EP1983109A1 - Discharge spout for a rotary snowplough - Google Patents

Abstract

The snow blower or rotary snow plough has a loading chute (4) with a lower chute part (6) supported swivelably on a base part (5) about a horizontal swivel axis (11). A coupling unit (19) acts between the base part and an upper chute part (7). The base part, lower chute part, upper chute part and the coupling unit are formed as units of a hinge polygon such that a change of a position of the upper chute part relative to the lower chute part in a swivel direction is coupled with a change of a position of the lower chute part relative to the base part in an opposite swivel position.

Description

The present invention relates to a loading chute on a snowthrower, slingshot or -schleäsuder, comprising a rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis of rotation base part, a stored at this lower chimney part, a pivotally connected to the lower chimney part about a substantially horizontal pivot axis upper chimney part and an independently adjustable discharge flap arranged at the upper chimney part, wherein a drive unit is provided, by means of which the geometry of the loading chimney between an operating position in which the two chimney parts connect substantially continuously for a straight course of the chimney, and a transport position, in which the upper chimney part is folded in the direction of the lower chimney part of this, is changeable.

Snow blowers, snow throwers and snow blowers are used, typically mounted on the front of a carrier vehicle, the removal of snow from traffic areas such as roads, runways, track bodies and the like. The snow is usually ejected through a chimney. In order to influence the direction of throw and the throw height or throw of the snow, the chimney is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation and has on the other hand at its upper end an adjustable discharge flap. Under specific utilization of the described adjustment, the snow is usually ejected sideways through the fireplace and in a certain Distance range stored laterally from the traffic area to be cleared in the area.

However, in certain local circumstances, it is desirable for the snow to be dropped onto the bed of a truck accompanying the snow removal vehicle equipped with the snow truck. For this option is however, as for example in the CH 516698 is required, a relatively high chimney required, which typically towers at least 2.80 m above the road surface and is referred to as a loading chimney. In order for the loading chute not to obstruct passage through low tunnels or under low bridges, it must be possible to reduce its overall height. After the already mentioned CH 516698 This can be achieved by the upper chimney part is connected to the lower chimney part via a double rocker assembly; as a special feature of this design of the loading chimney, the snow removal unit can also operate with a loading chute brought into its transport position, wherein even in the lowered position of the upper chimney part, the trajectory of the ejected snow with the discharge flap can be influenced. According to another, by public prior use (Milling Sling KFS 950 Toni Kahlbacher GmbH & Co. KG, Kitzbühel) and the US 6931771 B1 Known possibility is the reduction of the overall height of the loading chute in the manner described in the introduction by the upper chimney part is hinged about a substantially horizontal pivot axis pivotally mounted on the lower chimney part, the upper chimney part using a drive unit or manually on the one hand in an operating position, in it for one elongated course of the fireplace fires substantially steadily to the lower chimney portion, and on the other hand in a transport position in which the upper chimney part is folded in the direction of the lower chimney part of this more or less, can be brought. Other than this for the out of the CH 516698 known Verladekaminen applies, in the known generic Verladekamin operation of the Schneeräumaggregats only possible if the upper chimney piece is erected (operating position of the loading chimney).

For applications in which it is not intended to load the cleared snow onto an escort vehicle, as stated, a comparatively low discharge chute usually suffices, which, unlike the introductory state of the art, typically comprises three main components, namely one essentially vertical axis rotatably mounted base part, an adjoining this chimney part and arranged at the upper end of the chimney discharge flap (also known, for example, by public prior use of the Milling Sling KFS 950 Toni Kahlbacher GmbH & Co. KG). In such ejection chimneys, the issue of height discussed above is not relevant. In order to improve the driver's view of the equipped with the snow removal vehicle carrier vehicle during transport, has been proposed for such a low chimney with only a chimney part to support the chimney on a rocker support extending upwardly about a horizontal pivot axis pivotally, so that the Driver, when the chimney piece is swung up into its transport position, can look under this ( DE 3436562 A1 ). Farther has also been proposed, with a view to improving the driver's visibility, a chimney ( AT 413290 B ), in which the chimney part by means of a drive element umlegbar, that is hinged downwards. In the relevant ejection chimney with a base part, a convertible to this at a substantially horizontal pivot axis mounted chimney and a disposed at the upper end of the chimney discharge flap, the discharge flap with the base part by means of a coupling rod mechanically coupled so that when folding the chimney piece the discharge flap moved relative to the chimney part and in the same direction to the direction of movement of the chimney part is folded into this. A major disadvantage of this loading chimney is that when erected chimney piece the discharge flap can not be adjusted independently for throw distance control. In that regard, the possibilities to influence the trajectory of the snow are limited.

