwardly from a transverse rock shaft 105, which is rotatably supported in bearing blocks mounted on the posts 26. The arms 104 of the two units on the left extend beyond the pins 103, and at the outer ends thereof are clevis fittings 106 which are connected by pull rods or cables 107 to the cross bars 60, 60 of the unit 18. Opening the valve 99 causes the pull rods 102 to pull upwardly, which rocks the arms 104 and shaft in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4. The arms 104, in turn, lift the frame of the unit 18 to the transport position some distance above the ground, and the machine can then travel over pavement or other rough surface without damaging the sharp edge of the blade 64. When the machine is in readiness to start refinishing ice, the valve 99 is closed, and the booster units 96 then lower the frame to the ice. A short length of steel bar 108 is welded to the angle iron 24 on the back end of the vehicle (Figure 3) and projects rearwardly therefrom over the front angle iron 52 of unit 18, to serve as a limit stop for the frame when the latter is raised.

One important aspect of my invention has to do with the arrangement for supporting the blade 64 and providing adjustments thereof, and the structure relating to this portion of the machine will now be described. Projecting from opposite ends of the T-shaped beam 65 at the leading edge thereof are trunnions 109 which are pivoted on the midpoints of

lever arms

110 and 111. The front ends of

arms

110, 111 are connected to their

respective end plates

54, 55 by pivots 112, and the arms are swing able in vertical planes to raise and lower the beam 65 and blade 64.

The arm 110 at the left-hand end of the blade is adjusted vertically by means of a hand wheel 115 fixed to the top end of a screw shaft 116 (see Figure 6), on the left-hand side of the drivers seat. The shaft 116 extends down thru a hole in the horizontal flange of the rear angle iron 53, and is supported thereon by a hearing 118 which permits free rotation of the shaft, but restrains the same against endwise movement. A nut 120 is screwed onto the threaded portion of the shaft 116 projecting below the supporting flange, and an upstanding bar 121 welded to the rear end of the arm 110 is received between two laterally spaced ears 122 on the nut 120, to which it is connected bya pin 124. Thus, the rear end of the arm 110 is adjustable vertically by turning the handwheel 115, which causes the nut 120 to advance along the threads of the screw-shaft 116 in one direction or the other, carrying the arm 110 with it.

Arm 111 at the right-hand end of the blade is adjusted vertically by means of a hand wheel 126 fixed to the top end of' a screw shaft 128 (see Figure 4), on the righthand side of the drivers seat.- The shaft 128 extends down thru a hole in the horizontal flange of the angle lf01'153yfl11di8 supported thereon bya'bearinglim which permits free rotation of the shaft, but prevents endwise movement thereof. A'nut 432 is screwed "onto the threaded lowerportion or" the shaftyan'd :formed integrally with said nut on the front side thereof arespaced cars which receive the end of an arm 134 between them. A pin 136 passes thru aligned .holes in the ears and arm 134.

The arm 134 is welded 'to .and projects rearwardly from a torque tube 138 that extends laterally-to'the right from hand wheel 126 to a point just s'horto'f the endplate 55. The torquetube 138 is pournaled at its ends in bearings 140, and fixed to the right-hand end of the tube is a rearwardly extending arm 142 (Figure .5), which is connected by a link144 to a fitting 145 on the rear en'd of the arm 111. Byvirtueof this arrangement, the rear endof the arm 111 is adjustable vertically by turning the handwheel 126, =which causes the nut 132 to travel up or down the screw shaft 128, rocking' fhe torque tube 138 and thereby raising or' lowering the rear-end of the arm 111.

Both of the

arms

110 and 1 11 are resiliently urged downward by cantilever "leaf springs 146 which are secured :at their front-ends by' brackets147 to their respective end plates 54, '55, and which bear downwardly at their rear ends on the rear ends of the

arms

110, 111.

These springs exert a powerful downward pressure on the ends of the beam65 and blade .64, taking up any clearances in the linkage system and holdingthe blade down against the ice with a spring load.

In addition to'the springs "146, there is a third transversely disposed tension spring '150 (Figure which acts thru a link 151, bell-crank 152, and push'rod 153, to press downwardly on the beam "65 and blade 64 at the midpoint thereof. Thebcttom-endof the push rod 153 is received between twolaterally 'spaced lugs 154, which are weldedtothetop of the beam 65 in the back corner formed at the junction of the vertical flange with the horizontal flange. The springt is a heavy coil spring, which is held at one end by a hook on the link 151, and secured at the other end to a downwardly projecting post 155 on the end of .afibell-crank arm 156. The arm 156 normally extends outwardly, awayfrom the spring 150, and the post 155 is slightly over-center with respect to the line of pull of the spring and the bearing support 16% of the bell-crank, :as best shownin Figure 3. The other arm 161 of the bell-crank is considerably longer than and extends in the opposite'direction from arrn156, and has a downwardly bent end portion 162.which abuts against a laterally projecting angle stop 163 welded to one side of the frame bar 6t). The tension of spring 150 acting on arm 1156 exerts a counter-clockwise torque on the bell-crank, holding

arm

161, 162 against the stop 163.

