Actuating assembly for actuating a chute of a snowblower, snowblower including the same and method of operating associated thereto

Abstract

An actuating assembly for actuating a chute of a snowblower having a frame. The actuating assembly includes a first gear, a second gear and a driving mechanism. The first gear is pivotably mountable onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis, said first gear being configured for operatively receiving thereon the chute of the snowblower. The second gear is pivotably mountable onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the first gear, the second gear being operatively interconnectable with the first gear so that a rotation of the second gear is transmitted to the first gear and vice versa. The driving mechanism is used for driving the second gear in rotation so as to in turn drive the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate.

1 . An actuating assembly for actuating a chute of snowblower having a frame, the actuating assembly comprising: 
 a first gear pivotably mountable onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis, said first gear being configured for operatively receiving thereon the chute of the snowblower;    a second gear mountable onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the first gear, the second gear being operatively interconnectable with the first gear so that a rotation of the second gear is transmitted to the first gear and vice versa;    a driving mechanism for driving the second gear in rotation so as to in turn drive the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate.    
   
   
       2 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism comprises a cylinder having first and second ends, the first end of the cylinder being mountable about the frame of the snowblower and the second end of the cylinder being displaceable with respect to the first end thereof, between retracted and extended configurations, the second end of the cylinder being pivotably mountable via a link about an anchoring point on the second gear so that an actuation of the second end of the cylinder between the retracted and extended configurations causes the second gear to rotate about its pivot axis, and in turn causes the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate about its pivot axis.  
   
   
       3 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuating assembly comprises a shearing bolt operatively connectable between the second end of the cylinder and the second gear, the shearing bolt being made of a specific material being breakable when the force operatively transmitted between the second end of the cylinder and the second gear has reached a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       4 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the link has a first extremity pivotably mountable about the pivot axis of the second gear and a second extremity pivotably mountable about the second end of the cylinder, said second extremity of the link being operatively secured to the anchoring point on the second gear.  
   
   
       5 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the link is shaped, positioned and sized so as to act as a lever mechanism between the second end of the cylinder and the anchoring point of the second gear, for rotating said second gear about its pivot axis via an actuation of the second end of the cylinder between the retracted and extended configurations.  
   
   
       6 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the link is a substantially L-shaped link having a corner and a pair of ends, the corner of the link being pivotably mountable about the pivot axis of the second gear, a first end of the link being pivotably mountable about the second end of the cylinder, and the other end of the link being secured to the second gear by means of a shearing bolt, the shearing bolt being made of a specific material being breakable when the force transmitted between the link and the second gear has reached a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       7 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuating assembly comprises a shearing bolt operatively connectable between the link and the second gear, the shearing bolt being made of a specific material being breakable when the force transmitted between the link and the second gear has reached a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       8 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the first end of the cylinder is pivotably mountable onto the frame of the snowblower.  
   
   
       9 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gear has teeth meshed with teeth of the second gear, and wherein the first and second gears extend substantially within a same plane.  
   
   
       10 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second gear is a half-moon gear and is provided with guiding supports mountable onto the frame of the snowblower for guiding an interaction of the second gear with the first gear.  
   
   
       11 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuating assembly comprises a third gear, and a smaller fourth gear securely mountable onto the third gear, said third and fourth gears being mountable onto the frame of the snowblower and both being rotatable about a same pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the first and second gears, the third gear being operatively interconnectable with the first gear, and the fourth gear being operatively interconnectable with the second gear, so that a rotation of the second gear is transmitted to the first gear and vice versa, via said third and fourth gears.  
   
   
       12 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism comprises an elongated rod pivotably mountable about the frame of the snowblower and having first and second extremities, the first extremity of the rod being provided with the second gear operatively interconnectable with the first gear, and the second extremity of the rod being provided with a crank for rotating the rod so that a rotation of the second gear via the rod causes in turn a rotation of the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon.  
   
