US1603978A - Snowplow - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,978

. F. W. PARKHURST SNOWPLOW Filed Nov. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,978

F. w. PARKHURST SNOWPLOW Fil d N v- 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 2 F. w. PARKHURST Oct. 19 ,11926.

SNOWPLOW Filed Nov. 20 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENVT'FOFFICE.

FRANK W. PABKHURST, 01' FARMIHGTON, HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF T WALTER AHAZEEN, OF FABMINGTON, NEW

SNOWPLOW.

Application filed November 20, 1925. Serial m. 70,301.

The object of this invention is to provide a snow plow which includes a motor vehicle, preferably of the tractor type, and a snowremoving structure carried by and projecting forwardly from the vehicle and adapted to deflect snow upwardly and rearwardly from a horizontal surface, and thereby form a track of uniform width, and to shift the deflected snow to one side of the track.

The invention is embodied in the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a snow 1 plow embodying the invention. Figure 2 is a front end view. Figure 3 is a section on line ure 1, Figure t is a section on line 4-4 ofFigl ure 2.

Figure'5 is a top plan view, showing the forward portion of the plow.

Figurefi is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5, and a side elevation of the parts at I the left of said line including means for driving the blower rotor and the conveyer hereinafter described, at different speeds.

Figure 7 is a section online 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to. Figure 2, showing the snow-removing structure hereinafter described, embodied in a sin l e unit, instead of in th two units shown y Figure 2.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are views showing the hereinafter described blower rotor.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, a designates the body of a, motor vehicle, which may be of any suitable type, and is provided with running gear including motor driven tractors at 33 of Fig 'opposite sides of the vehicle and traction wheels forward of the tractors. One of the tractors and one of the traction wheels is shown by Figure 1, these being designated respectively by b and a. d designates the hood covering the: motor,- not shown Projecting forward from the motor ve- .-hicle andcarried thereby, is a snow-removing structure adapted to u wardly and rear- 7 wardly deflect snowrin a vance of the vehicle m such manner-as to form a track of casings.

uniform width, said structure being as next described.

In the preferred embodiment of the inventron, shown. by Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, the snow-removing structure includes two ta-: pering conduits located side by side, tapering helical conveyers carried by shafts rotatable in the conduits, two blower casings located behind the conduits, each rovide with a blower rotor, the conveyers eing adapted to force snow through the conduits and into the blower casings, and the rotors being 66 adapted to force the snow from the blower casings through an outlet common to the The structure therefore includes two snow-removing units, each of which may I be described as follows: 7

12 designates a tapering conduit having a larger forward end portion, the lower side of which has a substantially horizontal collecting edge 13, the conduit being adapted to deflect snow upward and rearward from the collecting edge. The conduit has a smaller delivering rear end 14, which is substantially circular in cross section, and is adapted to discharge the deflected snow at the rear end of the conduit.

15 designates a blower casing, ada ted toreceive snow from the delivering en 14, and provided with a snow outlet 16.

17 designates a substantially horizontal longitudinally extending conveyer shaft as supported by bearings 18 and 19, forming parts of the structure. The shaft extends through the conduit and blower casin and is centrally arranged therein, as indicated by Fi was 2 and 4. 20 designates a tapering he ical conveyer fixed to the shaft within the conduit 12, and adapted to feed the de-' flected snow into the blower casing 15. The lar er end of the conveyer is at the forward end of the shaft 17 and is substantially flush with the receiving end of the conduit. The smaller endof the=conveyer 20 is adjacent to the delivering end of the conduit. The taper of the conduit conforms to that .of the conveyer as shown by Figure 4, and the arrangement is such that snow collected by the edge 13 is-guided by the conduit toward the axis of the conveyer, is condensed by the conduit, and is positively forced b the conveyer from the receiving to the dehvering end of the conduit.

Supported by the shaft 17, within the blower casing is a blower rotor, designated as a whole by 21, adapted to discharge snow through the outlet 16, the rotor being coaxial with the conveyer.

The rotor may be fixed to the shaft 17 f lower portion of. the receiving end or mouth and rotated in unison with the conveyer. desired, however, the rotor may be driven at a faster rate than the conveyer, as described hereinafter, with reference to Figures '6 and 7. I

The shaft 17 is driven by the engine,

through suitable connecting mechanism.

