Patent Abstract:
A snow removal machine of this invention has a machine body, a snow removing section mounted on the machine body for removing snow while the snow removal machine travels along a ground surface, and a running section mounted on the machine body for undergoing movement to cause the snow removal machine to travel along the ground surface. An engine is mounted on the machine body for driving the snow removing section. An oil filler supplies oil to the engine. A fuel cock opens and closes a fuel line supply to the engine. A spark plug ignites a fuel mixture within the engine. A cover has a first cover portion and a second cover portion. A connecting structure connects the second cover portion to the first cover portion to cover the engine, the oil filler, the fuel cock and the spark plug and allows disconnection of the second cover portion from the first cover portion to expose and provide access to the engine, the oil filler, the fuel cock and the spark plug.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to snow removal machines provided at the front of the body with a snow removing section such as an auger for removing snow. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A known snow removal machine with of an auger is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-64-21108. This snow removal machine will be described with reference to FIG.  12 . 
     A conventional snow removal machine  200  shown in FIG. 12 includes a machine body  201 , an engine  202  provided on the machine body  201 , a cover  203  covering the engine  202 , an auger  204  and a blower  205  provided at the front of the machine body  201  and driven by the engine  202 , and a crawler-type running section  206  driven by the engine  202 . The snow removal machine  200  travels forward while collecting snow with the auger  204 , whirling up the collected snow with the blower  205 , and throwing the snow away to a desired position with a chute  207 . 
     An oil filler, a fuel cock for opening and closing a fuel line, a spark plug for igniting a fuel mixture in a cylinder and a battery for providing electric current to the spark plug are provided around the engine  202 . These components are covered by the cover  203  because, if left bared, they can be adversely affected by snow, drops of water and the like. 
     The oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery receive frequent maintenance. To facilitate the maintenance of those components, although not shown in FIG. 12, an opening is actually formed in the cover  203  in a position corresponding to the disposed position of the components and a door is openably and closably provided at the opening. The door is opened for the maintenance of the oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery. 
     Components of the oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery, however, are provided all around the engine  202 . It is necessary to attach a door at the position of each component, resulting in a plurality of doors attached to the cover  203 . The number of components of the cover  203  is thus increased, resulting in time-consuming assembly of the cover  203 , which prevents cost reduction of the snow removal machine. 
     It is required to open and close the doors when maintenance of the components of the oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery is done. Opening and closing the doors are troublesome. In this context, there is a demand for a snow removal machine which facilitates maintenance of components such as an oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery and can reduce the number of components of a cover. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a snow removal machine, which comprises: a machine body; a snow removing section provided at a front portion of the machine body; a blower provided between the machine body and the snow removing section; a running section provided below the machine body; an engine mounted to the machine body for driving the snow removing section and the blower; an oil filler, a fuel cock for opening and closing a fuel line, a spark plug for igniting a fuel mixture within a cylinder and a battery for providing electric current to the spark plug which are disposed around the engine; and a cover comprising an upper cover portion for covering the engine, oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery, and a lower cover portion on which the upper cover portion is removably mounted; the upper cover portion being adapted to be removed from the lower cover portion thereby to expose the oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery. 
     In this invention, as described above, the cover is split into two segments, the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion, and the upper cover portion covers the engine, oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery, which components are exposed by removing the upper cover portion. With this configuration, only removing the upper cover portion from the lower cover portion allows the oil filler, fuel cock, spark plug and battery to be easily exposed, facilitating maintenance of those components. The configuration of splitting the cover into two segments, the upper and lower cover portions, eliminates the need for providing conventionally required maintenance doors at the cover. The number of components of the cover can thus be reduced for a simplified configuration. 
     The snow removal machine in this invention preferably further comprises: an oil drain hole provided at the engine; a drain pipe extended substantially horizontally from the oil drain hole in a transverse direction of the machine body; a drain plug removably fitted to an end of the drain pipe, the end of the drain pipe being protruded outside of a sidewall of the lower cover portion; an oil receiver formed at the lower cover portion in a position below the drain pipe for receiving oil turning around the end of the drain pipe to a periphery of the drain pipe; and a retaining hollow formed with the oil receiver and the lower cover portion for fitting a harness thereinto for retaining. 
     The drain plug can be removed from the outside of the cover without removing the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion. The formation of the oil receiver at the lower cover portion below the drain pipe allows the oil receiver to receive engine oil turning around the end of the drain pipe to the periphery. In addition, the formation of the retaining hollow with the oil receiver and the bottom surface of the lower cover portion and the fitting of a wire harness into the retaining hollow for retaining the wire harness allow members used for a component retaining a wire harness to be also used for an oil receiver. 
