Snow-handling trail-grooming device

• US 6,094,845 A
• Filed: 05/06/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary J. Lela
• Original Assignee: Gary J. Lela
• Inventors: Lela, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US09/073,777
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 172/146, 172/684.5, 172/387, 172/392, 172/393, 172/613, 172/619, 172/623, 172/738, 280/20, 280/142, 37/219, 37/221, 37/232, 37/233, 37/270, 37/196
• US Class Current: 37/219
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 4/02 for sporting purposes, e.g. preparation of ski trails; Construction of artificial surfacings for snow or ice sports construction of ice skating rinks E01C13/102; Trails specially adapted for on-the-snow vehicles, e.g. devices adapted for ski-trails production of snow or ice for winter sports or similar recreational purposes F25C3/00

Abstract

This invention concerns a snow-handling trail-grooming device. The invention comprises a sled including at least one runner member, a sled front end, a sled back end and an open-ended longitudinal cavity therethrough open at opposed longitudinal ends thereof. The sled is connectable to a snowmobile by a towing or hitching member joined with the sled for hitching and unhitching the sled to and from the snowmobile. A tunnel structure is joined with the runner member and positioned over the open-ended longitudinal cavity. Finally, a handling-grooming member can be joined with the runner member, wherein the handling-grooming member is positioned in an extended direction away from the tunnel structure during snow-handling and trail-grooming.

Claims

1. A snow-handing trail-grooming device comprising:

a sled including at least one runner member, a sled front end, a sled back end and an open-ended longitudinal cavity therethrough open at opposed longitudinal ends thereof;

a tunnel structure joined with the runner member and positioned over the open-ended longitudinal cavity; and

at least one handling-grooming member joined with the runner member and positioned under the tunnel structure, wherein the handling-grooming member is resiliently positionable between an extended position away from the tunnel structure and a retracted position adjacent the tunnel structure and is resiliently forced into the extended position during snow-handling and trail-grooming.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the tunnel structure comprises a unitary construction including a tunnel front end, a tunnel back end, a tunnel top portion and a pair of opposed tunnel side portions each connected adjacent the tunnel top portion.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an external deflector plate joined with the tunnel structure at the sled front end and the external deflector plate being sized and positioned to direct a snowmobile'"'"'s snow spray down into the open-ended longitudinal cavity.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising an internal deflector plate positioned for further deflecting the snowmobile'"'"'s snow spray downwardly.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising deflector plate positioned for deflecting a snowmobile'"'"'s snow spray downwardly.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the tunnel structure is fixedly positioned relative to the at least one runner member.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one runner member includes a replaceable wear pad connectable thereto along a bottom surface of the at least one runner member.

8. The device of claim 1, in combination with a plurality of handling-grooming members, wherein each member of the plurality of handling-grooming members comprises the at least one handling-grooming member.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one handling-grooming member is positionable between the extended position and a retracted position, relative to the tunnel structure.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a towing member joined with the tunnel structure and connectable with a snowmobile.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the towing member comprises a torsion stabilizing tube.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the handling-grooming member is resiliently forced into the extended position by a member from the group consisting of a weight of the handling-grooming member itself or a resilient forcing element acting upon the handling-grooming member.