Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/623,854, filed Jan. 17, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,016, which and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/766,469, filed Jan. 20, 2006, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   I. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to apparatus for use in snow removal and management, and more particularly to a snow pusher which allows increased accumulation of snow in front of a snow plow during operation while inhibiting lateral spillage of snow from the ends of the plow. 
   II. Discussion of the Prior Art 
   In the past, the standard implement used on work vehicles in the snow removal industry has been a straight blade, angle-type plow. This type of implement is extremely useful in clearing surfaces by primarily displacing snow laterally a short distance to one side of the blade. However, in certain situations it is advantageous to move larger amounts of snow a greater distance and to move it forward rather than sideways. This is especially true when areas designated for snow storage are not directly adjacent to the areas being plowed. Plowing a road or other surface that is contiguous to intersecting private driveways is an example of this type of situation. Once the snow on a road or other surface has been angle-plowed to a location close to the intersecting driveways, it is desirable to capture, contain, and relocate the plowed snow rather than to leave a windrow of snow at the entrance to each intersecting driveway. 
   To accomplish this type of task persons previously have used devices which primarily push snow forward. These devices are generally vehicles with containment members having forward facing openings which are mounted to the front of work vehicles. Existing snow pusher devices typically make use of some type of forwardly projecting panels on their sides to help prevent spillage of snow from either end of the plow and thereby to allow a greater amount of snow to be contained and transported to a desired location. Specifically, some previous attempts at capturing and containing plowed snow include pusher box designs, immobile or slightly mobile sides attached to a straight blade plow, and powered V shaped plows. 
   Pusher boxes are forward facing attachments which are joined to the front of work vehicles. While these boxes do provide an enhanced ability to relocate large amounts of snow, there are many drawbacks. First, these pusher boxes have the disadvantage of being stationary and non-angling. Therefore, the pusher box can only relocate snow forward in the direction of the vehicle&#39;s travel and cannot “plow” snow laterally across a surface. Second, this type of device is not designed to be convertible between plowing and pushing operations. For most snow removal jobs, in order to effectively remove snow from a given area a pusher box device could not be used exclusively. Therefore, a pusher box device would need to be used in close connection with a work vehicle equipped with some type of plow blade. Because these pusher boxes are not adapted to convert between plowing and pushing devices, multiple vehicles would be required to complete snow removal from a given site. 
   Other devices used in the past utilize immobile or slightly mobile sides attached to a straight blade plow. These devices generally have metal plates that bolt or attach to the side of a plow blade. One example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,936 to Steinhoff. These devices have the disadvantage of requiring the operator of the plow to exit the vehicle in order to bolt on or to position the sides when switching from plowing mode to pushing mode and visa versa. This deficiency results in a waste of time and fatigue to the operator. 
   V shaped plows such as the power V plow are yet another type of device that can be used to aid in containing snow during plowing. These devices are capable of positioning a split plow blade so that it angles into a V shape to contain a greater amount of snow during use. This type of device is very expensive to purchase and to maintain. These devices are also known to have inherent structural problems which cause a high break down frequency and a short useful life. Further, a power V plow does not clean the plowed surface as thoroughly as a straight blade angle-plow. Moreover, when the power V plow is maneuvered into its containment position with the open part of the V facing forward, the effective width of the plow is narrowed, thus greatly reducing the amount of snow being relocated. 
   Therefore, a new snow management device is needed for quickly and efficiently containing and relocating large quantities of snow that also allows for the same vehicle to quickly transform between a pusher box vehicle and an angle blade vehicle without requiring the operator to leave the driver&#39;s compartment. Moreover, a device is needed that is effective, allows for efficient transport of large amounts of snow, is easy to use, is structurally sound, simple, and which overcomes the problems experienced in past methods and devices aimed at snow removal. The present invention meets these needs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a snow pusher device that can be coupled to the plow blade of a work vehicle. A snow pusher according to the present invention involves a simple attachment to a straight blade snow plow which temporarily converts the plow into a pusher box for the purpose of containing the snow against the plow without lateral spillage. The invention generally concerns a two-sided apparatus that is capable of attachment to the plow. 
