Working machine

Abstract

To provide a working machine capable of appropriately discharging snow with a simple constitution.SOLUTION: A working machine W is provided with a traveling machine body 3, a support frame 20 swingable with respect to the traveling machine body 3 via a connecting shaft 21, a blade part 10 supported on the front part of the support frame 20 and provided rotatably with respect to the support frame 20, and an operation rod 30 connected to the blade part 10 and operable to rotate the blade part 10 with respect to the support frame 20. The operation rod 30 may include a hook 41 capable of fixing or releasing the rotation of the blade part 10 by engaging with an engagement part 42 provided in the support frame 20. The engagement part may include a sliding part on which the hook can slide.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine that can move an object such as snow by pushing it. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as described in Patent Document 1, there is a work machine that has a travel section and a dozer section disposed in front of the travel section, and that performs snow removal work using the dozer section by traveling forward. The dozer section is rotatably connected to the tip of an operating handle that is rotatable relative to the travel section, and moves up and down as the operating handle is raised and lowered. A constraint release mechanism fixes and releases the constraint between the dozer section and the operating handle, thereby allowing the angle of the dozer section relative to the operating handle to be changed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-231454 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When snow removal is performed using the configuration described in Patent Document 1, snow pushed or scooped up by the dozer unit is removed from the dozer unit by rotating the dozer unit. However, because the snow removed from the dozer unit simply falls from the dozer unit, the snow removal may not be as intended by the operator. Furthermore, snow may stick to the dozer unit, making it impossible to complete the snow removal process simply by rotating the dozer unit. The stuck snow must be removed by the operator, but moving to the front dozer unit to remove it each time is a manual effort. Adding a device to remove stuck snow is also possible, but this is expected to increase the vehicle's weight, raising concerns that it may become difficult to handle.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a work machine that is capable of properly removing snow with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a work machine comprising a running body, a support frame that can swing to the running body via a connecting shaft, a blade section that is supported on the front of the support frame and is rotatable relative to the support frame, and an operating rod that is connected to the blade section and can be operated to rotate the blade section relative to the support frame.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a work machine that is capable of properly removing snow with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the entire working machine. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, showing the blade portion in the lowered position. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the work machine as seen from the right side in the direction of travel, showing the blade portion in the lowered position. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, showing the blade portion in the raised position. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the work machine as seen from the right side in the direction of travel, showing the blade portion in the raised position. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of the engagement device as seen from the left side in the direction of travel. (a) shows the blade section in its return position and the engagement device in an engaged state, (b) shows the blade section in its return position and the engagement device in a disengaged state, and (c) shows the blade section in its ejection position and the hook of the engagement device positioned on the sliding section. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of the restricting portion as seen from the right side of the traveling direction, where (a) shows the blade portion in the return position, and (b) shows the blade portion in the ejection position with its rotation restricted. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B show an example of work, where (a) shows the start of snow removal, (b) shows snow removal in progress, and (c) shows the state of the snow removal position from the blade section. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an example of operation, in which snow is removed from the blade portion by pressing it against the pile of accumulated snow. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing an example of work in which the blade portion is raised to the raised position to scoop up snow. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a work machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As an example of the work machine, a case where the present invention is applied to a work machine having a blade portion that can push away snow as an object and also lift it will be described.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire work machine, with the blade unit shown in lowered position A. FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the entire work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, with the blade unit shown in lowered position A and returned position D. The blade unit shown in two-dot chain line is in discharge position C, and the engagement device is in an unlocked state. FIG. 3 is a right side view showing the entire work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, with the blade unit shown in lowered position A and returned position D. The blade unit shown in two-dot chain line is in discharge position C, and the restriction unit is in a rotation-restricted state. FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the entire work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, with the blade unit shown in raised position B and returned position D. The blade unit shown in two-dot chain line is in discharge position C, and the engagement device is in an unlocked state. FIG. 5 is a right side view showing the entire work machine as seen from the left side in the direction of travel, with the blade unit shown in raised position B and returned position D. The blade unit shown in two-dot chain line is in discharge position C, and the restriction unit is in a rotation-restricted state.

