Apparatus for mounting a blade to a snow plow moldboard

Abstract

A hinge coupling for coupling a snow plow blade assembly to a moldboard of a snow plow includes a spring having a first and second legs, a plow mount portion, and a blade mount portion. The plow mount portion includes first and second side plates having respective hinge barrels thereon. A plow mounting plate extends between the first and second side plates and is secured to the moldboard. A spring plate extends between the first and second side plates and includes a recess for receiving the first leg of the spring. The blade mount portion includes a pin extending between the first and second side plates; the pin being rotatably received within the hinge barrels. A blade mounting plate is secured to the pin while the second leg of the spring is coupled to the blade mounting plate. The blade mount portion is rotatably moveable relative to the plow mount portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hinge coupling for rotatably fastening a snow plow blade assembly to a moldboard of a snow plow, the hinge coupling comprising:
 a) a spring having a first terminal leg and a second terminal leg;   b) a plow mount portion including:
 i) a first side plate having a first hinge barrel mounted thereon; 
 ii) a second side plate in spaced parallel relation with the first side plate and having a second hinge barrel mounted thereon; 
 iii) a plow mounting plate extending between the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein the mounting plate is configured to be coupled to the moldboard; and 
 iv) a spring plate extending between the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein the first terminal leg of the spring is coupled with the spring plate; and 
   c) a blade mount portion including:
 i) a pin extending between the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein the pin includes a first pin end rotatably received within the first hinge barrel and a second pin end rotatably received within the second hinge barrel; 
 ii) a blade mounting plate fixedly secured to the pin, wherein the second terminal leg of the spring is coupled to the blade mounting plate, wherein the blade mount portion is rotatably moveable relative to the plow mount portion, and wherein the blade mounting plate is configured to be coupled to the snow plow blade assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hinge coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein the first side plate includes a first barrel shoulder, and wherein the blade mounting plate engages the first barrel shoulder when the snow plow blade assembly is in an engaged position. 
     
     
         3 . The hinge coupling according to  claim 2 , wherein the second side plate includes a second barrel shoulder, and wherein the blade mounting plate engages the second barrel shoulder when the snow plow blade assembly is in the engaged position. 
     
     
         4 . The hinge coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein the plow mount portion further includes a spring cover plate extending between the first side plate and the second side plate and covering the first hinge barrel, the second hinge barrel, a portion of the pin, and at least a portion of the spring. 
     
     
         5 . The hinge coupling according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adapter plate configured to be located between the moldboard and the plow mounting plate, wherein the adapter plate includes a first plurality of apertures configured to receive a first set of fasteners therethrough to mount the adapter plate to the moldboard and a second plurality of apertures configured to receive a second set of fasteners therethrough to mount the hinge coupling to the adapter plate. 
     
     
         6 . A snow plow blade apparatus for connection to a moldboard of a snow plow, the snow plow blade apparatus comprising:
 a) a hinge coupling comprising:
 i) a first spring having a first terminal leg and a second terminal leg; 
 ii) a plow mount portion coupled to the first terminal leg of the first spring therein; and 
 iii) a blade mount portion including a pin and a blade mounting plate coupled to the second terminal leg of the first spring and rotatably moveable relative to the plow mount portion; and 
   b) a blade assembly including:
 i) a blade retainer; 
 ii) a blade slidably mounted to the blade retainer, the blade having a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein the bottom edge is configured for engaging a road surface during operation of the snow plow; and 
 iii) a plurality of second springs disposed between a top plate of the blade retainer and the top edge of the blade, wherein the plurality of second springs are configured to bias the blade toward the road surface so that the bottom edge of the blade maintains contact with the road surface, 
   wherein the hinge coupling is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis defined by the first spring, and wherein the blade is configured to translate vertically relative to the blade retainer and moldboard and perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the first spring.   
     
     
         7 . The snow plow blade apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising an adapter plate configured to be located between the moldboard and the hinge coupling, wherein the adapter plate includes a first plurality of apertures configured to receive a first set of fasteners therethrough to mount the adapter plate to the moldboard and a second plurality of apertures configured to receive a second set of fasteners therethrough to mount the hinge coupling to the adapter plate. 
     
     
         8 . The snow plow blade apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the blade defines a plurality of notches therein extending from the top edge and terminating at a respective terminal end wall an intermediate distance above the bottom edge, wherein each respective notch of the plurality of notches receives a respective second spring of the plurality of second springs. 
     
     
         9 . The snow plow blade apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the blade further defines a plurality of bores, wherein each respective bore of the plurality of bores extends from its respective terminal end wall toward the bottom edge of the blade, wherein the blade assembly further comprises a plurality of posts, wherein each respective post of the plurality of posts is received within its respective notch of the plurality of notches, and wherein each respective second spring has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the post and an outer diameter smaller than the width of the notch, and wherein the post is configured to be slidably received within the bore when the blade translates vertically.