Patent Publication Number: US-2020283977-A1

Title: Snow plow mounting assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/813,336 filed Mar. 4, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to snow plows, and more particularly to snow plow assemblies having a mounting assembly for securely mounting and releasably dismounting the plow assembly from a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Snow plow assemblies are used on commercial, residential, or all-purpose vehicles for removing snow from the ground. A typical snow plow assembly includes a mounting frame coupled to a moldboard assembly for plowing the snow, a push frame pivotably connected to the mounting frame for allowing lateral pivoting movement of the mounting frame and moldboard assembly, and a lift frame operatively coupled to the push frame for vertically raising or lowering the push frame and moldboard. 
     Snow plow assemblies are commonly mountable and dismountable from the vehicle. Such snow plow assemblies typically include a locking mechanism, such as a spring-loaded pin, for securing the plow assembly when mounted on a mounting frame of the vehicle, and for permitting the releasable dismounting of the plow assembly from the vehicle. Such conventional locking mechanisms are typically located on each side of the plow frame and require independent actuation to lock or release the plow frame from the vehicle mounting frame via the locking pin on each side of the frame. This need to move around each side of the plow assembly to lock or release the plow to or from the vehicle is cumbersome to the operator. Moreover, such conventional locking mechanisms are usually biased only toward the lock position, which makes it difficult to release the locking mechanism on each side of the plow frame, particularly when the locking pin is loaded with the weight of the mounted plow assembly. 
     Such conventional snow plow assemblies also commonly include a stand assembly for supporting and balancing the plow when dismounted and resting on the ground. Such stand assemblies may typically include a hand-cranked jack stand for moving the stand up and down. Such hand-cranked actuation of the jack stand can be time consuming for the operator to crank the stand up and down. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a snow plow assembly that improves the operation of securely mounting and releasably dismounting the plow assembly from a vehicle. 
     According to one aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with an automatic locking feature for securely mounting the plow assembly to a vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in one direction, and has an automatic unlocking feature for releasably dismounting the plow assembly from the vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in another direction. 
     More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame configured to be mounted to a mounting frame of a vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, the actuator being operatively coupled to the locking member and configured to selectively move the locking member between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle, and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the mounting frame; wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that the locking member is biased toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward the release position when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position. 
     According to another aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement. 
     More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame having laterally spaced apart first and second receivers configured to receive corresponding first and second mounting brackets of a mounting frame of a vehicle for enabling the snow plow frame to be mounted to the vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism including: a first locking member configured to interface with the first receiver of the snow plow frame; a second locking member configured to interface with the second receiver of the snow plow frame; and an actuator operatively coupled to both the first and second locking members, wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective lock positions for securing the first and second receivers to the respective first and second mounting brackets thereby mounting the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle; and wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective release positions for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets to be removed from the first and second receivers thereby enabling dismounting of the snow plow frame from the mounting frame of the vehicle. 
     According to another aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when a stand locking mechanism is actuated to release the stand, and in which the stand is locked in position to support at least part of the snow plow frame when the stand locking mechanism is actuated to lock the stand. 
     More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly includes: a snow plow frame; a stand assembly operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand assembly including: a stand that is axially moveable relative to the snow plow frame between a lower position in which the stand engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the snow plow frame, and an upper position in which the stand is elevated above the ground; and a stand locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the locking member and is configured to move the locking member between a lock position in which the locking member engages and secures the stand in either the upper or lower position, and a release position in which the locking member disengages from the stand to allow the stand to freely move between the upper and lower positions. 
     The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features according to aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective front side view of an exemplary snow plow assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective front view of the snow plow assembly shown with the moldboard removed for further clarity. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the snow plow assembly shown in a mounted stated. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the snow plow assembly shown in a dismounted state. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the snow plow assembly shown with the push frame removed for further clarity, and showing an exemplary mounting assembly and exemplary locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the snow plow assembly showing the locking mechanism with a cam plate removed for further clarity. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is mounted to a mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary locked state. 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the mounting assembly and locking mechanism in the state shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a rear plan view of the mounting assembly and locking mechanism in the state shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is mounted to the mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary intermediate state between its lock state and release state. 
         FIG. 10A  is an enlarged view from  FIG. 10 , showing the locking mechanism in the exemplary intermediate state, but now with the cam plate shown and with a cover bracket of the lever removed. 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is dismounted from the mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary release state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The principles and aspects of the present invention have particular application to snow plow assemblies for a vehicle, including commercial, residential, or all-purpose vehicles, and will be described below chiefly in this context. It is also understood, however, that the principles and aspects of the present invention may be applicable to other plow assemblies or vehicle-mounted accessories for other applications where desirable. 