   The invention is made up of a snow plow pusher box comprising a pair of panels located at the ends of snow plow blade of a work vehicle, a support assembly containing at least one horizontal beam member joining the pair of panels together, a pair of brackets attached to the snow plow blade, and a pair of cam hooks which are affixed to the support assembly and releasably attached to said pair of brackets when in use. 
   The invention will be used primarily in the context of loaders, (front end loaders, trucks, tractors, and skid steer loaders). Attachment of the snow pusher to the plow does not require the operator to exit the vehicle. The snow pusher allows the operator to quickly and safely switch from plowing to pushing and visa versa many times during a given operation. This versatility increases the productivity and profitability of the snow removal process. The snow pusher is compact in size and easily transported from site to site. 
   The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the snow pusher of the present invention attached to a work vehicle; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher; 
       FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of the snow pusher where the plow blade and pusher are fully engaged; 
       FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the main body of the snow pusher unattached to the brackets on the plow; 
       FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the snow pusher with the brackets aligned for engagement with the hooks of the snow pusher; 
       FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the snow pusher where the brackets on the plow blade are fully engaged with the hooks of the snow pusher; and 
       FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of an engaged hook and bracket assembly of the snow pusher. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention generally includes a snow plow pusher  10  which is attached to a straight plow blade  12  of a work vehicle  14 . Suitable work vehicles with mounted plows may include but are not limited to skid steer vehicles, front end loaders, trucks, tractors, etc. The plow blades  12  to which the assembly attaches may include a variety of different blades made by different manufacturers. Suitable blades typically do however make use of a trip edge mechanism  16  located along the bottom blade surface for safety. Such a device will bend backwards against a spring mechanism if met by an obstruction on the surface being plowed. 
   The snow pusher is largely made up of a main body  18  which is attached to the plow blade  12  by engagement of a pair of its J cam hooks  20  and a pair of brackets  22 . Where brackets  22  are bolted to the snowplow blade  12 . When the arrangement is attached as shown in  FIG. 1 , the snow plow work vehicle will be capable of moving large amounts of snow greater distances that a typical plow blade due to the unique features of the plow vehicle that results. 
   As seen in  FIG. 2 , the main body  18  of the snow pusher is largely made up of two plate-like side panels  24  joined together by a plurality of horizontal bars and cross members. The panels  24  may be made of metal, polymers, plastic, or aluminum. The panels  24  have flat surfaces which are generally perpendicular with respect to the horizontal plane of the ground. The two panels  24  are displaced from one another in a corresponding parallel manner such that they are similarly oriented and aligned. Panels  24  are located on either side of a plow blade  12  when in use. The surface of panels  24  are therefore able to deflect and contain plowed snow that might escape from either end of the blade. The panels  24  can be seen to have a perimeter of angled edges  26  to maximize effectiveness in plowing through and containing snow. The angled edges  26  also are contoured to generally reflect the shape of the plow to assist in reducing excess snow build up. The panels  24  are also elevated slightly from the ground by a pair of skid plates  28  positioned below and to the outer side of the panels  24 . The plates  28  are made of replaceable material intended to wear during normal use. Using such material helps accommodate the uneven surfaces which are being plowed. Also found on the outside surfaces of the plates  28  are outer plate members  30 . Outer plate members  30  are generally flat horizontal bars joined to the sides of the plates  28 . The plates  28  and the outer plate members  30  are attached to the panels  24  via bolts  32  which pass through outer plate members  30 , the skid plates  28  and panels  24 . Various other well known methods of attaching the plates to the panels are contemplated by this invention as well. 
