Abstract:
A materials pushing or moving blade for use with heavy equipment vehicles, for example, a bulldozer or loader, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for moving snow, specifically a snow moving blade having a reinforcing gusset for strengthening the extended sidewalls of the snow moving blade.

Description:
This Application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/630,327 filed Jul. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,576 entitled MATERIALS MOVING BLADE which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Design patent application 29/171,447, filed Nov. 21, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. D 478,097 entitled; SNOW MOVING APPARATUS and application No. 29/185,854, filed Jul. 3, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. D 519,128 also entitled; SNOW MOVING APPARATUS. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a materials pushing or moving blade for use with heavy equipment vehicles, for example, a bulldozer or loader and more specifically to a method and apparatus for moving snow, specifically a snow moving blade having a reinforcing gusset for strengthening the extended sidewalls of the snow moving blade. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, heavy equipment, for example, a bulldozer, loader, etc., for moving materials, e.g., earth, snow, refuse, etc., are provided with a main blade which is attached to a hydraulically articulated blade adjustment device on the vehicle. A general materials moving blade is a substantially planar, rectangular piece of steel which may have a substantially vertically oriented curve or bend along its length to facilitate materials handling and moving. It is also known that these blades may be divided into horizontally adjacent blade segments for materials handling purposes as well. The blades are also often provided with a replaceable or reinforced lower edge to replace or prevent damage to the blade from the ground surface over which the blade is pushed, pulled or carried by the machinery. 
     For purposes of snow removal, such above described blades are provided with a substantially longer longitudinal length than conventional earth moving blades due to the generally lighter and more consistent nature of snow relative to other materials. The longer length facilitates the clearing of large swaths of, for example, roads, parking lots, loading docks etc., of commercial and industrial centers during the winter months. 
     In order to contain the snow within the span or longitudinal length of the blade, sidewalls are often attached to the ends of the blade extending substantially perpendicularly out from the blade, i.e., parallel to the direction of travel of the equipment. This ensures that as much snow as possible is maintained in front of the blade, i.e., snow does not spill off the ends of the main blade. The sidewalls are usually a single, relatively thin piece of steel to keep the blade as light weight as possible 
     A problem that arises with such apparatus is the lack of strength in the connection or joint between each sidewall attached at opposing ends of the blade. The substantially perpendicular welded joint attaching each sidewall to the blade, as is usual in the art, provides attachment but only minimal support for the relatively thin sidewall which extends a desired distance out in front of the main blade. Without any support other than the joint with the main blade, the thin sidewalls can be easily damaged, and are particularly susceptible to being bent outwards by sufficient snow loads within the confines of the box blade, especially as the machine pushes the blade with a load. 
     In order to overcome this problem of stability and to better secure the sidewalls to the main blade and prevent such damage, a support bar, tube, or a multiplicity of such bars or tubes are often welded between each sidewall and main blade. The support(s) are generally horizontal to the ground, i.e., perpendicular relative to but spaced from the substantially vertical joint between the sidewall and main blade. The support thus forms a triangular-type brace between the front surface of the main blade and the inner side of the sidewall to provide further rigidity and support to the sidewall. 
     These previously known supports present several problems, including a space between the support and the joint in which objects could be caught up or entangled. Also, such a horizontal support tends to form a shelf or trap for snow, ice or other debris which cannot become loosened without the operator intervening. In snow plowing, snow may build up in and around these supports and in order to remove such build up of snow, the operator must strike the blade upon the ground surface to loosen the snow or must physically remove the buildup by exiting from the cab and scraping the snow out, all of which may cause damage and time delays with respect to snow removing. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned shortcomings and drawbacks associated with the prior art. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a materials moving blade having sidewalls which are strengthened relative to the main blade by a conic section gusset. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide the gusset with a substantially larger base portion adjacent the connected ends of the main blade and sidewall to a substantially smaller apex portion adjacent the extended free end of the sidewall. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gusset for strengthening a joint between substantially perpendicular members of a heavy equipment blade which easily sheds materials being plowed, for example, snow, ice and/or earth where the materials being moved or plowed contact only a contiguous forward facing surface to facilitate disengagement of the material from the blade or bucket. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide an easy to manufacture and economical support gusset to provide increased strength and stability of the material mover with the least amount of additional weight to the blade or bucket. 
     The present invention also relates to a materials moving blade for attachment to a vehicle comprising a main blade ( 2 ) defined by a first and second ends, a top edge ( 18 ), a bottom edge ( 20 ) and a front and back surfaces ( 4 ,  6 ); a first sidewall ( 26 ) and a second sidewall ( 28 ) attached to and extending substantially perpendicular from the respective first and second ends of the main blade ( 2 ); a first support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the first sidewall ( 26 ); a second support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the second sidewall ( 28 ). 