     In the discussion above and to follow, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “left,” “right,” “above,” “below,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” etc. refer to the snow plow assembly as viewed in a horizontal position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example. As generally used herein, and unless otherwise provided in a different context, the terms forward and rearward are used synonymously with being in a longitudinal direction of the snow plow assembly, which is generally designated in the Y-direction in the figures; the terms left and right are used synonymously with being in a transverse or lateral direction, which is generally designated in the X-direction in the figures; and the terms upwards, downwards, vertical, or the like are used synonymously with being in a vertical direction, which is generally designated in the Z-direction in the figures. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, the Y-direction has been oriented to point forward along a horizontal plane in the figures, the X-direction has been oriented to point left along the horizontal plane in the figures, and the Z-direction has been oriented to point upwards along a vertical plane in the figures. All of this is done realizing that such snow plow assemblies can be raised, lowered, inclined, declined, canted, etc., such as when being used on a vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , an exemplary snow plow assembly  10  is shown having an exemplary mounting assembly  12  that facilitates the plow assembly  10  to be securely mounted to, or releasably dismounted from, a vehicle  14 . As will be described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the mounting assembly  12  includes a locking mechanism  16  operatively coupled to a frame of the plow assembly  10  for selectively locking or releasing the plow assembly  10  to or from the vehicle  14 . In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism  16  provides an automatic locking feature by being biased toward a lock position when the locking mechanism  16  is actuated in one direction, and the locking mechanism  16  includes an automatic unlocking feature by being biased toward a release position when the locking mechanism  16  is actuated in another direction. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism  16  may include a plurality of locking members  18  that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism  16  is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement of the locking members  18 . Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the snow plow assembly  10  includes a stand assembly  20  that allows a stand  22  to freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when actuated to release the stand, and may be actuated to lock the stand so that the stand may support at least a portion of the plow assembly  10 . Such exemplary features of the snow plow assembly  10  are described in further detail below 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the snow plow assembly  10  generally includes a push frame  24  to which a moldboard  26  is mountable for enabling removal of snow, and a lift frame  28  configured for mounting to the vehicle  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the snow plow assembly  10  includes a moldboard mounting bar  30  having one or more mounting interfaces  32 , such as suitable brackets or the like, for operatively mounting the moldboard  26  to the push frame  24 . As shown, the moldboard mounting bar  30  is pivotably connected to the push frame  24  via suitable connectors  34 , such as via one or more brackets and bolts, for enabling lateral pivoting movement (e.g., left/right pivoting movement) of the mounting bar  30  relative to the push frame  24  about a vertical pivot axis. One or more pivot devices  36  may be connected to the left and/or right sides of the moldboard mounting bar  30 , and connected to the left and/or right sides of the push frame  24 , to enable the pivoting movement of the mounting bar  30  about the vertical pivot axis. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot devices  36  are fluid-operated piston-cylinder devices that may extend and retract to provide such pivoting movement to the moldboard mounting bar  30 . 
     The moldboard  26  may be any suitable type of moldboard or moldboard assembly, such as a straight moldboard, a V-shaped moldboard, or the like, and may have one or more plow blade edges for engaging the ground. The moldboard  26  may have corresponding mounting interfaces  38  for mounting to the mounting interfaces  32  of the moldboard mounting bar  30 . It is understood that although the moldboard mount bar  30  is shown pivotably mounted to the push frame  24  for operatively coupling the moldboard  26 , the moldboard  26  may be directly connected to the push frame  24 , either removably or non-removably, and with or without pivoting movement, as may be desirable for particular applications. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the push frame  24  is configured as an A-frame having rear crossbar  40  and a pair of side bars  42  arranged in a triangular or “A” configuration. The side bars  42  converge in the forward direction to form a vertex portion of the push frame  24 , which may include the interface  38  for pivotably mounting the moldboard mounting bar  30 . The rear crossbar  40  extends in a transverse direction and is operatively connected to the side bars  42  via any suitable means, such as welding or fastening. The push frame  24  also includes a pair of rearwardly projecting left and right ears  44  (also referred to as rearward projections) that are connected to the lateral sides of the rear cross bar  40  via suitable couplings  46 , which enable the push frame  24  to be coupled to the lift frame  28 . 
     The lift frame  28  is generally vertically oriented and includes an upper portion  48  that extends upright above the push frame  24 , and a lower portion  49  that is coupled to the push frame  24  such as via the couplings  46 . As shown, the lift frame  28  includes a pair of vertical support members  50  that are transversely spaced apart frame one another. One or more transverse crossmembers  52 ,  54  may connect the vertical members  50  at the upper portion  48  of the lift frame  28 . As shown, a lift device  56  is mounted to the lift frame  28  and is also operatively coupled to the push frame  24  such that activation of the lift device  56  vertically raises or lowers the push frame  24  and the moldboard  26  relative to a horizontal plane. In the illustrated embodiment, a forwardly extending lift arm  60  is operably coupled to one of the crossmembers  54 , and a tether  62 , such as a chain or other suitable linkage, operably connects the lift arm  60  to the push frame  24 . The lift device  56  is coupled to the cross member  52  on one end of the lift device  56 , and is connected to the lift arm  60  at the opposite end of the lift device  56 . In the illustrated embodiment, the lift device  56  is a fluid operated piston-cylinder device in which extension or retraction of the device causes the lift arm  60  to pivot upwards or downwards relative to the crossmember  54  and the vertical support members  50 , thereby causing the forward portion of the push frame  24  to raise or lower via the chain  62 . 
     As shown, the lift frame  28  also may include a housing  64  that spans the space between the vertical support members  50 . The housing  64  may contain electronic and/or fluid (e.g., hydraulic) devices, which may be provided in a well-known manner. The housing  64  also may act as a shield to the snow. As shown, one or more electrical conduits  66  and/or one or more fluid conduits  68  may extend from the housing  64  to provide a source of power to one or more of the pivot devices  30 , lift device  56 , and/or lights  70 . One or more additional communication conduits  72  also are provided for operatively connecting the electronic and/or fluid devices of the snow plow assembly to a controller located inside of the cabin of the vehicle  14 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the plow assembly  10  also may include a mount switch  74  that is operatively connected to the electrical and/or fluid devices (e.g., lift device  56 ) of the plow assembly  10  for facilitating mounting and dismounting of the plow assembly  10  from the vehicle  14 . For example, the mount switch  74  may be a toggle switch that when activated in one direction actuates the lift cylinder  56  to tilt the lift frame  28  forward to dismount the snow plow assembly  10  from a mounting frame  76  of the vehicle  14  (as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example). The mount switch  74  also may be activated in another direction to actuate the cylinder  56  to tilt the lift frame  28  rearward to enable mounting of the snow plow assembly  10  to the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle (as shown in  FIG. 3 , for example). Such mounting and dismounting of the plow assembly  10  to the vehicle  14  is described in further detail below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and more particularly to  FIG. 5 , the exemplary stand assembly  20  of the plow assembly  10  will now be described in further detail. As shown, the stand assembly  20  includes the stand  22  which is axially moveable relative to the lift frame  28  between an upper position in which the stand  22  is elevated above the ground ( FIG. 3 ), and a lower position in which the stand  22  engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the plow assembly  10  including lift frame  28  ( FIG. 4 ). The stand assembly  20  also includes a stand locking mechanism  78  operatively coupled to the lift frame  28  for engaging or disengaging the stand  22 . In exemplary embodiments, the stand locking mechanism  78  includes an actuator  80  and a locking member  82  operatively coupled to the actuator  80 . The actuator  80  is configured to move the locking member  82  between a lock position in which the locking member  82  engages and secures the stand  22  in either the upper or lower position (as shown in  FIG. 5 , for example), and a release position in which the locking member  82  disengages from the stand  22  to allow the stand  22  to freely move between the upper and lower positions. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the stand  22  is configured as a drop foot that freely drops from the upper position to the lower position when the actuator  80  is engaged to move the locking member  82  to the release position, thereby providing quick deployment and use of the stand  22 . As shown, the stand  22  may be guided between its upper and lower positions by sliding axially within a mounting bracket  84  that is connected to the cross-member  52  of the lift frame  28 . In exemplary embodiments, the stand  22  includes a main body portion  86  and a foot portion  88  at the bottom of the body portion  86 . The foot portion  88  may have a wider base than the body portion  86  for providing improved stability, and the foot portion  88  also may include grip element(s) for improving grip with the ground. In the illustrated embodiment, the stand  22  also includes an upper grip portion  90 , such as a handle, at the top of the body portion  86  which enables the operator to grip and manipulate the stand  22  from above the plow assembly  10 . For example, the upper grip portion  90  allows the operator to pull up on the stand  22  to move the stand  22  to the upper position when the plow assembly  10  is mounted and in use. 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator  80  of the stand locking mechanism  78  includes an actuator handle  92  that is disposed on the outside of the lift frame  28  for facilitating actuation by the operator. The actuator handle  92  is operatively coupled to an actuator arm  94 , such as being integral and/or unitary with the arm  94 , such that movement of the handle  92  moves the arm  94 . In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator handle  92  and the actuator arm  94  are axially moveable along a lateral axis  95  between a lock position (shown in  FIG. 5 ) and a release position (not shown). As shown, the actuator  80  of the stand assembly may further include a biasing member  96 , such as a compression spring, that is disposed on an opposite side of the lift frame  28  from the handle  92 , and which is configured to bias the actuator arm  94  toward its lock position (e.g., toward the right in  FIG. 5 ). 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator arm  94  is operatively coupled to a lever  98  via a suitable connector  100 , such as a fastener (e.g., pin), that allows the lever  98  to rotate about the connector  100 . The lever  98  is pivotable about a pivot point. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking member  82  is configured as a locking pin  82 , and the lever  98  is operatively coupled to the locking pin  82  via a suitable connector  106 , such as a pin, which allows the lever  98  to pivot relative to the locking pin  82  and provide linear motion to the locking pin  82  along a longitudinal axis. As shown, the locking pin  82  may extend through a through hole  108  in a portion of the bracket  104 , and may be supported by a bushing  110  to help guide the locking pin  82  along the longitudinal axis. In exemplary embodiments, the main body portion  86  of the stand  22  includes a plurality of spaced apart apertures  112  through which the locking pin  82  may extend to lock the stand  22  in one of a plurality of discrete positions between its upper and lower position. 
     In operation, when the operator desires to lower the stand  22  from an elevated position (as shown in  FIG. 3 , for example), such as for dismounting the plow assembly  10 , the operator may pull laterally outwardly on the actuator handle  92  toward its release position (e.g., toward the left in  FIG. 5 ) against the biasing force provided by the biasing member  96 . This movement of the handle  92  toward its release position will move the actuator arm  94  and lever  98  in such a way to withdraw the locking pin  82  from one of the apertures  112  in the stand  22 , which allows the stand  22  to freely drop to the ground due to gravity (as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example). The operator may then release the handle  92 , whereby the biasing member  96  will bias the actuator arm  94 , lever  98 , and locking pin  82  back toward their respective lock positions, such that the locking pin  82  extends through one of the stand apertures  112  to lock the stand  22  in the lower position for supporting at least a portion of the plow assembly  10 . 
     When the operator desires to raise the stand  22  from the lower position (as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example), the operator may pull laterally outwardly on the actuator handle  92  toward its release position (e.g., toward the left in  FIG. 5 ) against the bias of the biasing member  96 , thereby moving the actuator arm  94  and lever  98  in such a way to withdraw the locking pin  82  from one of the apertures  112  in the stand  22  and allowing the stand  22  to freely move. While the operator holds the handle  92  in the release position with one hand, the operator may grasp the upper grip portion  90  of the stand  22  and lift the stand  22  to an elevated position (as shown in  FIG. 3 , for example). While holding the stand  22  at the elevated position, the operator may then release the handle  92 , in which the biasing member  96  will bias the actuator arm  94 , lever  98 , and locking pin  82  back toward their respective lock positions, such that the locking pin  82  extends through one of the apertures  112  to lock the stand  22  in the elevated position. 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and more particularly to  FIGS. 5-11 , the exemplary mounting assembly  12  for mounting and dismounting of the snow plow assembly  10  to and from the vehicle  14  will now be described in further detail. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle  14  includes the mounting frame  76  which is operatively attached to the vehicle via a mount frame bar  114 . The vehicle  14  may be any suitable vehicle, such as a commercial, industrial, commuter, residential, or all-purpose vehicle. The mounting frame  76  may be removably attached to the vehicle  14 , or may be fixedly attached such as via welding to the vehicle frame in a manner well known in the art. The mounting frame  76  also includes one or more mounting brackets  116  extending forwardly from the mounting frame bar  114  for being received in corresponding mounting receivers  118  of the lift frame  28 . The mounting frame  76  also includes a push bar  120  that extends laterally across the mounting brackets  116  for mounting of the lift frame  28  thereon as discussed below. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the snow plow mounting assembly  12  has the mounting receivers  118  at the lower portion  49  of the lift frame  28 , which may be configured as clevis receivers  118  for receiving the corresponding mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76 . As shown, the clevis receivers  118  may include laterally spaced apart inner and outer lift frame members  122 ,  124  that extend toward the rear of the lower portion  49  of the lift frame. When the snow plow assembly  10  is mounted to the vehicle  14 , the vehicle  14  may be driven forward such that the forwardly protruding mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76  are slidably received within the clevis receivers  118 . In exemplary embodiments, the inner lift frame members  122  and the outer lift frame members  124  may each have hooks  126  that are configured to engage and hook onto the push bar  120  that extends laterally across the mounting brackets  116 . The mounting hooks  126  may allow for a quick mounting or dismounting of the plow assembly  10  for support thereof onto the push bar  120  without the use of tools. The push bar  120  may be configured as the primary mounting structure for the vehicle mounting frame  76 , such that the majority of the forces exerted on the plow assembly  10  are transmitted between the push frame  120  and the lift frame  28 , such as via the hooks  126 . 