   Formed within the inside surface of both panels  24  is a seal member  34 . These members  34  are made of a strip of flexible material that sits against the flat inside edge of panel  24  in perpendicular relation. The flexible material curves from the top of the panel  24  to the bottom edge of the panel. Seal member  34  protrudes a short distance inward from either plate end toward the center of the device. See  FIG. 3 . The seal&#39;s flexible material is attached to the horizontal beams between the panels  24  as well as to an angle bracket  38  at the bottom of the panel  24 . The flexible material of seal member  34  simulates the contour of the moldboard of the snowplow blade to which it attaches. This seal member  34  closes the gap between the side panels  24  and each end of the snow plow blade  12 . Accordingly, a seal member  34  will not allow snow to pass through a gap between the plow blade  12  and side panel  24 . Alternatively, a seal member could also be used which was not flexible, but was formed to prevent the passage of snow between the plow blade  12  and side panel  24 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 4 , the two side panels  24  are connected by two beams  40  and  42 . These beams are positioned in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the side panels  24  to join these similarly aligned plates. Upper beam  40  extends between the tops of the plates  24  and the second lower beam  42  extends between locations found midway down the face of the plates  24 . The beams  40  and  42  may be made of metal or other suitable material and are welded to the plates  24  at both ends. Alternatively, the plates  24  may be rigidly joined to the beams  40  and  42  with bolts or other attachment devices (not shown) for easy disassembly for replacement of a bent or damaged side plate  24 . 
   While only two horizontal brace members are disclosed in this embodiment of the present invention, a design with a greater or lesser number of horizontal support beams is also contemplated. Cushion material  44  is mounted on the rear facing side of the lower beam  42  to provide padding between the mold board making up the face of the plow blade  12  and the lower beam  42 . See  FIG. 3 . This cushion  44  is useful as the lower beam  42  generally takes the brunt of the pushing force and directs it into the curvature of the mold board of the plow. 
   Six diagonal brace members provide further support for the body member of the snow pusher. Four of these are side brace members  46 . Each of these members extends from locations on beams  40  and  42  which are inset a short distance from one of the four ends of the respective beams. The second end of these side brace members  46  is joined to a location near the front edge of the respective adjacent side panel members  24 . These four diagonal side brace members  46  thereby form structural supports for reinforcing the rigidity of the pusher. Two additional diagonal braces  48  extend from the lower beam  42  to the upper beam  40  to attach with and support these members. These diagonal brace members  48  may also be referred to as cross members. These cross members are not straight, but rather are bent or contoured to accommodate the shape of the plow blade and pusher. Also, a design utilizing a greater or lesser number of diagonal support beams than disclosed is also contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention. 
   A pair of J cam hooks  20  are also integrally connected to the top beam  40 . Each of these J cam hooks  20  projects rearwardly from the top beam  40 . The resulting hooks extending toward the plow  12  attached to work vehicle  14  that engages the snow pusher. The side surfaces of the J cam hooks  20  are positioned parallel with side panels  24 , and the top surfaces are angled up towards the rear in relation to the ground. Additionally, the lower sloping surface  52  of each cam hook has an opening  54  in which a bracket may be placed to join the plow and pusher. Also, integrated into the J cam hook  20  is the cam stop  64  which is the stop mechanism to prevent detaching of the pusher while in use. See  FIG. 8 . This type of arrangement allows for easy alignment when connecting the snow pusher body  18  and plow blade  12 . The upper beam  40  and attached J cam hooks  20  keep the apparatus in position on the plow when the snow pusher is in use. Therefore, the J cam hooks, forces exerted by work vehicle movement, and gravity are the means by which the snow pusher is kept in position during normal operation. 
   Corresponding to the pair of J cam hooks  20  are a pair of brackets  22  which are mounted to the top of the back surface of the plow blade  12 . These brackets  22  are bolted to the plow blade such that they are located in equal spaced apart relation with respect to the center of the blade. The brackets  22  are formed such that they have a curved base plate  58  having a radius bend simulating the curvature of the moldboard of the plow to which it is attached. From that base extend two curved vertical plate members  60  that reach a height slightly above the top of the plow blade  12 . Joining each of the pairs of vertical plate members  60  is a horizontal cam bar  66  and a shaft or pipe  62 . It is these shafts  62  to which the J cam hooks  20  are joined and that enable pivotal latching by this invention. 