[0011] The direction [F] shown in Figures 1 to 5 is defined as the front side of the running body, the direction [B] is defined as the rear side of the running body, the direction [L] is defined as the left side of the running body, and the direction [R] is defined as the right side of the running body.

[0012] The work machine W includes a traveling machine body 3 with crawler traveling devices 2 mounted on both sides of a machine frame 1. The crawler traveling device 2 is a traveling section and includes a drive wheel 2a, a driven wheel 2b, a crawler belt 2c wrapped around the drive wheel 2a and the driven wheel 2b, and an electric motor 4 attached to the drive wheel 2a. In this embodiment, the drive wheel 2a and electric motor 4 are provided on the front side, and the driven wheel 2b is provided on the rear side. The electric motor 4 is switched between a stopped state and a forward drive state and a reverse drive state by swinging a travel lever 8 in the forward / rear direction of the traveling machine body 3, and the speed is changed between the forward drive state and the reverse drive state. The traveling machine body 3 is provided with a battery 5 that supplies power to the electric motor 4. The traveling machine body 3 is self-propelled by the left and right crawler traveling devices 2 being driven by the electric motor 4.

[0013] A blade unit 10 is disposed in front of the traveling body 3. The blade unit 10 is supported by the traveling body 3 via a support frame 20. A pair of left and right operating handles 9 extend from the support frame 20 toward the rear of the traveling body 3.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the support frame 20 is connected to the machine frame 1 at its intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the traveling machine body via a pair of left and right connecting shafts 21. The support frame 20 is supported by the traveling machine body 3 so as to be able to swing up and down around the axis of the connecting shafts 21 extending in the width direction of the traveling machine body. Specifically, the support frames 20 are disposed on both the left and right sides of the machine frame 1. The support frame 20 is rotatable by being connected to the connecting shafts 21 provided at approximately the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the side of the machine frame 1. The front end of the support frame 20 is bent downward. The rear end of the support frame 20 is formed with an operating handle 9 that can be grasped and operated by an operator. The rear end of the operating handle 9 is a grip portion 9b. When the operator grasps the grip portion 9b and moves the operating handle 9 up and down, the front end of the support frame 20 can swing up and down. The support frame 20 and the operating handle 9 are lightweight because they are constructed from pipe-shaped members.

[0015] As shown in the side view of Figs. 2 to 5, the blade section 10 is a plate-like member curved to form a recess facing forward in the direction of travel. The inside of the recess forms a storage space 14 for storing the object S. As shown in the figures, the blade section 10 may also include a scraper section 12 fixed below the blade section 10. The blade section 10 can push out the object S by moving forward, and can also accumulate the object S in the storage space 14 formed above the scraper section 12. Then, when the operator moves the operating handle 9 up and down, the blade section 10 can scoop up the object S into the storage space 14. Although not shown, the blade section 10 may also be configured to include side panels arranged on both the left and right sides. In this case, the storage space 14 can be surrounded, thereby improving the efficiency of scooping.

[0016] The blade section 10 is supported by the front part of the support frame 20. Specifically, the upper end of the blade section 10 is connected to the lower part of the rear side of the blade section 10 and a connecting section 15, which is a left-right axis provided at the front part of the support frame 20, so that the blade section 10 can swing freely in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the upper end of the blade section 10 can rotate between a state in which the rear part of the blade section 10 and the front side of the front end of the support frame 20 are in contact with each other and a side in which the upper end of the blade section faces forward.

[0017] 1 to 5, the left and right operating handles 9 extend from the support frame 20 so as to be able to swing together toward the rear of the traveling body 3. Bent end portions 9a are provided at the base ends of the left and right operating handles 9, facing laterally inward of the traveling body 3. The left and right operating handles 9 are connected to each other by connecting the bent end portions 9a.

[0018] By swinging the left and right operating handles 9 up and down around the connecting shaft 21 as the swing center, the support frame 20 can be swung up and down, and the blade portion 10 can be swung up and down.

[0019] An operating rod 30 is connected to the blade section 10. The operating rod 30 is a long, rod-shaped member that is long in the front-to-rear direction, and the base end of the operating rod 30 is rotatably connected to the upper part of the rear surface of the blade section 10. The tip of the rear end is positioned toward the rear of the traveling body 3. The base end of the operating rod 30 is connected by a rod connecting section 16 that is positioned at the upper part of the rear surface of the blade section 10, and the operating rod 30 can rotate up and down with the rod connecting section 16 as a fulcrum.

