Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SNOW PUSHER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention: This invention relates generally to apparatus for
use
in snow removal and management, and more particularly to a snow pusher which
allows
increased accumulation of snow in front of a snow plow during operation while
inhibiting
lateral spillage of snow from the ends of the plow.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art: In the past, the standard implement used on
work vehicles in the snow removal industry has been a straight blade, angle-
type plow. This
type of implement is extremely useful in clearing surfaces by primarily
displacing snow
laterally a short distance to one side of the blade. However, in certain
situations it is
advantageous to move larger amounts of snow a greater distance and to move it
forward
rather than sideways. This is especially true when areas designated for snow
storage are not
directly adjacent to the areas being plowed. Plowing a road or other surface
that is
contiguous to intersecting private driveways is an example of this type of
situation. Once the
snow on a road or other surface has been angle-plowed to a location close to
the intersecting
driveways, it is desirable to capture, contain, and relocate the plowed snow
rather than to
leave a windrow of snow at the entrance to each intersecting driveway.
To accomplish this type of task persons previously have used devices which
primarily
push snow forward. These devices are generally vehicles with containment
members having
forward facing openings which are mounted to the front of work
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vehicles. Existing snow pusher devices typically make use of some type of
forwardly
projecting panels on. their sides to help prevent spillage of snow from either
end of the
plow and thereby to allow a greater amount of snow to be contained and
transported to a
desired location. Specifically, some previous attempts at capturing and
containing
plowed snow include pusher box designs, immobile or slightly mobile sides
attached to a
straight blade plow, and powered V shaped plows.
Pusher boxes are forward facing attachments which are joined to the front of
work vehicles. While these boxes do provide an enhanced ability to relocate
large
amounts of snow, there are many drawbacks. First, these pusher boxes have the
disadvantage of being stationary and non-angling. Therefore, the pusher box
can only
relocate snow forward in the direction of the vehicle's travel and cannot
"plow" snow
laterally across a surface. Second, this type of device is not designed to be
convertible
between plowing and pushing operations. For most snow removal jobs, in order
to
effectively remove snow from a given area a pusher box device could not be
used
exclusively. Therefore, a pusher box device would need to be used in close
connection
with a work vehicle equipped with some type of plow blade. Because these
pusher boxes
are not adapted to convert between plowing and pushing devices, multiple
vehicles
would be required to complete snow removal from a given site.
Other devices used in the past utilize immobile or slightly mobile sides
attached
to a straight blade plow. These devices generally have metal plates that bolt
or attach to
the side of a plow blade. One example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat.
No.
4,707,936 to Steinhoff. These devices have the disadvantage of requiring the
operator of
the plow to exit the vehicle in order to bolt on or to position the sides when
switching
from plowing mode to pushing mode and visa versa. This deficiency results in a
waste of
time and fatigue to the operator.
V shaped plows such as the power V plow are yet another type of device that
can
be used to aid in containing snow during plowing. These devices are capable of
positioning a split plow blade so that it angles into a V shape to contain a
greater amount
of snow during use. This type of device is very expensive to purchase and to
maintain.
These devices are also known to have inherent structural problems which cause
a high
break down frequency and a short useful life. Further, a power V plow does not
clean the
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plowed surface as thoroughly as a straight blade angle-plow. Moreover, when
the power
V plow is maneuvered into its containment position with the open part of the V
facing
forward, the effective width of the plow is narrowed, thus greatly reducing
the amount of
snow being relocated.
Therefore, a new snow management device is needed for quickly and efficiently
containing and relocating large quantities of snow that also allows for the
same vehicle to
quickly transform between a pusher box vehicle and an angle blade vehicle
without
requiring the operator to leave the driver's compartment. Moreover, a device
is needed
that is effective, allows for efficient transport of large amounts of snow, is
easy to use, is
structurally sound, simple, and which overcomes the problems experienced in
past
methods and devices aimed at snow removal. The present invention meets these
needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a snow pusher device that can be
coupled to the plow blade of a work vehicle. A snow pusher according to the
present
invention involves a simple attachment to a straight blade snow plow which
temporarily
converts the plow into a pusher box for the purpose of containing the snow
against the
plow without lateral spillage. The invention generally concerns a two-sided
apparatus
that is capable of attachment to the plow.
