Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ly'(AGNET1C $LADE TTACI~MENT )rl~T ACT SCE CUNDTTIUNING MACHINE
'this invention is in the field of ice conditioners and ice resurfacing
machines, and in
particular am apparatus for connecting an ice-shaving blade to an ice
conditioning or ro-
surfacia~g machine.
EACKGRIyUIVD
lU Ice conditioning and resurfacing machines, such as the Zamboni(~ and
OlympiaTM ice
conditioning machines, are used in skatiuag az~ez~as to smooth ice surfaces by
shaving off a
thin layer of the ice. Commonly as well these machines also incorporate tanks
and
mechanisms for then flooding the irx with a layer of liquid water on the
shaved ice
surface. The newly added hater freezes to produce a substantially srxgooth
suxface, and
repairs imperfections in the ice caused by the aatiox~ of skate blades. Such
ice
conditioning machine are fairly large vehicles with a seat for floe operator
when used on
skating ice surFaces, but arc also made in smaller walk-behind models,
generally without
the flooding capabiiity, for use in curling rinks.
2d in order to shave the ice prior to Flooding, ice conditioning machines
incorporate into
their design some form of ice blade. The ice blade removes rough spots in t$e
ice surface
to produce a substantially uniform and level surface upon which freslx water
is app~ied,
cleans foreign materials off the surfae;e, and shaves off a layer of ice to
prevexat the ice
from getting too thick.
zs
The attachment of the ice blade to the machine is problematic as the ice blade
must be
j firmly attached to minimize flexing of the blade, and must be level so that
urhen operative
the ice blade removes an ice layer of uni:faz~rn thickness. Conventionally
such ice blades
are attached to the resurfacing machine by means of conventional nut and bolt
c
30 methodologies. As ice blades can be of significant length (up to $ ft.
long) a number of
a
bolts, as many as 1 D, are reduired to properly hold the ice blade firmly in,
place.
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As a result, iztstalling, changing or leveling the heavy ice blades is a time-
consuming and
cumbersome process. Since tl.3e ice blades are very sharp, handling them
during retmoval
and installation is also potentially h~ardous.
SUMMA.:R''SC fJF THE INVENTION:
1t is an object of the present iaxvention to provide an apparatus for
attaching ice blades
used on lee conditioning machines that overcomes disadvantages of the prior
art. At is a
t 4 further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus that
provides an
apparatus that uses anagzaets tc~ attach the ice blade to the ice
aonditiartia~g machine.
Using magnetic attachmexrt allows dte ice blade to be rapidly attached and
removed,
without the need to manually thread and tighten a large number of nets and
bolts as is
currently done with existing prior art ice blades. ~'he use of an
electrornagnctic means of
attachment has the further advantage of allowing the magnetic attachment to be
released
or engaged as desired, as well as allowing the Force of the rraagnetic
attachtxzent to be
varied.
The invention provides, in one embodiment, an ice conditioaaxxtg apparatus
comprising an
ice conditiotaing machine rraountcd on wheels for movemerat along an ice
surface in an
operating travel dir~tion. A blade bar is mounted on the ice conditioning
machine. An
ice blade defines a cuttinb edge on a lower front edge thereo:F A plurality of
rnagrtcts arc
3
attached to tlae blade bar and arc operative to exert a xtxagnet:ic attraction
on the ice blade
and to hold the ice blade against the blade bar in an operating position such
that the ice
blade is oriented substantially parallel to the lee surface. The blade bar and
ice blade
define Made guides operative to prevent sliding movement of the lea blade out
of the
operating position when the cutting edge engages the ice surface in tlxe
operating travel
direction. A blade height wntrol is operative to move the ~~lade bar with
respec.~t tc~ the
wheels to move the ice blade up aad ~4wn.
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In a second embodiixzent the invention provides a method of attaching an ice
blade to an
ice conditioning macliine rrnou~ated on wheels for movement along an ice
surface in an
operating travel direction. The method comprises attaching a blade bar to the
ice
conditioning machine; attaching a plurality of rxa.agnets to the blade bar;
bringing the ice
blade and blade bar together such that the ice is magzzetically held against
the blade bar in
an operating position oriented substantially parallel to the tee surface; and
preventing
sliding movement of the ice blade out of the operating position by providing
blade
guides.
