Curved blade being used as ground shoe protecting the gravel inputs during the snow blowing

Abstract

A ground shoe assembly for a snowblower being of the type having an auger and mounted to a tractor, which the ground shoe assembly is pivotally mounted on the snowblower so as to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the auger. The means for pivoting the ground shoe assembly consists of an operative position comprising a first operating position where the ground shoe assembly is located rearwardly of the front opening of the snowblower frame during the rearward motion of the snowblower mounted to the tractor, and a second operating position where the ground shoe assembly is located frontwardly of the front opening of the snowblower frame during the forward motion of the snowblower mounted to the tractor.

1 - 4 . (canceled)  
     
     
         5 . A ground shoe assembly for a snowblower ( 1 ) mounted to a tractor, said snowblower being of the type comprising: 
 means for moving said snowblower ( 1 ) forwards or backwards;    a frame having a front opening, two side portions, and an auger located within said frame behind said front opening;    means for driving in rotation said auger;    means for ejecting snow out of said frame and away from said snowblower;    said ground shoe assembly pivotally mounted on said snowblower ( 1 ) so as to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the auger comprising:    a) a blade ( 3 ) having a concave surface; and    b) means for pivoting said ground shoe assembly between an operative position and an inoperative position;    characterized in that:    said blade ( 3 ) has a protective plate ( 13 ), said plate ( 13 ) mounted to the bottom of said blade ( 3 ); wherein said blade ( 3 ) also comprises an interchangeable cutting edge ( 14 ) releasably attached to a leading edge of said blade ( 3 ) to protect said blade from gravel or debris during the snowblowing operation.    
     
     
         6 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said blade ( 3 ) has two curved sides ( 2 ) fixed at each end, said curved sides ( 2 ) are fixed at a first end to said blade ( 3 ) perpendicular to a horizontal axis of said blade ( 3 ) and pivotally attached to said snowblower frame at a second end.  
     
     
         7 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said means for pivoting said ground shoe assembly comprises a first set of components comprising a hydraulic cylinder ( 5 ) attached to a structural body ( 6 ) fixed to said snowblower frame ( 1 ) adjacent to a first end of said blade ( 3 ) and curved side ( 2 ).  
     
     
         8 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said first set of components farther comprises a moving part ( 7 ) attached at one end to said hydraulic cylinder ( 5 ) and pivotally engaged at another end by engagement means between a cylindrical housing ( 9 ) on said structural body ( 6 ) and an inner part of said structural body ( 6 ), said engagement means joining said moving part ( 7 ) to a lever mechanism ( 8 ) connected to an arm ( 4 ) attached to one of said curved sides ( 2 ).  
     
     
         9 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein activation of said hydraulic cylinder ( 5 ) moves said moving part ( 7 ) and said corresponding lever mechanism ( 8 ) and said arrn ( 4 ) to engage said ground shoe assembly from said operative position to said inoperative position and vice versa.  
     
     
         10 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein a second set of components comprising a second hydraulic cylinder ( 5 ), a second structural body ( 6 ), a second moving part ( 7 ), a second lever mechanism ( 8 ) and a second arm ( 4 ) configured similarly to said first set of components are located adjacent to a second end of said blade ( 3 ) and curved side ( 2 ), symmetric to said first set of components.  
     
     
         11 . The ground shoe assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein said operative position comprises a first operating position wherein said ground shoe assembly is located rearwardly of said front opening of said snowblower frame during the rearward motion of said snowblower ( 1 ) mounted to said tractor; and a second operating position wherein said ground shoe assembly is located frontwardly of said front opening of said snowblower frame during the forward motion of said snowblower ( 1 ) mounted to said tractor.