Said mechanism, in this instance,'includes a transverse conveyer and rotor-driving shaft 22, journaled in bearings on the removing structure and provided with a bevel gear 23,

and with a pulley 24, connected as by a belt 25, with a suitable element of the motor. The pulley may be provided with sprocket teeth, and the belt may be,a sprocket cham. The bevel gear 23 meshes with a bevel gear 26, fixed to the shaft 17 y The blower casing outlet 16, which in the two-unit construction shown, communicateswith two blower casings, as shown by Figure 3, is provided with a swivelled elbow-shaped terminal 30, adapted to be swung horizontally to various positions to deliver snow in any desired direction. The terminal is provided with a pulley 31, on which runs a flexible connection or cable 32, the ends of which are so engaged with a drum 33 carried by the vehicle, that a rotation of the drum causes a turning movement of the terminal 30. The

' drum is located in position to be rotated by the driver whose seat is shown at a. snow-removing structure is vertically adjustable, so that the collecting edge 13 may be raised to an inoperative position, permitting progress of the plow without removing snow, and different heights of the collecting edge when snow is being removed. To this end the structure includes rearwardly projecting arms bolted to the blower casing and hinged at 35 to the vehicle body. Said arms are provided between their ends with bearing faces 34 which, as shown by Figures 1 and 4, are the upper sides of slots formed in the arms. J ournaled in hearings on the body is a transverse adjusting shaft 36, having eccentrics 37. The bearing faces 34"of the arms rest on said eccentrics, so that the arms and the snow-removing structure are variably supported by the vehicle body through the shaft 36 and the eccentrics. the latter being under compressive pressure by the weight of the structure. The shaft 36 is provided with a worm gear 38 (Figure 4), meshing with a worm' 39, on an operating rod or shaft 40, which is journaled in bearings on the body and provided with a The swinging movement of the arms and the entire snow-removing structure. Wlll. be seen that the eccentricsremam in any position to which they may be turned and do the conveyer and are positively forced thereby through the outlet 14 into the blower casing. I 4

As shown by Figure 2, I prefer to makethe receiving mouth of the conduit 12 square or rectangular, although it is obvious that its upper portion may be curved-or arched, to conform to the.uppe'r portionof the conveyer.

In the preferred two-unit construction, the collecting edges 13 of the conduits 12 are in line with each other, as shown by Figure 2,

and collectively form a relatively wide track,

the driving shaft 22 is elongated and provided with two bevel gears 23, as shown by F igure' 5, and the snow outlet 16 communicates with the two blower casings 15, as shown by Figure 3.

It is obvious that the snow-removing structure may be composed of a unit including one of theconduits 12 and one of the conveyers 20, as shown by Figure 8, the snow outlet 16 communicating with only one blower casing. In this embodiment of the in ventionthe driving shaft 22 is provided with only one bevel gear 23.

As previously stated, the blower rotor may i be driven from the motor through independent torque-transi'nitting means, so that the rotor and the-conveyer 20 may bedriven at different speeds. This result may be accom plished by the means shown by Figures 6 and 7, and next described.

The blower rotor is fixed to a hub or sleeve 42, loosely rotatable on the shaft 17 to which the helical conveyer is fixed. To the sleeve 42 is fixed a relatively small spur gear 43. To the bevelgear 26, which is fixed to the shaft 17, is fixed a larger spur gear 44. Fixed I to the blower casing 15 is a stud 45,0nw'hich are mounted to rotate loosely, two rigidly connected- spur gears 46 and 47 of different diameters. The smaller gear 46 meshes with the gear 44 fixed to the bevel gear '26. The larger gear 47 meshes with the gear 43 fixed to the sleeve or hub 42 of the blower rotor. Torque is transmitted from the bevel gear 26, and the spur gear 44 fixed thereto, to the 7 connected hub or sleeve 42 and with the outlet end 14 gears 16 and 47, and by the gear 47 to the gear 43. The relative proportlons of said gears are suchthat-the'blower rotor is driven at a higher speed than the helical conveyer. I I

The preferred construction of the blower rotor, designated as a whole by 21, is shown by Figures '9, 10 and 11. The rotor as here shown includes two circular heads 50 and 51, fixed to and spaced apart by the fiat rectangular blades 53, riveted to and extending between the heads. The head 50 at the forward side of the rotor is interrupted by central openings 54 (Figure 10) formed between/radial spoke portions 55 of the forming a snow-receiving inlet registering of the tapering conduit 12. The head 51 is closed or continuous from its margin to the by Figure 11, so that it arrests or deflects 'snow forced into said inlet. The blades 53 the relatively long collecting'edge 13 in a and conveyed v ceiving the conduit, the squared outer are radially arranged and their inner ends are at the margins of the openings 54, as shown by-Figure 10. The spoke ortions 55 may have sharp cutting edges ena ling them to pass freely through compressed snow passingfroln the tapering conduit to the blower casing. The described construction ensures a maximumcapacity of the blower for a given diameter.

. It will be seenthat the forced feed helical conveziyer 20 takes snow from the large area,

boun ed by the receiving end of the ta ering conduit 12 the snow being collecte by relatively thin sheet or layer, throughthe constantly diminishing diameter 'of' the conduit into the center of the ower casing, from which it is thrown outward through the outlet or exhaust pipe 16.

