Abstract:
A universal blade mount is provided for securing or attaching the rearward ends of push tubes of a blade structure to the A-arm suspensions of an ATV. The mount includes a pair of telescoping tubes which enable the mount to be narrowed or widened depending upon the particular ATV being utilized. Further, the telescopic connection of the two tubes enables the accommodation of suspension travel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a blade mounting system for an all terrain vehicle and more particularly to a universal blade mounting system for use with an all terrain vehicle (ATV) which enables a blade to be secured to the ATV A-arm suspension regardless of the make or model thereof. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The assignee of this invention has manufactured blades for ATVs for many years with the blades being used to plow snow, dirt, etc. In the blade attachment devices of assignee&#39;s U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,843,002 and 6,957,505, the rearward ends of the push tubes  24  and  26  have their rearward ends pivotally secured to the frame of the ATV by a pin or pins in conventional fashion. The configuration of the rearward ends of the push tubes  24  and  26  in assignee&#39;s previous blade attachments disclosed in the above-identified patents must be configured to fit a particular make and model of ATV. In other words, the design of the push tubes must be changed for each particular ATV to which it is being attached. 
         [0005]    One “universal” blade mounting system for ATVs is marketed by Swisher Mower and Machine Company, Warrensburg, Mo. 64093. The prior art device of Swisher Mower and Machine incorporates a long tube that runs to the back of the ATV and is attached to the rear hitch with brackets mounted to the A-arm suspension for side to side stability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A universal blade mounting system is disclosed for attaching a blade, including first and second push tubes having rearward and forward ends, to an off-road vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV) having first and second front wheels which are supported by first and second A-arm suspensions. The mounting system of this invention includes an elongated first hollow tube having first and second ends and having first and second brackets mounted on the rearward side thereof in a horizontally spaced-apart fashion. A second tube, having first and second ends, has its first end slidably received within the first tube. A first clamp assembly is pivotally secured to the first end of the first tube and a second clamp assembly is pivotally secured to the second end of the second tube. The first and second clamp assemblies are adapted to be secured to the first and second A-arm suspensions of the ATV, respectively. The rearward ends of the push arms of the blade are pivotally secured to the first and second brackets by means of shear pins. The fact that the second tube is slidably mounted in the first tube enables the first and second clamp assemblies to be secured to the A-arm suspensions of various ATVs regardless of the horizontal spacing of the A-arm suspensions. Further, the telescopic reception of the second tube within the first tube enables the mounting system of this invention to accommodate suspension travel. 
         [0007]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved universal mounting system for attaching a blade to an ATV or the like. 
         [0008]    A further object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which accommodates suspension travel. 
         [0009]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which employs telescoping tubes so that the system may be mounted on various makes and models of ATVs. 
         [0010]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting system of the type described which includes a shear pin means for attaching the rearward ends of the push tubes of the blade to the system. 
         [0011]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an ATV having the universal blade mounting system of this invention mounted thereon; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partial front perspective view illustrating the universal blade mounting system of this invention together with a portion of a blade and an ATV; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention mounted on the rearward end of a blade; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a rear partially exploded perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front partially exploded perspective view of the universal blade mounting system of this invention together with its relationship with the rearward end of a pair of push tubes; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partial rear view of an ATV having the blade mounting system of this invention mounted thereon. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    The numeral  10  refers generally to an off-road vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV), which may be two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. ATV  10  includes a forward end  12 , rearward end  14 , a right side  16 , and a left side  18 . The numeral  20  refers generally to a blade assembly which is secured to the ATV. The blade assembly  20  also includes means for pivoting the blade  22  of the blade assembly  20  about a vertical axis and includes conventional means for raising and lowering the blade  22  with respect to the ATV  10 . 
         [0019]    The conventional blade assembly  20  includes a pair of rearwardly extending push tubes which will be identified as a right push tube  24  and a left push tube  26 . In the conventional blade attachments, the push tubes are secured to the frame of the ATV or to the rear hitch of the ATV through suitable connections. 
