US3043028A

US3043028A - Snow remover

Info

Publication number: US3043028A
Application number: US856758A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert B Merry; Paul F Hastings
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-12-02
Filing date: 1959-12-02
Publication date: 1962-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-10

Description

July 10, 1962 A. B. MERRY ET AL SNOW REMOVER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2. 1959 llllllllllllln:

s a 0N5 T M M m O VYT T N R S T IRA A EH M WQ IF B TU 2 B Y M zwm W n 5 mm wdE y 1 1962 A. B. MERRY ETAL 3,043,028

SNOW REMOVER Filed Dec. 2, 1959 3 51 1 2 INVENTORS ALBERT B.MERRY AND BY PAUL F. HASTINGS ATTORNEYS July 10, 1962 A. B. MERRY ET AL SNOW REMOVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 2, 1959 INVENTORS ALBERT B. MERRY AND BY PAUL F. HASTINGS ATTORNEYS nite htates Patent ()fiice attests atented July 10, 1962 3,943,028 SNUW REMGVER Albert B. Merry, 5598 Forest i lvd and Paul F. Hastings, 12% Gordon Ava, hath of Spokane, Wash. Fiied Dec. 2, 1%9, Ser. No. 856,758 fllaims. (Cl. 37-43) The herein disclosed invention relates to snow removers and has for an object to provide a snow remover which will effectively remove both wet and dry snow.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a snow remover utilizing a minimum amount of power.

A still further, object of the invention resides in providing a snow blower which will not easily jam and which can handle fairly deep deposits of snow.

An object of the invention resides in providing a snow remover having transverse conveyors feeding to a common locality and a blower receiving the snow collected and discharged by the conveyors and in constructing the device so that the snow received thereby may be discharged in any direction without altering the direction of flow of the snow after it leaves the blower.

Another object of the invention resides in providing the blower with a housing having a discharge spout and a rotor in said housing having radially extending blades and in rotatably mounting the housing for rotation about an axis parallel with the axis of the rotor to present the spout for direct discharge in several directions.

A feature of the invention resides in disposing the blower on an incline with the inlet thereto facing forward- 'ty and downwardly.

An object of the invention resides in providing a restrictor plate on the inlet side of the blower having a feed opening smaller in dimensions than the circle bounding the rotor blades to feed the snow directly to the central part of the rotor and away from the outermost tips of the rotor blades.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a breaker strap located at the locality of the inlet of the blower for breaking up the snow collected by the conveyors prior to feeding the same to the blower.

A still further object of the invention resides in laterally offsetting the blower with reference to the frame of the snow remover.

An object of the invention resides in making one of the conveyors in two sections with a space therebetween and in providing a transmission entering the space between said sections and driving both sections and in further providing a direct drive between one of said sections and the other conveyor.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a snow remover illustrating an embodiment of the invention,

PEG. 2 is a front elevational view of the snow blower shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1 and with the motor removed.

PEG. 4 is an elevational sectional View taken on line 44- of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional View taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

PEG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line 3-8 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 3 and drawn to a greater scale.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken on line 1111 of FIG. 2.

The snow blower shown in the drawings comprises a frame 1t) having two

longitudinal frame members

11 and 12 constructed of angle iron and arranged with the upper flanges 13 thereof horizontal and lying in a common plane. The lower flanges 14 are spaced from one another and bolts 15 extending through said flanges and through a spacer 16 therebetween and through other means to be presently described, hold the frame members in spaced rigid interconnected position. A plate 93 overlies the flanges 13 and is bolted thereto.

At the rearward portion of the frame 10 are rear supporting wheels 2i) which are rotatably mounted on an axle 21. This axle, as shown in FIG. 4, has secured to it saddles 22 which are welded to said axle and which are bolted to a post 23. This post is slidably mounted in a guide 24 which is clamped between the two

frame members

11 and 12. by means of bolts 25. A set screw 26 is screwed into a boss 27 formed on the guide 24 and engages the post 23 to hold the frame 10 in vertically adjusted position relative to the wheels 20.

The snow blower is steered and manipulated by means of two handlebars 3t and 31 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which are bolted to the guide 24 by means of bolts 32 and which extend upwardly and rearwardly from the frame 10. Finger grips 33 and 34- are secured to the handlebars 3t) and 31 to facilitate handling the device. A plate 35 extending across the handlebars 3t and 31 is secured thereto by means of screws 36 and serve to stiffen and reinforce the handlebars.