The US 4312143 discloses a two-piece chimney, not having a discharge flap, for a snow thrower in which an upper chimney part can be displaced along the lower chimney part between a raised operating position and a lowered non-operating position. In that regard, there are certain parallels to CH 516698 , Also a two-piece fireplace without flap is from the AT 390 460 B known, in which case the upper and the lower chimney part are connected to each other via a pivot joint, so that the upper chimney part can be folded down from its upright operating position into a folded non-operating position.

In the light of the above-identified prior art, the present invention has the object to provide a loading chimney of the type specified, the maximum flexibility in terms of snow ejection (loading on a support vehicle, free ejection into the field with different throw lengths and pitches ) and at the same time outside the use of the snow removal unit can assume a transport position in which the driver's view of the carrier vehicle is impaired as little as possible.

This object is achieved according to the present invention by the bottom chimney part about a substantially horizontal, to the first pivot axis substantially parallel second pivot axis is pivotally mounted on the base part and that one between the base part and the upper in a loading chimney of the type specified Chimney part acting coupling member is provided, wherein the base part, the lower chimney part, the upper chimney part and the coupling member such elements of a Gelenkvielecks are that a change in the position of the upper chimney part relative to the lower chimney part in a pivoting direction forcibly with a change in the position of the lower chimney part is coupled relative to the base part in the opposite pivoting direction. The Verladekamin invention is characterized in other words by the fact that a kinematic forced coupling between the base part, the lower chimney part and the upper chimney part is provided, which leads to a zigzag folding of the two chimney parts, if the geometry of the loading chute using the drive unit of a extended operating position in a space-saving Transport position is changed. In the transport position of the loading chute is accordingly oppositely kinked in two directions, namely in the region of the joint between the base part and the lower chimney part and the other in the region of the joint between the lower and the upper chimney part. By operating the drive unit, the chimney is erected in a single operation in its extended position in which there is a substantially continuous course both in the region of the transition from the base part to the lower chimney part and in the region of the transition from the lower to the upper chimney part. The position of the discharge flap can be adjusted independently in the operating position of the loading chimney, in particular to adjust the throw to the local conditions.

The loading chute according to the invention, after folding and erecting by means of a single drive unit (e.g., hydraulic cylinder), is particularly robust and reliable in a technically simple and inexpensive construction, with even a loading chute e.g. with regard to the ejection of snow across noise barriers away is carried out particularly long, not blocked in his folded transport position the driver's view.

In the context of the present invention, there are several possibilities of arranging or accommodating the drive unit. This can, for example, act between the base part and the lower chimney part by a corresponding hydraulic cylinder on the one hand acts on the base part and on the other hand on the lower chimney part. Furthermore, an arrangement of the drive unit Such conceivable that it acts between the lower chimney part and the upper chimney part or between the base part and the upper chimney part. A further, particularly preferred possibility is that the drive unit is hingedly connected at one end to the coupling member, and that conveniently close to the articulated connection of the coupling member to the base part. This is particularly advantageous when the coupling member comprises a hinged to the base part and the upper chimney part coupling rod. The drive unit can act in particular between the coupling member and the lower chimney part.

While the coupling member, as already indicated above, in a preferred embodiment, a - especially exclusively or largely subjected to pressure - coupling rod comprises, the present invention is not limited thereto. Rather, embodiments with only claimed to train coupling links, which may for example be designed as ropes or chains, which can attack on protruding beyond the hinge connection of the two chimney extensions of the respective upper chimney part, can be realized. However, for reasons of accommodating the coupling member is preferred if this, as shown and explained below in the embodiments, a pressure-loaded coupling rod and on the base part, based on the axis of rotation, relative to the articulated connection of the lower chimney portion with the base part is articulated.

The statement according to which a coupling member and a drive unit are to be provided must not be understood to be restrictive in that only one drive unit and only one coupling member are provided. Rather, can be seen in the context of the present invention, drive unit and / coupling member also - especially in mirror-image arrangement - be made double.

A further preferred development of the loading chute according to the invention is that the base part is made in two parts by comprising a rotary member and an extension connected thereto, wherein the lower chimney part is pivotally connected to said extension about said second pivot axis. In this way, particularly high-rise loading chimneys can be realized for particular applications, as a result of the provided by the present invention space-saving accommodation of the two chimney parts in the folded transport position of the loading chimney, the driver's view is not significantly affected in this case during transport. The extension is preferably not vertical, but rather slightly inclined in the direction of ejection.

