US3410008A - Snow plow coupling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 12, 1968 E. R. STANDFUSS SNOW PLOW COUPLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13, 1965 United States Patent Office 3,410,008 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 3,410,008 SNOW PLOW COUPLING MECHANISM Ernest R. Standfuss, Bucyrns, Ohio, assignor to The Burch Corporation, Crestline, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 425,226 1 Claim. (Cl. 37-42) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to snow plow connecting means, particularly to means to guide the connecting parts of a snow plow and a prime mover therefore so that the connecting operation can be effected by one man and the disconnecting operation likewise with a minimum amount of positioning of the respective units.

This invention relates to snow plow coupling means and particularly to mechanism to quickly couple and uncouple a snow plow or the like to a prime mover.

Heretofore in coupling snow plows or the like to prime movers for use, which is periodic and seasonal as is well known, the usual bolts have been resorted to so that the push frame of the snow plow, which is connected to the moldboard thereof, is bolted in some manner to a hitch unit which extends from the prime mover usually forward thereof and is of heavy enough construction so that the strain and effort is distributed throughout the chassis of the prime mover, the snow plow being raised and lowered by any known instrumentality.

One of the principal advantages in the present construction is the fact that the snow plow unit with its push frame may be readily connected and disconnected from the hitch unit of the prime mover, without the necessity for bolting or unbolting anything and in fact the connection may be effected automatically so to speak by reason of certain latch means which operate when the coupling operation is effective.

The coupling of the snow plow provided with the mechanism hereof, is quickly effected and alignment of the various connecting instrumentalities is easily undertaken because of the arrangement of the various parts, and the uncoupling operation is equally rapidly effected since certain latch means are operable by by a remotely controlled handle and thus permits separation of the two units in a very simple way.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to pro- Vide coupling mechanism which obviates the necessity for an individual to crawl between the various parts and thus risk injury, since the coupling operation is effected automatically without the necessity for any interposition of human element therein or therebetween. The uncoupling operation is equally simple effected by a remote control so to speak, whereby the person effecting the operation is out of line of any dangerous instrumentalities which might be otherwise present and which usually are present where the bolting operation is resorted to in common practice.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification and disclosed in the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, somewhat fragmentary in nature, showing a typical snow plow with certain instrumentalities eliminated to permit better viewing the same, as aligned for connection to a prime mover.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view, likewise fragmentary in nature, showing certain other instrumentalities including the means for lifting the plow during its nonfunctioning operation.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view, showing in detail the coupling portions of the respective units.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a snow plow unit generally designated 1 is shown as including a moldboard 2 and a push frame 3 extending rearwardly from said moldboard being coupled thereto in any preferred manner so that the attitude of the moldboard may be changed by instrumentalities not shown but well known.

The push frame 3 includes the parallel rearwardly extending frame members 4, 5 and 6, at the rearward extremities of which are connected what are called levelling plates 7, these all being identical and pivotally connected as by the bolts 8 to the extremities of the frame parts 4, 5 and 6, these levelling plates being generally pie-shiped segments with the bolt 8 located near one edge and intermediate the respective ends, the extremities of the pie-shaped segments, having extending therethrough the cross shaft or coupling shaft 9 which is welded or otherwise securely fastened to said extremities, the other ends of the plates being provided with a series of openings 10, in which the bolts such as 11 are adapted to be emplaced, to provide for vertical adjustment of the shaft 9 for purposes which Will be understood as this description proceeds. The segments or plates 7 are shown in a position wherein the saft 9 connected thereto is lowermost and as will be apparent by changing the position of the bolts 11, the shaft 9 may be raised and the bolt inserted in another one of the openings 10, the plates pivoting around the bolts 8.

The prime mover is a truck in this instance designated 13 including the hitch frame generally designated 14 including a transversely extending channel 1411 which replaces the usual bumper, and from which extend upwardly, a pair of posts 15, which are in turn suitably braced by gussets 16 and having extending therebetween T-shaped member '17.

