US3052048A - Device for removing snow - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 4, 1962 c. G. FISKE 3,052,048

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SNOW Filed Sept. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. CHESTER GFISKE ATTORNEYS BY zmuadz du ceifiq P 4, 1962 c. G. FISKE 3,052,048

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SNOW Filed Sept. 19, 1960 3 SheecsSheet 2 132 m Fzad I'" 4 A 12 my me v 90 INVENTOR. CHESTER G. F/SKE BY M x mz baa .AT TORNEYS Sept- 1962 c. G. FISKE 3,052,048

DEVICE FOR REMOVING snow Filed Sept. 19, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi e. 7

III/[III],

9887 F10. a FIG 9 INVENTOR.

CHESTER G. F/SKE BY 6244114, RZ zud 1 AT TORNE YS 3,852,848 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 Free 3,052,648 DEVICE FGR REMOVING SNOW Chester G. Fislre, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Jari Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Sept. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 56,728 7 Claims. (Cl. 37-43) The invention relates to an improvement in what is generally referred to as a power-driven snowplow and more particularly to a device which collects snow and throws it to one side of the device.

The removal of snow from sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, etc. has forever plagued those living in the northern clirnes. Devices for moving snow have been developed which blow the snow to one side of the device, but the same tend to clog up with snow in the blower casing and in the chute, which directs the snow from the blower casing. Further, present day snow removers do not blow or throw snow to either side of the device with maximum volume or equal facility.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for collecting and throwing snow to either side of the device in comparatively large volume and with equal facility. It is a further object to provide a snow-removing device with which the position of the discharge chute may be changed by simply moving a handle member.

It is an additional object to provide a snow-removal device with which the direction of rotation of the snowthrowing member is reversed simultaneously with the change of position of the discharge chute.

It is a still further object to provide a device for removing snow with which snow does not clog up in the discharge chute. It is also an object to provide a device for removing snow with which the snow-throwing member is stopped when the position of the discharge chute is in a neutral or intermediate position.

' It is an additional object to provide a snow removal device including a member having blades which throw the snow with equal facility in either direction of rotation of the bladed member.

It will be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of the various objects and advantages incident to the invention, but other objects and advantages will be referred to in or else will become apparent from that which follows.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device for receiving snow.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view some parts in section and portions of some parts removed.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 3, with the discharge chute in a neutral position.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 with the discharge chute shown in a position for directing or throwing snow to the right of the operator.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 with the discharge chute shown in a position for directing snow to the left of the operator.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan fragmentary view showing in particular the driving and driven discs in one position.

FIGURE 9 is a top plan fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 8 with the driving and driven discs in a second position.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-40 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 11 is a view on the line 11-11 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the members for effecting the angular relationships of the main frame and the housing frame to thereby effect direction of the snow-throwing member.

FIGURE 13 is a detailed, enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the pivotal connection of the lower lug and bracket.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the rotary snowplow A includes the spaced vertical supports 10 and 12, and secured to the upper edges thereof is the U-shaped horizontal frame member 14. An axle 16 is mounted on the supports 10 and 12 which mounts the wheels 18 and 20. Rotatably mounted on the forward upper portion of the supports 10 and 12 is the transverse shaft 22 and secured to one end thereof is the drive pulley 24. Also secured to the transverse shaft 22 outboard of the supports 10 and 12 are the hubs 26 and 28 which mount the bevelled rubber driving clutch discs 30 and 32, respectively.

The numeral 34 designates a motor mounted on the rear of the frame 14, which supplies power for operating the machine. The drive shaft 36 of the motor 34 has mounted thereon the pulley 38, and the belt 40 is mounted on the pulley 38 and also the pulley 24, tension on the belt 40 being exerted by the spring urged idler pulley 41. The motor shaft 36 thus drives the transverse shaft 22 by means of the pulleys 38 and 24 and the belt 40.

