Reversible snow pusher and coupler

• US 8,191,288 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pro-Tech Manufacturing and Distribution Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pro-Tech Manufacturing and Distribution Incorporated
• Inventors: Guggino, Michael J., Maier, James, Weagley, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): RISIC, ABIGAIL ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/556,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 372/63, 372/64, 372/66, 372/67, 372/68, 372/31, 374/68, 172/272, 172/273, 172/811, 172/816, 172/701.1, 172/701.2, 172/702, 172/703, 172/704, 172/817
• US Class Current: 37/267
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/06 dislodging essentially by non-driven elements, e.g. scraper blades , snow-plough blades, scoop blades
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/062 by scraper blades displaceable for shock-absorbing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/066 Snow-plough blade accessories, e.g. deflector plates, skid shoes
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/12 Apparatus or implements specially adapted for breaking, disintegrating, or loosening layers of ice or hard snow with or without clearing or removing E01H5/10 takes precedence; Roughening ice or hard snow by means of tools by means of gritting materials E01H10/00; roughening or breaking-up pavements E01C23/08, E01C23/12
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3627 with a hook and a longitudinal locking element
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/80 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/8152 Attachments therefor, e.g. wear resisting parts, cutting edges E02F3/8155, E02F3/8157 take precedence; teeth per se E02F9/28
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/8157 Shock absorbers; Supports, e.g. skids, rollers; Devices for compensating wear-and-tear, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/962 Mounting of implements directly on tools already attached to the machine E02F3/404 and E02F3/8152 take precedence

Abstract

Disclosed herein are various aspects of an improved snow or material pushers for use with loaders, backhoes, agricultural and larger home and garden tractors and the like for moving snow or other materials on generally flat areas such as parking lots, driveways, feed lots, runways, and loading areas. The improvements include, among others, a reversible design, extended side plates and/or wear shoes as well as improved scraping edge configurations so as to provide added functionality and versatility to pushers. As described the various features may be employed alone or in combination to provide the capability for snow and ice removal while minimizing the potential for damage to surfaces and objects thereon.

Claims

1. A reversible material pushing apparatus, comprising:

an upstanding central blade including a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge along an opposite side of said blade, and left and right ends;

a vertical side plate attached to and extending forward at a generally perpendicular angle from each of the ends of the central blade;

a first cutting edge attached to the central blade along the first longitudinal edge to operate when the apparatus is in a first orientation;

a second cutting edge attached to the central blade along the second longitudinal edge to operate when the apparatus is in a second orientation; and

a reversible coupling mechanism permanently affixed to the central blade, said reversible coupling mechanism including first and second coupler assemblies, said first coupler assembly having a first orientation for attaching the apparatus to a vehicle to move the apparatus in the first orientation for use of the first longitudinal edge of said blade, said second coupler assembly having a second orientation for attaching the apparatus to a vehicle to move the apparatus in the second, opposite orientation for use of the second longitudinal edge of said blade, said first and second coupler assemblies also being separated from one another in a vertical direction to respectively provide separate first and second locations for attachment of the apparatus, wherein said second coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the first orientation and the first coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the second orientation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of wear shoes along at least two edges of said side plate on each end of the central blade.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wear shoes and the side plates, in conjunction, define a plane on which the apparatus may temporarily stand to permit a vehicle to change from a first operating position where the first cutting edge is adjacent to a surface to a second operating position where the second cutting edge is adjacent to the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the wear shoes further comprise inclined front and rear ramp surfaces for sliding contact on the surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second coupler assemblies further include a top pocket and a foot.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second cutting edges includes a flexible edge that is removably fastened to and extends along a longitudinal edge of said central blade.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second cutting edges is removably fastened to the central blade along one of the longitudinal edges.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of said first and second cutting edges comprises a metal scraping edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first cutting edge comprises a flexible edge and the second cutting edge comprises a metal scraping edge.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second coupler assemblies are mirror images of one another.

11. A reversible coupler for use with a reversible implement, comprising:

a first coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a first orientation relative to the implement at a first location on the implement; and

a second coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a second orientation relative to the implement at a second location on the implement, said second location separated from said first location, where said second coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the first orientation and the first coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the second orientation, where the reversible implement includes a pusher, and wherein each coupler assembly includes two rows of parallel posts mounted on the rear of the pusher, the two rows of parallel posts forming a slot for receiving the edge of a bucket attached to the vehicle.

12. A reversible coupler for use with a reversible implement including a pusher, comprising:

a first coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a first orientation relative to the implement at a first location on the implement; and

a second coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a second orientation relative to the implement at a second location on the implement, said second location separated from said first location, wherein each of said first and second coupler assemblies attached to the rear of the pusher includes;

a pair of generally parallel side rails;

a top flange, generally spanning between the side rails and forming a downward-facing pocket on the rear of the pusher, the pocket receiving an upper edge of a vehicle attachment frame; and

a foot, also spanning between the side rails, suitable for receiving a lower edge of the vehicle attachment frame.

13. The reversible coupler of claim 12, wherein the foot further includes at least one feature therein for receiving a locking mechanism of the vehicle.

14. A reversible coupler for use with a reversible implement, comprising:

a first coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a first orientation relative to the implement at a first location on the implement; and

a second coupler assembly attaching the implement to a vehicle in a second orientation relative to the implement at a second location on the implement, said second location separated from said first location, where said second coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the first orientation and the first coupler assembly is not attached to the vehicle when the implement is in the second orientation, where the reversible implement includes a pusher, and wherein each coupler assembly is mounted on the rear of the pusher and where a common set of side rails are used such that both coupler assemblies are combined into a single mechanism suitable for coupling with a vehicle from two, opposite orientations.

15. A method of using a reversible pusher, comprising:

connecting a vehicle to the pusher at a first location using only a first coupling assembly in a first orientation, said pusher having a first cutting edge adjacent a surface upon which the pusher rests in said first orientation;

using the pusher with the first cutting edge adjacent the surface;

disconnecting the pusher and the first coupling assembly from the vehicle;

reconnecting the vehicle to the pusher at a second location in a second orientation using only a second coupling assembly, said pusher having a second cutting edge adjacent the surface in said second orientation, wherein said second location is separated from said first location, such that the first coupling assembly does not overlap the second coupling assembly; and

using the pusher with the second cutting edge adjacent the surface.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first and second orientations are opposite one another.