   
       13 . An actuating assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gear has teeth meshed with teeth of the second gear, and wherein the second gear is positionable at about 90 degrees from the first gear.  
   
   
       14 . A snowblower having a frame and a chute rotatable thereabout, the snowblower being provided with an actuating assembly for actuating the chute, the actuating assembly comprising: 
 a first gear pivotably mounted onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis, said first gear being configured for operatively receiving thereon the chute of the snowblower;    a second gear mounted onto the frame of the snowblower and rotatable about a pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the first gear, the second gear being operatively interconnected with the first gear so that a rotation of the second gear is transmitted to the first gear and vice versa;    a driving mechanism for driving the second gear in rotation so as to in turn drive the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate.    
   
   
       15 . A snowblower according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving mechanism comprises a cylinder having first and second ends, the first end of the cylinder being mounted about the frame of the snowblower and the second end of the cylinder being displaceable with respect to the first end thereof, between retracted and extended configurations, the second end of the cylinder being pivotably mounted via a link about an anchoring point on the second gear so that an actuation of the second end of the cylinder between the retracted and extended configurations causes the second gear to rotate about its pivot axis, and in turn causes the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate about its pivot axis.  
   
   
       16 . A snowblower according to  claim 15 , wherein the actuating assembly comprises a shearing bolt operatively connected between the second end of the cylinder and the second gear, the shearing bolt being made of a specific material being breakable when the force operatively transmitted between the second end of the cylinder and the second gear has reached a predetermined threshold, wherein the link has a first extremity pivotably mounted about the pivot axis of the second gear and a second extremity pivotably mounted about the second end of the cylinder, said second extremity of the link being operatively secured to the anchoring point on the second gear, wherein the link is shaped, positioned and sized so as to act as a lever mechanism between the second end of the cylinder and the anchoring point of the second gear, for rotating said second gear about its pivot axis via an actuation of the second end of the cylinder between the retracted and extended configurations, wherein the first gear has teeth meshed with teeth of the second gear, wherein the first and second gears extend substantially within a same plane, and wherein the second gear is a half-moon gear and is provided with guiding supports mounted onto the frame of the snowblower for guiding an interaction of the second gear with the first gear.  
   
   
       17 . A snowblower according to  claim 15 , wherein the link is a substantially L-shaped link having a corner and a pair of ends, the corner of the link being pivotably mounted about the pivot axis of the second gear, a first end of the link being pivotably mounted about the second end of the cylinder, and the other end of the link being secured to the second gear by means of a shearing bolt, the shearing bolt being made of a specific material being breakable when the force transmitted between the link and the second gear has reached a predetermined threshold, wherein the first gear has teeth meshed with teeth of the second gear, wherein the first and second gears extend substantially within a same plane, and wherein the second gear is a half-moon gear.  
   
   
       18 . A snowblower according to  claim 14 , wherein the actuating assembly comprises a third gear, and a smaller fourth gear securely mounted onto the third gear, said third and fourth gears being mounted onto the frame of the snowblower and both being rotatable about a same pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the first and second gears, the third gear being operatively interconnected with the first gear, and the fourth gear being operatively interconnected with the second gear, so that a rotation of the second gear is transmitted to the first gear and vice versa, via said third and fourth gears.  
   
   
       19 . A snowblower according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving mechanism comprises an elongated rod pivotably mounted about the frame of the snowblower and having first and second extremities, the first extremity of the rod being provided with the second gear operatively interconnected with the first gear, and the second extremity of the rod being provided with a crank for rotating the rod so that a rotation of the second gear via the rod causes in turn a rotation of the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon, and wherein the first gear has teeth meshed with teeth of the second gear, and wherein the second gear is positioned at about 90 degrees from the first gear.  
   
   
       20 . A method of operating an actuating assembly for actuating a chute of a snowblower having a frame, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing onto the snowblower an actuating assembly according to  claim 1;     b) driving the second gear of the assembly via the driving mechanism so as to in turn drive the first gear and corresponding chute operatively mounted thereon to rotate.