The invention is made up of a snow plow pusher box comprising a pair of panels
located at the ends of snow plow blade of a work vehicle, a support assembly
containing
at least one horizontal beam member joining the pair of panels together, a
pair of
brackets attached to the snow plow blade. In one embodiment, a pair cam hooks
are
affixed to the support assembly and releasably attached to said pair of
brackets when in
use.
In another, alternate embodiment, a pair of latch accepting pipe or rod
members
cooperate with a pair of hydraulic-cylinder operated hydro-clamps to engage
the pusher
with a plow blade. Permanent shaped plates may be attached to the side panels
to
overlap a portion of the ends of the corresponding plow blade to cover or seal
any gap
that might occur between the ends of the plow blade and the side panels.
In all embodiments, the engagement devices enable lateral adjustment aligning
the plow blade with the snow pusher. Thus, the operator of a vehicle can
easily attach
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and detach the snow pusher from a plow blade from the normal operating
position inside
the corresponding work vehicle.
The invention will be used primarily in the context of loaders, (front end
loaders,
trucks, tractors, and skid steer loaders). Attachment of the snow pusher to
the plow does
not require the operator to exit the vehicle. The snow pusher allows the
operator to
quickly and safely switch from plowing to pushing and visa versa many times
during a
given operation. This versatility increases the productivity and profitability
of the snow
removal process. The snow pusher is compact in size and easily transported
from site to
site.
The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description,
especially
when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the snow pusher of the present invention
attached to a work vehicle;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher;
Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher;
Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the snow pusher where the plow blade
and
pusher are fully engaged;
Figure 5 is a side perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher
unattached to the brackets on the plow;
Figure 6 is a side perspective view of the snow pusher with the brackets
aligned
for engagement with the hooks of the snow pusher;
Figure 7 is aside perspective view of the snow pusher where the brackets on
the
plow blade are fully engaged with the hooks of the snow pusher;
Figure 8 is a side perspective view of an engaged hook and bracket assembly of
the snow pusher;
Figures 9A and 9B are front, perspective and side views of an alternate
embodiment of the show pusher of the invention showing the pusher separated
from a
work vehicle plow blade;
Figure 9C is an enlarged view of detailed B circled in Figure 9B;
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Figures IOA and I OB are views similar to Figures 9A and 9B showing the snow
pusher attached to the work vehicle plow blade;
Figure I OC is an enlarged view of detail A in Figure I OB;
Figure 11 is an alternate front perspective view of the show pusher of Figures
9A-
5 10C;
Figure 12 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of a clamping mechanism or
hydro clamp device used to engage the plow blade with the snow pusher of
Figures 9A-
11;
Figures 13A and 13B depict perspective details of a hook mount for the
clamping
mechanism; and
Figure 14 is a rear perspective of the snow pusher assembly using an
alternative
mounting for the plow blade.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description relates to certain embodiments of the
inventive
concepts of the present invention which are presented as examples and are not
intended
to limit the scope of the concept in any manner. Additional variations may
occur to those
skilled in the art which would be within the parameters of the concepts of the
invention.
The present invention generally includes a snow plow pusher 10 which is
attached to a straight plow blade 12 of a work vehicle 14. Suitable work
vehicles with
mounted plows may. include but are not limited to skid steer vehicles, front
end loaders,
trucks, tractors, etc. The plow blades 12 to which the assembly attaches may
include a
variety of different blades made by different manufacturers. Suitable blades
typically do
however make use of a trip edge mechanism 16 located along the bottom blade
surface
for safety. Such a device will bend backwards against a spring mechanism if
met by an
obstruction on the surface being plowed.
The snow pusher is largely made up of a main body 18 which is attached to the
plow blade 12 by engagement of a pair of its J cam hooks 20 and a pair of
brackets 22.
Where brackets 22 are bolted to the snowplow blade 12. When the arrangement is
attached as shown in Figure 1, the snow plow work vehicle will be capable of
moving
large amounts of snow greater distances that a typical plow blade due to the
unique
features of the plow vehicle that results.
