Patent ID: 8011120

Claim:
A snow removal machine comprising: a. a frame; b. a least one handle member, wherein said at least one handle member is engaged with said frame; c. a housing, wherein said housing is connected to a portion of said frame, and wherein said housing is formed with a forward opening; d. at least one precipitation engaging member, wherein said at least one precipitation engaging member is positioned within said housing and rotatable with respect thereto; e. a motor, wherein said motor is operably engaged with said at least one precipitation engaging member; f. a material dispenser mounted to said snow removal machine, wherein said material dispenser comprises: i. a container, wherein said container is formed with a material slot therein adjacent a bottom portion of said container; ii. a slide gate, wherein said slide gate is engaged with said container such that said slide gate is operable to restrict flow of a treatment material out of said container through said material slot; iii. a broadcaster, wherein said broadcaster is pivotally mounted with respect to said container adjacent and below said slide gate; iv. a broadcaster actuator, wherein said broadcast actuator is cooperatively engaged with said broadcaster such that actuating said broadcast actuator causes said broadcaster to actuate; v. a plurality of broadcaster walls, wherein said plurality of broadcaster walls is formed on the top side of said broadcaster; vi. an agitator, wherein said agitator and said broadcaster are pivotally mounted with respect to said container about a common axis of rotation, and wherein said agitator is positioned on the interior of said container adjacent said material slot; vii. a ratchet ring, wherein said ratchet ring is formed on the bottom of said broadcaster, and wherein said ratchet ring includes a plurality of teeth; viii. an actuation member, wherein said actuation member is pivotally mounted to said container about said common axis of rotation, wherein said actuation member includes an attachment arm, wherein a pawl is pivotally engaged with said attachment arm, and wherein said actuation member is positioned adjacent said ratchet ring such that said pawl may engage said plurality of teeth; ix. a broadcaster actuator cable, wherein a first end of said broadcaster actuator cable is affixed to said broadcaster actuator, wherein a second end of said broadcaster actuator cable is affixed to said attachment arm of said actuation member such that actuating said broadcaster actuator causes said actuation member to rotate; and x. a return spring, wherein said return spring acts upon said actuation member such that the biasing force of said return spring causes said actuation member to rotate to a resting position, during which rotation said pawl moves past at least two teeth of said plurality of teeth.