Patent ID: 6860040

Claim:
In a snow plow having a snow plow frame for installation at the front of a vehicle, a shock-absorbing structure for cushioning the impact between a snow plow blade and a snow plow frame which supports the snow plow blade therefrom at a limit of movement of said snow plow blade, said shock-absorbing structure comprising: a blade support frame member having right and left ends, said blade support frame member being supported by the snow plow frame which is mounted at the front of the vehicle; said blade support frame member including blade mounting members which are fixedly mounted adjacent said right and left ends of said blade support frame member, respectively, said blade mounting members each defining a pivot point; a snow plow blade having a frame comprising vertically oriented mounting ribs, each of said mounting ribs defining a pivot point; connecting members used to pivotally connect corresponding ones of said mounting ribs to said blade mounting members, said snow plow blade being pivotable between a blade return position and a blade tripped position; blade biasing members which urge said snow plow blade from said blade tripped position to said blade return position; and a plurality of cushion stops mounted on one of said blade support frame member and said snow plow blade, said cushion stops being contacted by the other of said blade support frame member and said snow plow blade as said snow plow blade pivots prior to reaching at least one of said blade tripped position and said blade return position, said cushion stops thus absorbing a substantial portion of the impact force which would otherwise be transferred to said blade support frame member.