Scraper blade having trip edge and floating edge

Abstract

A scraper blade assembly having a moldboard combined with a plurality of surface engaging assemblies. Each surface engaging assembly includes a cutting-edge section configured to contact the ground during operation and a linkage assembly configured to allow the surface engaging assembly to move between its various positions. Each surface engaging assembly is movable around a pivot axis between an operational position and a tripped position wherein obstacles are allowed to pass underneath the cutting-edge section. In addition, each cutting-edge section is linearly movable between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the cutting-edge section floats linearly (generally upward) to contour to the ground. The linkage assembly is operatively combined with a biasing member. The biasing member urges the surface engaging assembly toward the operational position and the cutting-edge section toward the extended position.

What is claimed is as follows: 
     
         1 . A scraper blade assembly configured to be carried by a vehicle over a ground surface, said scraper blade assembly comprising:
 a moldboard combined with a plurality of surface engaging assemblies extending from a lower portion of the moldboard in side-by-side relationship with one another, wherein each surface engaging assembly has a linkage assembly and a cutting-edge section;   each surface engaging assembly is movable about a trip pivot axis relative to the moldboard between an operational position and a tripped position;   each cutting-edge section is linearly movable between an extended position and a retracted position; and   a biasing member combined with the linkage assembly and configured to provide a biasing force to urge the surface engaging assembly toward the operational position and the cutting-edge section toward the extended position;   wherein the linkage assembly is configured to move the surface engaging assembly between the operational position and the tripped position and the cutting-edge section between the extended position and the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 1  wherein the linkage assembly includes:
 a. a first linkage having a body portion, a first portion movable around a first linkage pivot axis, and a second portion operatively engaged with the cutting-edge section; and 
 b. a second linkage having a body portion, a first portion movable around a second linkage pivot axis, and a second portion pivotally combined with the biasing member. 
 
     
     
         3 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 2  wherein the first linkage pivot axis and the second linkage pivot axis are generally parallel so the first linkage and the second linkage are configured to rotate in the same plane. 
     
     
         4 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 2  wherein the body portion of the first linkage engages the body portion of the second linkage so that movement of the first linkage against the biasing force causes movement of the second linkage against the biasing force. 
     
     
         5 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 2  wherein the trip pivot axis is the same as the second linkage pivot axis. 
     
     
         6 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 1  wherein the second portion of the first linkage is directly combined with the cutting-edge section and the second portion of the second linkage is directly combined with the biasing member. 
     
     
         7 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 2  wherein the body portion of the first linkage has a curved surface and the body portion of the second linkage has a curved surface, and the curved surface of the first linkage engages and is configured to engage along the curved surface of the second linkage as the surface engaging assembly moves. 
     
     
         8 . A scraper blade assembly configured to be carried by a vehicle over a ground surface, said scraper blade assembly comprising:
 a moldboard combined with a plurality of surface engaging assemblies extending from a lower portion of the moldboard in side-by-side relationship with one another, wherein each surface engaging assembly has a linkage assembly and a cutting-edge section;   each surface engaging assembly is movable about a trip pivot axis relative to the moldboard between an operational position and a tripped position;   each cutting-edge section is linearly movable between an extended position and a retracted position;   wherein the linkage assembly has a first linkage operatively engaged with the cutting-edge section and pivotally movable around a first linkage pivot axis, and a second linkage combined with a biasing member and pivotally movable around a second linkage pivot axis;   wherein the biasing member is configured to transmit a biasing force to the second linkage thereby biasing the surface engaging assembly toward the operational position, and wherein the second linkage is configured to transmit the biasing force to the first linkage thereby biasing the cutting-edge section toward the extended position.   
     
     
         9 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 8  wherein the first linkage has a body portion, a first portion movable around the first linkage pivot axis, and a second portion operatively engaged with the cutting-edge section; and
 the second linkage has a body portion, a first portion movable around a second linkage pivot axis, and a second portion pivotally combined with the biasing member. 
 
     
     
         10 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 8  wherein the first linkage pivot axis and the second linkage pivot axis are generally parallel so the first linkage and the second linkage are configured to rotate in the same plane. 
     
     
         11 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 9  wherein the body portion of the first linkage engages the body portion of the second linkage so that movement of the first linkage against the biasing force causes movement of the second linkage against the biasing force. 
     
     
         12 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 9  wherein the first linkage is indirectly combined with the second linkage by a fastener. 
     
     
         13 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 8  wherein the second portion of the first linkage is directly combined with the cutting-edge section and the second portion of the second linkage is directly combined with the biasing member. 
     
     
         14 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 9  wherein the body portion of the first linkage has a curved surface and the body portion of the second linkage has a curved surface, and the curved surface of the first linkage engages and is configured to engage along the curved surface of the second linkage as the surface engaging assembly moves. 
     
     
         15 . A scraper blade assembly configured to be carried by a vehicle over a ground surface, said scraper blade assembly comprising:
 a moldboard combined with a plurality of surface engaging assemblies extending from a lower portion of the moldboard in side-by-side relationship with one another, wherein each surface engaging assembly includes a cutting-edge section configured to contact the ground during operation;   each surface engaging assembly is movable about a trip pivot axis relative to the moldboard between an operational position and a tripped position;   each cutting-edge section is linearly movable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein each cutting-edge section has a first portion and a second portion;   a first linkage assembly combined with the first portion of the cutting-edge section, wherein the first linkage assembly is configured to move the surface engaging assembly between the operational position and the tripped position and the first portion of the cutting-edge section between the extended position and the retracted position;   a first biasing member combined with the first linkage assembly and configured to provide a first biasing force to urge the surface engaging assembly toward the operational position and the first portion of the cutting-edge section toward the extended position;   a second linkage assembly combined with the second portion of the cutting-edge section, wherein the second linkage assembly is configured to move the surface engaging assembly between the operational position and the tripped position and the second portion of the cutting-edge section between the extended position and the retracted position;   a second biasing member combined with the second linkage assembly and configured to provide a second biasing force to urge the surface engaging assembly toward the operational position and the second portion of the cutting-edge section toward the extended position.   
     
     
         16 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly each have a first linkage and a second linkage, each of the first linkages having a body portion, a first portion movable around a first linkage pivot axis, and a second portion operatively engaged with the cutting-edge section; and
 each of the second linkages having a body portion, a first portion movable around a second linkage pivot axis, and a second portion pivotally combined with the biasing member. 
 
     
     
         17 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein the first linkage pivot axis and the second linkage pivot axis are generally parallel so the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly are configured to rotate in the same plane. 
     
     
         18 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 16  wherein the body portion of the first linkages engages the body portion of the second linkages so that movement of the first linkages against the biasing forces causes movement of the second linkages against the biasing forces. 
     
     
         19 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 16  wherein the first linkages are indirectly combined with the second linkages by fasteners. 
     
     
         20 . The scraper blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein the second portions of the first linkages are directly combined with the cutting-edge sections and the second portions of the second linkages are directly combined with the biasing members.