US3407519A

US3407519A - Snow retaining gate for front end diagonal plow

Info

Publication number: US3407519A
Application number: US504826A
Authority: US
Inventors: Adam D Batko
Original assignee: VILLAGE OF EDINA
Current assignee: VILLAGE OF EDINA
Priority date: 1965-10-24
Filing date: 1965-10-24
Publication date: 1968-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-29

Description

Oct. 29, 1968 D. BATKQ 3,407,519

SNOW RETAINING GATE FOR FRONT END DIAGONAL PLOW Filed Oct. 24, 1965 IVVEN'TOR. A 4. pfaum United States Patent C F 3,407,519 SNOW RETAINING GATE FOR FRGNT END DIAGONAL PLOW Adam D. Batko, Anoka, Minn., assignor to Village of Edina, Edina, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,826 6 Claims. (Cl. 37-42) This invention relates to a gate device for use with material moving blades and more particularly to a gate device for use with truck or tractor mounted conventional diagonal plows that are utilized during snow removal operations and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved gate device, of simple and inexpensive construction, for use with a material moving blade, preferably a front end mounted diagonal plow, carried by a vehicle such as a truck or the like, and which is operable to permit controlled discharge of the material from the discharge end of the plow.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved gate device for use with truck or tractor mounted convention plows used in snow removal operations, the gate being swingable into and out of obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the plow, whereby discharge of snow therefrom during a snow removal operation may be selectively controlled to thereby prevent discharge of snow into driveways, intersections and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a material moving blade with a gate device of the class described, and which includes a trip mechanism to permit tripping movement of the gate when the latter engages an obstruction to thereby minimize the occurrence of damage to the ate.

g These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a truck-mounted diagonal material moving blade or plow which has the novel gate device mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the discharge end portion of the plow illustrating the gate shifting means in the down or operative condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken approximately along line 33 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the gate being illustrated in its inoperative position by dotted line configuration.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the discharge end of the plow or material moving blade illustrating the gateshifting means in the up or inoperative condition; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, detailed view on an enlarged scale of the means for mounting the gate on the plow or material moving blade.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of my novel gate device, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown mounted on a material moving blade, as specifically a diagonal plow which, in turn, is mounted upon the front end of a truck. The truck T is of conventional construction and may be provided with a tiltable material receiving body B mounted thereon in a well known manner for use in carrying and discharging sand during the snow removal operation. It will be seen that the material moving blade or plow, designated generally by the reference numeral 11, is mounted on the front end of the truck T by a suitable mounting structure 12 (not shown in detail) which is of well known construction in 3,407,519 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 the prior art. The blade or plow 11 is arranged diagonally with respect to the path of travel of the vehicle and the larger end so that end located on the left side of FIG. 1 is disposed rearwardly of the opposite end of a plow.

The blade or plow 11 includes a plow or blade edge 13 which extends the full length of the plow and to which is secured the moldboard 14 of the plow. It will be noted that the blade edge 13 extends rearwardly and upwardly from the surface which is being cleared and that the moldboard 14 includes a first portion which also extends rearwardly and upwardly and thereafter is arcuately curved in an upward and forward direction so that the front face of the blade 13 is of generally concave configuration. It will also be noted that the forwardmost end of the blade 13 has an end plate 16 rigidly secured thereto as by welding and which projects forwardly therefrom to obstruct that end of the blade. It will further be noted that the plow blade, as is conventional in diagonal type plows, increases in cross-sectional size from the forwardmost end towards the discharge end thereof to thereby accommodate an increasing amount of material that is constantly being dis charged from the rear or discharge end of the plow.

Referring now to FIGS, 2 and 4, it will be seen that the rear surface 17 of the plow adjacent the discharge end thereof is provided with a pair of vertical reinforcing and attachment straps or members 18 which extend from the plow edge 13 to the upper edge of the plow and which are disposed in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation. A transverse strap 19 extends between and is rigidly secured at its respective ends to the vertical attachment straps 18 by means of suitable bolts and the like. An oblique mounting strap 20 having an offset end 21 extends upwardly from adjacent one end of the transverse strap 19, as best seen in FIG. 4.

The gate device 10 includes a substantially flat gate 22 which is provided with a substantially straight lower edge element 23 that may be detachably secured thereto for removal therefrom when this edge element becomes worn. It will also be noted that the rear edge 24 of the gate is oblique and lies closely adjacent the oblique lower front surface of the plow 13, when the gate device is in its lowered position.

The gate 10, as best seen in FIG. 1, is provided with a generally L-shaped attachment member 25 having one arm 26 thereof secured to the inner surface of the gate and having the other arm 27 projecting at substantially right angles therefrom. The arm 27 has a pivot or rock shaft 28 secured thereto which projects through an opening in the plow 11 and extends exteriorly rearwardly thereof. A substantially fiat mounting plate 29 is secured to the rear surface of the plow 11 and projects rearwardly therefrom adjacent the discharge end thereof. A pair of spaced-apart bearings 30 are mounted on the mounting plate 29 by suitable nut and bolt assemblies 31 and one of the bearings projects through the opening in the plow 11. These bearings 30 journal or revolvably support the rock shaft 28 therein whereby the gate 22 is movable between a lowered operative position, as illustrated in fullline configuration of FIG. 3, to an elevated inoperative position, as illustrated in dotted-line configuration of FIG. 3. It is pointed out that when the gate 22 is in the lowered operative position, the lower peripheral surface of the edge element 23 is disposed in substantially coplanar relation with the lower peripheral edge surface of the plow edge 13.

