Snow surface compactor and track apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a snow compactor 1 and a fixing device 24 for the track body for fastening to the same. The snow compactor 1 can be made to oscillate by the excitation apparatus 2 and thus acts in a planar fashion upon the snow to be compacted by way of its floor plate 3 . It comprises a mounting apparatus 4 for attachment to the tractor. The floor plate 3 comprises a reinforcing structure 5 and a front region which is situated at the front in the working direction A of the snow compactor 1 and which is upwardly bent. The special aspect in the snow compactor 1 in accordance with the invention is that the excitation apparatus 2 is arranged behind the center of gravity S. As a result, it acts especially with the rear region of its floor plate 3 in a planar fashion upon the snow situated beneath the snow compactor 1 . As a result of the near continuous curved floor plate it is possible in an especially simple way by turning the snow compactor 1 to change the produced surface structure without having to attach or remove the fixing device 24 or the track body 23 for profiling.

1 . A snow compactor ( 1 ), comprising a floor plate ( 3 ) which can be made to oscillate by an excitation apparatus ( 2 ) and acts in a planar fashion onto the snow to be compacted, and a mounting apparatus ( 4 ) for attachment to a tractor, with the floor plate ( 3 ) having a front region which is situated at the front in the working direction (A) of the snow compactor ( 1 ) and is bent upwardly, and having a reinforcing structure ( 5 ), characterized in that the excitation apparatus ( 2 ) is arranged in the working direction behind the center of gravity (S) of the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       2 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the excitation apparatus ( 2 ) is arranged in a third of a cross section of the snow compactor ( 1 ), which third is situated at the rear in the working direction (A) and which extends substantially in the working direction (A).  
   
   
       3 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the excitation apparatus ( 2 ) is arranged in the working direction (A) behind the mounting apparatus ( 4 ).  
   
   
       4 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a major part of the floor plate ( 3 ) is curved.  
   
   
       5 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a major part of the floor plate ( 3 ) is curved with a constant curvature.  
   
   
       6 . A snow compactor according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the part of the floor plate ( 14 ,  16 ) curved at least with a constant curvature extends at least over two-thirds of the cross-sectional width of the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       7 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the floor plate ( 3 ) comprises at least two differently strongly curved regions ( 14 ,  16 ), with the region ( 16 ) situated at the rear in the working direction having a larger radius of curvature ( 17 ) and extending at most over one-third of the cross-sectional width of the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       8 . A snow compactor according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one track body ( 23 ) for profiling the snow surface is arranged on the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       9 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that for preparing a cross-country ski run at least two track bodies ( 23 ) are arranged in pairs and spaced parallel from one another on the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       10 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track bodies ( 23 ) are arranged on the bottom side of the floor plate ( 3 ) facing the snow ( 31 ) to be compacted.  
   
   
       11 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is detachably fastened to the floor plate ( 3 ).  
   
   
       12 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is fastened to the snow compactor ( 1 ) by means of a fixing device ( 24 ).  
   
   
       13 . A snow compactor according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the fixing device ( 24 ) comprises a flexurally rigid holding arm ( 25 ).  
   
   
       14 . A snow compactor according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the holding arm ( 25 ) is swivellable.  
   
   
       15 . A snow compactor according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the fixing device ( 24 ) comprises an adjusting means ( 27 ,  28 ,  30 ;  32 ) for adjusting the position and/or for setting the track depth of the track body ( 23 ).  
   
   
       16 . A snow compactor according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the adjusting means ( 32 ) is driven in a hydraulic manner.  
   
   
       17 . A snow compactor according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is attached to the swivelable holding arm ( 25 ) and can be swiveled to a working position situated in the working direction (A) behind the floor plate ( 3 ).  
   
   
       18 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is a wheel.  
   
   
       19 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is a roller profiled with annular elevations and/or depressions.  
   
   
       20 . A snow compactor according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the fixing device ( 24 ) comprises a flexurally soft flat strip ( 36 ) to which the at least one track body ( 23 ) is fastened.  
   
   
       21 . A snow compactor according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the flat strip ( 36 ) is a plastic mat.  
   
   
       22 . A snow compactor according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the flat strip ( 36 ) comprises at least one holding means ( 33 ) and a clamping means ( 35 ) for fastening the fixing device ( 24 ) for the track body to the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       23 . A snow compactor according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the flat strip ( 36 ) can be clamped with outside track bodies ( 23 ) to a profiling strip ( 21 ) fastened to the floor plate ( 1 ).  
   
   
       24 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) extends in its length over approximately one-third of the cross-sectional width of the snow compactor ( 1 ).  
   
   
       25 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) comprises a height decreasing in the working direction.  
   
   
       26 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is curved in the working direction (A).  
   
   
       27 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) is a rigid body which comprises a surface shaped according to the outside shape of the floor plate ( 3 ) and/or the shape of the profiling strip ( 21 ).  
   
   
       28 . A snow compactor according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the track body ( 23 ) has a convex or V-shaped bottom side which faces the snow surface ( 31 ) to be compacted.  
   
   
       29 . A track apparatus ( 37 ) for use on a snow compactor ( 1 ), comprising a track body ( 23 ) and a fixing device ( 24 ) for the track body.