   Alternatively, it is also contemplated by this invention to use vertical plate members  60  which are not attached to the curved base plate  58 , but rather are integrally formed directly with the plow blade. Forming the vertical plate members  60  with the plow could be done by welding or during manufacture of the plow blade. Attachment of the vertical plate members  60  in this way would eliminate the need to bolt a curved base plate  58  to the plow. Moreover, it is also within the scope of the present invention to use bracket and hook members attached in an opposite configuration to the one shown in the figures. For example, the hook members may be rigidly attached to the blade of the plow and the bracket members may be rigidly attached to the support assembly. Such modifications would allow for a similar manner of releasable attachment and do not depart from the teaching of this invention. 
   Further, although only a pair of J-cam hooks  20  and a pair of corresponding brackets  22  is shown in this embodiment, using additional hooks and brackets for support is also contemplated by the present invention. For example, using three or more J-cam hooks  20  and corresponding brackets  22  may be necessary in designs with particularly large plow attachments or for designs seeking to be more integrally connected to the plow blade. 
   The method by which the J cam hooks  20  and plow blade  12  connect with the brackets  22  can be seen in  FIGS. 5-7 . Initially the plow blade  12  and mounted brackets  22  are separate from the J cam hooks  20  and the main body of the pusher  18 . First, an operator tips forward the plow blade  12  of his work vehicle  14  such that the blade face is roughly parallel to the plane of the ground, as seen in  FIG. 5 . Next, the operator moves the work vehicle and plow forward to align the brackets  22  with the openings  54  in J cam hooks  20 , as seen in  FIG. 6 . Next, the operator rotates the plow blade  12  back into a plowing position where the plow blade is roughly perpendicular with the ground, as seen in  FIG. 7 . 
   As disclosed, the bracket members  22  generally are joined in such a way that they are hooked and then rotated until the cam bar  66  of the bracket meets the cam stop  64  (i.e. brace member) of the hook. See  FIG. 8 . This configuration prevents the snow pusher from becoming disconnected unless the operator reverse rotates, or tilts the plow to the ground. If an operator were to conduct such a reverse rotation maneuver, the cam bar  66  of the bracket  22  would be drawn away from the cam stop of the hook allowing the shaft  62  of the bracket  22  to be removed from the J cam hook  20  and thereby disconnect the snow pusher body  18  from the snow plow  12 . 
   Therefore, operation of the snow plow pusher device to clean an area containing a road and intersecting driveways is as follows. First, the work vehicle utilizes the plow blade  12  of his or her vehicle to back drag snow from the various driveways onto the main road. This is done with a work vehicle  14  using a plow blade  12  with the bracket members  22  attached to its rear surface. No substantial interference to normal plow operation is caused by brackets  22 . Next, an operator loads the body  18  of the snow pusher device onto the plow blade  12  by driving up to the main body  18  of the pusher, rotating the plow blade such that its face is roughly parallel to the plane of the ground, and driving the vehicle forward until the pipes  62  of the brackets  22  mounted on the plow align with the openings  54  in the J cam hooks  20 . 
   Next, the plow blade  12  is rotated such that the blade is roughly perpendicular to the ground in a normal plowing configuration, and such that the main pusher body  18  is securely attached to the snow plow blade. The operator next drives the vehicle down the main road where the snow has accumulated. Because of the attachment of the pusher member a large amount of snow is able to be pushed down the road to a desired location very quickly and with relatively few passes. Further, because the plow blade retains the ability to angle itself with the pusher member attached, greater versatility and effectiveness of use is retained with the new device. And furthermore, with the pusher member attached, the trip edge mechanism  16  on the plow blade retains its full range of motion, thus retaining the safety feature for which the trip edge was intended. When areas along the road and driveway need touch up work or additional plowing the main pusher body  18  can easily and quickly be removed. The operator may do this by rotating the plow blade forward until the blade is roughly horizontal and the pusher attachment drops out of the J cam member  20 . The attachment can be left in any convenient location and the work vehicle can leave to perform work with the plow blade on its own. This configuration and attachment method allows the quick and repeated conversion of a snow plow into a snow pusher box and visa versa. Clearing snow from a location in this way results in an area where snow has been rapidly removed and transported in an efficient manner without requiring the operator to leave the cab of his or her work vehicle. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the snow pusher of the present invention may be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate various sizes and types of work vehicles, plow blades, and work vehicle attachments. The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.

Technology Category: 0