When the gate 22 is moved from the operative lowered position to the inoperative position, the gate is swung about a substantially horizontal axis which extends substantially normal to the plow 11 and also extends generally parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle or truck T. The gate 22 when in the elevated inoperative position will lie below the forwardly curved upper por- 3 tion of the moldboard as best seen in FIG. 3. Thus, when the gate 22 is in the lowered position, it is disposed'in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the plow 11 and is movable to an out-of-the-way position when it is in the upper or inoperative position. This gate moves through an arc of approximately 90 degrees when moved between the operative and inoperative positions.

Means are provided for power-shifting the gate 22 between the inoperative and operative position and this power-shifting means includes a trip mechanism, designated generally by the reference numeral 32. The trip mechanism 32 includes a first link or plate member 33 which is ailixed at its lower end to a sleeve or collar 34 that is disposed in concentric relation with respect to the rock shaft 28. This sleeve or collar 34 is secured to the rock shaft 28 for rotation therewith by a shear pin. The upper tapered end portion of a first link 33 is pivotally secured to a second link or plate member 35 by means of a pivot 36 to permit pivoting movement therebetween about an axis which is disposed substantially parallel to the axis of pivot of the gate 22.

The lower end portion of the first link. 33, as best seen in FIG. 5, has the substantially transversely extending flange 37 integrally formed therewith and extending outwardly therefrom. This flange 37 has a pair of apertured cars 38 afiixed thereto and projecting at substantially right angles from opposite ends thereof for receiving a pin 39 therethrough. Pin 39 also extends through an aligned or registering aperture in the link 33.

Means are provided for resisting relative pivotal movement between the

links

33 and 35 in a predetermined direction and this means includes a pair of elongate threaded rods 40, each having an eye 41 formed at one end thereof which is disposed in embracing relation with respect to the pin 39. It will be noted that the rods are positioned on opposite sides of the link 33 and suitable positioning collars are provided for maintaining the rods in spaced relation with respect to the link 33. The second link 35, which is of generally triangular configuration, has an aperture at one end thereof which accommodates a shaft 42 therethrough, the outer ends of which are apertured for receiving the upper ends of the rods 40 therethrough. Each rod 40 is provided with a retaining nut 43 which threadedly engages the upper end thereof to retain the same from disengagement from the shaft 42.

Each rod 40 projects through and accommodates a heavy helical spring 44, opposite ends of each helical spring bearing against positioning nuts 45 which threadedly engage the associated rod 40, thus permitting selective preloading of the helical springs 44.

An actuator is provided for shifting the gate 22 and comprises a hydraulic cylinder and piston unit 46 comprised of a piston 47 pivotally connected to the offset end 21 of the oblique mounting strap 20 by a pivot 48. The cylinder 47 has a piston movable therein which is connected to one end of a piston rod 48, the outer end of which is bifurcated as at 49 for connection by a pivot 50 to the second link 35. The piston 47 is provided with a pair of fittings which intercommunicate with the interior thereof on opposite sides of the piston and which are respectively connected to conduits 51 that are, in turn, connected in communicating relation to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure carried by the truck T. In the embodiment shown, extension of the piston rod 48, as illustrated in FIG. 4, moves the gate 22 from its lowered operative position to its elevated inoperative position. Retraction of the piston rod to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 moves the gate 22 to its lowered operative position. The link 33, as best seen in FIG. 2, is provided with a stop and positioning element 52 which is afiixed to one surface thereof and which is engaged along one of its edge surfaces by one edge surface of the link 35 when the piston rod 48 is in the retracted position. With this arrangement, pivoting movement between the

links

33 and 35 about to the point 36 will be positively guided. It willals o be noted, as best seen' in FIGI 5, that the sleeve or collar 34 is provided with a recess 53 therein which facilitates location and replacement of the shear pin when the latter is sheared in response to shear stress exerted thereon which exceeds a predetermined limit.

During a snow removal operation, the gate 22 will be in the elevated inoperative position whereby snow will be constantly discharged from the discharge end of the plow 11. As the plow approaches an entranceway to a driveway or an intersection, the'operator of the truck may actuate controls located therein to retract the piston rod from the extended'position as illustrated in FIG. 4 to the retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the gate 22 is lowered so that the lower edge thereof is disposed in substantially coplanar relation with respect to the lower edge of the plow. The gate will therefore be positioned in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the plow and the snow will be held against discharge until the discharge end of the plow has passed the entranceway or intersection. Thereafter, the operator of the truck may manipulate controls to move the gate 22 to the elevated inoperative position so that the snow may be discharged in windrowing fashion from the plow 11.