Mounted on the frame 14 is a gasoline motor 40 which rests upon the plate 93 mounted on the flanges 13 of the angle members 11 and 12., This motor is bolted to said flanges by means of bolts 41. The motor 40 may be of any suitable construction such as is now well known in the art and the description of the same will hence be omitted. The motor 40 has a crank shaft 42 and a gas tank 43 supplying gasoline to a carburetor 44 and which feeds gas to the cylinder of the cylinder block 45. The crank shaft 42 has mounted on it two

sheaves

46 and 47 and which drive certain of the parts of the snow remover as will be presently described. Controls for the motor extend through the handlebars 3t and 31 and are operated by levers 37 disposed adjacent the

finger grips

33 and 34 and pivoted to said handle bars.

Below the frame 10 is mounted a transmission 50, FIG. 1, which has a countershaft 51. The said transmission further includes a transmission case 52 and which has two

halves

53 and 54 formed with flanges 55 bolted together by means of bolts 56, best shown in FIG. 2. This transmission case fits in between the flanges 14 of the

frame members

11 and 12 and is provided with bearings 57 (FIG. 7) which journal the countershaft 51 for rotation. These bearings in turn are journaled in bearings 58 attached to the

frame members

11 and 12 by welding and the entire transmission 50 may be swung as a unit in said hearings to cause the said transmission to occupy the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. A bolt 59 extending through the flanges 14 of the

angle members

11 and 12 and through the flanges 55 of the case 52 hold the parts in fixed position.

The transmission 50 includes a sprocket 61 over which a chain 62 passes. This chain transmits power as disclosed in Patent No. 2,871,585 for Motor Power Unit, issued February 3, 1959, to a driven shaft 63, shown in detail in FIG. 11, which is rotatably mounted in bearings 64 welded to the lower ends of the halves 53 and 54- of the case 52.

The invention includes two conveyors and 80, best 'for rotary movement, .Mounted within the housing 100 is arotor 110. This I-q a shown in 1 16.2. The conveyor 70 comprises two angers '71 which are mounted on a shaft 74 disposed on one side oftransmission 50; The conveyor 80 is constructed in' two sections 80a and 80b. The section 80a comprises two augers-81 which are mounted on a shaft 84 disposed on the other side of said transmission. Section 80b cornprises two angers 83 which are mounted on the shaft.74 and on the side of transmission 51} opposite section 80a.

which straddle the housing 100. and which are bolted to the mounting plate 91 by means of bolts 124. The said Thefacing ends of'the

shafts

74 and 84 are constructed with

sockets

75 and 85 and receive. the ends of the shaft 63.

Pins

76 and 86 secured to the ends of the shaft 63 enter T-

shaped slots

77 and 87 in the

shafts

74 and 84 and hold the two

conveyors

70 and 80 attached to the.

shaft 63. The augers 71'of conveyor 70 are spaced from the augers 8 3 of conveyor 80, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide a space 78 therebetween. End plates79 and 89 are welded to the ends ofthe

shafts

74 and 84 and to the ends of the angers 71 and the augers 81. 7 Operating in conjunction with the conveyors 7 and 80 is a blower 90. This blower is mounted in a mounting plate 91 which is carried by the frame 10. Plate 91 has a v shaped tongue 92'welded to a clip angle 101 which in turn is welded to said plate as shown in detail in FIGS. and 6. This tongue lies upon the plate 93 secured to the flanges 13 of the

frame members

11 and 12. A

clamp bar 94 having a V-shaped slot 95in the same rests 1 upon the tongue 92. 'A hook 96 issuing'from one end of r the clamp bar 94 hooks under the flange 13 of frame member 12. The other end of said clamp bar has a flange 97 which overlies the'end of the flange 13 of frame member 11. A bolt 98 extends through the flange 13 of frame member 11, the plate 93 andrthe clamp bar 94 and clamps .the' tongue 92 to the frame to hold'the upper end of the plate 91 in proper position. The plate 91 is arranged on an incline, as shown in FIG. 1, and the lower end is held fixed to said frame by means of a bracket 99 (FIG.

- the conveyor angers 71 and 81 and which is open at-the frontto receive the snow and which assists in directing the snow to the blower90. i

The blower 90 further includes a housing 100, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This housing has a back 102 and a circumferentially extending circular wall 103 projecting outwardly therefrom. This wall extends through an opening 104 in the mounting plate 91 (FIG. 2)'w hich is directly opposite the space 78 between the

augers

71 and 81. Overlying the forward surface of the mounting plate 91 is arestrictor plate 105 which is attached to the plate 91 by means of bolts 106. This restrictor plate has an opening 107 in the same of a diameter less than the diameter of. the housing 100 providing a'ledge 108 upon whichthe edge of the wall 103 ofhousingltlh rests. By means of this construction, the housing 100 is mounted handle 69secured to the spout 115 serves to rotate the housing 100. 1