The posts 15 provided for mounting a power lift arm 20 as indicated in FIGURE 2, which is operated by a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 21, the arm 20 being connected by suitable chains such as 22 to the push [frame 3 previously referred to.

Extending beneath the channel 14a, and in suitable parallel relation, are the hitch unit beams 23, which are fastened to the chassis of the truck and in a rigid manner so that they will distribute the stress developed in the plowing operation. At the forward end of these members 23 there is a transverse plate 24 designated as a mounting plate, to which is fastened a transversely extending angle member 25 by means of a king bolt 26 located about centrally thereof whereby the member 25 may pivot with respect thereto, certain limiting pins 27 being provided so that the transverse vertical pivoting movement of the member 25 is limited. The pins 27 may be withdrawn to permit a greater amount of pivotal action of said member if necessary.

The member 25 is provided with suitable engaging means in the form of fork-like parts 28, these being provided in pairs and spaced about as indicated in FIGURE 1. The fork-like parts 28 have slots 29 therein, arranged to gather the shaft 9 as will be apparent from a consideration of FIGURE 3, the parts 28 likewise having their ends out-turned as indicated at 30 in FIGURE 1 so that the levelling plates 7 will be guided between the spaced pairs. These parts 28 function as vertical and horizontal aligning elements, as the foregoing description clearly indicates, and provide for the proper seating of the shaft 9 in the slots 29 so the the latch means now to be described are effective. I

The latch means in this instance comprises a transverse latch shaft 32, which extends through the parts 28, and has fastened thereto adjacent each of the pairs of said parts, a hook 33, which is adapted to move when the shaft 32 is rotated. Rotation is effected by a suitable 3 operating arm 35 fixed at one end of the shaft and maintained in the position about as indicated in FIGURE 1, Which is the latching position, by a suitable spring 36.

The hooks 33 are provided with latching portions 37 adapted to engage the shaft 9 and since the hooks are normally maintained in their latching position, when the shaft 9 engages the faces 38 of the respective hooks 33, the hooks will be moved upwardly and automatically thereafter cause the latch surfaces 37 to engage with the shaft 9 and maintain the plow unit in its connected relationship to the hitch unit as will be apparent.

In order to disconnect the plow unit, the handle 35 is manipulated so as to raise the hooks 33 out of their engaged position and permit the Withdrawal of the hitch unit as controlled by the manipulation of the prime mover to which the hitch unit is fastened.

The operation of the mechanism is thought to be clearly understood from the foregoing, and it is only reiterated that the gathering effect of the fork-like parts 28 is such as to cause the alignment of the levelling plates 7 and shaft 9 connected thereto permitting the automatic connection with the hitch unit under the latching operation of the hooks 33.

The details of the operation of the plow in its actual movements are not set forth since they are well known and the manipulation of the plow into the raised and lowered position is possible around the shaft 9 as a pivot so that the non-plowing position may be assumed where required.

I claim:

1. In snow plow construction of the class described, in

combination, a plow unit comprising a moldboard, a push frame extending rearwardly therefrom, coupling means at the rear extremity of said frame, a hitch unit, engaging means extending forwardly therefrom and including means for releasably connecting the hitch and plow units, said engaging means having horizontal and vertical aligning elements and latch means releasably engaging the coupling means aforesaid, whereby the plow-unit is quickly detachable from the hitch unit, the coupling means comprising vertical plates connected to frame parts, a shaft extending horizontally through said plates and fixed thereto, elements in the engaging means comprising pairs of spaced fork-like parts to receive the plates and shaft, latch means including hooks releasably engaging said shaft, the pairs of fork-like parts being formed with gathering portions whereby to guide the plates therebetween and the shaft into latching position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,263 5/1938 Baumgardner 280-460 X 2,577,145 12/1951 Nearing et a1.

2,642,294 6/ 1953 Holm.

2,697,289 12/ 1954- Standfuss 37-40 3,150,884 9/1964 Drott 37-42 X 3,214,138 10/1965 Jocher et al. 37-42 X 3,250,026 5/1966 Jocher et al. 37-42 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner.

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