Further provided is an inverted U-shaped bracket 42 which has the depending leg portions 44 and 46 thereof secured to inside forward portions of the vertical supports 10 and 12, respectively, and the top cross bar portion 48; secured to and extending forwardly of the cross bar portion 48 of the bracket 42 is the fixed longitudinal support bar 50, which has formed on the forward end thereof the upstanding lug portion 52. The lug portion 52 mounts the short pin 54 which extends forwardly of the lug 52 and into the lower slot 56, formed in the lower end of the shift arm 58. The lowerend of the shift arm 58 is pivotally connected to the mounting lug 60, which.

extends upwardly from the upper portion 62 of the frame 64 by means of the pin 61. The shift arm 58 is also formed with an upper slot 59. The frame 64 also includes the outwardly and downwardly extending frame portions 66 and 68, the lower ends of which are connected to outer ends of the outwardly and upwardly extendingframe portions 70 and 72. The lower inner ends of the frame portions 70 and 72 are secured to the longitudinal bearing shaft support 74, FIGURE 4.

Secured to and extending downwardly from the shaft support 74 is the vertical support '76 and secured to the to the bottom edge thereof is the loWer longitudinal pivot bracket 78 which is pivotally secured at its rear end to the lug 80 by means of the pin 82, FIGURE 5. The rear end of the lug 80 is secured to shaft 16 by any conventional well known means such as welding or the like.

The numeral 84 designates an upper pivot bracket the forward end of which is secured to the upper portion 62v of the frame 64 and the rear end of which is pivotally connected to the under surface of the longitudinal fixed support bar 50 by means of the pin bolt 86.

Further provided is the collector housing generally indicated by the numeral 87, which includes the rear wall portion 88. The rear wall member 88 is substantially pear-shaped in overall formation formed of the substantially lower circular portion 90 and the upper more or less extended upper peak portion 92. The rear wall 88 is secured to the frame portions 70 and 72 and the vertical support 76. The housing 87 also includes the forwardly extending semi-circular collar wall portion 94 secured to the rear wall 88 which terminates in the forwardly extending collector flange portions 96 and 98. The semicircular wall portion 94 terminates at its upper ends in the widened forwardly extending portions 100 and 102 which leave formed thereon the forward transverse ear portions 104 and 106.

Mounted in the shaft support 74 is the short shaft 108, FIGURE 5, and connected to the rear end of the shaft 108 is the bevelled driven clutch disc 110*. The shaft 108 extends through the rear wall portion 88, and on the forward end thereof is mounted the circular base plate 112 of the rotary fan 114, FIGURE 2.

Secured to the forward face of the rotary [fan base plate 112 are a multiplicity of radially disposed blades 116 A blade 116 includes the half portion 118 which is formed of the base portion 120, the upstanding flat portion 122 and the outwardly inclined outer flange portion 124. The half portion 118 is backed up by a similar half portion 126 which is formed of the base portion 128, the upstanding flat portion '130 and the outwardly inclined outer flange portion 132. The blower base plate 112 may be rotated in either direction, as will be hereinafter pointed out, and as will be seen the blades 116 are eflective when rotated in either direction due to the doublefaced construction heretofore described.

Further provided on the blower base plate 112 is the break-up bar 134, formed of the central elongated rod portion 136, which terminates at the ends in the right angularly disposed end portions 138, which in turn terminate in the turned-in end portions 140 which are secured to the blades 116. The bar 134 breaks up the snow before it reaches the blades 1*16 thereby reducing any packing of snow at the blades to an absolute minimum.

In order that the machine may be moved about by means of the motor 34, a gear 142 (FIGURE is mounted on the motor-driven shaft 22 and a gear chain 144 is mounted thereon together with a gear 146 mounted on a shaft 148. The shaft 148 is mounted in a pair of bearings 150 and 152 secured to brackets 154 and 156 respectively. The brackets 154 and 156 are pivotally connected by means of the pins 158 and 160, respectively, at the forward ends thereof, to the supports and 12, respectively. Mounted on the outer ends of the shaft 148 are the drive pinion 162 and 164 which engage with toothed surface of the wheels 18 and 20, respectively. The pinions 162 and 164 are held out of engagement with the wheels 18 and 20 by means of the yoke member 166, the lower free ends 167 of which are pivotally connected to the forward ends of the brackets 154 and 156. The upper end 165 of the yoke 166 is pivotally connected to the bracket 163 and a handle 161 is connected to the bracket. When the handle is pulled rearwardly over dead center, the brackets 154 and 156 are pivoted and thereby engage the pinions with the wheels.