     The present invention also relates to a materials moving box blade ( 1 ) comprising a main blade ( 2 ) defined by a first and second ends, a top edge ( 18 ), a bottom edge ( 20 ) and a front and back surfaces ( 4 ,  6 ); a first sidewall ( 26 ) and a second sidewall ( 28 ) attached to and extending substantially perpendicular from the respective first and second ends of the main blade ( 2 ); a first support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the first sidewall ( 26 ); a second support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the second sidewall ( 28 ). 
     The present invention also relates to a method of strengthening a materials moving box blade ( 1 ), the method comprising the steps of providing a main blade ( 2 ) defined by a first and second ends, a top edge ( 18 ), a bottom edge ( 20 ) and a front and back surfaces ( 4 ,  6 ); attaching a first sidewall ( 26 ) and a second sidewall ( 28 ) to and extending substantially perpendicular from the respective first and second ends of the main blade ( 2 ); attaching a first support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the first sidewall ( 26 ); attaching a second support gusset extending from a larger base portion connected to the front surface ( 4 ) of the main blade ( 2 ) to a smaller apex portion connected to the second sidewall ( 28 ). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 7  is a left side view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 8  is a right side view of the materials moving apparatus; 
         FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of the materials moving apparatus; and 
         FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the materials moving apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In conjunction with  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a brief description concerning the various components of the present invention will now be provided. As can be seen in this embodiment, the present invention provides a box blade  1  having main blade  2  extending along a longitudinal axis A for a longitudinal length L. The main blade  2  may be planar, i.e., flat, relative to the longitudinal axis A or curved and/or bent at an angle substantially about the longitudinal axis A running the longitudinal length L of the blade  1  to facilitate retention of materials being moved by the blade  1 . 
     The main blade  2  has a front surface  4  for engaging material and a back surface  6  generally for supporting mounting hardware. The main blade  2  may be provided as either a single sheet of metal or, as shown in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , the main blade  2  may be a double walled design having a spaced apart front and rear wall  8 ,  10 , respectively. A double walled design may include the front and rear walls  8 ,  10  having a substantially different curvature, bend or orientation about the longitudinal axis A, for example, the front wall  8  may be curved as in  FIG. 1 , and the back wall  10  may have a bend  7  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Also due to the space between the front and back walls  8 ,  10 , the double walled design can also help stop damage to the hydraulics or any vehicle connection devices attached to the rear wall  10  of the main blade  2  where the front wall  8  is damaged by an object. In any event, whether the main blade  2  is single or double walled, the main blade  2  is defined having the front surface  4  and the back surface  6 . 
     Observing  FIGS. 3 and 4 , besides the front and back surfaces  4 ,  6 , the main blade  2  has opposing first and second side ends  14 ,  16 , a top edge  18  and a bottom edge  20 . The bottom edge  20  is normally in contact or very close to the ground during cutting and pushing operations, especially during snow clearing operations, although it may be raised above the ground in certain situations for transport and providing necessary clearance for certain objects on the ground, curbs, reflectors, etc. The bottom edge  20  of the main blade  2  is often provided with attachment points or bolt holes  22  (as shown) to facilitate the attachment of a replaceable edge  24  which can be fastened to the bottom edge  20 , for example, by rivets or bolts. Such a replaceable edge  24  is important for protecting the main blade  2  from wear against the ground as well as minimizing damage from objects which the blade may encounter. 
     As is well known in the colder latitudes of the world, heavy earth moving equipment vehicles, e.g., graders, scrapers, loaders, etc., are often used to facilitate the removal of snow, for example, at airports, large commercial parking and vehicle loading lots, etc. The heavy equipment is usually provided with the box blade  1  as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and designed specifically for snow removal. The box blade  1  is used in place of or attached to the main regular bucket or blade of the heavy equipment. In addition to the above described main blade  2 , box blades  1  are provided with an opposing first and second side walls  26 ,  28  to better entrap the snow and facilitate the removal thereof. 
     The first sidewall  26  and the second sidewall  28  are attached to the respective first and second ends  14 ,  16  of the main blade  2 . The first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  are, in general, welded or connected in some manner, as known in the art, to the respective first and second ends  14 ,  16  of the main blade  2  and are generally formed of a single planar piece of material for purposes of conserving weight. The intersection between each connected sidewall  26 ,  28  and the respective side edges  14 ,  16  of the main blade  2  defines a substantially vertical connection joint  30  running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the main blade  2 . The box blade  1  is formed by providing the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  with a height h defined by a sidewall top and bottom edges  31 ,  33  and a length l defined between the front and rear sidewall edges  32 ,  34 . These edges may define overall a substantially square or rectangular end wall, although other shapes could be contemplated as well. 