     Still referring to generally to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and more particularly to  FIGS. 5-11 , the exemplary locking mechanism  16  of the mounting assembly portion  12  of the plow assembly  10  will now be described in further detail. Generally, the exemplary locking mechanism  16  is configured to secure the plow assembly  10  to the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle  14 , such as by securing the receivers  118  of the lift frame  28  to the mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76 . In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism  16  includes an actuator  128  and at least one locking member  18 . The actuator  128  is operatively coupled to the locking member(s)  18 , and is configured to selectively move the locking member(s)  18  between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame  10  to the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle  14  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , for example), and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame  10  to be dismounted from the mounting frame  76  (as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 11 , for example). 
     As noted above and described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism  16  provides an automatic locking feature by being configured such that the locking member  18  is biased toward the lock position when the actuator  128  is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position. The exemplary locking mechanism  16  also provides an automatic unlocking feature by being configured such that the locking member  18  is biased toward the release position when the actuator  128  is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position. Alternatively or additionally, as noted above and described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism  16  includes a plurality of locking members  18  that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the actuator  128  is operated to effect such simultaneous movement of the locking members  18 . 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking members  18  may be configured as locking pins  18  that are linearly movable along a lateral axis  130 . As shown, the locking pins  18  are configured to extend through corresponding receiver openings  132 ,  133  in the mounting receivers  118 . In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver openings  132 ,  133  are through-holes in the inner and outer lift frame members  122 ,  124 , such that the locking pins  18  can extend across and through both lift frame members  122 ,  124 . In exemplary embodiments, the locking pins  18  may be guided in the axial direction by one or more structures provided by the lift frame  28 . For example, the lift frame  28  may include a crossmember  134  that extends between the receivers  118  of the lift frame  28 . The crossmember  134  may include one or more support plates  136 , or brackets, which include through-holes for supporting and/or guiding the locking pins  18  as they move linearly along the lateral axis. 
     As shown, the forwardly extending mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76  also include through-holes  138  which are configured to receive the locking pins  18 . When the mounting brackets  116  of the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle are inserted into the mounting receivers  118  of the lift frame  28  such that the respective through-holes  132 ,  133 ,  138  align with each other, the locking pins  18  may extend across the inner and outer lift frame members  122 ,  124 , and also across the mounting brackets  116 . In this manner, when the locking pins  18  are in their respective locked positions (as shown in  FIG. 7 , for example), the locking pins  18  engage both the mounting receivers  118  and the mounting brackets  116  to interfere with the relative movement therebetween. This restriction to the relative movement between the mounting brackets  116  and the receivers  118  of the lift frame  28  thereby secures the plow assembly  10  to the vehicle mounting frame  76 . On the other hand, when the locking pins  18  are moved toward their respective release positions (as shown in  FIG. 11 , for example), the locking pins  18  are retracted and disengaged from at least the mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76 , such that the mounting brackets  116  are clear to be withdrawn from the receivers  118  for dismounting the plow assembly  10  from the vehicle mounting frame  76 . As shown, when the locking pins  18  are in their respective release positions, the locking pins  18  still may rest in the through holes  132  of the inner lift frame members  122  to facilitate guiding of the locking pins  18  as they move axially between the lock and release positions. 
     In exemplary embodiments, each of the locking pins  18  is operatively coupled to respective locking pin linkages  140 , which are operatively coupled to a rotatable cam  142 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cam  142  is operatively coupled to an underside of the cross-member  134  with a suitable connector  144 , such as a fastener, that allows the cam  142  to rotate about a rotational axis  146  provided by the connector  144 . In exemplary embodiments, the cam  142  may include two cam plates  142   a ,  142   b  that are spaced apart and configured to contain the ends of the locking pin linkages  140  therebetween. The lower cam plate  142   a  is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 , but is removed from  FIGS. 6, 7, 10 and 11  to more clearly show the operation of the exemplary locking mechanism  16 . 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking pin linkages  140  are coupled to the locking pins  18  via suitable connectors  148 , such as fasteners (e.g., pins), which allow the respective locking pin linkages  140  to pivot relative to their corresponding locking pin  18 . The opposite ends of the locking pin linkages  140  are operatively coupled to the cam  142  via suitable connectors  150 , such as a fastener, stud or other protrusion on the cam  142 . As shown, the locking pin linkages  140  are operatively coupled to the cam  142  at respective locations that are offset from the rotational axis  146  of the cam  142 . This offset arrangement allows the rotational movement of the cam  142  to translate to linear movement of the locking pins  18  along the axis  130  via movement of the lock pin linkages  140  connected to the cam  142 . 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , when the cam  142  is moved in a clockwise rotational direction within a certain degree of revolution (e.g., less than 180-degrees), the locking pins  18  are moved axially outward to extend through the respective through-holes ( 132 ,  133 ,  138 ) to lockingly engage the lift frame receivers  118  and the mounting frame brackets  116 , thereby securing the plow assembly  10  to the vehicle mounting frame  76 . On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 11 , for example, when the cam  142  is moved in a counterclockwise rotational direction within a certain degree of revolution (e.g., less than 180-degrees), the locking pins  18  are moved axially inward to withdraw from at least the through-holes  138  of the mounting brackets  116 . This retraction of the locking pins  18  clears the interference between the mounting brackets  116  and the receivers  118 , thereby permitting releasable dismounting of the plow assembly  10  from the vehicle mounting frame  76 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the locking pin linkages  140  are configured as rigid arms that may directly drive the locking pins  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the locking pin linkages  140  also include axially elongated slots  154  through which the connectors  150  on the cam  142  may slide. In this manner, the cam  142  may drive the locking pin linkages  140  via the connectors  150  when the connectors  150  are at the axial ends of the slot  154 , but the elongated slot  154  permits some degree of movement of the cam  142  independently of movement of the locking pin linkages  140 , thereby providing a degree of slack. Such slack may be particularly useful for avoiding