The purpose of this arrangement is to providemeans whereby the tension in spring 150 can be relaxed'to perniit connection to or disconnection from the link 151. When the spring is to be disconnected, the mm 161 is pulled around in a clockwise direction, carrying the post 155 over center and bringing itaround towardthe spring. This shortens the distance between the ends of the spring, and relaxes the tension so that the spring can readily be disconnected. To restore the spring 150 to operative condition, the bell-crank is rotated to bring the post 155 'in toward the end of link 151; after which the ends of the spring are connected to the link and to the post, and the bell crank is pulled around in the counter-clockwise direction to stretch the spring.

The pressure exerted downwardly on the beam .65and blade 64 by the spring 156 has the .efiectof transferring a portion of the weight of the frame to the blade, andis particularly useful when the blade loses its keen edge. As the blade becomes .dull, it requires more pressure to hold it down so that it bites into the ice, and as a result the blade has a tendency to slide on the surface of the ice. In spite of their heavy cross section, the beam .65 and blade 64 tend to bow upwardly from'the increased downwardly. This added downward spring pressure "on the beam andbladeconstitutes aportion-bf theweighfof the frame, and is applied 'to the beam independently "of the depth adjustment linkages-atboth ends'thereof.

The angle of the 'blade'to't'he surface of theiceis regulated by means of a hand wheel' l65, which projects upwardly hem 5 the frame member 531at the:'midpointthere of. The hand wheel 165 is mounted on the top-endof a screw shaft 166 that is-rotatablysupported'by a hearing 5467 {Figure Q y-on the' horizontal flangeof member said bearing also restraining-said shaft against lengthwise movement. The 'shaft l66 extends dlown thru 1a hole in the supporting flange, and-its threaded lower-por'tion is screwed into a nut 170. hugs-on the-front side =of=the nut are connected by a' pin '171"-to a'lug 1'72 projecting 'rearwardly from "theback*edge of the beam 65. Turning the handwhee'l' 165 causes the n'ut 1 70 to:move up or down the threads ofthe shaft 166, thereby increasing or decreasing the angle of attaek of the'knifefiblade.

Trailing behind the blade 64 rs a water spreader 175, which functions. to :sprea'd a :thin'film ofwa'ter'on the surface "of the ice to replace' the ice that has been shaved 0d, and to fill any crac 'ks or .skate cuts extending below the shaved surface. The spreadercomprises a transversely disposed, flat steel plate 176, having fore andtaft spaced, parallel .Pstrips of lhardv felt 177 attached fOihe bottom surface thereof, which'form achannel 17S extending lengthwise of the plate. The. ends oflthe channel are closed, and when theispreader is'rest'ing on the ice, as in Figure 4, the feltstrips177rsealthechannel-178 against excessive leakage. .Wateris admitted to the channel .178 thru a flexible pipe .lflti 'which dn one form er theuinvention, is connected at one end "to -a valve'llsl communicating with the water'tank '17. The other endof'thepipe 180 is attached "to .a fitting'l182, which is connected to the spreader at the midpoint thereof. The fitting 182 extends thru the plate 176 into the channel 178, and is provided with oppositely facing outlet :holes .183 that direct the water laterally outward toward the ends .of the channel.

Connected into the channel 178rat the outer ends thereof are outlet pipes .185, 186, that 'are joined to opposite branches of a reconnection .187. .The third branch of the T-connection is joined to a flexible pipe 138, which extends up to one inlettside of a-3-way valve 191). The outlet side of valve is connected to a flexible pipe 191 which 'is connected, in turn, to the intake of apump .192 mounted on the angle iron 24. The pump 192 may be driven fromlthe vehicle engine in anysuitable manner,.and its outletis connected to a pipe 193, which'exten'ds up-to a; point 111631 the top of the back board 75 of the .snow boxgand then passes 'thru the back board to discharge into the snow box.

