Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SNOW BLOWER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a snow blower
that removes snow from an area by blowing the snow away. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a snow blower
configured in such a manner that snow is introduced into a
blade via transmission by an augur, and is then discharged
through a discharge chute by the operation of an impeller.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, various methods are being used to remove snow
when snow accumulates on roads or wide grassy areas.
According to conventional snow removal methods, people or
machines remove snow by using snow removal chemicals such as
calcium chloride.
When snow removal work is performed using chemicals,
spraying the chemicals is easy, but it is difficult to handle
remaining unfrozen snow and snowmelt water after the chemicals
are sprayed. Additionally, snow removal work using chemicals
is more expensive than simply physically removing the snow
because chemicals are required to be purchased and a step of
spraying the chemicals is required. Further, chemicals used in
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snow removal cause environmental problems and corrosion of
equipment of vehicles driving on the roads where the chemicals
have been applied.
Though snow removal vehicles equipped with a snow removal
device are commonly used, the vehicles are generally multi-
purpose rather than specialized vehicles. Therefore
it is
impossible to effectively remove snow accumulated on a highway
where it is difficult to use a general-purpose snow removal
device, or there is an insufficient number of snow removal
devices to perform a required workload. Accordingly, when it
is required to remove snow accumulated in areas such as
farmsteads, farm roads, and village roads, it is efficient to
remove snow by using tractors, which are commonly owned by
farmers or other residents who live in such areas.
For the reason mentioned above, a snow removal device
using a conventional tractor has come into wide use, and as
shown in "Snowplow coupling device of tractor" disclosed in
Korean Patent No. 10-0436986, and "Snowplow for tractor"
disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 20-0243322, there is
widely provided a snow removal device to remove snow in such a
manner that a plow of a tractor, the plow equipped with a snow
removal plate, pushes snow piled on a road to the roadside
using the driving force of the tractor.
As described above, though the snow removal device using a
conventional tractor requires that the tractor be equipped with
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the plow, the snow removal device can be easily mounted to or
easily removed from the tractor, and thus the snow removal
device can efficiently use the driving force of the tractor.
However, the snow removal work using the snow removal
plate is performed by pushing snow piled on a road or a
sidewalk to a roadside, and since there is great difference in
temperature in the afternoon and at night in winter, snow piled
in the afternoon starts to melt before night, and the road
surface starts to freeze at night, which makes the state of the
road surface worse. Furthermore,
since snow piled on the
roadside is left behind, it is not good in terms of beauty, and
it also requires many efforts to keep the roadside clean.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Korean Patent Registration
Publication No. 10-1996-0009728, U.S. Patent No. 4,385,457, and
US Patent No. 4,391,052, a snow blower as a snow removal
dedicated device collects snow accumulated on a road by using
an auger blade, an auger unit, and an Impeller, and blows the
snow away to the roadside, and thus after the snow removal
work, a road surface is exposed.
70 The snow blower mentioned above includes: a body equipped
with a mounting means so as to be mounted to a tractor or a
dedicated vehicle; a blade formed in a semi-circle structure,
the blade collecting snow while contacting a road surface; an
auger provided in the blade, the auger compressing and
transferring the snow Introduced into the blade to an intake
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path of the impeller provided at the center of the blade; and
the impeller taking the snow introduced by the augur and
discharging the snow through the discharge chute to the
outside.
The snow blower mentioned above uses hydraulic pressure to
drive the augur and the impeller, and thus the configuration of
the snow blower is simple. Since a
tractor dedicated to the
snow removal work or a multi-purpose vehicle for removing snow
is capable of sufficiently producing hydraulic pressure, supply
of the hydraulic pressure required to drive the snow blower is
not problematic.
As disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,391,052, the snow blower
is configured in such manner that the discharge chute is
rotatably mounted to a discharge path of the impeller, and a
rack is provided at a flanger located under the discharge
chute, the rack engaging with a pinion that is combined with
the shaft of a hydraulic cylinder.
Additionally, the snow
blower is configured in such a manner that the rotation of the
hydraulic cylinder is controlled by the manipulation of a lever
in a driver's compartment, which controls the direction of the
discharge chute.
In addition, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,696,024,
there are provided a coupler for a vehicle and a vehicle
comprising same that includes a snow blower body, the snow
blower body mounted to the vehicle (a tractor) in a forward
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direction thereof such that a driver removes snow in a
direction in which the vehicle advances.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the snow blower Includes an
accessory 100 including the augur and the impeller and the
coupler 200 mounted to the vehicle, the accessory pin-coupled
to the coupler.
