US2108134A - Snow plow - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 15, 1938. w. A. McNUL-ry 2,108,134

I l sNow PLow l I Filed OCC. 13. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. Xing. if

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William A. McNulty, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 13,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to Snow plows and more particularly to snow plows adapted for use with railway equipment.

In removing snow from a railway right of way 5 it is desirable to remove the snow from between the rails and this may be done by causing the Hanger blades of a snow plow to pass between the rails, but because of track intersections, switches and the like it is essential that the anger plates and the blades thereon be capable of being retracted from between the rails when approaching track intersections and switches and the like so as to prevent the flangers from jamming on the rails intersecting those between which they are operating, and therefore one of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel snow plow wherein the flangers may be operated between the rails but which may be retracted from between the rails to clear intersecting rails, switches and the 20 like.

It is desirable to remove snow as close as possible to the road bed but at the same time the hanger blades must be kept free from the ties and the like of the road bed and hence another object of my invention is to provide a snow plow wherein the iiangers may be lowered into a -definite position relative to the road bed so that substantially all of the snow between the rails may be removed without the fiangers striking the ties or the like of the road bed.

Another object of my invention is to prevent derailing of the locomotive or the like to which my snow plow is attached if the flangers strike an obstruction on the road bed. 35 Heretofore it has been proposed to provide devices for raising and lowering the langers of a snow plow associated with a locomotive or the like and it has been proposed to bring this about by pressure operated means, but heretofore such pressure operated means have been located in such a position that snow dug up by the plow could contact therewith and this impaired proper operation of the pressure operated means, and hence another object of my invention is to ernploy pressure operated means to elevate and lower the flangers of a snow plow from and to operative position and to so position such pressure operated means that snow dug up by the plow is prevented from contacting therewith and impairing operation thereof.

It is not only desirable to remove snow from between the rails of a railway right of way but also to spread snow so removed well away from the right of way, and a further object of my invention is to spread snow removed by a plow well 1936, Serial No. 105,374

beyond the sides of the rails of the right of way, and an object ancillary to the foregoing is to associate wings with the ilangers of the plow so that snow removed by the flangers will pass onto the wings to be dispersed well to the side of the rails of the right of way, and a still further object is to so arrange the wings that they will be retracted from or advanced into operating positions along with the movement of the flangers of the plow into and from operative position, and an object ancillary to this is to move the wings into and to maintain the wings in operative position by pressure operated means also located to prevent snow removed by the plow from impairing proper operation thereof.

Still further objects of the invention are to elevate and maintain elevated the angers of a snow plow by pressure operated means whereby the angers will be supported for movement relative to the road bed and other parts of the plow when in operative position; to interconnect the flangers and wings of my improved snow plow and thereby enable the flangers and wings to be synchronously moved into and from operative position; to provide a snow plow which may be expeditiously attached or removed from a locomotive or other railway equipment; and to provide a novel snow plow of simple and economical construction an-d efficient and positive operation.

A selected embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational view in which my novel snow plow is shown mounted on a fragmentally illustrated locomotive;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of my novel snow plow; 35

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 on Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to Fig. 1 showing another means for operating my novel snow plow.

My novel snow plow is preferably substituted for the usual pilot of a locomotive or the like and to this end the pilot is removed and my novel snow plow is fastened to those portions of the locomotive or the like to which the pilot is usually attached. In this way I am enabled to attach my novel plow to the locomotive without having portions of the plow projecting into the path ofthe snow being removed from the right of way by my plow whereby dispersion of the snow well to the sides of the railway right of way is not impaired by parts of the plow. To this end my novel plow includes a transverse beam l0 which may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the frame of the loco-motive in the position where the usual pilot beam of the locomotive is secured. The beam i0 is arranged at the rear end of my plow and at the forward end thereof a carrier beam Il is provide-d and these beams are interconnected adjacent their ends to side beams I2 and IS. Reenforcing beams I4 and I5 are provided intermediate the side beams to extend parallel to the side beams between the carrier and rear beams II and I0 whereby a rigi-d frame is provided.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the forward ends of the beams I2, I3, I4 and I5 are bent to provide downwardly extending legs I6, I'I, I8 and I 9, respectively, and the lower ends of these legs are bent rearwardly to provide foot portions or stops 2U, 2l, 22 and 23. The legs I6, I'I, I8 and I9 do not extend at right angles to the main extent of the beams I2, I3, I and I5 but are inclined as shown in Fig. 4 for a purpose to be explained. As best shown in Fig. 2, the forward ends of the beams I4 and I5 are arranged forwardly of the forward ends of the beams I2 and I3, the purpose of which will also be explained.