The other inlet side of ithe'valve 190 has a.flexible pipe 195 1 connected thereto, which extends down into the framework of the unit .18 to pick up any standing water on the ice resulting from excessive melting. The pipe 195 passes down :into the frame work just ahead ofthe angle member 53 :and behind the beam 65, and is held with -.its bottom end just above the surface .of the ice by a bracket 196. The bracket 196 is attached to the .bottom edge of the downwardly extending flange 197 .ofangleoiron53, which reaches down to a point just-a .few inches. above the surface of the ice. QArubbersqueegee strip 198 is also attached to the bottom edge of the flange 197.and wipes the surface of theice to sweep any melted ice water ahead of it. The water ahead of the squeegee strip 198 is sucked up by the pipe 195 whenthe valve190 is in the proper position, anddischarged by the pump 192 into the snow box.

The 3-way valve .190 may. be-turnedso that pipe11-88 is open to the pump192 and pipe 195 is closed; or pipe ...7 195 is open and 188 is closed; or both

pipes

188 and 195 are open. The valve may also be closed entirely. In the first of theabove-mentioned positions, the pump 192 would draw water solely from the ends of the spreader 175; while in the second position, the pump would suck up the surplus water ahead of the squeegee but would not draw water from the spreader 175; and in the third position would draw water from both sources. The valve would be closed only when the pump 192 was not in operation.

In a slightly modified form of the invention, the water tank 17 is omitted altogether, and water for the spreader 175 is taken from the bottom of the snow box 16. This arrangement is shown in phantom lines in Figure 4, wherein the flexible pipe 180' is connected to a valve 200 mounted on the bottom of the snow box and communicating with the interior thereof. A filter 201 filters out any dirt in the water. The valve 200 is shown in solid lines in Figure 4, owing to the fact that it is embodied in the water-tank version of the invention as a drain valve for emptying-the snow box of melted ice and surplus water discharged from the spreader 175. When the pipe 180 is connected to valve 200, the normal procedure would be to start the resurfacing operation with a certain quan tity of water in the snow box, and this would be added to by melting ice dumped into the snow box by the conveyer 19.

The spreader 175 is connected to the sled unit 18 by means of two slings 205, which hang from the ends of rearwardly extending

arms

206 and 207. The

arms

206 and 207 are fixed to opposite ends of a rock shaft 208, which is journaled in bearings 209 mounted on the back side'of angle member 53. Arm 206 is one arm of a bell-crank, the other arm of which extends upwardly and is designated 210. Arm 210 is connected by a link 211 (see Figures 7 and 8) to another arm 212, which is fixed to one end of a shaft 213. Shaft 213 is journaled in a bearing block 214 mounted on top of angle member 53, and fixed to its other end is another arm 215. The

arms

212, 215 constitute a bell-crank, of which arm 215 is a handle. When the bell-crank is in the position shown in Figure 7, the spreader 175 is lowered to the ice and in operating condition. When the bell-crank is rotated to the position shown in Figure 8, the spreader is raised to transport position and locked by the over-center position of arm 212 with respect to link 211.

The operation of the machine is believed to be selfevident from the foregoing description. The machine is 'in operating condition when the sled unit 18 is lowered to the ice, as in the drawings. As the machine is driven forwardly, the blade 64 takes a light shaving cut on the ice to clean off the surface. The shaved ice is moved in toward the center of the sled unit 18 by the worm screw conveyer 67, and is there picked up by the chain conveyer 19, which dumps the material into the snow box 16. Water from the tank 17 (or from the bottom of the snow box) runs by gravity to the center of the spreader 175, and thence to the outer ends thereof. Surplus water is picked up from the ends of the spreader channel 178 by the pump 192, and is discharged into the snow box 16. If there are puddles of water standing on the ice, the valve 190 is turned so that the water is sucked up thru the pipe 195 and discharged into the snow box.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scope of the invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In an ice rink resurfacing machine, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having a transversely disposed frame attached thereto, said frame resting directly on the surface of the ice and floating with respect to said vehicle,

a pair of arms pivoted at one end on said frame for vertical swinging movement, said arms being spaced apart laterally and extending in a generally fore and aft direction, a blade-carrying member extending between said arms and pivotally connected thereto intermediate the ends of the arms, means for rocking said member with respect to said arms to adjust the angle of attack of said blade, a pair of adjusting screws on said frame connected to the free ends of said arms for raising and lowering the sameto regulate the depth of cut of said blade, spring means on said frame engaging said blade-carrying member intermediate its ends and pressing downwardly thereon to counteract upward deflection of the midportion of the blade due to pressure of the ice, and a pair of springs on opposite ends of said frame bearing downwardly on said free ends of said arms to take up any clearancesin the adjusting connections and to hold said blade down against the ice with a resilient spring load.