     The oil receiver preferably has a discharge opening formed in a bottom thereof for discharging the oil outside. Engine oil collected in the oil receiver can be easily discharged outside of the cover without removing the cover. 
     The snow removal machine in the present invention, more preferably, further comprises: a blower housing for enclosing the blower disposed at the front portion of the machine body; and a mount provided on an upper portion of the blower housing for mounting the battery; the upper cover portion being configured to extend forward so as to cover the battery mounted on the mount and the blower housing. 
     The battery is thus covered by the cover to prevent snow or rain from reaching the battery. The upper portion of the blower housing can also be covered by the cover to prevent outside leakage of frictional noise of air produced by rotation of the blower. The battery and the blower housing are covered by the upper cover portion extending forward of the machine body. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snow removal machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the snow removal machine shown in FIG. 1 with a cover removed; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the cover of the snow removal machine shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the snow removal machine, illustrating the mounted state of a battery disposed in front of an engine and provided on an upper portion of a blower housing; 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the mounting of an upper cover portion to a lower cover portion shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the state in which the upper cover portion of the cover shown in FIG. 3 is removed and the engine, an oil filler, a spark plug and the battery are exposed; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view taken from the opposite side of the side view of FIG. 6, illustrating the state in which the upper cover portion is removed as in FIG. 6 and a fuel line and a fuel cock are exposed; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of a snow removal machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention with an upper cover portion removed; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the mounted state of a drain pipe extended from an oil drain hole shown in FIG. 8 to a lower cover portion; 
     FIG. 10 is a view taken in the direction of arrow  10  in FIG. 9, illustrating the mounted state of a wire harness; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the state in which an oil pan for receiving oil is disposed below an end of the drain pipe; and 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a conventional snow removal machine. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 to  7  illustrate a snow removal machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     A snow removal machine  10  shown in FIG. 1 includes a machine body  11 . The machine body  11  is made by a transmission case. Left and right drive electric motors  12  (only the left electric motor is shown) are mounted to lower left and right portions of the machine body  11 . A running section  13  is connected to the left and right electric motors  12 . An engine (drive source)  14  for snow removal is mounted on top of the machine body  11 . An auger unit (snow removing section)  15  driven by the engine  14  is mounted to the front of the machine body  11 . The rear of the auger unit  15  and the engine  14  are covered by a cover  20 . Left and right operating handles  17 ,  18  extend rearward upward from upper portions of the machine body  11 . An operating panel  19  is mounted between the left and right operating handles  17 ,  18 . 
     The above snow removal machine  10  is a self-propelled walk-behind working machine lead by an operator holding grips  17   a ,  18   a  of the left and right operating handles  17 ,  18 , waling behind the operating panel  19 . 
     The running section  13  consists of a left running unit  30  provided outside the left electric motor  12  and a right running unit (not shown) provided outside the right electric motor (not shown). The right running unit has the same configuration as the left running unit  30  and will not be described. 
     The left running unit  30  has a left drive wheel  31  connected to the left electric motor  12 , a left idler wheel  32  provided rotatably behind the left drive wheel  31 , and a left crawler belt  33  running between the left drive wheel  31  and the left idler wheel  32 . The left crawler belt  33  is rotated by driving the left drive wheel  31  with the left electric motor  12 . 
     The snow removal machine  10  travels by rotating the left and right crawler belts  33  of the running section  13  with the left and right electric motors  12  while driving the auger unit  15  with the engine  14 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the side of the snow removal machine  10 , showing the removed cover  20  in imaginary lines. 
     The auger unit  15  includes a blower housing  35  provided at a front portion  11   a  of the machine body  11  and an auger housing  37  provided at a front portion  36  of the blower housing  35 . 
     A drive shaft  38  extends forward from the engine  14 , passing through the blower housing  35 , and extending into the auger housing  37 . A blower  40  disposed within the blower housing  35  is mounted on a middle portion of the drive shaft  38 . A distal end portion  39  of the drive shaft  38  is connected to a power transmission  43  disposed in the transverse center. Left and right auger shafts  45 ,  46  (see FIG. 1 for the right auger shaft  46 ) extend left and right, respectively, from the power transmission  43 . Left and right augers  48 ,  49  are mounted on the left and right auger shafts  45 ,  46  (see FIG. 1 for the right auger  49 ). 
