Turning apparatus for handle-operated equipment

• US 4,836,320 A
• Filed: 01/25/1988
• Issued: 06/06/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George H. Sundin
• Original Assignee: George H. Sundin
• Inventors: Sundin, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US07/148,117
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.54, 180/19.1, 180/19.2, 180/19.3, 280/47.13 R, 280/47.17, 280/47.2, 280/47.12, 280/47.24, 15/49 R, 37/244, 37/270
• US Class Current: 180/19.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 42/08 Sweeping snow
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/04 Apparatus propelled by animal or engine power; Apparatus propelled by hand with driven dislodging or conveying levelling elements, conveying pneumatically for the dislodged materialE01H5/10, E01H5/12 take precedence

Abstract

A convex pivoting pad mountable to a snow thrower or other handle-directed, small engine equipment and on to which the equipment weight may be shifted to facilitate turning. In one embodiment, the pad is frame-mounted to the equipment by way of a pedestal assembly. In other embodiments, one or more pads are pivotally mounted in relation to the chassis or lever arms to selectively control the required tilt force relative to the equipment wheels. In a further embodiment, a lever-actuated linkage coupled to the drive axle raises/lowers the pad as the opposite wheel drives the snow thrower therearound.

Claims

1. Turning apparatus for handle directed equipment including first and second axially aligned primary support wheels steerable via at least one handle, comprising:

(a) a first relatively large surfaced convex ground engageable pad; and

(b) means for securing said pad in extended relation from a surface of said equipment relative to said handle and offset from the axis of said wheels, such that upon tilting the equipment by said handle, the equipment'"'"'s weight is displaceable off at least one of said wheels onto said pad whereby the equipment may be pivoted about a substantially fixed pivot axis located at the point of contact between the pad and the ground to re-direct equipment travel.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a pad supporting framework comprised of a plurality of rigid supports mounted to the equipment frame.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for selectively varying the position of said pad relative to said equipment wheels and the ground.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said equipment includes:

(a) means for driving said first and second primary support wheels;

(b) a second relatively large surfaced convex ground engaging pad; and

(c) means for selectively varying the position of one of said first and second pads relative to one of said first and second wheels, such that upon tilting the equipment onto one of said pads, one of said wheels is substantially disengaged from the ground and the other wheel drives said equipment about the pad in contact with the ground.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including:

(a) means pivotally mounting said pad to the equipment;

(b) a lever coupled to said pad; and

(c) means for locking said pad at a selected position.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for selectively retracting and extending said pad from the frame.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad comprises a spheroid member.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pad is of a hemi-spheroid construction.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said framework comprises a pair of channel members mounted to the equipment frame in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another and includes a plurality of rigid supports mounted between said channel members and said pad.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a rod member having an upper end pivotally mounted to said equipment and a lower length adjustable end secured to said pad.

10. Auxiliary turning apparatus for handle directed, wheeled snow thrower equipment including first and second axially aligned primary support wheels steerable via at least one handle, comprising:

(a) a relatively large surfaced spheroid ground engageable pad; and

(b) a framework including a plurality of rigid support members, ones of which members mount to and support said pad in extended relation from the equipment relative to the handle and offset from the axis of said wheels such that upon tilting the equipment by said handle, the equipment weight is displaced off one of said wheels and onto said pad and the other of said wheels whereby the equipment may be pivoted about a substantially fixed pivot axis located at the point of contact between said pad and the ground.

11. Turning apparatus for handle directed equipment including first and second axially aligned primary support wheels steerable via at least one handle member, comprising:

(a) a first relatively large surfaced convex ground engageable pad; and

(b) means for pivotally mounting and selectively extending said pad from a surface of said equipment relative to said handle and offset from the axis of said wheels, such that upon extending said pad from at least one predetermined position and tilting the equipment by said handle, the equipment'"'"'s weight is displaceable off at least one of said wheels and onto said pad and whereby the equipment may be pivoted about a substantially fixed pivot axis located at the point of contact between the pad and the ground to re-direct equipment travel.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means for locking said pad at a selected position.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the upper end of said rod includes a cross member pivotally supported from said equipment and is bent such that upon displacing the equipment weight onto the pad, the rod restrainedly contacts the equipment in the region of the bend.