The structure of the two constituting members 100, 200
will be described herein below. The
accessory 100 includes:
support pins 110, 112, and a coupler attachment plate 114,
wherein the support pins 110, 112 are provided on the coupler
attachment plate 114 of the accessory 100, the support pins
110, 112 being male members. The
coupler 200 includes: two
female grooves 210, 212, and an attachment plate 214, wherein
the two female grooves 210, 212 are formed at one end of the
attachment plate 214, and the attachment plate 214 is located
in front of the coupler 200, the coupler 200 being mounted to
the vehicle. In this
case, the support pins 110, 112 of the
accessory are arranged at locations corresponding to the female
grooves 210, 212 such that the support pins 110, 112 are fitted
to the grooves 210, 212. After the support pins are fitted to
the grooves, the support pins are locked by a locking device
300.
The locking device 300 includes: a connecting pin 312
passing through and engaging with a portion of a body 310 of
the locking device 300, the body 310 being plate-shaped, and a
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through hole 314 through which the support pin 112 passes
another portion of the body 310 and is coupled thereto.
The locking device 300 is coupled to the attachment plate
214 by the connecting pin 312 and the through hole 314, the
connecting pin 312 passing through the attachment plate 214 and
the coupler attachment plate 114 sequentially and the through
hole 314 receiving the support pin 112.
According to the related art, the coupler 200 has the
attachment plates 214 provided in upstanding positions at two
opposite positions of the coupler 200, and has a rectangular
frame defined by members, the members crossing and engaging
with the attachment plate 214.
Since the coupler attachment plate 114 of the accessory
100 is inserted into the frame, it is difficult to initially
arrange the two constituting members 100, 200.
Additionally, according to the related art, after the
support pins 110, 112 are placed at locations corresponding to
the grooves 210, 212 of the coupler so as to engage therewith,
the support pin 112 is fitted into and engages with the through
hole 314 of the locking device 300. Further, the
connecting
pin 312 of the locking device 300 requires passing through two
holes that are fo/med on the attachment plate 214 of the
coupler 200 and on the coupler attachment plate 114 of the
accessory 100 sequentially such that the locking device 300 is
mounted to the attachment plate 214, which causes trouble and
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difficulty in performing mounting work.
In addition, according to the related art, since the
support pins 110, 112 are bonded on the coupler attachment
plate 114 by welding and the support pins 110, 112 protrude
from the plate, welded portions and the protruding support pins
110, 112 are easily deformed due to external impacts. Such
deformations make it difficult to perform correct bonding.
Such a problem is attributed to the support pins 110, 112
provided as male members on the surface of the accessory 100.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping
in mind the above problems occurring in the related art.
The present invention is intended to propose a snow blower
including: a blower body having a blade, an augur, and an
impeller; and a coupler constructed so as to mount the blower
body to a vehicle, and to transmit a driving force of the
vehicle to the blower body, wherein a mount of the coupler is
improved to achieve a better coupling of the blower body with
the coupler and to prevent deformation of the mount caused by
external impacts.
The present invention is also intended to propose a snow
blower that is configured to easily complete mounting of the
blower body to the coupler by using one fixing pin.
=
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The present invention is intended to propose a snow blower
that has mounts including the dual plates, the mounts provided
at opposite sides of a front part of the coupler, and has a
vertical mount panel fitted between and mounted to the dual
plates such that the snow blower is more stable and resistant
against external impacts applied during snow removal work.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a snow
blower including: a blower body including a blade, an augur,
and an impeller; and a coupler including a mount and multiple
links, the links provided at each side of a front end part of a
connector arm, and the mount provided at front end parts of the
links such that the blower body is mounted to the coupler,
wherein the blower body includes vertical mount panels, the
mount panels provided at a rear end of the blower body and
spaced apart from each other in parallel, and the mount of the
coupler includes dual plates provided at the front end parts of
the links such that each of the mount panels is fitted between
and mounted to the dual plates of the coupler.
Each of the mount panels of the blower body may include: a
groove provided in an upper part of the mount panel by being
indented upwardly so that a first support pin of the mount is
inserted into the groove; a protruding part formed by
protruding from a vertical end surface of the mount panel to a
predetermined length such that the first support pin and a
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second support pin of the mount are supported by the groove and
the vertical end surface at a location under the protruding
part of the mount panel, respectively, while contacting with
the groove and the vertical end surface.
The mount panel of the blower body may include a locking
hole formed through the mount panel so that the first and
second support pins keep supported by the groove and the
vertical end surface of the mount panel
Each of the vertical mount panels may be multiple vertical
mount panels spaced apart from each other in parallel.