     The engine  14  is a vertical engine with a crankshaft  25  extended in a vertical direction. The power of the engine  14  is transmitted via an auger driving mechanism  26  housed in the machine body (transmission case)  11  to the drive shaft  38 . 
     The engine  14  is disposed in a manner that a cylinder  59  in which a piston (not shown) reciprocates is oriented rearward. A front surface  27   a  of a crankcase  27  housing the crankshaft  25  is adjacent to the rear of the auger unit  15 , that is, a rear surface  35   c  of the blower housing  35 . 
     The drive shaft  38  is rotated by drive of the engine  14  and the blower  40  is rotated by rotation of the drive shaft  38 . The left and right auger shafts  45 ,  46  are rotated via the power transmission  43 . The left and right augers  48 ,  49  are rotated by the rotation of the left and right auger shafts  45 ,  46 . 
     In this state, the snow removal machine  10  advances, digging the left and right augers  48 ,  49  into snow to break the snow, and raking the broken snow with the left and right augers  48 ,  49  into the transverse center. The raked snow is whirled up by the blower  40  and thrown through a chute  53  provided on an upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35  to a desired position. 
     The cover  20  is split into an upper cover portion  21  and a lower cover portion  22 . 
     The upper cover portion  21  covers the engine  14 , the upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35 , an oil filler  55  of the engine  14 , a fuel cock  58  (see FIG. 7) for opening and closing a fuel line  57  (see FIG.  7 ), a spark plug  60  for igniting a fuel mixture in the cylinder  59 , and a battery  61  for providing electric current to the spark plug  60 . The oil filler  55 , fuel cock  58 , spark plug  60  and battery  61  receive routine maintenance. The oil filler  55  is usually closed with a cap  56 . Portions of the engine  14  and the mounting structure comprised of the mount  90  and the receptacle  91  described below define a support section of the snow removal machine disposed generally around the engine  14  for supporting the corresponding oil filler  55 , fuel cock  58 , spark plug  60  and battery  61 . 
     Routine-maintenance components such as the oil filler  55 , fuel cock  58 , spark plug  60  and battery  61  are exposed by removing the upper cover portion  21  from the lower cover portion  22 . 
     At the lower cover portion  22 , a drain plug  62  (nonroutine-maintenance component) for draining engine oil is provided. 
     To change the engine oil, with the upper cover portion  21  removed, a tool is inserted through the gap between the lower cover portion  22  and the engine  14  to remove the drain plug  62  from an oil case  63 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the cover  20  shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The lower cover portion  22  has a dish-like shape consisting of a bottom  64  formed with an opening  65 , front, rear, left and right sidewalls  66 ,  67 ,  68  and  69  raised from the front, rear, left and right of the bottom  64  (see FIG. 6 for the left sidewall  68 ). The sidewalls  66 ,  67 ,  68  and  69  have an upper edge  71  formed with a groove. A sealant  73  is put in the groove. Left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  as first connecting members (see FIG. 7 for the right catching claw  76 ) are provided in the vicinities of the front edges of the left and right sidewalls  68 ,  69 . 
     The bottom  64  of the lower cover portion  22  is placed on an upper portion  11   b  of the machine body  11 . The bottom  64  is secured to the upper portion  11   b  of the machine body  11  with a plurality of bolts  77  and nuts  78 . 
     The upper cover portion  21  is a member formed in a ship-bottom-like shape and inverted to direct an opening  80  downward. A lower edge  81  is placed on the upper edge  71  of the lower cover portion  22 . A front end portion  82  of the upper cover portion  21  abuts on the auger housing  37 . Left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  as second connecting members (see FIG. 7 for the right rubber band  87 ) provided at left and right sidewalls  83 ,  84  of the upper cover portion  21  are caught by the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  on the lower cover portion  22 . By this construction, the rubber bands and the catching claws define connecting means for removably connecting, the upper cover portion  21  to the lower cover portion  22 . 
     The left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  are elastically deformable members. The left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  are caught by the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  in elastically deformed states. Under the elastic forces of the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87 , the lower edge  81  of the upper cover portion  21  is pressed against the upper edge  71  of the lower cover portion  22 . The lower edge  81  of the upper cover portion  21  and the upper edge  71  of the lower cover portion  22  are hermetically sealed by the sealant  73 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the mounting of the battery  61  to the blower housing  35 . 