forceful insertion or withdrawal of the locking pins  18  from the through-holes ( 132 ,  133 ,  138 ), which otherwise could cause wear of the locking pin  18  or other components. As will be described in further detail below, the axially elongated slots  154  also may be used to put the locking pin linkages  140 , and thereby the locking pins  18 , into a biased state for enabling automatic retraction of the locking pins  18 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the actuator  128  includes a lever  156  that is operatively coupled to an actuator linkage  158 , which is operatively coupled to the cam  142 . In the illustrated embodiment, the lever  156  is operatively coupled to a portion of the lift frame  28  via a suitable connector  160 , such as a fastener, which provides a pivot axis  162  about which the actuator lever  156  pivots. The lever  156  is operatively coupled to the actuator linkage  158  via a suitable connector  164 , such as a pin, such that pivoting of the lever  156  causes the actuator linkage  158  to move back and forth generally in the lateral direction to thereby effect movement of the cam  142 . In exemplary embodiments, the lever  156  is configured as a foot pedal, which is mounted to an outer part of the lift frame  28 , such as at the lower portion  49  of the lift frame  28 , to facilitate ease of actuation of the lever  156  by the operator. As shown, the lever  156  is located below the handle  92  of the stand assembly actuator  80 , such that the operator can operate the stand assembly  20  and operate the locking mechanism  16  from the same side of the plow assembly  10 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator linkage  158  is configured as a rigid arm that directly drives the cam  142  clockwise or counterclockwise, in which this rotational movement of the cam  142  moves the respective locking pins  18  via the respective locking pin linkages  140  as discussed above. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator linkage  158  is operatively coupled to the cam  142  with the same connector  150  (referred to also with reference numeral  150   a  in the top view of  FIG. 8  for further clarity) as one of the locking pin linkages  140 . In this manner, the actuator linkage  158  is coupled to the cam  142  at a location that is offset from the center of rotation of the cam  142 , such that the generally linear movement of the actuator linkage  158  is translated into rotational movement of the cam  142 . 
     As discussed above, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism  16  is configured such that the locking members  18  (e.g., locking pins  18 ) are each simultaneously moved between the lock and release positions when the actuator  128  of the locking mechanism effects such movement. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, movement of the actuator  128  in a first direction (e.g., rotating the lever  156  counterclockwise as shown in  FIG. 7 , such that the actuator linkage  158  moves to the left) will rotate the cam  142  clockwise, thereby causing simultaneously movement of the first and second locking members  18  toward respective lock positions (e.g., outwardly) for securing the first and second receivers  118  to the respective first and second mounting brackets  116 . Likewise, movement of the actuator  128  in a second direction opposite the first direction (e.g., rotating the lever clockwise as shown in  FIG. 11 , such that the actuator linkage  158  moves to the right) will rotate the cam  142  counterclockwise, thereby causing simultaneous movement of the first and second locking members  18  toward respective release positions (e.g. inwardly) for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets  116  to be removed from the first and second receivers  118 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , to prevent the locking pins  18  from over-retracting and falling out of the lift frame holes  132 , the locking pin linkages  140  may each include a stop  166 , such as a shoulder or other type of catch, that may engage the connector  144  at the center of the cam  142 . 
     As discussed above, in exemplary embodiments, when the locking mechanism  16  is actuated toward its lock state (e.g.,  FIG. 7 ), the locking member(s)  18  may be configured to be biased toward their lock position(s) for enabling an automatic locking engagement with the mounting bracket(s)  116  and the receiver(s)  118  of the lift frame  28 . On the other hand, when the locking mechanism  16  is actuated toward its release state (e.g.,  FIG. 11 ), the locking member(s)  18  may be configured to be biased toward their release position(s) for enabling an automatic unlocking disengagement that allows the mounting bracket(s)  116  to be released from the receiver(s)  118 . As discussed in further detail below, whether the locking mechanism  16  is in the lock or release state for providing such bias toward the lock or release positions may depend on the position of the actuator  128  relative to a threshold position. The locking mechanism  16  also may include one or more biasing members (described below) to effect such biasing functionality. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the locking mechanism  16  may include at least one biasing member  168  that is operatively coupled to the actuator linkage  158 . In exemplary embodiments, the biasing member  168  is a spring that is connected at one end to the crossmember  134  of the lift frame proximate to the actuator lever  156 , and at an opposite end is connected to an ear  170  of the actuator linkage  158  proximate to the connector  150  at the cam  142 . As discussed below, the biasing member  168  is generally configured to bias the actuator linkage  158  toward its lock position (e.g., to the left in  FIG. 7 , for example) depending on the position of the actuator linkage  158  and/or the lever  156 . 
     As shown in the comparison between the illustrated states in  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 7 , for example, the actuator&#39;s biasing member  168  is configured to effect a bias toward the lock position when the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  at the lever  156  (e.g., the connector  164 ) moves beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., the threshold position, as shown in  FIG. 10A ) in a first direction (e.g., the lever  156  is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in  FIG. 11  to the position shown in  FIG. 7 ). For example, as shown in the illustrated state in  FIG. 11 , the biasing member  168  is in a tensioned state (e.g., the spring is stretched), and when the connector  164  of the actuator linkage  158  rotates counterclockwise beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position), the actuator linkage  158  becomes automatically biased toward its lock position ( FIG. 7 ) without any additional assistance. Such movement of the actuator linkage  158  rotates the cam  142  in a first rotational direction (e.g., clockwise in  FIG. 7 ), which thereby drives the locking pin linkages  140  and causes the locking pins  18  to move outwardly toward their lock positions (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     On the other hand, when the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  at the lever  156  (e.g., connector  164 ) is moved beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position) in the opposite direction to an exemplary hold position (e.g. the lever  156  is rotated clockwise from the position shown in  FIG. 7  to the position shown in  FIGS. 10, 10A and 11 ), the biasing member  168  does not urge the actuator linkage  158  to its lock position (e.g., left in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) even though the biasing member  168  is tensioned; rather, the locking mechanism  16  is configured in such a way to negate the biasing force of the biasing member  168  (e.g., by virtue of the angle of the actuator linkage  158  and/or lever  156  in this position), thereby selectively holding the actuator linkage  158  in this hold position without movement. As shown, the actuator linkage  158  may engage the lift frame crossmember  134  to help prevent over-rotation of the lever  156  in the release position (e.g., at the hold position). 