The mount of the coupler may include the dual plates, the
dual plates being provided at opposite sides of the links such
that the front end parts of the links are placed between the
dual plates.
The dual plates may have a space defined therebetween such
that the front end parts of the links are fitted into the
space, and thus the front end parts of the links are hinged to
the dual plates.
The dual plates may further include guides that are
provided at front ends of the dual plates such that the guides
extend outward from the front ends of the dual plates in
diagonally opposite directions.
The dual plates may be combined with an associated mount
panel by first and second support pins and by a fixing pin,
wherein the first and second support pins pass through the dual
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plates at respective locations offset from each other at a
predetermined interval so that the dual plates are pin-coupled
to a groove and a vertical end surface of the mount panel by
the first and second support pins.
The fixing pin may pass through pin holes that are formed
in the dual plates at locations corresponding to a locking hole
of the mount panel.
The mount including the dual plates may include multiple
vertical mounts that are spaced apart from each other in
parallel and are combined with the mount panels.
According to the snow blower of the present invention, the
vertical mount panel of the blower body is fitted between the
dual plates, and the first and second support pins pass through
the dual plates and are fitted into the groove and the vertical
end surface of the mount panel with contacting the groove and
the vertical end surface of the mount panel, which enables the
mount panel to be engaged with the dual plates. The fixing pin
passes through the pin holes of the dual plates and the locking
hole of the mount panel sequentially, which enables the dual
plates to be engaged with the mount panel.
As mentioned above, the snow blower of the present
invention is advantageous in that the snow blower includes: a
blower body having a blade, an augur, and an impeller; and a
coupler constructed so as to mount the blower body to a
vehicle, and to transmit the driving force of the vehicle to
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the blower body, wherein a mount of the coupler is improved to
achieve a better coupling of the blower body with the coupler
and to prevent deformation of the mount caused by external
impacts.
That is, each of the mount panels of the blower body
includes: a groove provided in an upper part of the mount panel
by being indented upwardly; a protruding part formed by
protruding from a vertical end surface of the mount panel to a
predetermined length L such that the first support pin and the
second support pin of the mount are supported by the groove and
the vertical end surface at a location under the protruding
part of the mount panel respectively, while contacting with the
groove and the vertical end surface, which prevents the first
and second support pins from being deformed by an impact
applied from outside.
At the same time, the mount of the coupler facing the
mount panel of the blower body include the dual plates, and the
mount panel is fitted between and tightly mounted to the dual
plates, wherein the support pins supported by the groove and
the vertical end surface pass through the dual plates and the
mount panel sequentially, which prevents the mount panel from
being deformed due to external forces, and increases durability
of the mount panel.
In addition, according to the snow blower of the present
invention, just one fixing pin enables the mount panel of the
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blower body to be easily mounted to the dual plates of the
coupler, and it is easy to perform an initial mounting of the
mount panel to the dual plates since the mount panel is
inserted between the dual plates while the mount panel is
guided by guides formed extending outward from the front ends
of the dual plates in diagonally opposite directions.
According to the snow blower of the present invention
mentioned above, it is efficient to mount or remove the blower
body from the coupler when the coupler is mounted to a snow
removal tractor or a vehicle dedicated to snow removal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from
the following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view of showing a conventional snow blower
coupled to a vehicle;
FIG. 2 is a side view showing an accessory of the related
art equivalent to a blower body;
FIG. 3 is a side view including a partially enlarged
perspective view showing a coupler of the related art;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a blower body of the
present invention;
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FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a coupler of the
present invention;
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the blower body and the
coupler mounted to each other according to the present
invention;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing the blower body and the
coupler mounted to each other according to the present
invention;
FIG. 8 is reference perspective view showing a vehicle of
the present invention with a snow blower mounted thereto;
FIG. 9 is a side view of the perspective view of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a reference perspective view showing combined
main elements of the snow blower of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is a side view of a perspective view of FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinbelow, exemplary embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same
reference numerals will refer to the same or like parts.
A snow blower of the present invention includes: a blower
body 1 including a blade 51, an augur 52, and an impeller 53;
and a coupler 2 including a mount 3 and multiple links 23, the
links 23 provided at each side of a front end part of a
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connector arm 21 and the mount 3 provided at front end parts of
the links 23 such that the blower body 1 is mounted to the
coupler 2, wherein the blower body 1 includes vertical mount
panels 10, the mount panels provided at a rear end of the
blower body and spaced apart from each other in parallel, and
the mount 3 of the coupler includes dual plates 31 provided at
the front end parts of the links 23.