     The battery  61  is mounted on a receptacle  91  placed on a mount  90  which is provided on a right upper portion  35   a  of the blower housing  35 . The battery  61  is secured to the mount  90  with a fastening means  92 . A front portion  85  of the upper cover portion  21  of the cover  20  provided on the machine body  11  (see FIG. 3) is extended forward to cover the battery  61  and the upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35  with the upper cover front portion  85 . 
     The fastening means  92  includes, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, front and rear stays  93 ,  94  attached to the front and rear of the mount  90  with a plurality of bolts  95 , and a band  98  extended between front and rear hooks  96 ,  97  formed at upper end portions of the front and rear stays  93 ,  94 . The band  98  presses an upper portion  61   a  of the battery  61  to secure the battery  61  on the mount  90 . 
     A connecting member  101  for mounting a light  107  above the battery  61  is attached to the upper end portions of the front and rear stays  93 ,  94  with a plurality of bolts  102 . A support bracket  104  for supporting the light  107  is secured to an upper surface  101   a  of the connecting member  101 . The light  107  is secured to left and right bent portions  105 ,  106  (see FIG. 7 for the right bent portion  106 ) of the support bracket  104  with bolts  108 ,  108  in a vertically swingable manner. 
     The light  107  is covered by a light cover  88  integrally formed with the upper cover front portion  85  with the upper cover portion  21  secured to the lower cover portion  22  (see FIG.  3 ). 
     The connecting member  101  is formed in a substantially U shape with a front bent portion  101   b , the upper surface  101   a  and a rear bent portion  101   c  (see FIGS.  6  and  7 ). 
     The connecting member  101  is secured to the front and rear stays  93 ,  94  shown in FIG. 6 with the bolts  102  so that the front stay  93  and the front bent portion  101   b  of the connecting member  101  protect a front portion  61   b  of the battery  61 , and the rear stay  94  and the rear bent portion  101   c  of the connecting member  101  protect a rear portion  61   c  of the battery  61  (see FIGS.  6  and  7 ). The upper portion  61   a  of the battery  61  is protected by the upper surface  101   a  of the connecting member  101 . 
     The chute  53  penetrates through a through hole  89  formed in the upper cover front portion  85  of the upper cover portion  21 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the battery  61  mounted on the right upper portion  35   a  of the blower housing  35  and the upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35  are covered by the upper cover front portion  85  extending forward of the machine body  11 . The battery  61  is thus covered by the upper cover front portion  85  to prevent snow or water from reaching the battery  61 , thereby to protect the battery  61  with the upper cover front portion  85 . The upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35  is covered by the upper cover front portion  85  to prevent outside leakage of frictional noise of air due to the rotation of the blower  40  (see FIG.  2 ). 
     In this manner, the cover  20  covers, at the upper cover front portion  85 , the battery  61  and the upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35  in addition to the engine  14 . This eliminates the need for individually preparing a cover for the battery  61  and a cover for the upper portion  35   b  of the blower housing  35 , reducing the number of components. Covering the engine  14  with the cover  20  can prevent outside leakage of operating sound produced by the engine  14 . 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the rubber band  86  and the catching claw  75  for securing the upper cover portion  21  to the lower cover portion  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5A, the lower edge  81  of the upper cover portion  21  is placed on the upper edge  71  of the lower cover portion  22  as shown by arrows a, and then the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  (see FIG. 7 for the right rubber band  87 ) are held between fingers and pulled as shown by arrow b to be elastically deformed. 
     Referring to FIG. 5B, respective ones of a plurality of holes  89  formed in the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  are fitted onto the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  (see FIG. 7 for the right catching claw  76 ) provided on the lower cover portion  22 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5B, the middle holes  89  of the holes  89  in the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  are fitted onto the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  on the lower cover portion  22 . In this manner, the upper cover portion  21  is secured to the lower cover portion  22 . 
     When removing the upper cover portion  21  from the lower cover portion  22 , the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  are held between fingers and pulled to be elastically deformed. Under this state, the holes  89 ,  89  of the left and right rubber bands  75 ,  76  are disengaged from the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  on the lower cover portion  22 . With this, the upper cover portion  21  is removed from the lower cover portion  22 . 
     Thus only fitting or disengaging the holes  89 ,  89  of the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  onto or from the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  on the lower cover portion  22  is required, resulting in easy mounting and demounting of the upper cover portion  21  on or from the lower cover portion  22  without trouble. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the upper cover portion  21  is removed from the lower cover portion  22  to expose the oil filler  55 , fuel cock  58  (see FIG.  7 ), spark plug  60  and battery  61 . The fuel cock  58  will be described in detail with FIG.  7 . 