A pair of flanger plates 24 and 25 are provided which are adapted to be arranged in side by side relation, the plate 24 being rested on the forward faces of the legs I6 and I'I and the plate 25 being rested on the forward faces of the legs I8 and I 9. Inasmuch as the leg I8 is forwardly of the leg IB and the leg I9 is forwardly of the leg I 'I the flanger plates 24 and 25 are disposed in angular relation With respect to each other when these plates are rested on the front faces of the legs and the apex defined by the angular relation of these plates is located substantially medially of the plow. The upper edges of the flanger plates 24 and 25 are rolled to provide deflectors 26 and 21, the purpose of which is explained hereinafter.

A pair of angle brackets 28 and 29 are arranged in side by side relation to extend upwardly from the lower edge of the flanger plate 24 adjacent the inner edge thereof. These brackets are disposed on the rear face of the anger plate 24 and are spaced apart sufficiently to receive the leg I8 therebetween. The angle brackets 28 and 29 are securely fastened to the anger plate 24 by rivets or the like. Another pair of angle brackets 30 and 3| are similarly positioned on the flanger plate 25 and receive therebetween the leg I9.

As best shown in Fig. e, the width of the parallel portions of the angle brackets 3@ and 3| is of greater extent than the thickness of the leg I9 and bolts 33 and 3s extend between the parallel portions of the brackets 3l] and 3l rearwardly of the rear face of the leg I9. These bolts respectively pass through sleeves 35 and 35 that are disposed between the parallel portions of the brackets Sil and 3l and which bear on the rear face of the leg I9. It will thus be seen that the fia-nger plate 25 is connected to the leg i9 for movement therealong but is held against displacement therefrom. 'In a. manner similar to this the flanger plate 2li is connected to the leg I8 through the angle brackets 28 and 29. Furthermore, similar' pairs of angle brackets are provided adjacent the outer edges of the anger plates 24 and 25 and through these angle brackets the plates 2d and 25 are connected to the legs i6 and Il in the just described manner.

Thus the danger plate 2li is mounted for substantially vertical movement along the legs i6 and i8 and the flanger plate 25 is mounted for substantially vertical movement along the legs I 'I and i9. The sleeves as 35 are adapted to engage the stops as 23 to limit downward movement of the anger plates as 25 and when the sleeves as 35 engage the stops as 23 the flanger plates are disposed in predetermined relation with the road bed.

The rails R and R are mounted cn ties T and as the locomotive or the like to which my novel plow is attached travels along the rails R and R the iianger plates are adapted to remove snow from between these rails. inasmuch as wear will be greatest at the lower leading edges of the ilanger plates and flanger blades 3? and 38 are detachably connected at the lower leading edges of the anger plates. By reason of the removable mounting of these ianger blades they may be removed and replaced when they become worn. A recess S9 is provided in the flanger blade 3l and a recess l is provided in the anger blade The rails R and R respectively pass into these recesses when the anger plates 2d and 25 are lowered and the sleeves as 36 rest on the stops as 23. When the sleeves as 3Q rest on the stops as 23 the inner edges of the notches 39 and [se just clear the top of the rail and the portions of the iianger blades 5l and 38 intermediate these recesses are disposed between the rails and act to remove substantially all the snow from between the rails R and R without coming in contact with the ties T or the like between the rails. Inasrnuch as the stops 23 are rigid it will be apparent that the flanger blades of the flanger plates are accurately positioned thereby relative to the surface of the road bed, and this prevents injury to both the blades and the road bed which would probably result if the blades could contact with the road bed.

