Three-stage snow thrower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017247848-A1
Application number	US-201715596625-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Aug 31, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-stage snow thrower having a housing, a power supply operatively connected to said housing, a longitudinal drive shaft extending from the power supply into the housing, and a lateral drive shaft extending rotatably attached to opposing side walls of the housing and being meshingly engaged with the longitudinal drive shaft within a gear assembly. The power supply drives the longitudinal drive shaft, thereby causing the longitudinal drive shaft to rotate, and at least a portion of such rotation is transferred to the lateral drive via a gear assembly. The first stage assembly includes a plurality of augers attached to the lateral drive shaft, wherein the first stage assembly pushes loosened snow axially toward the gear assembly. The second stage assembly includes at least one auger attached to the longitudinal drive shaft, wherein the second stage assembly pushes the snow from the first stage assembly axially rearward in a transverse manner relative to the first stage assembly. The third stage assembly includes an impeller that rotates to throw the snow from the second stage assembly through a chute attached to the housing to expel the snow from the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A multiple-stage snow thrower for removing accumulated snow, said multiple-stage snow thrower having a housing, a frame, and a power supply operatively connected to said frame, said multiple-stage snow thrower comprising:
a first stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply, wherein rotation of said first stage assembly moves said snow radially to expel said snow from said housing; a second stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply, wherein rotation of said second stage moves said snow longitudinally toward said first stage assembly; and a third stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply, wherein rotation of said third stage assembly moves said snow laterally toward said second stage assembly; wherein said snow is moved from said third stage assembly toward said second stage assembly and from said second stage assembly toward said first stage assembly without ram induction.

2 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 1 , wherein said first and second stage assembly are attached to a first drive shaft and said third stage assembly is attached to a second drive shaft.

3 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 2 , wherein rotation of said first drive shaft causes rotation of said second drive shaft.

4 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 3 further comprising a gear assembly, wherein said first drive shaft is engaged with said second drive shaft within said gear assembly for transferring rotation of said first drive shaft to said second drive shaft.

5 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 4 , wherein said first drive shaft includes a first worm gear and said second drive shaft includes a second worm gear, said first worm gear meshingly engaged with said second worm gear for transferring rotation of said first drive shaft to said second drive shaft within said gear assembly.

6 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 5 , wherein said first worm gear is formed into an outer surface of said first drive shaft and said second worm gear is formed into an outer surface of said second drive shaft.

7 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 1 , wherein said second stage assembly includes at least one auger, said at least one auger of said second stage assembly being attached to a first drive shaft.

8 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 7 , wherein said second state assembly includes two augers attached to said first drive shaft.

9 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 8 , wherein said first drive shaft intersects with said second drive shaft, and one of said two augers is positioned upstream from said intersection between said first and second drive shafts and the other of said two augers is positioned downstream from said intersection between said first and second drive shafts.

10 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 8 , wherein at least one of said two augers is positioned between said second drive shaft and said first stage assembly.

11 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 2 , wherein said third stage assembly includes a plurality of augers, said plurality of augers being attached to said second drive shaft

12 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 11 , wherein said first drive shaft intersects with said second drive shaft, and at least one of said plurality of augers of said third stage assembly being attached to said second drive shaft adjacent to one side of said intersection between said first and second drive shafts, and at least another of said plurality of augers of said third stage assembly being attached to said second drive shaft adjacent to an opposing side of said intersection between said first and second drive shafts.

13 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 2 , wherein said second drive shaft is oriented at an angle relative to said first drive shaft.

14 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 13 , wherein said first and second drive shafts are oriented perpendicularly.

15 . A multiple-stage snow thrower for removing accumulated snow, said multiple-stage snow thrower having a housing, a frame, and a power supply operatively connected to said frame, said multiple-stage snow thrower comprising:
a first stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply for receiving rotational power therefrom, wherein rotation of said first stage assembly moves said snow radially to expel said snow from said housing, and wherein said first stage assembly is rotatable about a first axis; a second stage assembly, wherein rotation of said second stage assembly moves said snow longitudinally toward said first stage assembly, and wherein said second stage assembly is rotatable about said first longitudinal axis; and a third stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply, wherein rotation of said third stage assembly moves said snow laterally toward said second stage assembly, and wherein said third stage assembly is rotatable about a second axis, said first and second axes are oriented at an angle relative to each other; wherein said snow is moved from said third stage toward said second stage assembly and from said second stage assembly toward said first stage assembly without ram induction

16 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 15 , wherein said first axis and said second axis are oriented perpendicular to each other.

17 . The multiple-stage snow thrower of claim 15 , wherein rotation of said first stage assembly causes rotation of said third stage assembly.

18 . A multiple-stage snow thrower for removing accumulated snow, said multiple-stage snow thrower having a housing, a frame, and a power supply operatively connected to said frame, said multiple-stage snow thrower comprising:
a first stage assembly operatively connected to said power supply for receiving rotational power therefrom, wherein rotation of said first stage assembly expels said snow from said housing; a second stage assembly, wherein rotation of said second stage moves said snow toward said first stage assembly; a third stage assembly, wherein rotation of said third stage assembly moves said snow toward said second stage assembly; and wherein said snow is moved from said third stage assembly to said second stage assembly and from said second stage assembly to said first stage assembly without ram induction.

Assignees

• Mtd Products Inc

Inventors

• Cmich Ryan
• Dilgard Tim
• Eavenson Sr Jimmy N
• Hein Dave
• Jocke Joe
• Saha Amit

Classifications

• E01H5/098 Primary

  about horizontal or substantially horizontal axises perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction of clearing · CPC title

• E01H5/045 Primary

  Means per se for conveying or discharging the dislodged material, e.g. rotary impellers, discharge chutes (dislodging apparatus provided therewith E01H5/07, E01H5/08, E01H5/104, E01H5/12) · CPC title

• E01H5/09

  the elements being rotary or moving along a closed circular path, e.g. rotary cutter, digging wheels · CPC title

• E01H5/096

  about axes parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of clearing · CPC title

• E01H5/04 Primary

  Apparatus propelled by animal or engine power; Apparatus propelled by hand with driven dislodging or conveying {levelling} elements, conveying pneumatically {for the dislodged material}(E01H5/10, E01H5/12 take precedence) · CPC title