Each of the mount panels 10 of the blower body 1 includes:
a groove 12 provided in an upper part of the mount panel by
being indented upwardly so that a first support pin of the
mount is inserted into the groove; a protruding part 14 formed
by protruding from a vertical end surface of the mount panel 10
to a predetermined length L such that the first support pin and
a second support pin of the mount are supported by the groove
12 and the vertical end surface 16 at a location under the
protruding part 14 of the mount panel 10 respectively, while
contacting with the groove 12 and the vertical end surface; and
a locking hole 18 formed in an inner portion of the mount panel
10 at a location spaced apart from the vertical end surface
under the protruding part 14.
Each of the vertical mount panels 10 may be multiple
vertical mount panels spaced apart from each other in parallel.
The mount 3 of the coupler 2 includes the dual plates 31,
the dual plates 31 being provided at opposite sides of the
links 23 such that the front end parts of the links 23 are
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placed between the dual plates 31.
The dual plates 31 have a space defined therebetween such
that the front end parts of the links are fitted into the
space, and thus the front end parts of the links 23 are hinged
to the dual plates 31.
The dual plates 31 further include guides 32 that are
provided at front ends of the dual plates such that the guides
32 extend outward from the front ends of the dual plates in
diagonally opposite directions.
The dual plates 31 are combined with an associated mount
panel by first and second support pins 33, 34 and by a fixing
pin 37, wherein the first and second support pins 33, 34 pass
through the dual plates 31 at respective locations offset from
each other at a predetermined interval D so that the dual
plates 31 are pin-coupled to a groove 12 and a vertical end
surface 16 of the mount panel 10 by the first and second
support pins 33, 34.
The fixing pin 37 passes through pin holes 36 that are
formed in the dual plates 31 at locations corresponding to a
locking hole 18 of the mount panel 10.
The mount 3 including the dual plates 31 includes multiple
vertical mounts that are spaced apart from each other in
parallel and are combined with the mount panels 10.
The mounting of the slow blower of the present invention
described above will be further described in detail.
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The blower body 1 of the present invention is kept in an
upstanding position on the ground without falling over due to a
height-adjustable support 41.
When a vehicle such as a tractor equipped with the coupler
2 approaches the blower body 1 such that the mount panel 10 of
the blower body 1 is fitted between the dual plates 31 of the
mount 3, the mount panel 10 is arranged between the dual plates
31, and is fitted into the space defined therebetween while
guided by the guides 32.
With the mount panel 10 closely fitted into the space, the
mount 3 is lifted by the links 23 when a tilt cylinder 25 is
driven. The first and second support pins 33, 34 of the mount
3 are fitted to the groove 12 and the vertical end surface 16
of the mount panel 10 respectively while contacting the groove
12 and the vertical end surface 16. The first support pin 33
and the second support pin 34 of the mount 3 are supported by
the groove 12 and the vertical end surface at a location under
the protruding part 14 of the mount panel respectively, and in
this case, the pin holes 36 of the mount 3 and the locking hole
18 of the mount panel 10 are arranged to correspond to each
other, and the fixing pin 37 passes through the corresponding
holes, so that the dual plates 31 are mounted to the mount
panel 10.
Since the mount panel 10 fitted into the space defined
between the dual plates 31 is in the space, the mount panel 10
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can avoid being deformed by an external force during use of the
snow blower.
At the same time, since the mount panel 10 of the blower
body 1 is fitted between and tightly mounted to the dual plates,
the mount panel 10 can prevent the loosening of the mount panel
from the dual plates due to external motions or impacts.
After snow blowing is completed, the fixing pin 37 is
removed, and when the mount 3 is lowered to the ground by
manipulating the tilt cylinder 25, the first and second support
10 pins 33, 34 from the mount panel 10 are removed, and the blower
body 1 is seated on the ground. Finally, the vehicle is moved
backward, and the blower body 1 is efficiently removed from the
coupler 2.
The protruding part 14 of the mount panel 10 is provided
so as to position the second support pin 34, and though it is
described that the protruding part 14 is formed by protruding
from a vertical end surface of the mount panel to the
predetermined length L, the length L is not limited to the
length L described above.
When the groove 12 is under a concentrated vertical load,
the protruding part 14 is required to have a length that serves
to distribute the concentrated vertical load.
In addition, the snow blower of the present invention is
configured in such a manner that the first and second support
pins are not in the same axis, but are located at respective
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locations offset from each other in forward and rearward
directions such that coupling and removal of the elements
described above can be efficiently realized.
Reference numbers 25, 35, and 41 not shown denote the tilt
cylinder, a rib for reinforcing a plate, and the support
respectively.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention
has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in
the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions
and substitutions are possible, without departing from the
scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the
accompanying claims.
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