It has been explained that it is desirable that the flanger blades be arranged so that they can be elevated and lowered se that when rails intersecting the rails R and R' are approached or when a switch is approached the fianger blades 31 and 33 may be retracted from between the rails and thereby be prevented from striking such intersecting rails or the like. To this end the lower ends of chains lli and l2 are connected to the rear face of the flanger plate 213 and similarly chains i3 and Il are connected to the rear face of the lianger plate 25. The upper ends of the chains 4i and l2 are bolted cr otherwise suitably secured to the outer free end of an arm 45 and the upper ends of the chains d3 and 44 are similarly connected to the outer free end of the arm The rear ends of the arms #l5 and 46 are fast to a rock shaft l mounted in brackets i8 and l extending upwardly from the carrier beam IE.

An arm i8 extends upwardly from the rock shaft 4l adjacent the bracket e8 and the free end of this arm 'i3 is disposed in a bifurcation in one end of the arm le, said arms being pivotally interconnected by a bolt or rivet Sil or the like. The other end of the arm 'ifi is connected to the piston rod 82 of the piston in the cylinder Si which is mounted on the running board of the locomotive well rearwardly of the rear beam I@ of my novel snow plow. When steam cr air under pressure is admitted into the cylinder 8l in front of the piston therein this piston is forced rearwardly and this rearward movement is transmitted through piston rod 82 and arm 'I9 to the arm 78 whereupon the rock shaft il is rotated to move the arms 45 and 45 upwardly and this, through the chains Lil and 42 and 43 and M5, elevates the angers 24 and 25 75 into their upper or inoperative position. When pressure is applied in the back of the piston in the cylinder SI the piston rod 82 and arm 44 are moved forwardly whereupon the rock shaft 41 is rotated to lower the arms 44 and 45. This movement of the arms 44 and 45 is sufficient to free the chains of tension and the flangers drop down and rest upon the foot portions 25, 2l, 22 and. 23 and are free to move on the legs I5, I'I, I8 and I9.

It has been explained that it is desirable that snow removed from the road bed of a railway right of way be dispersed well to the sides of the road bed. This can be effectively accomplished by positioning wings adjacent the outer free edges of the flanger plates 24 and 25 in such location that snow picked up by the anger plates 24 and 25 and moved up over the front surface thereof to the deflectors 2B and 2'I thereon will pass onto the wings to be spread well to the sides of the right of way. To this end brackets 62 and 63 depend downwardly from the side beams I2 and I3 adjacent the forward ends thereof and provide foot portions 54 and 65 in which the lower ends of bars 66 and 5? are rockably mounted. The brackets 4S and 49 include portions which project beyond the side edges of the side beams I2 and I3 and the circular portions 58 and 59 on the shafts 55 and 5'! are mounted therein, said shafts including portions 56 and 61' that extend above the brackets 48 and 49. The inner edges of wings 'Ill and 'II are secured to the bars 65 and E? and are movable with the bars to and from operative position.

A bracket 32 extends between the carrier beam II and the bracket 53 and a reenforcing bar 83 extends between a depending boss 84 on the side beam I3 and said bracket 63. The brackets 82 and 83 serve to reinforce the bracket 63 and similar brackets are associated with the bracket 52.

The wings are adapted to be held in their outer operative position to receive snow from the flangers 24 and 25 and the delectors 26 and 2'I thereon. Furthermore the wings are to move into this outer operative position when the flangers are lowered to rest on the foot portions as 20.

Hence another rock shaft 53 is provided and it is mounted in brackets 54 and 55 carried by the side beams I2 and I3 respectively. An arm 5i) depends downwardly from the rock shaft 53 into a bifurcation at one end of the arm 5I and the arms 55 and 5I are pivotally interconnected by a bolt 5l or the like. An arm 5I) extends upwardly from the rock shaft Il and the adjacent end of the arm 5I is pivotally connected thereto by a bolt 52 or the like. Thus through the arm 5I the rock shafts 53 and 4I are interconnected.