The blade guides are operative to ensure pmper placement of the ice blade on
the ice
conditioning machine, and can be configured to conveniently and properly
position the
i ice blade. Cradles can bE provided to facilitate removal and installation of
the ice blades.
1(1JESCIIIP'TION t~F THE DFAiVVIh(~S:
20
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions thereof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detailed description, which may best be
understood in
conjunction r-vith the accornpanyix~g diagram where lilsc parts arc Labeled
with like
numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a top view of the blade bar and attached ice blade;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3 ~ 3 in Fig. ~;
i
Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an ice blade and blade bar e~nahodymg
one
configuration ofblade guides;
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Fig. ~ is a schematic sectional view of an ice blade and blade bar embodying
arz alternate
configuration of blade guides operative to prevent rnovcment of the ice blade
away from
th.e blade bat;
Fig. 6 is a bottom vie~r of the blade bar of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a top view of the icc~ blade of Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a tag view of a blade recess of the ice blade of Fig. 7;
rig. 9 is a schematic sectional side view of a cradle and ice blade;
Fig. 10 is a partial top view ofthe cradle and ice blade of Fig. 9.
)D>CTAILED DESCRIPTI~h1 OF'T':1~~ Xl<.L.Xl'STIIATED EMBODI~ZEItITSe
Figs. 1 - 3 illustrate an embodiment of tl~e present invention, an ice
eondiCioning
apparatus 1 comprasing an ice conditioning machine 2 rnountcd on wheels 4 for
movement along an ice surface 5 in an operating travel direction ~'. The
illustrated
embodiment is the type coxnmonly used in skating ice surfaces, however such
ice
conditioning machine are also known in smaller walk~behind mortals far use in
curling
rW ks, and the descniptaon below will apply to such smaller ice conditioning
machines as
well.
A blade bar 6 is attached to a rear end of the ice conditioning zzaachine 2. A
plurality of
magnets 8 is attached to the blade bar 6 and exert a magnetic attraction oz~
az~ ice blade 1.0
and to hold the ice blade 10 against the blade bar 6 in an operating position
4F suclx that
the ice blade 10 is oriented substantially parallel to the ice surface 5. The
ice blade 10
defines a cutting edge 12 on a Iower ..front edge thereof that is operative to
shave a Chin
Iayez~ of ice from the ice surface 5.
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A blade height control 14 is operative to move the blade bar 6 with respect to
the wheels
4 to move the ice blade 10 up arid down. The ice blade 10 thus can be moved up
to
provide clearance for transport, as well as up and down to vary a thickness of
the layer of
ice shaved off the ice surface by the is;e blade 10.
S
The blade bar 6 and ice blade 12 define blade guides 2u operative to prevent
slidizzg
movement ofthe ice blade 10 out of the operatizzg position flP when the
cutting edge 12
engages the ice surface S in the operating travel direction T. In the
crnbodiment of )Figs.
1 - 3 the blade guides 20 arc provided by a ridge 22 along a rear bottom
portion of the
blade bar 5 and the rear edge 24 of the ice blade 10. Thus as the ice blade 10
engages
+1.0 : .-Coney ~ ...1..... ~ ~ +i.e ....e..-.+:..~r F~.wawal rhrr.ntinrv T o
rP~mmori~ fnrra is
GXGrCCg.t c'111 ulG Ic:C'Lri~iU'tT7(u~Wrtt'tGltci'CV'aIIVVG iG'V1~L1:
CYt'iSd~G: ttl6c~'4ltW 4St~~lV1'0.lttt~ -__... _.__.__
position OP. This force is resisted since the rear edge 24 of the ice blade 1
U bears against
the ridge 22, and movement away from the operating position OP is prevented.
