Abstract:
A motor mount assembly for use with a hydraulic system of a snowplow. A motor mount has a mounting surface for receiving a motor and a recessed surface from which interengaging components protrude. A motor has a suitable mounting surface for mating with the motor mount and a pilot surface from which interengaging components are recessed. The proper alignment of the interengaging recesses of the motor with the complementary interengaging protrusions of the motor mount allow the mounting surfaces to abut such that the motor can be securely attached to the motor mount.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to motor driven hydraulic systems, and more particularly, to a motor mounting arrangement for use on a hydraulic system which is externally affixed to a motorized vehicle, where the hydraulic system is used to manipulate a snowplow blade. 
     Motor driven hydraulic systems have been provided heretofore and generally as shown in Pat. No. 3,773,074 to Miceli, for example. Such hydraulic systems are comprised of a motor which is mounted to the body of a hydraulic system at a suitably designed mounting location. The motor typically drives a hydraulic pump which pressurizes the fluid within the system. The pressurized fluid is then used as a source of mechanical power for use in applications described hereinafter. 
     Hydraulic systems of the foregoing design are well known and regularly employed in a wide variety of applications. Many such applications incorporate this system into a motorized vehicle, where the system is used to provide mechanical power to cylinders which, in turn, manipulate an attached implement. Such applications include warehouse lift trucks, farm tractor implements, construction and earth moving equipment, and snowplow attachments. In each application, the manufacturer designs the system with a specific target for the amount of mechanical power to be output by the system. For instance, the manufacturer may want the system to have the capacity to lift a one ton object, or move five cubic yards of gravel with one push. The manufacturer will normally consider the influence of additional factors, and then design and size each of the components of the system accordingly. Such additional factors may include cost of the components, duty cycle, and conditions of use. The weight given to each factor varies from application-to-application and from manufacturer-to-manufacturer. 
     The conditions of use are particularly influential with regard to hydraulic systems that are externally affixed to motor vehicles for use with snowplows. Such systems are subjected to abuse which is not present in the other previously described applications. In these other applications, the hydraulic system is normally housed within one of the compartments of the vehicle or at the very least the hydraulic system is shielded by the vehicle&#39;s body. This is not so with the hydraulic system in this application, that is, one used to manipulate a snowplow blade. Here, the hydraulic system is attached to the front of a truck or other vehicle where it is exposed to extreme weather conditions. Additionally, even though plowing is done at relatively low speeds, the snowplow blade traveling across the uneven surface of a driveway or parking lot creates significant jolting, jarring and vibration throughout the entire hydraulic system. Furthermore, a hydraulic system of the foregoing description is rigidly mounted to the frame of the vehicle. This is necessary to provide the proper strength for the snowplow, but this makes the installation and removal of the heavy hydraulic system a difficult and time consuming task. As such, the system is routinely left on the vehicle year-round, even though the snowplow may have been removed at the first sign of spring. The vehicle is then used in an everyday fashion, many times including travel on highways or at highway speeds, during which time the hydraulic system mounted on the front of the vehicle, without the protection of the snowplow blade, will be subject to severe impact from stones and asphalt chips moving at highway speeds. In the other applications, the systems are installed on vehicles which do not regularly, if ever, travel at highway speeds. Furthermore, the shielding previously described for these other applications provides protection for the system in the event that it is transported at high speeds. In the end, the hydraulic system for a snow plow incurs abuses not commonly endured by other applications. For this reason, components normally used with success in other applications cannot survive in a hydraulic system for a snowplow. 
     The foregoing description of the conditions of use of the hydraulic system of the snowplow indicates the abusive nature of this particular application. As a result, only components with sufficient quality and qualified construction will withstand such abuse. Of particular susceptibility is the electric motor which drives the hydraulic pump. When the need eventually arises for the motor to be replaced, the repair person may, intentionally or not, replace the motor with one of lesser quality, durability and/or construction, or one of different speed or power output. This is a common occurrence because motors of any particular size are available in a wide variety of quality, construction and horsepower ranges. This greatly increases the possibility that a motor of insufficient quality, durability and/or construction will be installed on the hydraulic system, or that a motor with excessive speed or power output will be installed. Either case is potentially dangerous to the operator, and can also cause damage to the equipment or the manufacturer&#39;s reputation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a motor mount assembly is provided for hydraulic systems of the foregoing character which avoids or minimizes the problems and difficulties heretofore encountered in connection with the use thereof, and which promotes and maintains the desired simplicity of structure, economy of manufacture and ease of installation found in the foregoing hydraulic systems currently in use. More particularly, the invention provides a motor mount assembly comprising a motor and a motor mount. The motor is installed on the motor mount in a traditional fashion, using a pilot diameter for proper positioning and alignment of the motor on the motor mount. Once a standard motor has been positioned as described above, the motor can then be moved axially toward the motor mount until it is fitted flush thereagainst, and can then be secured using traditional fasteners. The present invention includes the addition of complementary interengaging components on both the motor and the motor mount. When these components are present and properly aligned, the motor will be able to move axially into position against the motor mount as described above. However, when the installation of a motor lacking such components is attempted, the component on the motor mount will prevent such a motor from moving axially into the proper position against the motor mount as previously described. 