     The oil filler  55  is closed with the cap  56 . When supplying engine oil, the cap  56  is removed to open the oil filler  55 , and engine oil is supplied through the oil filler  55 . 
     For the spark plug  60 , it is preferable to increase the frequency of maintenance for good ignition of a fuel mixture in the cylinder  59 . 
     For the battery  61 , it is preferable to increase the frequency of maintenance to ensure a required amount of electrolyte for good charge. 
     For these reasons, the oil filler  55 , spark plug  60  and battery  61  are configured to be exposed by removing the upper cover portion  21  from the lower cover portion  22 . Only removing the upper cover portion  21  from the lower cover portion allows the oil filler  55 , spark plug  60  and battery  61  to be easily exposed, enabling easy maintenance of those routine-maintenance components  55 ,  60  and  61  without trouble. 
     The configuration of splitting the cover  20  into two segments, the upper and lower cover portions  21 ,  22 , eliminates the need for providing conventionally required doors for maintenance at the cover  20 . The number of components of the cover  20  can thus be reduced for a simplified configuration. 
     The drain plug  62  (nonroutine-maintenance component) is provided below the engine  14  housed in the lower cover portion  22 . When changing the engine oil, with the upper cover portion  21  removed, a tool is inserted through the gap between the lower cover portion  22  and the engine  14  to remove the drain plug  62  from the oil case  63 . 
     The fuel cock  58  shown in FIG. 7 is exposed by removing the upper cover portion  21  from the lower cover portion  22 . The fuel cock  58  is provided on a middle portion of the fuel line  57  connecting the fuel tank  110  to a carburetor  111 , for example. 
     By closing the fuel cock  58 , the fuel tank  110  is disconnected from the carburetor  111 . By opening the fuel cock  58 , the fuel tank  110  is connected to the carburetor  111 . A filter  112  is provided on a middle portion of the fuel line  57 . 
     The fuel cock  58  is preferably closed when the snow removal machine  10  is not in use. When the snow removal machine  10  is used or not used for long hours (long period), it is required to open or close the fuel cock  58  on each occasion, resulting in frequent opening and closing operations. Only removing the upper cover portion  21 , the fuel cock  58  (routine-maintenance component) can be easily opened and closed without trouble. 
     The air filter  112  connected to the carburetor  111  also receives frequent maintenance. The air filter  113  is also provided in such a manner as to be housed in the upper cover portion  21 , so that only removing the upper cover portion  21  allows easy maintenance of the air filter  113  without trouble. 
     Now a snow removal machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to  11 . Components in the second embodiment identical to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates the snow removal machine in the second embodiment with an upper cover portion removed. 
     From an oil drain hole  118  (see FIG. 9) provided in an oil case of an engine, a drain pipe  120  is substantially horizontally extended in a transverse direction of a machine body  11 . An end  121  of the drain pipe  120  is protruded outside of a left sidewall (sidewall)  23  of a lower cover portion  22 . A drain plug  122  is removably fitted to the end  121  of the drain pipe  120 . 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the mounted state of the drain pipe  120  shown in FIG.  8 . 
     Referring to FIG. 9, from the oil drain hole  118  formed in the oil case  63  of the engine  14 , the drain pipe  120  is substantially horizontally extended in a transverse direction of the machine body  11  (see FIG.  8 ), specifically, leftward. 
     An opening  23   a  is formed in the left sidewall  23   a  of the lower cover portion  22 . The end  121  of the horizontally extending drain pipe  120  is protruded from the opening  23   a  to the outside of the lower cover portion  22 . The drain plug  122  is removably fitted to the end  121  of the drain pipe  120  protruded from the opening  23   a.    
     An oil receiver  125  receives an engine oil  124  (see FIG. 11) turning around the end  121  of the drain pipe  120  to a periphery  12   a  of the drain pipe  120 . The oil receiver  125  is integrally formed on a bottom surface  24  of the lower cover portion  22  to be located below the drain pipe  120 . 
     More specifically, a leg  126  is raised at a substantially middle position between the sidewall  23  of the lower cover portion  22  and the oil case  63 , a horizontal portion  127  is extended from the top  126   a  of the leg  126  toward the oil case  63  in parallel with the bottom surface  24 , and an end partition  128  is raised on an edge of the horizontal portion  127 . 
