SNOW PROCESSING DEVICE FOR A SNOW TILLER AND SNOW TILLER INCLUDING SUCH A DEVICE

Abstract

A snow processing device for a snow tiller has at least one fastener to attach the processing device to the snow tiller at a pivot axis between two adjacent rotors of the snow tiller; and at least one tooth fixed to the fastener and configured to harrow the snowpack at the pivot axis.

Claims

1. A snow processing device comprising: a fastener configured to attach the snow processing device to a snow tiller at a pivot axis between two adjacent rotors of the snow tiller; and a tooth fixed to the fastener and configured to harrow a snowpack at the pivot axis.

2. The snow processing device of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a flange configured to be attached to a side plate supporting, via a releasable joint, a respective rotor of the two adjacent rotors.

3. The snow processing device of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises two flanges, each of which is configured to be attached, via a releasable joint, to a side plate supporting a respective rotor of the two adjacent rotors.

4. The snow processing device of claim 3, wherein the flanges are hinged to each other via a pivot pin that, in use, is coaxial to the pivot axis.

5. The snow processing device of claim 1, wherein: the fastener comprises a plate perpendicular to a flange, and the tooth is integral with a fastener plate which is selectively mountable on the plate.

6. The snow processing device of claim 5, wherein the fastener plate is selectively adjustable with respect to the plate to vary a harrowing depth of the tooth.

7. The snow processing device of claim 1, wherein the tooth defines a knife shape.

8. The snow processing device of claim 7, wherein the knife shape defines a concave leading edge.

9. The snow processing device of claim 7, wherein the knife shape defines a concave trailing edge.

10. The snow processing device of claim 7, wherein the knife shape defines a flared free end.

11. The snow processing device of claim 1, wherein the tooth comprises a bifurcated free end.

12. A snow tiller configured to be advanced in a travelling direction, the snow tiller comprising: a main frame configured to be connected to a tractor; two sub-frames, each of which is movably supported by the main frame; at least two rotors which are: equipped with snow-processing teeth, pivotable about their respective axes of rotation, pivotable relative to each other at their respective ends around a pivot axis substantially parallel to the travelling direction, and pivotally supported about their respective axes of rotation by a respective subframe of the two sub-frames; and a snow processing device mounted on at least one of the two subframe at the pivot axis and configured to harrow a snowpack at the pivot axis.

13. The snow tiller of claim 12, wherein: each subframe comprises two side plates pivotally supporting a respective rotor of the at least two rotors, and the snow processing device is mounted on at least one of the two side plates facing the subframes.

14. The snow tiller of claim 12, wherein the snow processing device is mounted on two side plates facing each other via two flanges hinged to each other via a pivot pin aligned with the pivot axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0013] Additional characteristics and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0014] FIGS. 1 and 2 are elevated rear views, with parts removed for clarity, of a snow tiller in two respective operating positions equipped with a snow processing device made in accordance with this disclosure;

[0015] FIGS. 3 and 4 are elevated side views, with parts in cross section and parts removed for clarity, of the snow tiller in FIG. 1 in two different operating positions;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of the snow processing device in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 6 is an elevated rear view, on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of the snow processing device in FIG. 5;

[0018] FIG. 7 is an elevated side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the snow processing device in FIG. 5; and

[0019] FIG. 8 is an elevated rear view, with parts removed for clarity, of a variant of the embodiment in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference number 1 denotes a snow tiller that comprises a main frame 2 configured to be connected to a tractor (not illustrated in the figures), and to be advanced in a forward direction D (FIGS. 3 and 4). The snow tiller 1 comprises two sub-frames 3 movably coupled to the main frame 2; two rotors 4, which are provided with teeth 5 configured to process the snowpack, can rotate about respective rotation axes A1 and A2, are pivoted relative to each other about a pivot axis A3 substantially parallel to the forward direction D and are supported so as to rotate about respective rotation axes A1 and A2 by respective sub-frames 3.

[0021] The rotors 4, such those described in EP 3.071.754 B1, are joined together by a universal joint, which together with the degrees of freedom of the sub-frames 3 with respect to the main frame 2 defines the pivot axis A3 of the rotors 4. This snow tiller 1 structure enables the configuration of the snow tiller 1 to be adapted to the configuration of the ski slope by freely arranging the two rotors 4 in a concave configuration at ridges transverse to the forward direction D (FIG. 2) and in a convex configuration at a depression transverse to the forward direction D (FIG. 1).

[0022] The snow tiller 1 comprises a snow processing device 6 mounted on the sub-frames 3 at the pivot axis A3.

[0023] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, each sub-frame 3 comprises two side plates 7 (only one shown in the figures), which are configured to support the respective rotor 4 so that it can rotate. The two sub-frames 3, therefore, have two side plates 7 facing the pivot axis A3.

[0024] The snow processing device 6 is integrally mounted with the two side plates 7 facing each other and is articulated around the pivot axis A3.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, adjusting the orientation of the snow tiller 1 around the rotors 4 allows or enables the depth of the snow processing device 6, which actually harrows the snowpack, to be adjusted.

[0026] With reference to FIG. 5, the snow processing device 6 comprises two flanges 8 and 9, each of which is configured to be connected to a respective side plate 7 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the sub-frame 3 via a releasable joint, in this case a bolted joint.

[0027] The first flange 8 is connected to and integral with a plate 10 arranged square to the flange 8 and, similarly, the second flange 9 is connected to and integral with a plate 11, which is arranged square to the flange 9 and is coupled to the plate 10 so that it revolves around a pivot pin 12, which, in use, coincides with the pivot axis A3.

[0028] In use, the flanges 8 and 9 are hinged to each other around the pivot axis A3 so as to follow the movement of the respective sub-frame 3 to which they are attached.

[0029] The snow processing device 6 comprises a fastener plate 13, which has multiple teeth 14 extending downwards and is coupled to the plate 11 so as to be releasable. In particular, the plate 13 is fixed to the plate 11 by screws 15.

[0030] With reference to FIG. 6, the plate 11 has fastening holes 16 for the screws 15 arranged at different heights so that the working depth of the teeth 14 can be gradually adjusted.

[0031] In accordance with a variant (not shown in the figures), the fastener plate 13 has slots that allow or enable the working depth of the teeth 14 to be adjusted continuously.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, the teeth 14 extend from the plate 13 downwards and forwards with reference to the forward direction D. The plates 10, 11 to 13 have respective lower appendages 17, 18 and 19 inclined at substantially the same angle as the teeth 14. Each tooth 14 has the shape of a knife, a concave leading edge 20 and trailing edge 21 so that the free end is flared.

[0033] With reference to the variant in FIG. 8, the central tooth 14 is knife-shaped, while the side teeth 22 are inclined and have a bifurcated end.

[0034] For example, the snow processing device is attached to a single side plate of a sub-frame.

[0035] In addition, the snow tiller may comprise more than two articulated shafts and a snow processing device at each pivot axis.

[0036] It is understood that variations may be made to the present disclosure without however departing from the scope of protection of the appended claims. That is, the present disclosure also covers embodiments that are not described in the detailed description above as well as equivalent embodiments that are part of the scope of protection set forth in the claims. Accordingly, various changes and modifications to the presently disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.