         [0020]    Applicant&#39;s universal blade mounting system or structure or apparatus is referred to generally by the reference numeral  28  and provides a means for connecting the push tubes  24  and  26  to the right A-arm suspension  30  and the left A-arm suspension  32 , respectively, which operatively connect the right front wheel  34  and the left front wheel  36  to the frame of the ATV  10  to provide suspension therefore. The inner ends of the A-arm suspensions  30  and  32  are pivotally connected to the frame members  34  and  36  of the ATV  10 . The suspension systems  30  and  32  are referred to as single A-arm suspensions but it should be noted that in some suspension systems, the A-arm suspensions are comprised of upper and lower A-arms. In either case, the universal blade mounting system of this invention is secured to the lowermost A-arms. 
         [0021]    System or apparatus  28  includes a first elongated hollow tube  38  having an outer end  40  and an inner end  42 . Brackets  44  and  46  are secured to the rearward side of tube  38  by welding or the like and comprise a pair of spaced-apart ears or plates adapted to receive the shear pins  48  and  50  therein, as will be described hereinafter. 
         [0022]    The numeral  52  refers to an elongated tube having an outer end  54  and an inner end  56 . The inner end  56  of tube  52  is slidably received within tube  38 . The numeral  58  refers to a clamp assembly which includes a lower clamp portion  60  and an upper clamp portion  62 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , lower clamp portion  60  includes a pair of downwardly extending plates  64  and  66  having suitable openings formed in the lower end thereof adapted to receive pin  68 . Lower clamp portion  60  is pivotally secured to the end  40  of tube  38  by means of the pin  68  extending through the openings in the plates  64  and  66  and the opening  70  in tube  38  to provide the pivotal connection therebetween. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the base portion  72  of lower clamp portion  60  has a plurality of spaced-apart openings  74  formed therein which are adapted to register with the spaced-apart openings  76  in upper clamp portion  62  so that the clamp assembly  58  may be clamped onto the arms of A-arm suspension  32 . The various spaced-apart openings in the clamp portions  60  and  62  enable the clamp assembly to accommodate various A-arm suspensions of varying dimensions and enable a choice of where the clamp assembly  58  is secured to the two arms of the A-arm suspension  32 . Bolts  78  and  80  are provided for securing the clamp portions  60  and  62  together on the lower and upper portions of the A-arm suspension  32 . Lower clamp portion  60  is provided with an upwardly extending shoulder or abutment  82  at its forward end which will engage the forwardmost arm of the A-arm suspension  32  to limit the movement of the clamp assembly  58  with respect to the suspension  32 . Similarly, a clamp assembly  58 ′ is pivotally secured to the end  54  of tube  52  for clamping onto the A-arm suspension  30 . 
         [0023]    A U-shaped member  84  is welded to the rearward ends of the push tubes  24  and  26  and has upwardly extending ears  86  and  88  provided at the opposite ends thereof which are pivotally secured to the brackets  44  and  46 , respectively, by means of the shear pins  48  and  50 . 
         [0024]    The fact that the tube  52  is slidably received within the tube  38  enables the structure  28  to be longitudinally adjusted to fit the spaced-apart A-arm suspensions on the ATV  10  regardless of the make or model thereof. Further, the fact that the tube  52  is slidably received within the tube  28  accommodates suspension travel since the front wheels of the ATV tend to move towards one another or move away from one another depending upon the movement of the A-arm suspensions. 
         [0025]    If the blade should strike an obstruction while being used, the rearward force of the push tubes  24  and  26  will cause the pins  48  and  50  to shear so that the push arms will separate from the structure  28  to prevent damage to the suspension  30  and  32 . 
         [0026]    It can therefore be seen that a novel universal blade mounting system has been provided for use with an ATV which enables blades to be attached to A-arm suspension systems of varying specifications. 
         [0027]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.