An inwardly extending arm 'I2 is secured at the upper end of the portion E5' and another inwardly extending arm 'I3 is secured at the upper end of the portion 51. An upwardly extending arm 'I4 is fast on the rock shaft 53 and the arms 'I2 and 'lil are interconnected by a link 15. Another arm 'I5 extends upwardly from the rock shaft 55 and a link 'Il interconnects the free end of this arm with the free end of arm 13. In this manner the bars 66 and 61 are connected to the rock shaft 53.

Therefore whenever the rock shaft 4'! is rotated to lower the arms 45 and 46 which results in movement of the fiangers 24 and 25 into operative position this movement is transmitted through the arm 5I to the rock shaft 53 and thence through the arms 'I4 and I6, links T5 and 'Il and arms 'I2 and 'I3 to the bars 66 and 67 whereupon the wings I and 'II are moved into their outer operative position. Contrawise when the rock shaft 4l is rotated to elevate the flangers 24 and 25 the wings are retracted into their inner or inoperative position.

While the wings 'l0 and 'Ii will be moved into their outer operative position upon lowering of* the flangers 24 and 25 the pressure exerted thereon by snow passing thereover might be sufficient to force these wings inwardly. Hence these wings are effectively held in their outer operative position and to this end an upwardly extending arm 58 is provided on the rock shaft 53 and one end of a link 59 is pivotally connected to the free end of arm 58. The other end of the link 59 is pivotally connected to the piston rod 6I of the piston in the cylinder 55 mounted on the locomotive adjacent the cylinder 3i.

When air under pressure is admitted in front of the piston in the cylinder G the piston rod 5i is moved rearwardly and this, through the link 59, so moves the rock shaft 53 that the wings 'iii and 'II are forced into and held in their outer operative position. Furthermore when air is applied in back of the piston in the cylinder S5 the wings are retracted into their inner inoperative position.

Inasmuch as the rock shafts 4l and 53 are interconnected and as each is connected to a pressure operated means, the cylinders 5i! and 8i', it is advantageous to operate the pressure operated means simultaneously. Furthermore, the pistons in the pressure operated means are adapted tol move in opposite directions in such simultaneous operation thereof. Hence I provide a valve V and I extend a pipe S5 from one port in this valve to the front end of the cylinder 8| and I extend a pipe 8B from a cooperating port in the valve to the rear end of the cylinder 60. I also extend a pipe B'I from another port in the valve to. the front end of the cylinder 55 and from a cooperating port in the valve I extend a pipe 88 to the rear end of the cylinder 8i. A supply pipe 89 leads from the valve V to a source of supply of steam or air under pressure. The valve V is of the type which may be moved into a position so as to shut off flow to all cf the ports or into a position such that flow may be through the pipes 55 and 85 or into another position where the flow will be through the pipes 8'! and 88.

In an arrangement wherein a device such as the valve V is provided when it is desirable to render my plow operative the valve is positioned to admit pressure into the cylinder 8i through the pipe 88 and into the cylinder 55 through the pipe 8l whereupon the pistons in these cylinders and the piston rods move in the manner similarly described to dispose the flangers and the wings in their operative position. When the hangers or wings are to be moved into their inoperative position the valve is positioned to cause ow through the pipes 35 and 85 whereupon the pistons in the cylinders 59 and 55 are moved in the manner previously described. It will thus be seen that the provision of a valve such. as the valve V facilitates the operation of my novel snow plow.

Another equally efficient means for operating my snow plow is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the cylinders 60a and Bia have only one source of steam or air supply thereto through the pipes 85a and 38a respectively. The steam or air is admitted to the pipes 86a and 88a by means of a valve Va which controls the pressure from the source of supply fed to the valve Va through the pipe 89a. The piston in the cylinder 60a has an angular piston rod Bla extending through the end wall of the cylinder and connected to the link 59. A coil spring Sii is mounted on the piston rod within the cylinder and when the pressiue is released by the valve Va the spring forces the piston to the right, Fig. 5. The opening in the end of the cylinder through which the piston rod passes is larger than the rod, permitting free movement of air in back of the piston into and out of the cylinder as the piston moves back and forth. The cylinder Sia is constructed similar to the cylinder 63a and is provided with a spring 9i about the piston rod 82a within the cylinder.