A double-ended handle 168 is provided, which includes the upright portions 170 and 172 secured at their lower ends to leg portions 44 and 46 of the U-shaped bracket 42. The upright portions 170 and #172 terminate in the handle portions 174 and 176, respectively, which are connected at point X.

Further provided is the discharge chute member 178, which includes the semi-circular rear wall portion 180, the a-rcuate top portion 182 and the narrow partial front wall 184. The chute 178 is pivotally mounted on the upper peak end 92 of the rear wall portion 88 by means of the pin 186. The rear wall portion 180 of the chute 178 ismaintained in slidable contact with the rear wall 88 by means of the spring clip guides 188 and 190, the base portions 192 and 194, respectively, of which are secured to the rear wall 88.

The numeral 196 designates a shift handle composed of the flat base portion 198 which is secured to the central upper portion of the back wall portion 180 of the chute 178. Extending from the base portion 198 is the handle portion proper 200. The base portion 198 of the handle 196 is formed with a series of spaced threaded holes 202 which receive the threaded pin 204. The pin 204 when secured in position in one of the holes 202 extends through the slot 59 of the shift arm 58.

g The wall 180 of the chute 178 is provided with the three dimple formations 206, 208 and 210. The clips 188 and 4 190 engage with the dimples 208 and 210 or 206 and 208, as illustrated particularly in a left or right discharge position.

Operation In using the machine A the motor 34 is started and through the mechanism described the shaft 22 is rotated. Let it be assumed that the shift handle 196 is in an upright, neutral, vertical position as in FIGURES 1, 3, 4, 5, whereby the discharge chute 178 is in a horizontal neutral position as in the same figures of the drawings. In this position the shift arm 58 is in a vertically disposed position. Also in this position the rubber driving discs 30 and 32 are both out of contact with the bevelled driven disc 110, FIGURE 3, and the rotary fan 114 is therefore not rotating.

With the operator standing at the rear of the machine, and it is desired to throw snow to the left of the machine looking forward, the shift handle 196 is moved to the right as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 7. The chute is then directed to the left. As a result of the movement of the handle 196, the pin 204 is moved to the left in an are about the pivot 186, and it bears against the side of the upper slot 59 of the shift arm 58 which pivots the arm 58 to the left on pin '61 secured to mounting lug 60. As a result of the pivoting of the arm 58 to the left, FIG URE 7, the side edge of the slot 56 bears against the pin 54, FIGURE 12, which acts as a pivot thereby forcing the bar 84 to the right on its pivot pin 86 relative to the fixed bar 50. Such movement results in a pivotal movement of the lower bracket 78 to the right, FIGURE 5, on the pin 82 relative to the lug 80. As a result, the frame 14, including the supports 10 and 12, and the mem bers connected thereto, are pivoted with regard to the frame 64 and the members connected thereto. Further, one axis of pivotal movement of the arm 58 is the pin 54 and the pin 61 acts through lug 60 and the portion 62 of the frame 64 to impart angular movement to bracket 84 whereby frame 14 is pivoted relative to frame 64. Put another way, there is relative angular move ment between the frame 14 and the frame 64 mounting the disc and, as a result, the bevelled portion of disc 32 is brought in contact with the bevel of the driven disc 110, causing the disc 110 to rotate counter-clockwise, looking from the rear, FIGURES 7 and 9. As a further result, the blower 114 is thereby rotated counter clockwise, looking from the rear, and the blades 116 of the rotary fan 114 pick up and throw snow into the chute 178, which directs it to the operators left.

When it is desired to stop the fan 114, the handle 196 is returned to a vertical position of FIGURE 4, thereby moving the driving disc 32 out of contact with the dliven disc 110, and in this position the disc 30 is also free of disc 110, FIGURE 3.

