Bucket Glides

Abstract

A ski shaped glide of hardened steel, two or more of which can be attached to the bottom of a bucket on a front-end loader when the bucket is used for plowing snow with the lift hydraulics in float position. The glide specifically referred to as a bucket-glide, significantly and effectively prevent the bucket cutting edge from digging into the road or ground surface when plowing, especially when the ground surface is soft or uneven. To accomplish this objective the bucket-glides are attached to the underside the bucket bottom typically with one in the middle and one near each outside edge with the glide's toes extending upward just beyond the bucket's cutting edge. The acute angle bend of the toes allow the bucket to be tilted downward to enable the bucket cutting edge to effectively engage the snow and enable the bucket to glide over and follow the terrain without having the cutting edge dig in and remove unwanted material. The invention allows the operator to adjust the bucket tilt angle to accommodate for most ground conditions. When plowing snow on soft, unfrozen ground a slight bucket tilt angle allows more of the bucket-glide's surface area to make ground contact and therefore provides more bucket support, preventing the cutting edge from digging in. As the operator increases the bucket tilt angle it progressively reduces the bucket-glide's surface area contact with the ground and support of the bucket resulting in more of the bucket's weight being transferred to the bucket's cutting edge. This reduced bucket support is useful because it allows the cutting edge to aggressively scrape hard surfaces like pavement or frozen ground while still maintaining ground clearance. Bucket glides are attached with a bolt or clamp.

1 . A bucket-glide that has the shape of a small ski for attaching to the bottom of a bucket on a front-end loader to be used for the plowing of snow extending beyond the cutting edge of said bucket and under said bucket to prevent said cutting edge from contacting the ground surface or pavement while plowing thus preventing it from disturbing or removing unwanted material, said bucket-glide comprising a single flat rectangular section of hardened steel forming a base, containing a curving upward bend at one end forming a toe wherein the beginning of said bend defines the separation of said base and said toe, wherein said base is drilled with holes and countersunk on the bottom of said base to accommodate the securing of said bucket-glide to said bucket with a single plow bolt, lock washer and nut.  
   
   
       2 . The bucket-glide of  claim 1  wherein said bend is an acute angle.  
   
   
       3 . The bucket-glide of  claim 1  wherein said steel is equal to or greater than ⅜ inches thick.  
   
   
       4 . The bucket-glide of  claim 1  wherein said holes are drilled at distances from the beginning of said bend along the centerline of said base at intervals that will align with those drilled in the bottom of said bucket according to the variations of industry standards.  
   
   
       5 . A bucket-glide for attaching to the bottom of a bucket on a front-end loader that has the shape of a modified ski to be used for the plowing of snow extending beyond the cutting edge of said bucket and under said bucket to prevent said cutting edge from contacting the ground surface or pavement while plowing thus preventing it from disturbing or removing unwanted material, the said bucket-glide comprising a singular flat rectangular section of hardened steel forming a base wherein containing a curving upward bend at one end forming a toe, wherein the beginning of said bend defines the separation between said base and said toe, a hold down plate comprised of a flat rectangular section of said steel, the same width as said base and said toe, one end of which is welded to the back of said toe at a particular vertical distance away from the top of said base and extends rearward directly over and parallel to said base, a gusset comprised of a flat rectangular section of said steel is welded from the bottom of said hold down plate downward to the beginning of and along the full width of said toe along the said line of bend, the width of said gusset closely defining the parallel distance separating said base from said hold down plate, said hold down plate contains one hole that is drilled at a particular location and threaded to accept a single bolt which can then be turned firmly downward to contact the top of the bottom of said bucket creating the static friction force necessary to hold said bucket-glide to said bucket.  
   
   
       6 . The bucket-glide of  claim 5  wherein said steel is equal to or greater than ⅜ inches thick.  
   
   
       7 . The bucket-glide of  claim 5  wherein said bend is an acute angle.  
   
   
       8 . The bucket glide of  claim 5  wherein said hole is drilled on a centerline along the length of said hold down plate.  
   
   
       9 . The bucket-glide of  claim 5  wherein said hole is drilled at a distance away from said toe to allow said bolt to securely contact the bottom of said bucket accommodating for various industry bucket design standards.