Swing wheel snowthrower
First Claim
1. An improved snowthrower of the type having a frame movably supported by a pair of rotatable wheels;
- an engine carried on the frame for providing power;
impeller means driven by the engine and carried on the front of the frame for contacting and throwing snow;
means for propelling the frame relative to the ground; and
a handle assembly extending rearwardly relative to the frame which an operator can hold to guide the frame, wherein the improvement comprises;
means for movably mounting the wheels to the frame for selective movement between a first position and a second position located to the rear of the first position, wherein the wheels are in engagement with the ground in both the first and second positions thereof, and wherein the first position of the wheels is located on the frame approximately beneath or slightly behind the center of gravity of the frame, and the second position of the wheels is located to the rear of the center of gravity of the frame, whereby the wheels may have their position changed depending on the snow conditions encountered.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved snowthrower (2) includes a housing (4) having a pair of traction wheels (20) carried thereon. Pivot arms (24) pivotably journal traction wheels (20) to the housing (4) for movement between a first position approximately beneath the center of gravity of the snowthrower to a rearward position. A control system (60) selectively swings the wheels between these two positions to obtain more downward force on the front of the snowthrower housing when hard packed or deep snow is encountered. The control system (60) includes a single control handle (62) for both manipulating the traction wheels (20) and for operating the transmission (46).
52 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An improved snowthrower of the type having a frame movably supported by a pair of rotatable wheels;
- an engine carried on the frame for providing power;
impeller means driven by the engine and carried on the front of the frame for contacting and throwing snow;
means for propelling the frame relative to the ground; and
a handle assembly extending rearwardly relative to the frame which an operator can hold to guide the frame, wherein the improvement comprises;means for movably mounting the wheels to the frame for selective movement between a first position and a second position located to the rear of the first position, wherein the wheels are in engagement with the ground in both the first and second positions thereof, and wherein the first position of the wheels is located on the frame approximately beneath or slightly behind the center of gravity of the frame, and the second position of the wheels is located to the rear of the center of gravity of the frame, whereby the wheels may have their position changed depending on the snow conditions encountered. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- an engine carried on the frame for providing power;
Specification