     Also as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking mechanism  16  may include biasing members  172 , such as springs, that are operatively coupled to each of the locking pins  18  and the corresponding connectors  150  on the cam. In this manner, these respective biasing members  172  are generally configured to bias the locking pins  18  toward their respective release positions (e.g., toward the inside of the lift frame  28  as shown in  FIG. 11 , for example) depending on the position of the actuator linkage  158  and/or the lever  156 . 
       FIG. 10  and  FIG. 10A  show an exemplary intermediate state between the lock and release state of the locking mechanism  16 , which is described in further detail below. As shown in the comparison between the illustrated states of  FIG. 7  and  FIGS. 10 and 10A , for example, the biasing members  172  are configured to effect the bias of the locking pins  18  toward their release positions when the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  to the lever  156  (e.g., connector  164 ) moves beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position, as shown in  FIG. 10A ) in a second direction (e.g., the lever  156  is rotated clockwise from the position shown in  FIG. 7  to the position shown in  FIGS. 10 and 10A ), thereby tensioning the biasing members  172 . As noted above, in this position ( FIG. 10 ) the actuator linkage  158  is in its hold position, such that the biasing force of the actuator biasing member  168  is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism  16 , and thus does not cause movement of the actuator linkage  158  toward lock. 
     On the other hand, when the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  at the lever  156  (e.g., connector  164 ) is moved beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position) in the opposite direction (e.g. the lever  156  is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  to the position shown in  FIG. 7 ), the biasing members  172  connected to the locking pins  18  are relaxed and do not bias the locking pins  18  inwardly toward their release positions; rather, the actuator linkage  158  is biased via its biasing member  168  (as discussed above) and the configuration of the locking mechanism  16  now urges the cam  142  to rotate and thereby urges the locking pins  18  outwardly toward their lock positions via the locking pin linkages  140 . 
     In other words, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, when the lever  156  is operated to rotate the actuator linkage  158  such that the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  at the lever  156  (e.g., connector  164 ) is moved beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position) in the first direction (e.g., the lever  156  moves counterclockwise from the position in  FIG. 11  to the position in  FIG. 7 ), then the biasing member  168  of the actuator linkage  158  begins to bias the actuator linkage  158  toward its lock position (e.g., left), which thereby drives the locking pins  18  via the cam  142  and locking pin linkages  140  toward their respective lock positions. In this state ( FIG. 7 ), the biasing members  172  connected to the locking pins  18  are relaxed, and thus the net bias when the actuator linkage  158  is moved beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  in this direction (e.g., counterclockwise) is to bias the locking members  18  toward the locked (extended) position. 
     On the other hand, when the actuator linkage  158  is moved beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  in the opposite direction to its release position (e.g., the lever  156  moves clockwise from the position in  FIG. 7  to the position in in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ), then the actuator linkage  158  is in its hold position, such that the biasing force of the actuator&#39;s biasing member  168  is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism  16 , and thus the biasing member  168  does not urge the actuator linkage  158  back toward its lock position. Consequently, because the actuator linkage  158  is in this hold position and is not urged toward lock, the cam  142  and locking pins  18  also are not urged back toward lock. Rather, in this state ( FIG. 10 , for example) the biasing members  172  of the locking pins are tensioned, and the net bias when the actuator linkage  158  is moved beyond the over-center position  152  in this direction is to bias the locking members  18  toward the release (retracted) position. Such functionally of the locking mechanism  16  is discussed in further detail below in the context of the method of mounting and dismounting the plow assembly  10  from the vehicle mounting frame  76 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 7, 10 and 11 , an exemplary method of operating the locking mechanism  16  to mount or dismount the plow assembly  10  from the mounting frame  76  will be described in further detail. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 7 , the locking mechanism  16  is shown in an exemplary lock state. In the illustrated state, the lever  156  (e.g., foot pedal) of the actuator  128  is pivoted toward its lock position (e.g. counterclockwise in  FIG. 7 ), which has moved the actuator linkage  158  toward its lock position (e.g., toward the left in  FIG. 7 ). As shown, the connector  164  of the actuator linkage  158  has rotated about the axis  162  of the lever  156  beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position). In addition, the actuator linkage  158  has rotated the cam  142  about its rotational axis  162  (e.g. clockwise in  FIG. 7 ) via the connector  150   a . The respective connectors  150  of the cam  142  have slid axially in the elongated slots  154  of the locking pin linkages  140  to the respective end of the slots  154 , thereby driving the locking pin linkages  140  to move with the movement of the cam  142 . The locking pin linkages  140  connected to cam  142  simultaneously have moved the locking pins  18  along the transverse axis  130  to extend outwardly through the respective through-holes ( 132 ,  133 ,  138 ) in the receivers  118  and mounting brackets  116 . In this manner, the locking pins  18  engage the mounting brackets  116  of the vehicle mounting frame  76  along with the receivers  118  of the lift frame  28  to create an interference to the relative movement between the mounting brackets  116  and the lift frame  28 , thus securing the plow assembly  10  to the mounting frame  76 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, prior to actuating the locking mechanism  16  toward its release state for dismounting the plow assembly  10 , the operator may first pull down on the chain lift arm  60  to retract the lift cylinder  56 , thereby providing some slack on the chain  62  to facilitate dismounting of the plow assembly  10 . In addition, the operator may lower the stand  22  via the exemplary stand assembly  20 , and lock the stand  22  in place to support a portion of the plow assembly  10  for dismounting. 