2. In an ice rink resurfacing machine, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having a transversely disposed frame attached thereto, said frame resting directly on the surface of the ice and floating with respect to said vehicle, a pair of arms pivoted at one end on said frame for ver tical swinging movement, said arms being spaced apart laterally and extending in a generally fore and aft direction, a blade-carrying member extending between said arms and pivotally connected thereto intermediate the ends of the arms, spring means on said frame engaging said blade-carrying member adjacent the midportion thereof and pressing downwardly thereon to bow said blade downwardly and to transfer a substantial portion of the Weight of the frame to the blade, means on said frame connected to the free ends of said arms for raising and lowering the same to regulate the depth or" cut of said blade, and other means on said frame connected to said blade-carrying member at a point spaced radially from the pivot axis thereof for rocking said member to adjust the angle of attack of the blade.

3. In an ice rink resurfacing machine, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having a transversely disposed frame attached thereto, said frame resting directly on the surface of the ice and floating with respect to said vehicle, a pair of arms pivoted at one end on said frame for vertical swinging movement, said arms being spaced apart laterally and extending in a generally fore and aft direction, a blade-carrying member extending between said arms and pivotally connected thereto intermediate the ends of the arms, a pair of adjusting screws on said frame connected to the free ends of said arms for raising and lowering the same to regulate the depth of cut of said blade, 21 pair of springs on opposite ends of said frame bearing downwardly on said free ends of said arms to take up any clearances in the adjusting connections, another spring connected at one end to said frame, and linkage means connected to the other end of said lastnamed spring and bearing downwardly on said bladecarrying member adjacent the midpoint thereof to hold the center section of said blade down against the ice.

4. In a machine of the class described having a blade for shaving the ice, and means for collecting and removing the shaved ice, a water spreader disposed behind said collecting and removing means, said water spreader com prising a transverse member having a layer of resilient material attached to the underside thereof bearing on the surface of the ice, said resilient material being arranged to form a closed-end channel extending from one end of the spreader to the other, a water supply pipe connected to said channel adjacent the midpoint thereof, said pipe directing water laterally outward toward the ends of said channel, a pair of outlet pipes connected into the ends of said channel, and a pump connected to said outlet pipes for withdrawing surplus water from said channel While the machine. is in operation.

5. In a machine of the class described having a blade for shaving the ice, and means for collecting and removing the shaved ice, a water spreader disposed behind said collecting and removing means, said water spreader comprising a transverse member having a layer of resilient material attached to the underside thereof bearing on the surface of the ice, said resilient material being arranged to form a closed-end channel extending from one end of the spreader to the other, and means for continuously admitting water to said channel and means for withdrawing the surplus water from said channel.

6. .ln an ice rink resurfacing machine of the class described having a blade for shaving the ice, a receptacle for the shaved ice, means for collecting and removing the shaved ice to said receptacle, a water tank mounted on said machine, a water spreader disposed behind said collecting and removing means, said Water spreader comprising a transverse member having a layer of resilient material attached to the underside thereof bearing on the surface of the ice, said resilient material being arranged to form a closed-end channel extending from one end of the spreader to the other, a water supply pipe connecting said tank to said channel adjacent the midpoint thereof, a pair of outlet pipes connected into the ends of said channel, and a pump connected to said outlet pipes for Withdrawing surplus water from the ends of said channel and discharging said surplus water into said shaved ice receptacle.

7. In an ice rink resurfacing machine of the class described having a blade for shaving the ice, a receptacle for the shaved ice, means for collecting and removing the shaved ice to said receptacle, a water spreader disposed behind said collecting and removing means, said water spreader comprising a transverse member having a layer of resilient material attached to the underside thereof bearing on the surface of the ice, said resilient material being arranged to form a closed-end channel extending from one end of the spreader to the other, a water supply pipe communicating with the bottom of said receptacle and connected into said channel, a filter for filtering out dirt in the water entering said supply pipe from said receptacle, at least one discharge pipe connected into said channel at a distance from said supply pipe, and a pump connected to said discharge pipe for withdrawing surplus water from said channel and discharging the same into said receptacle.

8. In a machine of the class described having a frame resting on the surface of the ice, a transversely disposed blade having its ends mounted on said frame, and spring means on said frame engaging said blade intermediate its ends and pressing downwardly thereon to deflect the midportion of the blade slightly so as to counteract upward bowing of the blade by pressure of the ice, said spring means acting also to transfer a substantial portion of the weight of the frame to the blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,331 Apple Nov. 27, 1883 652,311 Hourihan June 26, 1900 1,431,594 Oswald Oct. 10, 1922 1,497,630 Beatty et al. June 10, 1924 1,561,368 Staley Nov. 10, 1925 1,762,599 Thorud June 10, 1930 2,031,751 Watt et al Feb. 25, 1936 2,259,120 Sweeney Oct. 14, 1941 2,573,921 McNamara Nov. 6, 1951 2,642,679 Zamboni June 23, 1953