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As seen in Figure 2, the main body 18 of the snow pusher is largely made up of
two plate-like side panels 24 joined together by a plurality of horizontal
bars and cross
members. The panels 24 may be made of metal, polymers, plastic, or aluminum.
The
panels 24 have flat surfaces which are generally perpendicular with respect to
the
horizontal plane of the ground. The two panels 24 are displaced from one
another in a
corresponding parallel manner such that they are similarly oriented and
aligned. Panels
24 are located on either side of a plow blade 12 when in use. The surface of
panels 24
are therefore able to deflect and contain plowed snow that might escape from
either end
of the blade. The panels 24 can be seen to have a perimeter of angled edges 26
to
maximize effectiveness in plowing through and containing snow. The angled
edges 26
also are contoured to generally reflect the shape of the plow to assist in
reducing excess
snow build up. The panels 24 are also elevated slightly from the ground by a
pair of skid
plates 28 positioned below and to the outer side of the panels 24. The plates
28 are made
of replaceable material intended to wear during normal use. Using such
material helps
accommodate the uneven surfaces which are being plowed. Also found on the
outside
surfaces of the plates 28 are outer plate members 30. Outer plate members 30
are
generally flat horizontal bars joined to the sides of the plates 28. The
plates 28 and the
outer plate members 30 are attached to the panels 24 via bolts 32 which pass
through
outer plate members 30, the skid plates 28 and panels 24. Various other well
known
methods of attaching the plates to the panels are contemplated by this
invention as well.
Formed within the inside surface of both panels 24 is a seal member 34. These
members 34 are made of a strip of flexible material that sits against the flat
inside edge of
panel 24 in perpendicular relation. The flexible material curves from the top
of the panel
24 to the bottom edge of the panel. Seal member 34 protrudes a short distance
inward
from either plate end toward the center of the device. See Fig. 3. The seal's
flexible
material is attached to the horizontal beams between the panels 24 as well as
to an angle
bracket 38 at the bottom of the panel 24. The flexible material of seal member
34
simulates the contour of the moldboard of the snowplow blade to which it
attaches. This
seal member 34 closes the gap between the side panels 24 and each end of the
snow plow
blade 12. Accordingly, a seal member 34 will not allow snow to pass through a
gap
between the plow blade 12 and side panel 24. Alternatively, a seal member
could also be
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used which was not flexible, but was formed to prevent the passage of snow
between the
plow blade 12 and side panel 24.
As seen in Fig. 4, the two side panels 24 are connected by two beams 40 and
42.
These beams are positioned in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the
side panels
24 to join these similarly aligned plates. Upper beam 40 extends between the
tops of the
plates 24 and the second lower beam 42 extends between locations found midway
down
the face of the plates 24. The beams 40 and 42 may be made of metal or other
suitable
material and are welded to the plates 24 at both ends. Alternatively, the
plates 24 may be
rigidly joined to the beams 40 and 42 with bolts or other attachment devices
(not shown)
for easy disassembly for replacement of a bent or damaged side plate 24.
While only two horizontal brace members are disclosed in this embodiment of
the
present invention, a design with a greater or lesser number of horizontal
support beams is
also contemplated. Cushion material 44 is mounted on the rear facing side of
the lower
beam 42 to provide padding between the mold board making up the face of the
plow
blade 12 and the lower beam 42. See Fig. 3. This cushion 44 is useful as the
lower beam
42 generally takes the brunt of the pushing force and directs it into the
curvature of the
mold board of the plow.
Six diagonal brace members provide further support for the body member of the
snow pusher. Four of these are side brace members 46. Each of these members
extends
from locations on beams 40 and 42 which are inset a short distance from one of
the four
ends of the respective beams. The second end of these side brace members 46 is
joined
to a location near the front edge of the respective adjacent side panel
members 24. These
four diagonal side brace members 46 thereby form structural supports for
reinforcing the
rigidity of the pusher. Two additional diagonal braces 48 extend from the
lower beam 42
to the upper beam 40 to attach with and support these members. These diagonal
brace
members 48 may also be referred to as cross members. These cross members are
not
straight, but rather are bent or contoured to accommodate the shape of the
plow blade and
pusher. Also, a design utilizing a greater or lesser number of diagonal
support beams than
disclosed is also contemplated without departing from the scope of the
invention.