     For purposes of discussion, the following description relates to only the first connection joint  30  between the first side edge  14  of the main blade  2  and the first sidewall  26 , as each opposing sidewall is joined in the same manner and with the same components and structures, only a description of one side is believed necessary. The first sidewall  26  is connected near or adjacent its rear edge to the respective first side edge  14  of the main blade  2 , along the connection joint  30 . From the connection joint  30 , the sidewall  26  extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the main blade  2 , and radially from the longitudinal axis A, along its length l to space the front sidewall edge  32  at a substantial distance relative to the rear sidewall edge  34  from the longitudinal axis A of the blade. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 5-8 , the bottom edge  31  of the sidewall may be provided with a skid foot, or a plurality of skid feet  36 , in order to protect the sidewall bottom edge  31  and facilitate the passage of the box blade  1  itself across a ground surface without damage. The skid feet  36  may be either welded or bolted to the bottom edge  31  of the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  in order to facilitate replacement in the event of damage or breakage. 
     With the sidewalls  26 ,  28  attached to each end  14 ,  16  of the main blade  2 , the above described arrangement essentially defines a 3-sided box structure having a forward facing opening O to push and contain the materials being moved, thus the term “box blade” as is known in the art. With respect to such box blades, as is readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the farther the front sidewall edge  32  extends from the respective connection joint  30  with the main blade  2 , the more flexible the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  become due to the increasing weight of the sidewall as it extends farther from the connection joint  30  thus creating a greater moment arm about the connection joint  30 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 9 , in order to maintain the integrity of the box blade  1 , specifically the rigidity of the main blade  2 , and especially the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28 , relative thereto, a strengthening gusset  40  is incorporated with each connection joint  30  and between the sidewall and the main blade  2  to stabilize each sidewall relative to the main blade  2 . 
     Each gusset  40  is formed as a substantially conic section, i.e., a partial cone, having a base portion  42  attached to and extending radially from the front surface  4  of the main blade  2  to an apex portion  44  spaced therefrom and attached on the inner surface of the sidewalls  26 ,  28 . The apex portion  44  may extend substantially the length of the inner surface of the sidewall to be situated substantially near the front edge  32  or forward edge of the respective sidewall. 
     The conic section gusset  40  is provided with a contiguous outer surface  46  and an outer supporting edge  48  which is joined to the respective front surface  4  of the main blade  2  and the inner surface of the sidewall  26 . The attachment between the main blade  2 , the sidewall  26  and the gusset  40  is complete, i.e., it defines a contiguous, usually welded gusset seam attaching the entire outer edge  48  of the conic section gusset to the box blade  1 . Thus, the gusset  40 , in conjunction with the sidewall  26  and main blade  2 , presents an uninterrupted or unbroken face to any material being pushed or moved 
     In the present embodiment, the contiguous outer surface  46  of the conic section gusset  40  is formed by a first and second substantially planar surfaces  50 ,  52  aligned at an angle with respect to one another. The first and second planar surfaces  50 ,  52  are angled with respect to one another along a bend  54  which extends substantially the length of the conic section from the base portion  42  connected to the main blade  2  to the apex portion  44  connected to the first sidewall  26 . 
     In another embodiment as seen in  FIG. 10 , the cone may have a substantially hemispherical or semi-hemispherical surface  56  having a radius of curvature, for instance, a semi-circular section. It is to be understood that the conic section gusset  40  may also be formed with a plurality of adjacent surfaces to effectively produce the conic section provided with a respective number of angles to effect a number of differently surfaced conic sections. Generally, the conic section gusset  40  is integrally formed from a single piece of material, for example, steel, although it could be made of several separate sections joined together to form the gusset  40 . In any event, each adjacent surface of a multi-surface conic section gusset is provided with a wider base portion  42  and a narrower apex portion  44  joined to the respective main blade  2  and sidewall  26  as described above. 
     The use of such a conical shape is particularly important in that the gusset  40  may be formed from a single piece of material which may be bent or curved into the desired surface shape and then welded or connected to the main blade  2  along the outer edge  48 . This provides not only a structurally strong gusset  40  and unbroken material moving face, but also provides ease of manufacture and application of the gusset  40  to the main blade  2  and first sidewall  26 . 
     It is well known to those in the mechanical field that in order to reduce the moment of an arm about an axis, the weight or mass of the arm can be reduced. It is an important aspect of the present invention that as the gusset  40  extends from the main blade  2  and the longitudinal axis A, the cone gusset  40  has the larger base portion  42  decreasing to the more narrow apex portion  44  as it extends radially away from the main blade  2  and consequently the longitudinal axis A. With the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  extending perpendicular to the axis, this decreased mass of the apex portion  44  of the cone gusset is particularly helpful in lowering the moment of the first and second sidewalls  26 ,  28  and the gusset  40  about the horizontal axis. 
     In the above described embodiment of the present invention, the cone gusset  40 , which also extends radially and substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis A of the main blade  2 , depends downward from the base portion  42  located higher up relative to the ground surface, to the apex portion  44  situated closer to the ground G and attached adjacent the lower edge  31  and front edge  32  of the sidewall  26 . Such a downward depending gusset  40  inherently also aligns the contiguous surfaces  50  and  52  of the conic section gusset  40  not only inward relative to the box blade  1 , but also radially downward towards the ground which facilitates the shedding of snow and/or earth or other material from the gusset  40 . 
     Since certain changes may be made in the above described improved materials moving apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.