Folding blade for a clearing apparatus with a blade

Abstract

A folding blade for a clearing apparatus with a clearing blade includes a folding bar, a lever mechanism for pivotally mounting the folding bar on a base part of the clearing blade, and a spring element for arrangement between the base part and the lever mechanism, for returning the folding bar to an initial position in which the folding bar forms an extension of a blade plate of the clearing blade. The lever mechanism is designed in such a way that the folding bar is pivotable from the initial position to a retracted position along a first pivoting path by overcoming a spring force of the spring element, and that the folding bar is pivotable from the retracted position to the initial position along a second pivoting path due to the spring force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A folding blade for a clearing apparatus having a clearing blade, the folding blade comprising:
 a) a folding bar;   b) a lever mechanism configured to pivotally mount the folding bar on a base part of the clearing blade;   c) a spring element arranged between the base part and the lever mechanism, the spring element configured to return the folding bar to an initial position in which the folding bar forms an extension of a blade plate of the clearing blade; and   wherein the lever mechanism is configured such that the folding bar is pivotable from the initial position to a retracted position along a first pivoting path by overcoming a spring force of the spring element, and such that the folding bar is configured to pivot from the retracted position to the initial position along a second pivoting path due to the spring force; and   wherein the lever mechanism is configured such that the second pivoting path is different from the first pivoting path.   
     
     
         2 . The folding blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the second pivoting path comprises:
 a first path section, adjacent the retracted position, in which the pivoting path corresponds to a pure pivotal movement about a single axis of rotation, and   a second path section in which the pivoting path corresponds to a superposition of two pivotal movements about two spaced axes of rotation.   
     
     
         3 . The folding blade according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lever mechanism comprises an elbow lever comprising a first elbow lever element hingedly connected to the base part of the clearing blade and comprising a second elbow lever element connected to the folding bar in a rotationally fixed manner,   the second elbow lever element and the first elbow lever element are hingedly connected to one another, and   the spring element is configured to act on the second elbow lever element.   
     
     
         4 . The folding blade according to  claim 3 , wherein the spring element is configured to act on the second elbow lever element via a deflection mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The folding blade according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the deflection mechanism comprises a deflection lever rotatably mounted on the base part and a coupling rod,   the spring element and the coupling rod are mounted on the deflection lever at spaced pivot points, and   the coupling rod is pivotally connected to the second elbow lever element.   
     
     
         6 . The folding blade according to  claim 5 , wherein the deflection lever, the coupling rod and the spring element are configured and arranged such that a restoring force on the folding bar in the retracted position is less than in the restoring force in the initial position. 
     
     
         7 . The folding blade according to  claim 3 , comprising a first stop for the first elbow lever element arranged on the base part, wherein in the retracted position the first elbow lever element rests against the first stop. 
     
     
         8 . The folding blade according to  claim 2 , wherein the second elbow lever element comprises a second stop arranged on the base part, the second stop configured such that in a section of the second pivoting path the second elbow lever element is guided by an outer contour of the second stop. 
     
     
         9 . The folding blade according to  claim 8 , wherein, in the initial position, the second stop is configured and arranged to cooperate with the second elbow lever element to prevent movement of the folding bar along the first pivoting path upon a force acting on the folding bar from a rear side of a main plane of the folding bar. 
     
     
         10 . The folding blade according to  claim 3 , comprising a second stop for the second elbow lever element arranged on the base part, the second stop configured such that in a section of the second pivoting path the second elbow lever element is guided by an outer contour of the second stop. 
     
     
         11 . The folding blade according to  claim 10 , wherein, in the initial position, the second stop is configured and arranged to cooperate with the second elbow lever element to prevent movement of the folding bar along the first pivoting path upon a force acting on the folding bar from a rear side of a main plane of the folding bar. 
     
     
         12 . A clearing blade, comprising:
 a folding blade comprising
 a) a folding bar; 
 b) a lever mechanism configured to pivotally mount the folding bar on a base part of the clearing blade; 
 c) a spring element arranged between the base part and the lever mechanism, the spring element configured to return the folding bar to an initial position in which the folding bar forms an extension of a blade plate of the clearing blade; and
 wherein the lever mechanism is configured such that the folding bar is pivotable from the initial position to a retracted position along a first pivoting path by overcoming a spring force of the spring element, and such that the folding bar is configured to pivot from the retracted position to the initial position along a second pivoting path due to the spring force; and 
 wherein the lever mechanism is configured such that the second pivoting path is different from the first pivoting path; and 
 
   wherein the folding blade is pivotally arranged on the clearing blade so as to pivot from an initial position, in which the folding bar of the folding blade forms an extension of a blade plate of the clearing blade, to a retracted position, wherein the folding bar does not enter a path space defined by the clearing blade with the folding blade either during pivoting from the initial position to the retracted position along the first pivoting path or during pivoting from the retracted position to the initial position along the second pivoting path.   
     
     
         13 . The clearing blade according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a central receiving opening configured to receive at least one of a blower wheel and a snow blower wheel,   a first folding blade arranged on a first side of the receiving opening,   a second folding blade arranged on a second side of the receiving opening, and   wherein the folding bars of the first folding blade and the second folding blade are arranged to extend into an area below the receiving opening.