13. Turning apparatus for handle directed equipment including first and second axially aligned primary support wheels steerable via at least one handle member, comprising:

(a) first and second convex relatively large surfaced ground engageable pads; and

(b) means for pivotally mounting and selectively positioning said first and second pads from a surface of said equipment relative to said handle and offset from the axis of said wheels, such that upon tilting the equipment by said handle, the equipment'"'"'s weight is displaceable off at least one of said wheels and onto one of said pads whereby the equipment may be pivoted about a substantially fixed pivot axis located at the point of contact between the pad and the ground to re-direct equipment travel.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 including means for locking a selected pad at a selected position.

17. Turning apparatus for handle directed wheeled equipment having first and second axially aligned support wheels comprising:

(a) an internal combustion engine;

(b) means coupled to said engine for simultaneously rotating said support wheels to drive said apparatus over the ground;

(c) a pad mounted to said equipment; and

(d) means coupled to said engine for selectively extending said pad into ground engaging contact to raise at least one of said support wheels from ground contact such that the other ground engaging support wheel drives said equipment about a substantially fixed pivot axis formed at the point of contact between the pad and the ground, to vary the direction of apparatus travel, said point of contact being located in the ground area defined substantially between the boundaries of said support wheels when projected onto the ground.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 including:

(a) a pad support framework pivotally coupling the pad to the equipment;

(b) means coupled to said support framework and an axle supplying drive power to said support wheels for raising/lowering said pad; and

(c) means for disconnecting power from said raising/lowering means when said equipment is raised a predetermined height.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said raising/lowering means comprises:

(a) a hand lever; and

(b) a flexible linkage mounted to said lever and trained about said powered axle to selectively compressively transfer power to said pad support framework.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said pad support framework includes an offset member and said framework includes a pivotal linkage support arm such that said offset member pivots said linkage support arm as said pad is powered to control the compressive pressure applied to said axle.

21. Turning apparatus for handle directed wheeled equipment including first and second axially aligned power driven support wheels comprising:

(a) a ground engageable pad;

(b) a first support framework pivotally coupling said pad to the equipment;

(c) a hand lever;

(d) a flexible linkage coupled to said lever and compressively trained about a powered axle for providing power to pivot said pad support framework to raise at least one of said support wheels from ground contact, after said pad is in ground engaging contact;

(e) an offset member extending from said first framework and coupled to said flexible linkage; and

(f) a second support arm coupled to said flexible linkage such that said offset member pivots said second support arm as said pad is lowered into ground engaging contact to disconnect said linkage from said axle after said equipment has been raised to a predetermined height.

22. Turning apparatus for equipment including a pair of coaxially mounted support wheels and at least one of which support wheels is power driven comprising:

(a) a ground engageable pad mounted to said equipment; and

(b) means coupled to an equipment power source for selectively extending said pad into ground-contacting engagement to raise at least one of said support wheels from ground contact such that a ground engaging power driven support wheel drives said equipment about a substantially fixed pivot axis formed at a point of contact between the pad and the ground, to vary the direction of apparatus travel, said point of contact being located in the ground area defined substantially between the boundaries of said support wheels.

23. Turning apparatus for handle directed wheeled equipment comprising:

(a) a power source;

(b) means coupled to said power source and to an axle supporting first and second support wheels for driving said apparatus over the ground;

(c) a pad mounted to said equipment; and

(d) means coupled to said axle for providing power to selectively extend said pad into ground-contacting engagement to raise at least one of said support wheels from ground contact and such that the other ground engaging support wheel drives said equipment about a substantially fixed pivot axis formed at the point of contact between the pad and the ground to vary the direction of apparatus travel, said point of contact being located in the ground area defined by the boundaries of said support wheels.