It has been found that during the snow removal operation, and when the gate 22 is in the lowered operative position, the lower edge thereof may strike an obstruction such as a layer of ice or the like, and it is desirable to permit limited yielding movement of the gate in an upward direction to prevent damage to the gate device. When the gate is in the down or operative position, the links 3-3 and 35 as well as the cylinder and piston unit 46 will be in the position illustrated in FIG. 2, and pivoting or rocking movement of the shaft 28 will therefore be resisted by the piston rod 48. As the gate 22 strikes an obstruction, the gate will be urged upwardly and will tend to cause rocking movement or rotation of the shaft 28. However, since this movement is resisted by the piston rod 48, this force is transmitted through the link 33 and to the pivotal connection 36 between the link 33 and link 35. This pivotal connection 36 will tend to move towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, or in a counterclockwise direction but against the bias or force of the springs 44. It will be noted that as the pivot 36 moves to the left, the springs 44 will be flexed or stretched and will tend to urge the gate 22 to return to its original down position as it passes the obstruction. Thus, the trip mechanism 32 permits the gate to be tripped from its down or operative position when an obstruction is encountered, the tripping movement being limited in magnitude but permitting the gate to pass most obstructions that are encountered during the snow removal operation. In the event that a large obstruction is encountered by the gate so the movement thereof is beyond a predetermined point, the shear pin that keys the collar 34 to the shaft 28 will be sheared and thereby permit relative rotation between the collar and the shaft 28. This arrangement prevents damage to the gate device and the shear pin may be quickly replaced to again interrelate the parts in their proper relation.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a novel gate device which may be conveniently mounted on a diagonal plow of the type generally located at the front end of a prime mover and which is operable to permit controlled discharge of the snow from the plow during the snow removal operation.

It will also be noted that .the gate device may be mounted on such a material moving blade or plow with a minimum of alteration in the structure thereof.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a novel gate device which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functions in a more etficient manner than any heretofore known comparable devices.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a diagonal material moving blade adapted to be mounted in transversely extending relation on a vehicle and extending diagonally of the direction of travel of the vehicle, the front face of said blade being of arcuate concave configuration and flaring from one end thereof to the discharge end thereof,

a gate,

means pivotally mounting said gate on said blade adjacent the discharge end thereof for movement about an axis extending substantially normal to the blade between a lowered operative position and an elevated inoperative position, said gate when in said operative position projecting forwardly from and substantially normal to said blade and being disposed in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the blade,

said gate when in the inoperative position being disposed below the forwardly curved upper portion of said blade intermediate the ends thereof, said gate having a lower edge disposed substantially coplanar with said blade when said gate is in the operative position,

and power means mounted on said blade and operative connected with said gate for power shifting the latter between said operative and inoperative positions.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and a trip linkage mechanism interposed between said gate and said power shifting means to permit yieldable limited movement of said gate in response to engagement of the latter with an obstruction when said gate is in the lowered operative position.

3. In combination with a diagonal material moving blade adapted to be mounted in transversely extending relation on the front end of a vehicle such as a truck or the like, and extending diagonally in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the front face of said blade being of arcuate concave configuration and flaring from one end thereof to the discharge end thereof,

a gate,

pivot means swingably mounting said gate on said blade adjacent the discharge end thereof for movement about an axis extending substantially normal to the blade between a lowered operative position and an elevated inoperative position, said gate when in said operative position projecting forwardly from and substantially normal to said blade, and being disposed in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the blade and having a lower edge thereof disposed substantially coplanar with the lower edge of said blade, said gate when in the inoperative position position being disposed below the forwardly curved upper portion of said blade intermediate the ends thereof,

means for shifting said gate between said operative and inoperative positions comprising an actuator,

a trip linkage comprising a pair of link members being pivotally connected together, one of said members being connected with said gate mounting means and the other member being connected with said actuator,

yieldable resilient means extending between and interconnected with said link members to yieldably resist pivoting movement therebetween while permitting yieldable limited movement of said gate from its lowered operative position towards the inoperative position in response to engagement of the gate with an obstruction.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said gate mounting means comprises a rock shaft, said first link member being connected with said rock shaft for movement therewith, said second link member being pivotally connected with said first link member and to said actuator at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said members.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuator is a hydraulic cylinder and piston unit.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said gate is of substantially fiat configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,940,193 6/1960 Banks et al 37-14 3,055,126 9/ 1962 Emhof. 3,231,991 2/1966 Wandscheer et al.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Prinmary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DIAGONAL MATERIAL MOVING BLADE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RELATION ON A VEHICLE AND EXTENDING DIAGONALLY OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT FACE OF SAID BLADE BEING OF ARCUATE CONCAVE CONFIGURATION AND FLARING FROM ONE END THEREOF TO THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF, A GATE, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID GATE ON SAID BLADE ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE BLADE BETWEEN A LOWERED OPERATIVE POSITION AND AN ELEVATED INOPERATIVE POSITION, SAID GATE WHEN IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM AND SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID BLADE AND BEING DISPOSED IN OBSTRUCTING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DISCHARGE END OF THE BLADE, SAID GATE WHEN IN THE INOPERATIVE POSITION BEING DISPOSED BELOW THE FORWARDLY CURVED UPPER PORTION OF SAID BLADE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID GATE