A pair of J cam hooks 20 are also integrally connected to the top beam 40.
Each
of these J cam hooks 20 projects rearwardly from the top beam 40. The
resulting hooks
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extending toward the plow 12 attached to work vehicle 14 that engages the snow
pusher.
The side surfaces of the J cam hooks 20 are positioned parallel with side
panels 24, and
the top surfaces are angled up towards the rear in relation to the ground.
Additionally,
the lower sloping surface 52 of each cam hook has an opening 54 in which a
bracket may
be placed to join the plow and pusher. Also, integrated into the J cam hook 20
is the cam
stop 64 which is the stop mechanism to prevent detaching of the pusher while
in use.
See Figure 8. This type of arrangement allows for easy alignment when
connecting the
snow pusher body 18 and plow blade 12. The upper beam 40 and attached J cam
hooks
20 keep the apparatus in position on the plow when the snow pusher is in use.
Therefore,
the J cam hooks, forces exerted by work vehicle movement, and gravity are the
means by
which the snow pusher is kept in position during normal operation.
Corresponding to the pair of J cam hooks 20 are a pair of brackets 22 which
are
mounted to the top of the back surface of the plow blade 12. These brackets 22
are
bolted to the plow blade such that they are located in equal spaced apart
relation with
respect to the center of the blade. The brackets 22 are formed such that they
have a
curved base plate 58 having a radius bend simulating the curvature of the
moldboard of
the plow to which it is attached. From that base extend two curved vertical
plate
members 60 that reach a height slightly above the top of the plow blade 12.
Joining each
of the pairs of vertical plate members 60 is a horizontal cam bar 66 and a
shaft or pipe
62. It is these shafts 62 to which the J cam hooks 20 are joined and that
enable pivotal
latching by this invention.
Alternatively, it is also contemplated by this invention to use vertical plate
members 60 which are not attached to the curved base plate 58, but rather are
integrally
formed directly with the plow blade. Forming the vertical plate members 60
with the
plow could be done by welding or during manufacture of the plow blade.
Attachment of
the vertical plate members 60 in this way would eliminate the need to bolt a
curved base
plate 58 to the plow. Moreover, it is also within the scope of the present
invention to use
bracket and hook members attached in an opposite configuration to the one
shown in the
figures. For example, the hook members may be rigidly attached to the blade of
the plow
and the bracket members may be rigidly attached to the support assembly. Such
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modifications would allow for a similar manner of releasable attachment and do
not
depart from the teaching of this invention.
Further, although only a pair of J-cam hooks 20 and a pair of corresponding
brackets 22 is shown in this embodiment, using additional hooks and brackets
for support
is also contemplated by the present invention. For example, using three or
more J-cam
hooks 20 and corresponding brackets 22 may be necessary in designs with
particularly
large plow attachments or for designs seeking to be more integrally connected
to the
plow blade.
The method by which the J cam hooks 20 and plow blade 12 connect with the
brackets 22 can be seen in Figures 5-7. Initially the plow blade 12 and
mounted brackets
22 are separate from the J cam hooks 20 and the main body of the pusher 18.
First, an
operator tips forward the plow blade 12 of his work vehicle 14 such that the
blade face is
roughly parallel to the plane of the ground, as seen in Figure 5. Next, the
operator moves
the work vehicle and plow forward to align the brackets 22 with the openings
54 in J cam
hooks 20, as seen in Figure 6. Next, the operator rotates the plow blade 12
back into a
plowing position where the plow blade is roughly perpendicular with the
ground, as seen
in Figure 7.
As disclosed, the bracket members 22 generally are joined in such a way that
they
are hooked and then rotated until the cam bar 66 of the bracket meets the cam
stop 64
(i.e. brace member) of the hook. See Figure 8. This configuration prevents the
snow
pusher from becoming disconnected unless the operator reverse rotates, or
tilts the plow
to the ground. If an operator were to conduct such a reverse rotation
maneuver, the cam
bar 66 of the bracket 22 would be drawn away from the cam stop of the hook
allowing
the shaft 62 of the bracket 22 to be removed from the J cam hook 20 and
thereby
disconnect the snow pusher body 18 from the snow plow 12.