An alternate con~zguratian of blade guides 20 and rxzagnets 8 is schematically
illustrated
in Fig. 4 where the blade guides 20 comprise a plurality of conical tapered
pegs 32
extending from the ice blade 10 into coxxesponding conical tapered recesses 34
in the
blade bar 6. Such a confZguration allows far some misalignrnerrt. As the blade
bar 6 is
zxxoved dor~mward onto the ice blade 10 and the tapered pegs :32 move into the
tapered
recesses 34, a lateral force i5 exerted by a tapered side of the pegs 32
against a tapered
side of the xcccsses 34 to move the ice blade 10 laterally. W7hezz tb.e
tapered pegs 32 are
seated in the tapered recesses 34 the ice blade 10 will be in the operating
position held
vertically by the magnets 8 and prevented from sliding out of position by the
blade guides
20 comprising the tapered pegs 32 seated in the tapered recesses 34.
in order to more securely fasten the ice blade 10 to the blade bar G the blade
guides 20
can be further operative to prevent znovelrlent of the ice blade 10 away from
the blade bar
6 when the ice blade 10 is in the operating position ~?P. In tlyc embodiment
illustrated in
Figs. 5 - $ the blade guides 20 comprise blade pugs ~tt?, extending down from
the blade
bar 6, and blade recesses 42, deC~ned by an upper portion of tlne ice blade t
0. The blade
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pegs 40 comprise a head 44 on distal ends thereof acid the heads 44 have a
width WH
greater than the width VSIp o~the pegs 42 , as illustrated in Fig. 8.
The blade recesses 42 are elongated in the operating travel darectiox~ T zuld
each recess 42
S has a wzdtla WH greater than the head and comprises an open portion 46 at
one end
thereof larger than the head 44, such that the head 44 can be inserted in the
ogee portion
46. A covered portion 48 comprises a slot 50 extending Laterally forward
froaxz the open
portion ~46. The covered portion 48 is configured tc~ allow the blade peg 40
to pass along
the slot 50, and allow the head 44 to pass along the blade recess 42 under the
slot 50, and
I O prevent the head 44 from passing through the slot 50. Thus, as best seezt
in Fig. 5, to
attach the zee blade 10, the blade bar 6 is lowered to position. the peg 40
and head 44 in
the open portion 46 of the blade recesss 42. The pegs 40 and recesses 42 are
cot~gured
such that when the top surface of the ice blade 10 is against t:he bottom
surface of the
blade bar 5, the head 44 is just belowr the slot 50 on the c:ovearecl portion
48.
Thus when the ice blade 10 is against the blade bar 6, the magnets S hold the
ice blade 1 p
and blade bas 6 together, but will allow sliding movement between them. Tlae
blade bar ~
is moved forward with respect to the ice blade 10, and the blade peg 4(? moves
along the
slat 50, and the head 44 moves alaz~g the recess 42 just undei the slot 50
into the position
illustrated schematically in Fig. 8. In the position of Fig. 8, zrsovement of
the ice blade
away from the blade bar 6 is prevented by the hoed 44 bearing against the
bottom of the
slot 50. Thus the ice blade is maintained in the operating position by the
magnets 8 and
the blade guides 20 embodied in the head 44 and the slot 50.
In the illustrated embodiment, the slot 50 is tapered and has a proximate
rrridth at a first
end 52 adjacent to the open portion 4~ that is greater than the width PW of
the blade peg
40, and a distal width at an opposite second end ~4 that is substantially
equal to the width
of the blade peg 40. The open portzon 46 is also somewhat larger than the head
40. Thus
less precision is required in positioning the blade her 6 With respect to the
zee blade 10,
but as the blade bar 6 is moved forward in operating travel direction T the
tapered slots
50 bear against the blade pegs 40 and force them into the pmper position at
the distal
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ends 54 of the slots SU, where the width ofthe slots 50 is substantially dual
to the width
WP of the blade pegs 40.
To facilitate holding the ice blade 10 in a fixed position so that the blade
bar 6, mounted
on the ice conditiozaing machine 2, can be xrr.oved forward wiith respect to
the ice Made 1 U,
a cradle EiQ can be provided. One emboditmez~t of such a cradle 60 is
illustrated i~a lFigs. 9
and 10. The cradle 60 is attached to the floor, azzd a tc~p side of the cradle
60 is operative
to engage the ice blade 10 anal maintain the ice blade 10 in an installation
position. The
illustrated embodiment of the cradle t~0 holds two ice blades, and the rear
ice blade 10 i.s
shown in the installation position 1P.
