Snow plow blade lift/lower system for stand-on skid steer vehicle

Abstract

A snow plow blade lift/lower system for a stand-on skid steer vehicle comprises a mount frame adapted to be attached to a frame of the vehicle, a lift frame attached to the mount frame, a motion generating device operable between the lift frame and the mount frame for raising and lowering the lift frame relative to the mount frame, an A-frame attached to the lift frame, and a plow blade attached to the A-frame. The mount frame and the lift frame having cooperating structure for guiding the lift frame and hence the plow blade in a non-rotational curvilinear path as the motion generating device raises and lowers the lift frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snow plow blade lift/lower system for a stand-on skid steer vehicle, comprising:
 a mount frame adapted to be attached to a frame of the vehicle,   a lift frame attached to said mount frame,   a motion generating device operable between said lift frame and said mount frame for raising and lowering said lift frame relative to said mount frame,   an A-frame attached to said lift frame, and   a plow blade attached to said A-frame,   said mount frame and said lift frame having cooperating structure for guiding said lift frame and hence said plow blade in a non-rotational curvilinear path as said motion generating device raises and lowers said lift frame.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said cooperating structure comprises:
 said mount frame has first and second pairs of pins, said first pair of pins transversely spaced from said second pair of pins, said pins of each said pair of pins vertically spaced,   said lift frame has first and second pairs of slots, said first pair of slots transversely spaced from said second pair of slots, said slots of each said pair of slots vertically spaced,   said first pair of pins riding in said first pair of slots and said second pair of pins riding in said second pair of slots.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said slots of each said pair of slots are straight and non-parallel. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein lower ones of said pins of each said pair of pins are rearward of upper ones of said pins of each said pair of pins. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots are rearward of upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said lower end rearward of said upper end, and wherein said upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said upper end rearward of said lower end. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said lift frame has first, second, third, and fourth said pairs of slots. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said cooperating structure is configured such that the non-rotational curvilinear path taken by said plow blade results in:
 a lowermost forwardmost edge of said blade moving vertically upward but not substantially horizontally rearward, and   an uppermost forwardmost edge of said blade moving vertically upward and horizontally rearward.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said motion generating device is a hydraulic cylinder having a lower end pivoted to said mount frame and an upper end pivoted to said lift frame. 
     
     
         10 . A snow removal vehicle, comprising:
 a stand-on skid steer vehicle having a vehicle frame,   a mount frame attached to said vehicle frame,   a lift frame attached to said mount frame,   a motion generating device operable between said lift frame and said mount frame for raising and lowering said lift frame relative to said mount frame,   an A-frame attached to said lift frame, and   a plow blade attached to said A-frame,   said mount frame and said lift frame having cooperating structure for guiding said lift frame and hence said plow blade in a non-rotational curvilinear path as said motion generating device raises and lowers said lift frame.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein said cooperating structure comprises:
 said mount frame has first and second pairs of pins, said first pair of pins transversely spaced from said second pair of pins, said pins of each said pair of pins vertically spaced,   said lift frame has first and second pairs of slots, said first pair of slots transversely spaced from said second pair of slots, said slots of each said pair of slots vertically spaced,   said first pair of pins riding in said first pair of slots and said second pair of pins riding in said second pair of slots.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein said slots of each said pair of slots are straight and non-parallel. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein lower ones of said pins of each said pair of pins are rearward of upper ones of said pins of each said pair of pins. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots are rearward of upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said lower end rearward of said upper end, and wherein said upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said upper end rearward of said lower end. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein said lift frame has first, second, third, and fourth said pairs of slots. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein said cooperating structure is configured such that the non-rotational curvilinear path taken by said plow blade results in:
 a lowermost forwardmost edge of said blade moving vertically upward but not substantially horizontally rearward, and   an uppermost forwardmost edge of said blade moving vertically upward and horizontally rearward.   
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein said motion generating device is a hydraulic cylinder having a lower end pivoted to said mount frame and an upper end pivoted to said lift frame. 
     
     
         19 . A tool lift/lower system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a mount frame adapted to be attached to a frame of the vehicle,   a lift frame attached to said mount frame,   a motion generating device operable between said lift frame and said mount frame for raising and lowering said lift frame relative to said mount frame,   a support frame attached to said lift frame, and   a tool attached to said support frame,   said mount frame and said lift frame having cooperating structure for guiding said lift frame and hence said tool in a non-rotational curvilinear path as said motion generating device raises and lowers said lift frame.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said cooperating structure comprises:
 said mount frame has first and second pairs of pins, said first pair of pins transversely spaced from said second pair of pins, said pins of each said pair of pins vertically spaced,   said lift frame has first and second pairs of slots, said first pair of slots transversely spaced from said second pair of slots, said slots of each said pair of slots vertically spaced,   said first pair of pins riding in said first pair of slots and said second pair of pins riding in said second pair of slots.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said slots of each said pair of slots are straight and non-parallel. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein lower ones of said pins of each said pair of pins are rearward of upper ones of said pins of each said pair of pins. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots are rearward of upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said lower end rearward of said upper end, and wherein said upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots each have an upper end and a lower end, said upper end rearward of said lower end. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein said lift frame has first, second, third, and fourth said pairs of slots. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said cooperating structure is configured such that the non-rotational curvilinear path taken by said tool results in:
 a lowermost forwardmost edge of said tool moving vertically upward but not substantially horizontally rearward, and   an uppermost forwardmost edge of said tool moving vertically upward and horizontally rearward.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said motion generating device is a hydraulic cylinder having a lower end pivoted to said mount frame and an upper end pivoted to said lift frame. 
     
     
         28 . The system or vehicle of any of  claim 2, 11, or 20 , wherein said slots of each said pair of slots are at least in part are curved. 
     
     
         29 . The system or vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein curved sections of said slots have either a constant radius or a variable radius. 
     
     
         30 . The system or vehicle of  claim 1, 10, or 19 , wherein said cooperating structure comprises:
 said mount frame has first and second pairs of slots, said first pair of slots transversely spaced from said second pair of slots, said slots of each said pair of slots vertically spaced,   said lift frame has first and second pairs of pins, said first pair of pins transversely spaced from said second pair of pins, said pins of each said pair of pins vertically spaced,   said first pair of pins riding in said first pair of slots and said second pair of pins riding in said second pair of slots.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein said slots of each said pair of slots are straight and non-parallel. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein lower ones of said pins of each said pair of pins are rearward of upper ones of said pins of each said pair of pins. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein lower ones of said slots of each said pair of slots are rearward of upper ones of said slots of each said pair of slots.