Patent ID: 6931771

Claim:
An apparatus for removing snow comprising a housing for collecting snow to be removed, a powered impeller for receiving snow from a front opening of the housing and projecting the snow upwardly, a discharge chute at a rear of the housing for receiving the snow from the impeller and providing a passage for the snow to an outer end of the discharge chute, said discharge chute having a base section mounted adjacent the impeller, and an upper chute section pivotally mounted to an upper end of the base chute section about a generally horizontal pivot at a forward side of the base chute section, the base chute section upper end being spaced above the housing, said upper chute section forming an extension of the base chute section in a working position, and being foldable downwardly about the pivot, an outer end of the upper chute section when folded downwardly being below an upper edge of the housing, a support saddle on the upper chute section that engages an upper edge portion of the housing when the upper chute section is in a downwardly folded position for storage, and a spring for providing a force urging the upper chute section to seat on the base chute section when in the working position, and said spring being attached between the base chute section and the upper chute section such that the line of force of the spring goes over center relative to the horizontal pivot as the upper chute section folds to the downwardly folded position for storage whereby the spring then exerts a force urging an outer end of the upper chute section toward the upper edge portion of the housing.