Snow blower with glide wheels

Abstract

A device for selectively controlling the height of a snow blower auger housing relative to the surface from which snow is being removed. Glide wheels are attached to the sidewalls of the auger housing of a snow blower to support the snow blower auger housing and to provide for clearance between the scraper blade and the surface to be cleared of snow. A glide wheel assembly may be fixably appended to the side walls of the auger housing and provides for easily adjustable height to set and maintain the height of the scraper blade in the auger housing at a desirable distance above the surface.

1 . A self-propelled stand-behind snow blower apparatus for removing snow from a surface comprising: 
 an engine located above two drive wheels;    an attached front-mounted auger housing having a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a scraper blade, and    a first glide wheel affixed to the first sidewall and a second glide wheel affixed to the second sidewall.    
   
   
       2 . The snow blower apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second glide wheels are affixed by first and second axles that are bolted to the first and second sidewalls.  
   
   
       3 . A self-propelled stand-behind snow blower apparatus for removing snow from a surface comprising: 
 an engine located above two drive wheels;    an attached front-mounted auger housing having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a scraper blade, and    a first glide wheel assembly affixed to the first sidewall and a second glide wheel assembly affixed to the second sidewall.    
   
   
       4 . The snow blower apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the first and second glide wheel assemblies comprise a bracket plate having an axle affixed perpendicularly to the bracket plate and at least one wheel mounted on the axle.  
   
   
       5 . The snow blower apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the first and second glide wheel assemblies comprise an adjustable glide wheel mounting assembly having a bracket plate with an axle affixed perpendicularly at a central region of the bracket plate, a wheel mounted on the axle, and a height adjustment assembly.  
   
   
       6 . The snow blower apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the height adjustment assembly comprises a bracket plate having at least one axle affixed perpendicularly at a central region of the plate, at least one wheel mounted on said axle, a pivot hole in the bracket plate at a first location outboard of the wheel, and a slotted hole in the bracket plate at a second location outboard of the wheel.  
   
   
       7 . A glide wheel assembly for supporting an auger housing of a snow blower, comprising: 
 first means connectable to the auger housing and mechanically coupled to an axle of a glide wheel for translating the mechanical support of the glide wheel to the auger housing of the snow blower; and    second means for fixedly adjusting the position of the axle axis relative to the auger housing.    
   
   
       8 . A glide wheel assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first means comprises a bracket plate to which at least one cylindrical axle for at least one wheel is perpendicularly affixed at a location in the central portion of the bracket plate.  
   
   
       9 . A glide wheel assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the second means comprises by a pivot hole in a bracket plate at a first location outboard of the wheel, and a slotted hole in a bracket plate at a second location outboard of the wheel.