If it is desired to throw snow to the right of the operator, the shift handle 196 is moved to operators left, as indicated in FIGURE 6. The chute then directs to the right. As a result of the handle movement, the pin 204 is moved to the right and it bears against the side of the slot 59 of the shift arm 58, which pivots the arm 58 to the right. As a result of the pivoting of the bracket arm 58 to the right, the side edge of the slot 56 bears against the pin 54, thereby pivoting the bracket 84 to the left on its pivot pin 86. Such movement results in a pivotal movement of the lower bracket 78 to the left on lug 80, FIG- URE 5, on the pin 82. As a result, the frame 14, including the supports 10 and 12 and the members connected thereto, are pivoted with regard to the frame 64 and the members connected thereto; or in other words, there is relative angular movement between the frame 14 and the frame 64 mounting the disc 110. As a result, the bevelled portion of disc 30 is in contact with the bevel of driven disc 100, causing the disc 110 to rotate clockwise, looking from the rear, FIGURES 6 and 8. As a further result, the blower 114 is thereby rotated clockwise, looking from the rear, and the blades 116 of the blower pick up and throw snow into the chute 178, where it is directed to the operators right, FIGURE 6.

As the unit is used, wear will occur on the bevel clutch discs 30 and 32; and, as a result, engagement with the disc 110 will become less positive and with enough wear, impossible. To provide for this wear, a form of minor adjustment take-up is provided, which is accomplished by moving the pin 204 into a hole 202 at a point below the previous hole used. The lower the hole 202 used, the greater the angular travel of the shift arm 58 when the handle 196 is shifted; and, as a result, the greater the resulting angular movement of the brackets 78 and 84- and the consequent relative angular differential between the frame 14 and the frame 64. The greater the angular differential, the greater the extent of movement of either of the discs 30 or 32 towards the disc 110. A major adjustment may be made by moving the pin 82 rearwardly in the slot 212 of the lug 80, securing the pin 82, and then moving the pin 204 to the uppermost of the holes 202. Movement of the pin 82, as above, moves the members 30 and 32 towards the member 110.

It will thus be seen that with a simple single movement of the handle 196, the chute direction is changed and also the direction of rotation of the blower is changed to coincide with the chute.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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

1. In a device for removing snow, first frame means having wheel means mounted thereon, an axially fixed transverse shaft rotatably carried by said first fname means, a pair of driven cone-shaped friction clutch discs mounted on said transverse shaft, second frame means pivotally connected to the forward end of said first frame means, a longitudinal central shaft rotatably carried by said second frame means, a third cone-shaped friction clutch disc attached to said longitudinal shaft engageable with said driven clutch discs, a snow-collecting casing mounted on said second frame means, a rotary blower connected to said longitudinal shaft and positioned within said casing, a discharge chute pivotally mounted on said casing, hand control means connected to said chute and said casing for pivoting said chute and simultaneously reversing the direction of said blower, and means engageable with said control means and said first and second frame means for changing the angular relationship between said first and second frame means to cause either of said pair of clutch discs to bear against said third clutch disc to rotate the latter in one direction or the other to thereby rotate said blower in one direction or the other, while positioning said chute in correspondence with the rotational direction obtained in said blower.

2. A power snow blower including a mobile frame, a unidirectional axially immobile horizontal rotatable shaft transversely mounted in said mobile frame, a pair of axially spaced right circular truncated driving cones each carried on opposite ends of said shaft equidistant from the longitudinal axis of said mobile frame, said cones each having spaced vertical ends parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of said mobile frame connected by an angular driving surface, the driving surfaces of said cones substantially facing each other and being in radial register with each other, a blower frame pivotally secured to said mobile frame forwardly of said driving cones, a blower housing secured to said blower frame, a bi-directional rotatable blower shaft carried by said blower frame normally coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said mobile frame, rotatable snow blowing means mounted on the forward end of said blower shaft within said housing, a right circular truncated driven cone mounted on the rear end of said shaft, said driven cone having spaced parallel vertical ends perpendicular to the ends of said driving cones and having an angular driven surface normally positioned in spaced parallel relation to the angular driving surface of said driving cones, a discharge chute movably attached to said blower housing, said chute, when in a neutral position, being symmetrical about the central vertical plane of said mobile frame and adapted to deflect snow to one side or the other when positioned asymmetrical to said vertical plane, a control handle attached to said chute, and means connected to said control handle and said mobile frame for angularly displacing said driven cone whereby to bring the driven surface thereof into working contact with the driving surface of one or the other of said driving cones and simultaneously position said discharge chute into operational correspondence with the resulting rotational direction of said snow blowing means.