The illustrated embodiment ofthe cradle 60 corxiprises cradle pegs 62
extending ulsward
from the cradle 60 into corresponding cradle recesses 64 defined by a lower
portion of
the ice blade 10, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The cradle recesses 64 are offset
with respect to
1 ~ the blade recesses 42, as illustrated in Fig. 10, and the cradle pegs 62
are mounted to
corresponding locations on the cradle 60. The ice blade 10 is manually placed
on the
cradle so that the heads f6 of the cradle pegs 62 enter the open pardons 68 of
the cradle
recesses G4, and then moved rearwairl. with respect to the cradle 60 so that
the cradle pegs
62 move to the distal ends 72 of the slots 70. The cradle pegs 60 and the
cradle recesses
64 are cox~~gured similar to the blade pegs 40 and blade recesses 42, such
that the heads
66 of the cradle pegs 62 engage tapered slats 70 covering a portion of flee
cradle recesses
G4. The configuration is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 8 for the blade
pegs and
recesses 40, 42. Similar to the case with the blade pegs 40 and blade recesses
42, the ice
blade 10 is maintained in the installation position 1P lay the heads 66
bearing against the
slots ?0.
Then the ice conditioning machine 2 can then be driven over the cradle ~0 and
as in Fig.
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+h.,
J 4lle-btallG UCia ~ Lima VG lUWtnl6.~i W pVJAtJVV~4 LW aawuaaJ ~ va aaaa..
baua-le py ya 4~ iia arwv ~.li~
portions 46 of the blade recesses 42. The bottom of the blade liar 6 lies
against the top of
the ice blade I U and the magnets 8 exert a force holding the two together.
When the ice
conditioning machine 2 is then moved Forward, sliding the blade bar 6 with
respect to the
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ice biade 1 Q, to engage the blade pegs ~0 in the slots 50, the ice blade 10
moves Forward
with respect to the cradle 60 until the back wall $0 of the cradle recess ~r4
contacts the
head fiG of the cxadl a pegs 62. The ice blade is prevented iiom moving
farther ahead and
so the blade pegs 40 move into the distal ends of the slots 50 and thus into
the operating
position OP. At that time the blade height control 14 is operated to raise the
blatlc bar 6
and ice blade 1 U up so that the cradle peg heads G6 clear the cradle recesses
64, and the
ice conditioning machine 2 is ready to work.
To remove the ice blade 10, the process is reversed by lowering the ice blade
10 into
engagement with the cradle pegs S2, and moving the ice conditioning machine 2
rearward
to engage the cradle pegs in the cradle recesses 64 and slots '7f~, while at
the same time
moving the 'blade pegs ~0 into the open portion 46 of the blade recesses 42.
The blade
bar 6 ca.n then be raised, breaking the magnetic bond, until clear of the iec
blade 1 d. The
ice coxxditioning machine Z can then be maneuvered to engage the second ice
blade 10
mounted on a raised second set of cradle pegs 62 of the cradle ~0 in a second
installation
position oric~tcd substantially parallel to and in alignment with the first
ice blade 10.
Wheel guides 7G are aligned with the cradle 60 to guide the i ce conditioning
machine 2
into proper alignment with the ice blade 10 such that the blade bar 6 can be
lowered to
position the heads 44 ofthe blade pegs ~0 in fhe open pnrtiorvs 6$ of the
cradle recesses
fi4.
The magcxets 8 oan conveniently be electromagnets. Am electrical power source
can be
incoxpoz~ated into the ice conditioning zxxachine 2 operative to supply
electrical current to
the electromagnets, and a magnet control will be operative to control the
electrical ciurent
passing fz~om the electrical power source tlwough the eiectroniagnets, and to
close off the
elccCrical power to the electromagnets such that the xnagiietic attraction
between the blade
bar 6 and the ice blade 1 t? is substantially released.
The Foregoing is considered as ille~strative only of the prx.nciples of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and znadific;ations will readily occur to
those skilled in
CA 02437234 2003-08-12
the art, it is not desired to 2ixnit the invcntion to the cxac.t construction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which rna~ be resorted to are intended to fall wit>xiz~
tl~e scope of
the claimed invention.
