Plow blade lift frame and method of using same

Claim 1

In a lift frame for mounting a plow blade lifting device onto the front of a vehicle, said lift frame including a front facing away from said vehicle, a generally horizontal support base, a mounting element extending upwardly from said base, a blade lifting arm having a first end pivotally mounted to said mounting element at a point above said support base and a second end adapted to be connected to a plow blade whereby said blade is lifted when said arm is pivoted upwardly, bracket means fixed with respect to and adjacent said horizontal support base for supporting a hydraulic ram lift unit, said lift unit having an outwardly extendible hydraulically controlled ram, bracket means for securing said ram of said lift unit onto said lifting arm whereby said lifting arm can be selectively pivoted by movement of said lifting ram, means for securing said lift frame onto the front of said vehicle and means for supporting a vehicle bumper onto the front of said lift frame whereby said lift frame spaces said bumper outwardly from said vehicle, the improvement comprising: said horizontal support base including a surface extending in a generally vertical plane, and an opening therethrough, and said bumper support means includes an energy absorbing device having a ram connected to said bumper, a cylinder extending through said opening, a mounting plate affixed to said cylinder, and means for releasably securing said mounting plate onto said support base with said cylinder extending through said opening whereby said bumper is secured onto said lift frame by said energy absorbing device at a position spaced outwardly from said lift frame in a direction opposite to said vehicle.

Claim 7

A method of mounting a plow blade lift onto the front of a vehicle having a chassis and first and second energy absorbing devices releasably secured onto said chassis at transversely spaced positions, each of said energy absorbing devices comprising an elongated cylinder and a ram secured onto a vehicle bumper and extending outwardly of said vehicle and means on said cylinder for releasably securing said flanges onto said chassis with said cylinders extending horizontally, said method comprises the steps of: a. removing said energy absorbing devices from said chassis; b. mounting a snow plow lift frame onto said chassis; c. mounting said energy absorbing devices onto said lift frame; and, d. mounting a snow plow lift onto said frame.

Claim 8

A method of mounting a plow blade lift onto the front of a vehicle having a chassis and first and second energy absorbing devices releasably secured onto said chassis at transversely spaced positions, each of said energy absorbing devices comprising an elongated cylinder and a ram secured onto a vehicle bumper and extending outwardly of said vehicle and means on said cylinder for releasably securing said flanges onto said chassis with said cylinders extending horizontally, said method comprises the steps of: a. removing said energy absorbing devices from said chassis; b. mounting a snow plow lift frame onto said chassis; c. mounting said energy absorbing devices onto said lift frame; and, d. mounting a snow plow lift onto said frame.