     Turning to  FIG. 10 , the dismounting process may continue by actuating the locking mechanism  16  toward its release state. In the illustrated state in  FIG. 10 , the locking mechanism  16  is shown in an exemplary intermediate state between its lock state ( FIG. 7 ) and its release state ( FIG. 11 ), in which the locking pins  18  are loaded by the weight of the plow assembly  10  and are ready for automatic retraction to the release state. As shown in this intermediate state ( FIG. 10 ), the lever  156  of the actuator  128  is pivoted toward its release position (e.g. pivoted clockwise in  FIG. 10 ), which has moved the actuator linkage  158  toward its release position (e.g., toward the right in  FIG. 10 ). As shown, the connector  164  of the actuator linkage  158  has rotated about the axis  162  of the lever  156  beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., threshold position). In addition, the actuator linkage  158  has rotated the cam  142  about its rotational axis  146  (e.g. counterclockwise in  FIG. 10 ) via the connector  150   a . In this position, the actuator linkage  158  is in its hold state, in which the actuator&#39;s biasing member  168  is tensioned, yet the biasing force of the actuator&#39;s biasing member  168  is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism  16 , such that the actuator linkage  158  is not urged back toward its lock position (e.g., to rotate the cam  142  clockwise), rather the actuator linkage  158  is selectively held in place in this position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the respective connectors  150  of the cam  142  have simultaneously slid axially in the respective elongated slots  154  of the locking pin linkages  140  to the opposite end of the slots  154 . This tensions the biasing members  172  of the locking pins  18 , thereby generating a biasing force that urges the locking pins  18  to retract inwardly. However, because the locking pins  18  are loaded by the weight of the plow assembly  10  they are prevented from such retraction. In this manner, the ability to slide within the elongated slots  154  has provided a degree of slack to the movement of the locking pins  18  while placing them in a biased state that will enable automatic retraction once the load on the locking pins  18  is removed. Such feature avoids the forceful withdrawal of the locking pins  18  from the through-holes ( 132 ,  133 ,  138 ), which otherwise could wear the locking pins  18 , mounting brackets  116 , and/or lift frame receivers  118 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 11 , the locking mechanism  16  is shown in its exemplary release state with the snow plow assembly  10  dismounted from the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle  14 . Following from the intermediate (loaded) state described above with respect to  FIG. 10 , and prior to withdrawing the mounting frame brackets  116  from the lift frame receivers  118 , the operator may push on the lift frame  28  of the plow assembly  10  to relieve the load on the locking pins  18 . As noted above with respect to  FIG. 10 , the locking pins  18  are held in a loaded biased state due to the weight of the lift frame  28 , but once this load is sufficiently released, the bias caused by the lock pin biasing members  172  causes the locking pins  18  to automatically retract to their release positions (as shown in  FIG. 11 ). In this state ( FIG. 11 ), the locking pins  18  are moved axially inwardly to withdraw from at least the through-holes  133  in the outer receiver portions  124  and the through-holes  138  in the mounting brackets  116 . This retraction of the locking pins  18  clears the interference between the mounting brackets  116  and the lift frame receivers  118 , thereby permitting relative movement therebetween and releasable dismounting of the plow assembly  10  from the vehicle mounting frame  76 . After the locking pins  18  have been moved to their respective release positions and cleared away from interference with the mounting brackets  116 , the operator may activate the mount switch  74  to tilt the lift frame  28  forwardly to release the hooks  126  from the push bar  120  of the mounting frame  76 . The operator may then back the vehicle  14  away from the plow assembly  10  (as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example). 
     The procedure for mounting the plow assembly  10  to the vehicle  14  is essentially the reverse of the foregoing steps and will be described further below. Initially the operator may ensure that the lever  156  of the locking mechanism actuator  128  is in its release position and that the lock pins  18  are fully retracted from the gap between the inner and outer lift frame members  122 ,  124  that form the lift frame receivers  118 . Before driving the vehicle  14  to engage the lift frame  28 , the operator may activate the mount switch  74  to raise or lower the rear of the lift frame  28  to obtain the desired elevation of the lift frame hooks  126  relative to the elevation of the push bar  120 . The operator may then drive the vehicle  14  toward the lift frame  28  so that the push bar  120  engages with the hooks  126  of the lift frame  28  and the mounting brackets  116  are properly received within the mounting receivers  118 . The operator may further activate the mount switch  74  to drop the rear of the lift frame  28  to be supported on the push bar  120 . The operator also may push down on the chain lift arm  60  to retract the lift cylinder  56 , thereby creating slack on the lift chain  62  and facilitating ease of mounting. 
     After the foregoing mounting steps, the actuator lever  156  (e.g., foot pedal) may be moved toward its lock position as discussed above with reference to  FIG. 7 . As discussed above, the rotation of the lever  156  about its pivot axis  162  will move the actuator linkage  158  and rotate the cam  142  (e.g., clockwise in  FIG. 7 ) via the connector  150   a . As noted above, prior to moving the connection point of the actuator linkage  158  at the lever  156  (e.g., connector  164 ) beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., in the counterclockwise direction), the locking mechanism  16  is configured to provide a hold state that does not urge the actuator linkage  158  toward its lock position. Once the connector  164  of the actuator linkage  158  moves beyond the lever&#39;s over-center position  152  (e.g., counterclockwise), however, the actuator biasing member  168  is in a state of tension and the locking mechanism  16  is configured to cause the actuator linkage  158  to be urged via the biasing member  168  toward the lock position. This bias of the actuator linkage  158  thereby puts the locking pins  18  in a biased state toward their respective locking positions via the biasing force exerted by the actuator linkage  158  that drives the cam  142  in this direction. 
     During the locking process, if the through holes  132 ,  133  of the receivers  118  are not properly aligned with the through holes  138  of the mounting bracket  116 , the locking pins  18  may abut the side of the mounting bracket  116  and thus will be prevented from passing through the mounting bracket through-hole  138  to fully extend to their lock positions. However, because the locking pins  18  are in a state of being biased toward the lock position due to the bias on the actuator linkage  158  (as discussed above), the operator need only push on the lift frame  28  to align the through holes  132 ,  133 ,  138 , which once aligned will allow the locking pins to automatically extend through the aligned holes to the fully locked position. In this manner, the snow plow assembly  10  is mounted and secured to the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle  14 . The operator may then insert a snapper pin  174  to prevent unintended movement of the actuator lever  156  to the release position. The operator may then raise the stand  22  of the stand assembly  20  to an elevated position, and lock the stand  22  in place (as shown in  FIG. 3 , for example). In this manner, the snow plow assembly  10  may be fully supported by the mounting frame  76  of the vehicle and is ready for use. 