The rotor 110 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 121 secured to a crossbar 122. This crossbar has legs 123 crossbar is braced by means of a brace 125 secured at one end to said crossbar, by means of a bolt 126 and 'secured at its other end to the frame member 12 of frame 10 by means of one of the bolts 25. In addition, a tubular arm 127 is provided which is welded to the bearing 121 and extends below the frame 10 and rearwardly of the mounting plate 91. The forward end of the arm 127 has attached to it brackets 128 which in turn en age the frame 10 and case 52 as shown in FIG. 5. r

To hold the housing 100m adjusted position, a clamp screw 48 is employed which is screwed into a threaded boss 49 on the crossbar 122. This screw engages the back 102 of housing 1 00 and forces the circular wall 103 of said housing against the ledge 108 and holds the housing from movement. See FIG. 8. 1

The blower 90 is driven by means of the following described transmission 130. Mounted on the motor crank shaft 42 is a sheave 131. This sheave i in alignment with thesheave 46 on countershaft 51' and a belt 132 passingover the sheaves 131 and 46 serves to drive the shaft 51. Directlymounted on the end of the arm 127 is a stub shaft 133 which rotatably supports an idler sheave 134. The end of the arm 127 is formed with slots 135, as best shown in FIG; 9, extending longitudinally thereof and through the wall in the same. Slidably mounted in these slots is a support 136 which extends outwardly beyond said slotand has welded to it a bracket 137. A stub shaft 138 is secured to said bracket and rotatably supports'another idler sheave 139. Passing around a sheave 141 mounted on shaft 112 of the blower 9% about the two idler sheaves '134'and139, and about sheave 47, .is a belt 142. This belt serves to drive the rotor 110 of the blower 90. A screw 143 passes through a collar 144 disposed at the end of the arm 127 and is screwed into the support 136. This screw serves to move the sheave 139 longitudinally of the arm 127 and forms a belt tightener for the belt 142. 7

Attached to the forward portion of the flange 66 of plate 91 is a scraper blade 150. 'Overlying said flange is an incline 151 which has a forwardly projecting lip 152 resting on the flange 66 of plate 91. Bolts 153 extend jointly through said lip, flange and blade and clamp the parts together. The incline 151 is further formed with a downwardly extending flange 154 which overlies the restrictor plate 105 and a filler strip 155 overlying plate 91 and is attached to said plate by means of ears 156 issuing outwardly from the flanges 64 and bent over and upon the flange 154. V

In between the conveyor 70 and the conveyor and disposed in space 73is a breaker strap 145. This strap has a flange 146 bolted to the angle member 65 by means of bolts 147. The strap 145 extends in a substantially radial direction downwardly to the shaft 74 and breaks up-the snow packed together by the conveyors prior to entry into the blower 90. V

The operation of the invention is as follows: The two conveyors 7 0 and 80 are first mounted on the driven shaft 63 and occupy the positions shown in FIG. 2. In such position, the end plates 79 and 89rest upon the ground and when rotated in the direction of the arrow, as shown 7 in FIG. 1, pick up the snow and discharge the same into the space 73 between the auger 71 and the auger section 82. The snow collected by the auger section 83 is forced about the transmission case 52 where the same is directed to the section 82. The two conveyors then discharge into thespace 78 where the breaker strap 145 breaks up the packed snow received from the conveyorsand which is discharged to the center of the blower through the opening 106 in the restrictor plate 105. This opening directs the snow toward the rotor 1 10 and inwardly of the outer edges of the blades 113. The snow on engagement with the blades 113 travels by centrifugal force "outwardly of said blades where it is discharged into the interior of the housing 100 and leaves the same through the discharge spout 115. By loosening the locking screw es, the entire housing may be rotated about its axis to cause the spout 115 to discharge in any desired direction. The blower 90 being arranged on an incline, the spout 115 will discharge the snow to either side of the path of the snow remover and at various distances ahead of the same. The adjustment of the leg 23 serves to raise and lower the scraper blade 150 above the surface from which the snow is being removed so as to permit the snow remover to be used on rough ground as well as paved surfaces.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The snow remover can be mounted as an attachment on an existing power unit now on the market. Due to the fact that the snow doe not have to change its direction of travel after leaving the blower, less power is required and a greater amount of snow can be easily handled. The device is exceedingly simply in construction. By utilizing separate transmissions for the conveyors and the blower, both units are caused to operate at maximum ehiciency, and the conveyors will feed the snow to the blower at the proper rate, thus assuring continuous operation under most conditions without attention of the operator. By discharging the snow from the conveyors to the blower, through the opening in the restrictor plate which is of lesser diameter than the rotor, snow is prevented from being directly forced against the outer ends of the blades and clogging of the blower is prevented. Due to the particular rotation of the angers of the conveyors, the conveyors tend to urge the entire snow remover for movement in a forward direction, thus eliminating the necessity for a power drive for the remover. The entire remover can be quickly and easily dismantled from the power unit when desired and the unit used for other purposes.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a snow remover comprising a frame, a pair of coaxial transversely extending screw conveyors carried by said frame at the forward portion thereof and discharging toward an intermediate common locality, a blower carried by said frame and disposed rearwardly of said conveyors at the denoted locality thereof, said blower including a housing, a rotor having blades thereon and disposed within said housing, said blades extending from the outer periphery of the rotor and toward the center thereof and being accessible from the sides thereof facing said conveyors, said housing having a discharge spout receiving snow from the ends of said blades and discharging the same in a tangential direction relative to said rotor, the combination of a mounting plate disposed on the front side of said housing and supporting said housing for rotating movement about the axis of said rotor, a crossbar extending across said housing on the rear side thereof and attached to said mounting plate, and a bearing for said rotor carried by said crossbar.