     A front partition  128   a  is provided substantially in a crank shape extending from a front edge portion  128   a  of the end partition  128  along the horizontal portion  127 , leg  126  and bottom surface  24 . A rear partition  132  is provided in a crank shape extending from a rear edge portion  128   b  of the end partition  128  along the horizontal portion  127 , leg  126  and bottom surface  24 . 
     The oil receiver  125  is a pan formed in a crank shape, including the front and rear partitions  131 ,  132 , end partition  128 , left sidewall  23 , bottom  24   a  (bottom surface  24  of the lower cover  22 ), leg  126  and horizontal portion  127 . The bottom  24   a  is a portion of the bottom surface  24  enclosed by the front and rear partitions  131 ,  132 , leg  126  and left sidewall  23 . 
     A discharge opening  137  for discharging the engine oil  124  (see FIG. 11) outside the lower cover portion  22  is formed in the bottom surface  24  of the lower cover portion  22  as a component of the oil receiver  125 . 
     The front and rear partitions  131 ,  132  and the end partition  128  of the oil receiver  125  have the function of reinforcing the leg  126  and the horizontal portion  127 . 
     A U-shaped support groove  133  is formed in the end partition  128 . The drain pipe  120  is put on the support grove  133  for supporting the drain pipe  120  on the end partition  131 . 
     The leg  126  and the horizontal portion  127  of the oil receiver  125  and the bottom surface  24  of the lower cover portion  22  form an retaining hollow  134 . The retaining hollow  134  is for fitting a wire harness  135  thereinto. The wire harness  135  is a bundle of wires for connecting electrical components such as the battery  61  and the light  107  (see FIG. 8) provided at the front of the snow removal machine  10  to operating switches and the like provided at the rear of the snow removal machine  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the space S between the oil case  63  and the end partition  128  is formed greater than the outside diameter D of the wire harness  135 . Before mounting the drain pipe  120  to the oil case  63 , the wire harness  135  can be inserted from between the oil case  63  and the end partition  128  into the retaining hollow  134 . 
     An outermost sidewall  28  of the lower cover portion  22  protrudes outward from the sidewall  23  of the lower cover portion  22  by a distance L. The outermost sidewall  28  has the function of eaves, covering the drain plug  122 . The drain plug  122  is protected from rain and snow by the outermost sidewall  28  serving as eaves. 
     As shown in FIG. 11, the drain pipe  120  extends from the oil drain hole  118  toward the left sidewall  23  of the lower cover portion  22 . The end  121  of the drain pipe  120  protrudes outward of the left sidewall  23  of the lower cover portion  22 . The drain plug  122  is removably fitted to the end  121 . The drain plug  122  can thus be removed from the outside of the cover  20  (see FIG. 8) without removing the upper cover portion  21  (see FIG. 8) and the lower cover portion  22 . 
     An oil pan  138  is placed below the end  121  of the drain pipe  120 . The engine oil  124  runs out of the drain pipe  120  as shown by arrows c, discharged into the oil pan  138 . 
     Since the oil receiver  125  is formed on the lower cover portion  22  below the drain pipe  120 , when the drain plug  122  is removed to drain the engine oil  124 , part of the engine oil  124  turning around the end  121  of the drain pipe  120  to the periphery  120   a  is received on the oil receiver  125  as shown by arrows d. The oil receiver  125  prevents the engine oil  124  from spreading within the lower cover portion  22 . 
     Since the discharge opening  137  is formed in the bottom  24   a  of the oil receiver  125 , the engine oil  124  received on the oil receiver  125  is discharged through the discharge opening  137  into the oil pan  138  as shown by an arrow e without removing the cover  20 . 
     The wire harness  135  is fitted into the retaining hollow  134  formed by the oil receiver  125  and the bottom surface  24  of the lower cover portion  22  to be retained. Member used for retaining the wire harness  135  can also be used for the oil receiver  125 , leading to a simplified configuration. 
     Although the above embodiments have been described with an example of engaging the left and right rubber bands  86 ,  87  with the left and right catching claws  75 ,  76  for securing the upper cover portion  21  to the lower cover portion  22 , the present invention is not limited thereto. Other engaging means such as hooks may alternatively be used. 
     The upper cover portion  21  and the lower cover portion  22  shown in the above embodiments may have any shapes. 
     The above embodiments have been described on the snow removal machine  10  provided with the auger unit  15  exemplifying a snow removing section, which is not limiting. The present invention is also applicable to snow removal machines with a snow-removing bulldozer. In this case, an engine is used in place of electric motors for the drive source of the running section  13 . 
     Obviously, various minor changes and modifications of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teaching. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4