     The motor mount is attached to the hydraulic system at a pump housing which is another component of the hydraulic system. The pump housing harbors the pump and also contains fluid drawn from the system on route to the pump intake. As such, an additional function of a motor mount assembly according to the invention is to retain the fluid of the hydraulic system. Accordingly, the interengaging component of the motor mount is designed such that an attempt to circumvent the necessary interengagement, by removal of the component from the motor mount, will render the motor mount ineffective for retaining the fluid of the hydraulic system. 
     It is an outstanding object of the invention to provide a motor mount assembly on a hydraulic system of a snowplow which includes a motor and a motor mount having an interengaging arrangement to ensure against the installation of a motor having a different construction, quality or output than the hydraulic system requires. 
     Another object of the invention is the provision of a motor mount having an interengaging arrangement requiring a motor with a complementary interengaging arrangement for proper installation, and which is designed to dissuade efforts to defeat the interengaging feature. 
     Still another object of the invention is the provision of a motor mount, used in association with the hydraulic system of a snowplow, which retains fluid within the hydraulic system and provides a portion of an interengaging arrangement for ensuring the installation of a motor having a complementary interengaging arrangement, where removal of the interengaging arrangement from the motor mount will cause the release of fluid from the hydraulic system. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing objects, and others, will in part be obvious and in part pointed out more fully hereinafter in conjunction with the written description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydraulic system for a snow plow which is mounted on the front of a motor vehicle; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pump and motor mount of a motor mount assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the motor mount taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the motor assembly; and, 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation view of the motor taken along line  5 — 5  in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention, FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a hydraulic system  10  which is externally affixed to a motor vehicle V, and which is used to provide mechanical power output for manipulating a snow plow (not shown), where the plow is also attached to the exterior of vehicle V. The hydraulic system  10  creates pressurized hydraulic fluid which is directed through the system to the various system outputs. The energy stored within the hydraulic fluid is then converted to mechanical power output which is used to manipulate the snowplow. The hydraulic system  10  includes a motor mount assembly  12  for taking in low pressure fluid and, using electrical energy, driving and mechanically converting the low pressure hydraulic fluid to high pressure hydraulic fluid. A reservoir  14  is provided for storing the low pressure hydraulic fluid, and a piston and cylinder arrangement  16  is adapted to receive the high pressure fluid and convert the energy therein into mechanical power output for applying a force to lift arm A which would be suitably connected to the snowplow. Hydraulic hoses  18  are suitably attached at one end to reservoir  14 , and at the opposite end to one or more remote mechanical power converters, such as a piston and cylinder arrangements (not shown). Hydraulic hose  18   a  carries high pressure fluid from the motor mount assembly  12  to the remote mechanical power converter, causing the actuation thereof, and hose  18   b  returns the resulting low pressure fluid to reservoir  14 . The action of the remote mechanical power converter is reversed by directing the high pressure fluid from motor mount assembly  12  to flow through hydraulic hose  18   b , such that hose  18   a  returns the resulting low pressure fluid to reservoir  14 . The direction of the hydraulic fluid is controlled by electromechanical valves (not shown) which are commonly known in the art, and will not be described further. Reservoir  14  is mounted to the frame  20  using traditional fasteners, such as bolts  22 . The motor mount assembly  12  is comprised of a motor mount  26 , a motor  28 , and a pump P. The reservoir  14 , piston and cylinder arrangement  16 , hydraulic hoses  18 , and pump P are all of common construction and well known in the art. Therefore, no further description of these components will be advanced. 
     FIGS. 2-5 of the drawings illustrate assemblies and components of the hydraulic system  10 . Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the pump P includes an input shaft  24  and a pump housing  30 . Pump P draws low pressure fluid from reservoir  14  into the pump housing  30  and the housing is therefore suitably interfaced with reservoir  14  to prevent leakage of the fluid, and properly secured thereto using bolts  32 . Motor mount  26  acts as a cover plate for pump housing  30  and is fastened thereto using screws  34 . Motor mount  26  includes a motor mounting surface  36 , a base surface  38 , and a back surface  40 . The motor mount is positioned on pump P, such that the back surface  40  is toward pump housing  30 . Motor mount  26  also includes a seal  42  positioned between the pump housing  30  and the motor mount  26  which prevents the hydraulic fluid within pump housing  30  from escaping. Motor mount  26  also includes an input shaft seal  44  positioned between the motor mount  26  and the input shaft  24  for further preventing the escape of hydraulic fluid from the pump. 