2. A snow remover comprising a longitudinal extending frame, a pair of coaxial transversely extending screw conveyors carried by said frame at the forward portion thereof and discharging toward an intermediate common locality offset from the axis of said frame, a coaxial driving means for driving both of said conveyors, a blower carried by said frame and disposed rearwardly of said conveyors at the denoted locality thereof and mainly to one side of said frame, said conveyors discharging directly into said blower at the center thereof, one of said conveyors being formed in two sections longitudinally spaced from one another, and power transmission means between said motor and said driving means and disposed between said sections.

see

3. in a snow remover comprising a frame, a pair of coaxial transversely ext-ending screw conveyors carried by said frame at the forward portion and discharging toward an intermediate common locality, a blower carried by said frame and disposed rearwardly of said conveyors at the denoted locality thereof, and mainly to one side of said frame, said blower including a housing, a rotor having blades thereon and disposed within said housing, said blades extending from the outer periphery and toward the center thereof and being accessible from the sides thereof facing said conveyors, said housing having a discharge spout receiving snow from the ends of said blades and discharging the same in a tangential direc tion relative to said rotor, the combination of a mounting plate, overlying said housing on the front thereof and attached to said frame, means carried by said mounting plate and supporting said housing for rotating movement about the axis of said rotor, a U-shaped cross bar extending across said housing on the rear side thereof and having legs straddling said housing and attached to said mounting plate, a bearing for said rotor carried by said cross bar and means carried by the cross bar for clamping said rotor to said mounting plate.

4. A snow remover comprising a longitudinally extending frame, a pair of coaxial transversely extending screw conveyors carried by said frame at the forward portion thereof and discharging toward an intermediate common locality ofiset from the axis of said frame, a motor mounted on said frame and having a transverse driving shaft, a power transmission having a driven member with a transverse axis parallel to the axis of said motor shaft, and driven by said motor shaft, said transmission having a driving member with an axis parallel to the axis of said motor and driving said conveyors, a blower carried by said frame and disposed rearwardly of said conveyors at the denoted locality thereof and mainly to one Side of said frame, said conveyors discharging directly into said blower at the center thereof, one of said conveyors being formed in two sections transversely spaced from one another, said power transmission being disposed between said sections and simultaneously driving both of said conveyors.

5. A snow remover comprising a longitudinally extending frame, a pair of coaxial transversely extending screw conveyors carried by said frame at the forward portion thereof and discharging toward an intermediate common locality offset from the axis of said frame, a motor mounted on said frame and having a transverse driving shaft, a pulley on said motor shaft, coaxial dn'ving means driven by said motor shaft for driving both of said conveyors, a blower carried by said frame and disposed rearwardly of said conveyors, said conveyors discharging directly into said blower at the center thereof, said blower having a rotor and a pulley for driving said rotor and coaxial therewith, idlers disposed beneath the pulley on said motor and rearwardly of said blower, and a belt passing around said motor pulley, downwardly therefrom, about said idlers, then laterally and finally about the rotor pulley.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,561 Chiles Mar. 23, 1926 1,587,449 Wandscheer June 1, 1926 2,092,536 Sicard Sept. 7, 1937 2,478,009 Pool Aug. 2, 1949 2,587,415 Vanvick Feb. 26, 1952 2,610,414 Vanvick Sept. 16, 1952 2,653,701 Heth Sept. 29, 1953 2,692,445 Darnell Oct. 26, 1954 2,777,218 Kiecker et a1. Jan. 15, 1957 2,802,287 Bevan Aug. 13, 1957