Snow blower

A snow blower, snowblower, or snow thrower is a machine for removing snow from an area where it is not wanted, such as a driveway, sidewalk, roadway, or runway. It uses electric power or a gasoline or diesel engine to throw snow to another location or into a truck to be hauled away. This is in contrast with the action of snow plows, which push snow to the front or side (shovels can be similarly used).

Snow blowers range from the very small, capable of removing only several inches (a few cm) of light snow in an 18 to 20 inch (45 to 50 cm) path, to very large, capable of moving 10 foot (3 m) wide swaths of heavy snow up to 6 feet (2 m) deep. Snow blowers can generally be divided into two classes: single stage and two stage.

Single stage snow blowers

Single stage snow throwers use a single high-speed impeller to both move the snow into the machine and force it out the discharge chute. The impeller is usually in the form of two or more curved plastic paddles that move snow towards the centerline of the machine where the discharge chute is located. Single stage snow throwers usually are light duty machines. Small electric machines can actually be picked up to chew away deep snow banks a layer at a time.

One exception to the "single stage snow throwers are small" rule are the enormous single stage rotary snow throwers used by railroads to clear tracks in mountainous areas. These rotary snowplows use a single large impeller that can span the entire width of the train and typically discharge to the side.

Two stage snow blowers

By comparison, two stage snow blowers have one or more low-speed metal augers that break up the snow and move it into a separate high-speed impeller (sometimes called the fan). The impeller 'blows' the snow out the discharge chute with considerable force. All but the lightest-duty snow throwers are typically two-stage machines.

Two stage snow blowers range in power from a few horsepower to very large machines powered by diesel engines of over 1000 horsepower (750 kW). The large machines are used for clearing roadways and airport runways. These are capable of removing large amounts of snow quickly. Some municipalities use larger snowblowers to clear snow from streets after a snowfall, often by blowing the snow into trucks which haul it away.

Two stage machines for home use are usually self-propelled, using either large wheels equipped with tire chains or, in some cases, tracks. These are usually single-purpose machines, though some are detachable front ends that can be replaced with other implements, such as a garden tiller.

The auger drive is usually equipped with a shear pin. If a major jam occurs, this pin will break rather than allowing the internal drive gears to be damaged. The pin must then be replaced by the user before operation can resume.

Safety issues

One problem with the design of the snowblower is that snow can build up in the auger, jamming it and stalling the motor. This is complicated by the fact that the auger may twist before applying enough resistance to the motor to stop it. If the jam is cleared with a hand, it is possible for the auger to return to its natural shape suddenly and with great force, possibly injuring the user; snowblowers are a leading cause of traumatic finger amputations. ^* The correct procedure is to stop the engine, disengage the clutch and then clear the jam with a broom handle or other long object.

History

Arthur Sicard (December 17, 1876 - September 13, 1946) is credited as the inventor of the snow blower. In 1925 Sicard created a vehicle which could remove snow from the roadways of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Manufacturers

Murray
Honda
Toro
MTD
Yard Machines
White
Husqvarna
Lawnboy
Sears-Craftsman snowblowers
Mastercraft
Jacobsen snowblowers
John Deere
Jacobsen
Yardman
Simplicity
Adoni

External links

Snow removal | Canadian inventions