The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 02, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2000
Philip J. Quenzi, Atlantic Mine, MI (US);
Cal G. Niemela, Chassell, MI (US);
Curt E. Niemela, Chassell, MI (US);
Blizzard Corporation, Calumet, MI (US);
Abstract
A plow assembly for vehicles, such as pickup trucks and tractors, or bulldozers or graders, for moving snow or other plowable materials has at least one extendable, forwardly pivotable plow wing which is pivotable at a hinge at one end of a main plow for movement between an aligned position and a forwardly angled position in which the plow wing front surface extends at an angle to the plow front surface. The plow wing includes an inner and outer portion, whereby the outer portion is slidably mounted to the inner portion for sliding movement along the inner portion between a retracted and an extended position. One or more actuators, such as fluid power cylinders or the like, are connected to the plow wing to move the wing between the retracted, extended, aligned and forwardly angled positions. In one preferred embodiment, an extendable plow wing is pivotally mounted on each end of the main plow with a pair of fluid cylinders connected to each of the respective plow wings. The fluid cylinders in each respective pair are operable independently of one another to move the plow wings independently between their respective retracted, extended, aligned and forwardly angled positions. When both plow wings are pivoted to their forwardly angled positions, the plow assembly has a general U-shape which facilitates pushing snow or other material without the material slipping off the plow blade ends. The wings are extendable and retractable when the plow is in the U-shape in order to adjust the carrying capacity of the plow.