Therefore, operation of the snow plow pusher device to clean an area
containing a
road and intersecting driveways is as follows. First, the work vehicle
utilizes the plow
blade 12 of his or her vehicle to back drag snow from the various driveways
onto the
main road. This is done with a work vehicle 14 using a plow blade 12 with the
bracket
members 22 attached to its rear surface. No substantial interference to normal
plow
operation is caused by brackets 22. Next, an operator loads the body 18 of the
snow
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pusher device onto the plow blade 12 by driving up to the main body 18 of the
pusher,
rotating the plow blade such that its face is roughly parallel to the plane of
the ground,
and driving the vehicle forward until the pipes 62 of the brackets 22 mounted
on the
plow align with the openings 54 in the J cam hooks 20.
5 Next, the plow blade 12 is rotated such that the blade is roughly
perpendicular to
the ground in a normal plowing configuration, and such that the main pusher
body 18 is
securely attached to the snow plow blade. The operator next drives the vehicle
down the
main road where the snow has accumulated. Because of the attachment of the
pusher
member a large amount of snow is able to be pushed down the road to a desired
location
10 very quickly and with relatively few passes. Further, because the plow
blade retains the
ability to angle itself with the pusher member attached, greater versatility
and
effectiveness of use is retained with the new device. And furthermore, with
the pusher
member attached, the trip edge mechanism 16 on the plow blade retains its full
range of
motion, thus retaining the safety feature for which the trip edge was
intended. When
areas along the road and driveway need touch up work or additional plowing the
main
pusher body 18 can easily and quickly be removed. The operator may do this by
rotating
the plow blade forward until the blade is roughly horizontal and the pusher
attachment
drops out of the J cam member 20. The attachment can be left in any convenient
location
and the work vehicle can leave to perform work with the plow blade on its own.
This
configuration and attachment method allows the quick and repeated conversion
of a snow
plow into a snow pusher box and vice versa. Clearing snow from a location in
this way
results in an area where snow has been rapidly removed and transported in an
efficient
manner without requiring the operator to leave the cab of his or her work
vehicle.
An alternate embodiment of the snow pusher is shown in drawing Figs. 9A-14. It
is noted generally by the referenced character 100. An associated plow blade
assembly is
shown at 102 which may be attached to any conventional work vehicle, as the
example
show at 14 in Fig. 1. The snow plow blade 104 is attached to a work vehicle as
by an
attachment assembly 105 which, of course, may take any of several forms and
which
generally allows the.plow blade 104 to pivot in both a generally horizontal
plane and also
in a generally vertical plane as by using hydraulic cylinders 106 and 108
which are
connected between the attachment assembly and the lower portion of the plow
blade 104.
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Hydraulic hose connections are shown at 110 and 112 to supply hydraulic fluid
to
operate the plow mechanisms. The plow blade itself is provided with a
generally
concave pushing surface 114 and includes a safety trip edge mechanism 116
connected to
allow bottom edge attachment 118 to react to uneven terrain in a well known
manner.
Spaced clamping mechanisms or hydro-clamps are shown at 120 and more clearly
described in the enlarged views of Figs. 9C and 10C and Fig. 12.
The snow pusher devices themselves, as was the case with earlier described
devices, include two spaced plate-like generally vertically disposed side
panels 130
joined together by a plurality of horizontal structural members as at 132 and
134 and may
be further strengthened by a plurality of generally horizontally disposed
corresponding
strut members as at 136 and 138. Whereas only one side may be shown in some of
the
figures, the construction is intended to be symmetrical and corresponding
opposite hand
struts are provided in a well known manner and as shown in Fig. 11. As was the
case in
earlier embodiments, the panels 130 may be made of metal, polymers, plastic or
aluminum and are provided with relatively flat surfaces which are generally
perpendicular with respect to the horizontal plane of the ground. The panels
are further
disposed in spaced parallel relation, as indicated and as maintained by the
structural
members and struts. The rear portions of the snow pusher 100 are
correspondingly
shaped to be compatible with the ends of the plow blade 104. The panels 130
are also
preferably elevated from the ground by a pair of skid plates 140 which are
generally
fastened to the side panels as by a plurality of bolts 142 as shown in the
figures. The skid
plates are designed to provide bottom wear surfaces to the side plates and are
designed to
be easily removable and replaceable as by removing the bolts 142. Other
reinforcing bars
such as the flat plates shown at 144 and 146 which are symmetrically placed to
strengthen the side panels. These may also be conveniently bolted in place in
a well
known manner. It should be noted that the back side of the pusher device is
generally
open and a closure is supplied by the plow blade 104. In this regard, seal
members as at
148 are provided on both attached as at 150 are provided in relation to both
side panels
130 and are contoured to match the contoured face 114 of the plow blade 104.