     An exemplary snow plow assembly having an exemplary mounting assembly including an exemplary locking mechanism has been described herein. In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism may be configured such that a locking member is biased toward a lock position when an actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward a release position when the actuator is moved in an opposite direction beyond the threshold position. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism may include a plurality of locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the actuator effects such simultaneous movement. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the snow plow assembly may include a stand assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when actuated to release the stand. 
     It is understood that although a preferred configuration of the exemplary snow plow assembly  10  including the exemplary locking mechanism  16  and/or the exemplary stand assembly  20  has been described and shown, it would be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that locking mechanism  16  and/or the exemplary stand assembly  20  designs could also be used with the present invention. For example, although the locking members are shown as locking pins that are linearly movable, other suitable locking members such as rotationally movable locking members may be employed. Likewise, although the locking mechanism includes a cam that translates linear movement of the actuator to rotational movement of the cam, which translates this rotational movement to linear movement of the pins, other suitable configurations of the actuator and locking members may be employed, such as wholly or predominantly linear motion of each of the locking members and/or actuator, or such as wholly or predominantly rotational motion of each of the locking members and/or actuator, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, although the threshold position is shown as an over-center position of the lever, other suitable threshold positions may be utilized depending on the configuration of the locking mechanism, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. The invention is not limited to any particular snow plow assembly design, but rather is appropriate for a wide variety of commercially-available snow plow assemblies. Furthermore, although the principles and aspects of the present invention have particular application to snow plow assemblies, it is understood that such principles and aspects may be applicable to other plow assemblies in general, or to other vehicle mounted or machine accessories. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with an automatic locking feature for securely mounting the plow assembly to a vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in one direction, and has an automatic unlocking feature for releasably dismounting the plow assembly from the vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in another direction. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame configured to be mounted to a mounting frame of a vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, the actuator being operatively coupled to the locking member and configured to selectively move the locking member between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle, and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the mounting frame; wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that the locking member is biased toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward the release position when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame having laterally spaced apart first and second receivers configured to receive corresponding first and second mounting brackets of a mounting frame of a vehicle for enabling the snow plow frame to be mounted to the vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism including: a first locking member configured to interface with the first receiver of the snow plow frame; a second locking member configured to interface with the second receiver of the snow plow frame; and an actuator operatively coupled to both the first and second locking members, wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective lock positions for securing the first and second receivers to the respective first and second mounting brackets thereby mounting the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle; and wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective release positions for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets to be removed from the first and second receivers thereby enabling dismounting of the snow plow frame from the mounting frame of the vehicle. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when a stand locking mechanism is actuated to release the stand, and in which the stand is locked in position to support at least part of the snow plow frame when the stand locking mechanism is actuated to lock the stand. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly includes: a snow plow frame; a stand assembly operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand assembly including: a stand that is axially moveable relative to the snow plow frame between a lower position in which the stand engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the snow plow frame, and an upper position in which the stand is elevated above the ground; and a stand locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the locking member and is configured to move the locking member between a lock position in which the locking member engages and secures the stand in either the upper or lower position, and a release position in which the locking member disengages from the stand to allow the stand to freely move between the upper and lower positions. 
     Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the foregoing aspects, separately or in any combination, which may be combined with one or more of the following additional features, which may be added separately or in any combination. 
     In some embodiments, the locking member further includes a first biasing member operatively coupled to the actuator, the locking mechanism being configured such that the first biasing member urges the actuator to move the locking member toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in the first direction beyond the threshold position. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a second biasing member operatively coupled to the locking member, the locking mechanism being configured such that the second biasing member urges the locking member toward the release position when the actuator is moved in the second direction beyond the threshold position. 
     In some embodiments, the locking member is configured as a locking pin that is configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through a hole in the frame to engage or disengage from the mounting frame. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a locking pin linkage operatively coupled to the locking pin and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pin. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby moving the locking pin linkage which moves the locking pin linearly between the lock and release positions. 
     In some embodiments, movement of the actuator in the first direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin outwardly away from the cam and toward the lock position. 
     In some embodiments, movement of the actuator in the second direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin inwardly toward the cam and toward the release position. 
     In some embodiments, the threshold position is an over-center position of the lever. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage that is connected to the lever via a connector at a position offset from a center of rotation of the lever. 
     In some embodiments, movement of the actuator linkage in the first direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the first direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever, the first biasing member is activated to automatically urge the actuator linkage further in the first direction, thereby rotating the cam further in the first rotational direction, which biases the locking pin via the locking pin linkage toward the lock position. 
     In some embodiments, movement of the actuator linkage in the second direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the second direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever to a hold position in which the biasing force of the first biasing member is negated, and the second biasing member is activated to urge the locking pin toward the release position. 
     In some embodiments, the locking pin linkage includes a slot through which a connector of the cam is slidably received for driving the locking pin linkage and thereby the locking pin. 
     In some embodiments, the locking pin linkage includes a stop that restricts movement beyond a certain point when the actuator is moved in the second direction. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a second locking pin operatively coupled to a second locking pin linkage which is operatively coupled to the cam, in which rotational movement of the cam causes simultaneous linear movement of both the first locking pin and second locking pin. 
     In some embodiments, the locking members are each configured as locking pins that are each configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through respective hole in the first and second receivers to engage or disengage from the respective first and second mounting brackets. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes respective locking pin linkages operatively coupled to the locking pins and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pins. 
     In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby simultaneously moving the locking pin linkages which simultaneously moves the locking pins linearly between the lock and release positions. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam. 
     In some embodiments, the actuator of the stand assembly is linearly moveable along a first axis, and the locking member of the stand assembly is linearly movable along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. 
     As used herein, an “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one in which the entities are connected in such a way that the entities may perform as intended. An operable connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection in which an intermediate entity or entities cooperate or otherwise are part of the connection or are in between the operably connected entities. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.