The helicalconveyer may be made with one or moreconvolutions, and it extends forward so that its larger'end is'substantially fiushwith the receiving end of the conduit, The forward or cutting edge of the conveyer,

is practically as long as the width of the reend of the conduit between opposite e'd es thereof, sufficient clearancebeing provided to prevent chafing.- The circular .inner endportion of the taperin includes the majorportion of t e length of end portion extendin inwardly from the receiving forward end sufficiently to form a four-sided receiving end, one of the sides of which includes the collecting edge 13. This form facilitates making a clean path through deep snow, and enables two conduits to be readily connected and permit a maximum width-of snow removal without obstruction to. the viewof theoperator'w a The collecting edge 13 is preferably provided with a'remforcing strip13." to increase its durability,

head and collectively sleeve 42, as shown which they ma conduit .12

shaft bem a manual y operable o erating shaft sup-" ody and provided a worm meshing with said gear to turn.

shaft It is obvious that runners may be substituted for the traction wheels 0.

I claim:

LA snow-plow comprising a motor vehicle, and a snow-removing structure carried by and projecting forward from the vehicle and including a longitudinally extending conveyer shaft driven by the engine of the vehicle and provided with a tapering helical conveyer, the larger end of which is at the forward end of the shaft; a tapering conduit conforming to the taper of the conveyer, said conduit having a larger receiving forward end substantially flush with the larger end of the conveyer, and a smaller delivering rear end adjacent'to the smaller end of the conveyer, the lower side of the receiving end being formed by a horizontal snow col lecting edge, the arrangement being such that snow collected by said edge is guided bv the tapering conduit toward the axis of the rearwardly projecting arms hinged at their rear ends to the vehicle body to swing vertically, and provided with bearing faces; and mechanism carried by the vehicle body for swinging said arms to vertically adjust said structure, said mechanism comprising a transverse ad usting shaft supported by the body and provided with eccentrics on which said bearing faces rest, so that said structure is supported by the bodythrough the adjus'ting. shaftand eccentrics, and means operable by thedriver to turn the adjusting shaft and its eccentrics and thereby vertically adjust the structure, the eccentrics being adapted to remain in any position to be turned.

3. A snow-p 0w as specified by claim 1, the snow-removing structure including also rearwardly projecting arms-hinged at their rear ends to the vehicle body to swing verticall and provided with bearing faces; and nice anism carried by the'vehicle body for swinging said arms to vertically adjust saidstructure,- said transverse adjusting shaft supported by the body and provided with eccentrics on w 'ich bearing faces rest, so that said structure is supported by the body through the adjusting shaft and eccentrics, the ad ustin provided with a worm gear, an

ported by the vehicle with the adjusting shaft and its eccentrics, and thereby vertically. adjust the structure..

mechanism comprising a 4. A snow-plow as specified by. claim 1,

the snow-removing structure including also a blower casing through which the conveyer extends, said casing commumcatmg' with the outlet end of the tapering conduit and having" a snow outlet, and a blower rotor mounted on the conveyer shaftwithin the casing and driven by the engine of the vehicle to force snow from the blower. casing through the outlet.

5. A snow-plow as specified by claim 1, the snow-ren'ioving structure including also a blower casing communicating with the delivering end of the tapering conduit, and provided with a snow outlet having a swiv elled terminal, and a blower rotor in said casing coaxial with the helical conveyer and driven by the engine to force snow through the outlet; and mechanism carried by the vehicle body and operable by the driver for swinging said terminal to variably direct the discharged snow.

6. A snow-plow as specified by claim 1, the snow-removing structure including also a blower c'asing communicating with the delivering end of the tapering conduit, and provided with a snow outlet having a swivelled terminal and a blower rotor in said' casing coaxial with the helical conveyer and driven by the engine to force snow through the outlet; and mechanism carried by the vehicle body and operable by the driver for swinging said terminal to variably direct the discharged snow, said mechanism inch-iding a manually rotatable drum adjacent to the drivers seat and a flexible cable connecting said drum with a pulley on the swivelled terminal.

7. A snow-plow as specified by claim 1,

the snow-removing structure including also a blower casing communicating with the delivering end of the tapering conduit, and provided with a snow outlet, a blower rotor mounted'on the conveyor shaft within the casing to' rotate independently of the shaft, and torque-transmitting means connecting the conveyor shaft with the rotor and organized to drive the rotor at a higher speed than the conveyer. F

8. A snow-plow as specified by claim 1, the'snow-removing structure including also a blower casing communicating with the delivering end of the tapering conduit and provided with a snow outlet, and a blower rotor in said casing coaxial with the helical conveyor and driven by the engine ,to force snow through the outlet, said rotor including two rigidly connected spaced apart heads, one having openings collectively forming a snow inlet coinciding with the outlet end of the tapering conduit and adapted to receive snow therefrom, said head having snow-cutting spoke portions between the openings, the other head being closed to arrest snow entering the openings, and radial blades fixed to and extending between said heads, the inner ends of the blades being at the outer margin of the snow inlet, so that snow arrested by the closed head is engaged by the blades and forced outwardly thereby to the snow outlet.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

FRANK w. PARKHURsa.

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