These
members may be made of a strip of flexible material that can be removed and
replaced as
indicated and which provides a positive seal between the side panels 130 and
the plow
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blade 104. Alternatively, a seal member could also be fabricated from a rigid
material
shaped to close the gap between the plow blade 104 and the side panels 130.
The pusher
device also includes shaped heavy shaft members 152 attached between
reinforcing
plates as shown in the figures. The members 152 are elongated parallel to the
structural
members 132 and 134 between the side panels 130 and are used to attach the
snow
pusher 100 to a plow blade 104 using the mechanisms 120 as will be described.
As indicated above, Fig. 11 shows an opposite hand view of the snow pusher
assembly from that pictured in Figs. 9A and 1 OA and shows the symmetrical
construction
of the device.
The clamping mechanisms or hydro-clamps 120 are best seen in the greatly
enlarged perspective view of Fig. 12 and detail Figs. 13A and 13B. Each of
these
mechanisms includes a pair of spaced, shaped heavy gusset members 160
connected by a
cross brace 162, a rotating hook 164 mounted on a shaft 166 journaled between
gussets
160. The operating end of the hook is attached to the rod end of a cylinder
168 as by a
clevis connection at 170 in a well known manner. The blind end of the cylinder
is also
connected via a plate 172 and connection 174 to the plow blade 104 such that
extending
and retracting the rod of the cylinder 168 rotates the free end of the hook
164. The
forward shape configuration of the gussets 160 enables the members 162 to
slide over the
shaft members 152 to thereby provide guide surfaces that assist in the
latching process
that assists in guiding the attachment assembly into position. The hook
itself, as shown
best in Figs. 13A and 13B, may be fixed to a bearing or bushing 180 on a shaft
on page
166 which is also mounted between gusset plates 160.
Fig. 9A shows the pusher 100 and plow blade 104 separated and Fig. 1 OA shows
the snow pusher 100 connected with the plow blade 104. Note that the
connecting pipes
or rods 152 enable the hooks 164 to operate anywhere along the rods or pipes
152 to
facilitate alignment of the plow blade 104 with the pusher as can be seen from
the
figures. With the cylinders 168 extended, the hook 164 is in the open position
enabling
the snow pusher and plow blade to be separated or for the plow blade to
approach the
snow pusher for connection. In Figs. 10A-1 OC, the hook is shown in the hooked
position
with the cylinders 168 in the retracted position.
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Fig. 14 shows the snow pusher connected with the plow blade in a rear
perspective that includes an alternate work vehicle attachment assembly 200.
This system enables the plow to connect and disconnect the show pusher readily
with the plow blade in a substantially vertical orientation or one that is
roughly
perpendicular to the ground in a normal plowing configuration. As with other
models,
the work vehicle to which the plow blade is attached, approaches the rear of
the snow
pusher and thereafter uses the plow blade cylinders if minor adjustments are
needed to
align the clamping mechanisms with the shaft members 152 height-wise.
Thereafter, the
cylinders 168 can be operated to attach the snow pusher to the plow blade
readily with
the operator remaining in the work vehicle. Likewise, the steps can be
reversed in
separating the plow blade from the snow pusher by simply extending the
cylinders 168
and thereby releasing the hooked shafts 152.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the snow pusher of the present
invention may be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate
various
sizes and types of work vehicles, plow blades, and work vehicle attachments.
The
invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply
with the
patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information
needed to apply
the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as
are
required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried
out by
specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications,
both as to
the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing
from the
scope of the invention itself.