Fig. 1

in rückwärtiger Ansicht eine zum frontseitigen Anbau an ein Trägerfahrzeug hergerichtete Schneefrässchleuder mit einem Verladekamin nach der vorliegenden Erfindung in dessen Betriebsstellung,

Fig. 2

die Schneefrässchleuder nach Fig. 1, wobei der Verladekamin eine Zwischenstellung zwischen der Betriebsstellung und seiner Transportstellung einnimmt und

Fig. 3

die Schneefrässchleuder nach den Fig. 1 und 2 mit in seine Transportstellung angesenktem Verladekamin; weiterhin zeigt

Fig. 4

in Seitenansicht und

Fig. 5

in perspektivischer Ansicht eine zweite Ausführungsform eines Verladekamins nach der vorliegenden Erfindung in einer Zwischenstellung zwischen seiner Betriebsstellung und seiner Transportstellung.

In the following, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to two illustrated in the drawing preferred embodiments. It shows

Fig. 1

in rear view, a front-mounted to a carrier vehicle prepared snowblower with a loading chimney according to the present invention in its operating position,

Fig. 2

the snow blower after Fig. 1 , wherein the loading chimney occupies an intermediate position between the operating position and its transport position, and

Fig. 3

the snow blower after the Fig. 1 and 2 with lowered into its transport position Verladekamin; continues to show

Fig. 4

in side view and

Fig. 5

in a perspective view of a second embodiment of a loading chimney according to the present invention in an intermediate position between its operating position and its transport position.

The in the Fig. 1 to 3 illustrated snowblower 1 is, apart from the loading chute, constructed in the manner known as such. At its rear side, a blast wheel housing 2 is arranged, in which a rotatably driven blast wheel is received and which has a discharge nozzle 3 directed vertically upwards. Further details of the snow thrower are not relevant to the present invention. In that regard, it is also indicated only schematically and a more detailed explanation dispensable.

The loading chute 4 constructed on the discharge nozzle 3 of the blower wheel housing 2 comprises four main components, namely a base part 5, a lower chimney part 6, an upper chimney part 7 and a discharge flap 8 in the flow direction. The two chimney parts 6 and 7 and the discharge flap 8 are in customary running channel-shaped. The base part 5 is rotatable on the ejection nozzle 3 about a vertical axis of rotation stored and, for adjusting the discharge direction, by means of a - not shown - adjustable drive rotatable. The end flap disposed on the upper chimney part 8 is, as is also known as such, for changing the throw or throw height adjustable by means of an adjustment. Visible in this respect are the articulated connection 42 of the discharge flap 8 with the upper chimney part 7 at its upper end and the independent adjustment of the discharge flap 8 about the pivot axis of the articulation 42 serving around drive units 43 in the form of hydraulic cylinders 44th

The upper chimney part 7 is pivotably connected to the lower chimney part 6 about a horizontal pivot axis 9 pivotally. The inside width of the upper chimney part 7 is slightly larger than the width of the lower chimney part 6, so that tabs 10 of the upper chimney part 7 surround the lower chimney part 6 laterally. The lower chimney part 6 is in turn pivotally connected to the base part 5 about a second, also horizontal pivot axis 11, wherein the two pivot axes 9 and 11 are parallel to each other. The determined by the second pivot axis 11 joint 12 is arranged on the closed side of the channel-shaped lower chimney part 6. In the operating position of the loading chute 4, in which - in this position - lower edge 13 of the lower chimney part 6 rests on a stop 14, a lower edge portion 15 of the lower chimney part 6 engages around an upper mouth portion 16 (see. Fig. 2 ) of the base part 5.

On the - relative to the vertical axis of rotation - the joint 12 opposite side of the base part 5, an abutment 17 is arranged. At this is based, to the horizontal, to the two pivot axes 9 and 11 parallel pivot axis 18 pivotally, a coupling member 19 from hinged. The coupling member comprises a coupling rod 20, the free end 21 is pivotally connected to the upper chimney part 7 about a horizontal, in turn to the three pivot axes 9, 11 and 18 parallel pivot axis 22 pivotally. The pivot axes 9, 11, 18 and 22 form the corner points of a through the base part 5, the lower chimney part 6, the upper chimney part 7 and the coupling member 19 defined four-bar linkage.

At a terminal node structure 23 of the coupling member 19, on which also its articulated connection with the base part 5 is provided, a drive unit 24 in the form of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 25 is articulated. The other end 26 of the hydraulic cylinder 25 is hinged to the lower chimney part 6 articulated. By appropriate action on the hydraulic cylinder 25, the geometry of the loading chute between the in Fig. 1 shown operating position in which connect the two chimney parts 6 and 7 for a straight course of the chimney substantially steadily together, and the in Fig. 3 shown transport position in which the lower chimney part 6 completely folded and the upper chimney part 7 is folded around the pivot axis 9 completely around to the lower chimney part change. The change in the position of the upper chimney part 7 relative to the lower chimney part 6 and the change in the position of the lower chimney part 6 relative to the base part 5 are on the described arrangement of the articulated connections and the coupling member forcibly coupled to each other opposite pivot directions.