As the valve Va is operated to admit pressure into the cylinder 69a the same valve connects the cylinder Bla to the atmosphere through the pipe 88a. Therefore the flangers 2d and 25 are lowered and the wings 'lli and 'll are forced into and held by the continued pressure in cylinder 59a in their outer operative position simultaneously. As pressure is admitted to the cylinder Sla by means of the valve Va and pipe 88a the cylinder 50a is connected to the atmosphere through the pipe 86a and the flangers are raised and held in raised position by the continued pressure in cylinder Bla and the wings are folded inwardly to their inoperative position simultaneously. The structure disclosed in Fig. 5 for operating the snow plow provides simple structure and an equally as eiiicient structure as the means shown in Fig. 1 for operating the snow plow.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a snow plow which will act to remove snow from between the rails of a railway right of way and one which may be easily elevated out of such operative position when intersecting rails, switches or the like are approached. Furthermore, those portions which will be subjected to the greatest wear are arranged so that they can easily be replaced. In addition to the foregoing wings are provided which are moved to and from an operative position when the langers of my plow are moved to and from operative position, and these wings serve to spread the snow well to the sides of the right of way. The means for moving the wings to and from operative position may be arranged for adjustment so that the wings may be moved into different positions relative to the hangers which will control the amount to which snow is spread to the sides of the right of way.

Another very important feature of my invention is the manner in which the legs supporting the angers are arranged. These legs are of suicient strength to resist the force which will be impressed thereon by reason of the plowing action, but if an obstruction is encountered these legs will bend rearwardly and so fold under that derailing of the locomotive is prevented. This is also prevented by the manner in which the iangers are supported in operative position, that is to say, the supporting of the iiangers for free movement on the supporting legs therefor away from the stops which dispose the angers in proper operative position.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and. modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

l.' A snow plow comprising a guiding and supporting frame, a pair of langer blades siidably mounted upon the said guiding and supporting frame and slidably guided thereby for movement into lowered or eective position and into raised or ineffective position, a pair of wings pivotally mounted upon the said guiding and supporting frame, one adjacent the outer end of each of the said flanger blades, for movement into extended or eifective position and into folded or ineffective position, rela-tive to the said hanger blades, and means for simultaneously moving both of the said flanger blades and both of the said wings into and out of their eective positions, said means including a rock shaft extending horizontally across the said frame rearwardly of the said langer blades, a pair of horizontally spaced arms carried by the said rock shaft and extending forwardly from the said rock shaft above the said hanger blades, a pair of flexible elements each attached to one of the said arms and each attached to one of the said anger blades, a second rock shaft extending horizontally across the said guiding and supporting frame rearwardly of and parallel to the said first-named rock shaft, means operatively interconnecting the said rock shafts, means operatively interconnecting each of the said wings to the said secondnamed rock shaft, and means for rocking the said shafts.

2. A snow plow comprising a guiding and supporting frame, a pair of iianger blades slidably mounted upon the said guiding and supporting frame and slidably guided thereby for movement into lowered or eiiective position and into raised or ineiective position, a pair of wings pivotally mounted upon the said guiding and supporting frame, oneadjacent the outer end of each of the said danger blades, for movement into extended or eiective position and into folded or ineffective position, relative to the said anger blades, and means for simultaneously moving both of the said iianger blades and both of the said wings into and out of their effective positions, said means including a rock shaft extending horizontaliy across the said frame rearwardly of the said iianger blades, a pair of horizontally spaced arms carried by the said rook shaft and extending forwardly from the said rock shaft above the said anger blades, a pair of flexible elements each attached to one of the said arms and each attached to one of the said Jdanger blades, a second rock shaft extending horizontally across the said guiding and supporting frame rearwardly of and parallel to the said first-named rock shaft, a link mechanism operatively interconnecting the said rock shafts, a link mechanism operatively interconnecting each of the said wings to the anism operatively interconnecting each of the said second-named rock shaft, and means, including fluid-pressme operated pistons for rocking the said shafts.

WILLIAM A. MCNULTY.

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