     The base surface  38  of motor mount  26  is recessed into the motor mount from motor mounting surface  36 . Base surface  38  includes mounting holes  46  extending thereinto which are threaded to receive motor mounting bolts  48  by which the motor is attached to the motor mount and pump, as shown in FIG.  1 . Bosses  50  extend a length L, from base surface  38  toward motor mounting surface  36 , and are shown in FIG. 2 as being kidney-shaped, though any suitable shape or size will function for the intended purpose of the bosses as set forth hereinafter. To discourage the removal of bosses  50 , cavities  52  are provided inwardly of rear surface  40  such that removal of a boss  50  will create an opening in the motor mount  26  permitting the hydraulic fluid contained thereby to escape. Cavities  52  originate on back surface  40  and project into the corresponding bosses  50  to a depth D, sufficient to extend cavities  52  to a point beyond base surface  38 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  4  and  5  of the drawings, motor  28  operates on electrical power in a typical fashion well known in the art. Motor  28  includes an output end  54  and a cover end  56 . Output end  54  is comprised of an end plate  70  and a motor output coupling  62  having a motor output socket  68  located therein, and of suitable size and shape to drivably receive pump input shaft  24 . Motor output socket  68  also has sufficient depth to fully receive pump input shaft  24  when motor  28  is properly installed on motor mount  26 . End plate  70  includes a mounting surface  58  and a pilot surface  60 , and is attached to motor  28  such that pilot surface  60  is facing away from motor  28  and is attached thereto using traditional fasteners, such as screws  72 . Pilot surface  60  includes bolt holes  66  extending through motor  28  to cover end  56 . Pilot surface  60  also includes recesses  64  which are complementary in shape and size to bosses  50  on motor mount  26  for properly receiving bosses  50 . The motor  28  is oriented for assembly with motor mount  26  such that output end  54  is facing toward the motor mount. For mounting surface  58  of motor  28  to be properly installed and mount flush against motor mounting surface  36  of motor mount  26 , recesses  64  in pilot surface  60  must be properly aligned with the corresponding bosses  50  of base surface  38 , and the bosses and recesses must be of complementary size and shape. Otherwise the bosses  50  projecting from motor mount  26  prevent the proper installation of motor  28 . Likewise, if a motor  28  does not include recesses  64  then the motor will not be able to receive bosses  50  and therefore will be prevented from moving into position against motor mount  26 , precluding proper installation thereon. As such, efforts to defeat the effect of bosses  50 , and thereby permit the installation of a motor  28  of questionable suitability and having no recesses, can be expected. To discourage the removal of bosses  50 , and thereby ensure that a suitable motor  28  having recesses  64  will be installed, cavities  52  extend from back surface  40  of motor mount  26  into bosses  50 . As described previously, cavities  52  extend into bosses  50  to a point beyond base surface  38  so that removal of bosses  50  will cause cavities  52  to be exposed from base surface  38 . The exposed cavities  52  become holes through motor mount  26 , through which the hydraulic fluid retained by motor mount  26  will be allowed to escape. The importance of installing a motor of suitable power, speed, construction, and quality was discussed in the foregoing sections. It is commonly known that motor  28 , as with all motors, must be properly and securely installed for safe and effective operation. This reduces the likelihood that the installation a motor  28  having no recesses  52  on a motor mount  26  having bosses  50  would be attempted. The likelihood of such an attempt is further reduced because socket  68  of motor output coupling  62  of motor  28  must be aligned with and properly receive input shaft  24  for motor  28  to be drivably installed on motor mount  26  and effectively function. When all of the components are properly aligned and interengaged, motor  28  is affixed to motor mount  26  by bolts  48  installed through bolt holes  66  entering at cover end  56  of motor  26  and extending through to and threadedly engaging threaded holes  46  in motor mount  26 . 
     While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on structures and structural interrelationships between the component parts of the embodiment disclosed, it will be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention can be made and that many changes can be made in the embodiment illustrated and described without departing from the principles of the invention. This may include variations in the types and quantities of the fasteners shown and described, and variations in the type and configuration of seals and sealing materials shown and described. Additionally, features such the bosses  50  and the recesses  52  may be of different shape, size or quantity so long as the complementary interrelationship as shown and described is maintained. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the present invention and not as a limitation.