The in the Fig. 4 and 5 illustrated embodiment of the loading chimney 4 'is in the essential design features with the embodiment described above according to the Fig. 1 to 3 match. In that regard, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above explanations, wherein, for ease of understanding, the corresponding parts and components of the two embodiments of the loading chimney are identified by corresponding reference numerals.

The following explanations accordingly relate solely to the relevant deviations of the loading chute 4 'according to the Fig. 4 and 5 opposite the loading chute 4 according to the Fig. 1 to 3 ,

On the one hand, in the loading chimney 4 ', the base part is made in two parts, in addition to a - not shown - a rotating part associated with this extension 27, with which the lower chimney part 6 is pivotally connected about the second pivot axis 11 pivotally. The extension 27 includes a channel-shaped snow guide 28. At her a support 29 is further arranged, on which the lower chimney part 6 rests when the loading chute 4 'assumes its (fully folded) transport position. The extension is slightly inclined in the direction of ejection.

In the region of its upper end 30, the lower chimney part 6 a stiffener 31, which comprises a cross tube 32 and two laterally arranged triangular plates 33. On the triangular plates 33, on the one hand, the two hydraulic cylinders 25 engage. On the other hand, passes through the triangular plates 33, the pivot axis 9 of the articulated connection of the upper chimney part 7 with the lower chimney 6. The upper chimney 7 has in turn in the region of its lower end 34 a stiffener 35, which comprises a cross tube 36 and two cheek plates 37. On the cheek plates 37, on the one hand, the two coupling rods 20 engage. On the other hand, passes through the cheek plates 37, the pivot axis 9 of the articulated connection of the upper chimney part 7 with the lower chimney 6. In the erected operating position of the loading chimney 4 'are based projections 38 which are formed in the side walls 39 of the upper chimney part 7 and between which the cross tube 36 extends, on the cross tube 32 of the lower chimney part, which forms a stop in this way. To secure the position cutouts 41 are provided in the folds 40 of the triangular plates, in which the projections 38 of the upper chimney part 7 occur.

To compensate for manufacturing tolerances, the length of the coupling rod 20 via threaded heads 45 is adjustable.

With regard to the static load distribution struts 46 are arranged in the region of the extension 27 below the abutment 17 for the coupling member 19, which are supported on the base frame 47 of the extension.

Claims (7)

Loading chimney (4, 4 ') on a snowblower, slingshot or -schleässchleuder (1), comprising a about a substantially vertical axis of rotation rotatably mounted base part (5), a stored at this lower chimney part (6), one with the lower chimney part (6) about a substantially horizontal pivot axis (9) pivotally connected upper chimney part (7) and one end of the upper chimney part (7) arranged, independently adjustable discharge flap (8), wherein a drive unit (24) is provided, with their use the geometry of the loading chimney (4, 4 ') between an operating position in which connect the two chimney parts (6, 7) for a straight course of Verladekamins substantially steadily together, and a transport position in which the upper chimney piece (7) in the direction on the lower chimney part (6) folded on this is changeable,
characterized,
that the lower chimney part (6) about a substantially horizontal, to the first pivot axis (9) substantially parallel second pivot axis (11) is pivotally mounted on the base part (5) and that between the base part (5) and the upper chimney part (7) acting coupling member (19) is provided, wherein the base part (5), the lower chimney part (6), the upper chimney part (7) and the coupling member (19) are such elements of a Gelenkvielecks that a change in the position of the upper Chimney part (7) relative to the lower chimney part (6) in a pivoting direction forcibly with a change in the position of the lower chimney part (6) is coupled relative to the base part (5) in the opposite pivoting direction. Loading chimney according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that the coupling member (19) comprises a coupling rod (20) hinged to the upper chimney part (7). Loading chimney according to claim 1 or claim 2,
characterized,
that the articulated connection of the coupling member (19) with the base part (5) with respect to the axis of rotation of the second pivot axis (11) opposite. Loading chimney according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
in that the drive unit (24) is articulated at one end in an articulated manner to the coupling member (19) Loading chimney according to claim 4,
characterized,
in that the drive unit (24) acts between the coupling member (19) and the lower chimney part (6). Loading chimney according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
in that the drive unit (24) acts between the base part (5) and the lower chimney part (6). Loading chute according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the base part is made in two parts and a rotary part and an extension (27), with which the lower chimney part (6) is connected comprises.

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