3. A power driven snow blower including a mobile frame, a uni-directional transverse axially fixed generally horizontal shaft rotatably carried by said frame, a pair of spaced opposed inwardly facing friction drive cones mounted on said first shaft, a blower frame pivotally connected to said mobile frame forwardly of said drive cones, a housing carried by said blower frame, a generally horizontal bi-directional longitudinal shaft forward of and intermediate said drive cones rotatably carried by said blower frame, a friction driven cone carried by said longitudinal shaft in a normally closely spaced relation to each of said drive cones, rotary fan structure attached to said longitudinal shaft within said housing, a discharge chute pivotally connected to said housing, said discharge chute being movable for deflecting snow from one side or the other of said blower, control means pivotal with said chute and engageable with said blower frame for moving said driven cone into engagement with one or the other of said drive cones and simultaneously positioning said discharge chute with respect to said housing whereby the snow is deflected according to the rotational direction irnparted to said fan structure upon the engagement of one of said drive cones and said driven cone.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein guide means and biasing means are provided for releasably holding said discharge chute in a selected position corresponding to the rotation of said fan structure.

5. In a power driven snow blower, an elongated mobile ground engaging frame, an axially fixed uni-directional generally horizontal transverse shaft carried by said mobile frame in spaced relation to the ground, a first clutch member carried on one end of said transverse shaft, a second clutch member carried on the other end of said transverse shaft, said first and second clutch members being generally frusto-conical in shape each having inwardly facing axially spaced tapered clutching surfaces of equal radius, vertically spaced longitudinal central support members pivotally carried by said mobile frame forwardly of said transverse shaft, a pear-shaped backing plate transverse to the long axis of said mobile frame secured to said pivotal support members, said backing plate having an upper apex coincident with the long axis of said mobile frame, a central longitudinal bi-directional shaft carried by said pivotal support members, a third clutch member carried by said bi-directional shaft, said third clutch member being generally frusto-conical in shape and having a tapered clutching surface normally positioned in closely spaced parallel relation to the clutching surfaces of said first and second clutch members, a collector housing secured to said backing plate, a symmetrical discharge chute pivotally mounted on the apex of said backing plate, said discharge chute having a curved side sheet adapted to form with said backing plate and said collector housing discharge scroll means adapted to direct snow to one side or the other of said mobile frame according to the angular positioning of said chute with respect to said backing plate, a rotary impeller having radial blades carried by said bi-directional shaft within said collector housing, a pivotal linkage assembly connecting said backing plate and said support members openable to displace the clutching surface of said third clutch member into frictional engagement with one or the other of the clutching surfaces of said first and second clutch members, and a control handle movable with said discharge chute pivotally connected to said pivotal linkage assembly for positioning said chute into a discharge scroll position with respect to-s-aid backing plate and said collector housing while simultaneously bringing said third clutch member into engagement with one of said first :and second clutch members, the resulting rotation of said impeller being in operational correspondence with the selected position of said discharge chute.

6. In a power driven snow blower, a mobile firame, a pair of spaced drive clutch discs rotatably mounted on said mobile frame, means for driving said drive clutch discs, a blower frame pivotally connected to said mobile frame, a driven clutch disc-rotatably mounted on said blower frame, a housing mounted on said blower frame, a rotary fan blower connected to said driven clutch disc and positioned for rotation within said housing, a discharge chute pivotally connected to said housing, means for changing the angular relationship between said mobile frame and said blower frame upon the pivotal movement of said discharge chute to cause either of said pair of drive clutch discs to bear against said driven clutch disc to rotate the latter in one direction or the other to thereby rotate said rotary fan in one direction or the other while positioning said discharge chute in correspondence with the rotational direction imparted to said rotary fan. 7. The device of claim 6 further characterized by means for regulating the degree of change of angular relationship between said mobile frame and said blower frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,561 'Chiles Mar. 23, 1926 1,665,685 Oadwell Apr. 10, 1928 1,696,592 Carless Dec. 25, 1928 2,269,326 Wandscheer Ian. 6, 1942 2,518,622 Ingersoll Aug. 15, 1950 2,732,638 Leufvenius Jan. 31, 1956

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