[0020] The rear end of the operating rod 30 is located below the grip 9b and forms a gripping portion 31. By gripping this gripping portion 31 and moving the operating rod 30 back and forth, the blade portion 10 can be linked and swung back and forth around the connecting portion 15 at the front end of the support frame 20 as a fulcrum. It can also be said that the operating rod 30 moves back and forth relative to the support frame 20.

[0021] The blade unit 10 and the operating rod 30 are rotatably connected to each other. The operating rod 30 is rotatably connected to the blade unit 10 in the vertical direction, so that the operator can swing the blade unit 10 back and forth by swinging the operating rod 30 back and forth with the grip unit 31 positioned at any height desired by the operator. In other words, the blade unit 10 can be forcibly swung back and forth via the operating rod 30. In this embodiment, the operating rod 30 is disposed above the support frame 20 located on the left side of the traveling body 3. The blade unit 10 rotates from the return position D to the discharge position C by operating the operating rod 30.

[0022] The effects of the operating rod 30 and blade unit 10 will be explained in the context of actual snow removal work. Assume that an operator pushes in the operating rod 30 on flat ground, forcing the front of the blade unit 10 to rotate downward so as to rotate the blade unit 10 as shown in (a) to (c) in Fig. 6, thereby removing snow. Because the blade unit 10 can be forcibly rotated by the operating rod 30, even if there is already accumulated snow in front of the snow object S being pushed by the blade unit 10, as shown in Fig. 9, for example, the snow can be pushed into the accumulated snow and removed. In other words, the forced rotation of the blade unit makes it possible to remove the snow by compacting it, and since the snow is removed in a compressed state, the snow removal space can be used efficiently.

[0023] As shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(c), the snow removal process will be described further using an example in which snow is removed by moving over a mountain-like pile of snow. In this case, as shown in Figure 8(a), the snow moves from flat ground toward the peak of the mountain. Then, as shown in Figure 8(b), the snow may be removed by moving uphill and removing it near the peak. However, if the blade unit 10 is rotated by the weight of the snow near the peak using a conventional configuration, the snow simply falls to the ground. However, in this embodiment, by forcibly rotating the blade unit 10 with the operating rod 30, the snow can be removed with momentum, as shown in Figure 8(c). While snow that falls to the ground tends to gradually increase in elevation as the snow piles up, this embodiment can increase momentum from the peak of the mountain and remove the snow from the mountain. Therefore, this embodiment can prevent the snow pile from becoming too high, thereby preventing the work machine W from having difficulty moving on a slope.

[0024] If snow sticks to the front surface of the blade unit 10 after snow removal, the worker can shake off the stuck snow by grasping the gripping portion 31 and shaking the blade unit 10 via the operating rod 30. In other words, the worker can remove stuck snow with a simple configuration without moving to the blade unit 10 side.

[0025] The operating rod 30 and the support frame 20 are provided with an engagement device 40 that prevents relative movement between them. As best shown in FIG. 6, the engagement device 40 has a hook 41 that is placed on the operating rod 30 and an engagement portion 42 that is placed on the support frame 20. The hook 41 is placed slightly forward of the middle portion of the operating rod 30 and protrudes downward. In this embodiment, the hook 41 is formed by the downward protruding end of an L-shaped member fixed to the lower portion of the operating rod 30. The engagement portion 42 is a protruding member that is placed slightly forward of the connecting shaft 21 of the support frame 20 and protrudes upward in a triangular mountain shape.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6(a), the front portion of the hook 41 comes into contact with the rear portion of the engagement portion 42, thereby preventing the operating rod 30 from moving forward relative to the support frame 20. At this time, the rear surface of the blade portion 10 is in contact with the upper portion of the front end portion of the support frame 20, and the blade portion 10 is prevented from rotating rearward. In other words, the engagement of the engagement device 40 fixes the blade portion 10 so that it cannot swing relative to the support frame 20. Therefore, by forming the engagement of the engagement device 40, the blade portion 10 can rotate integrally with the support frame 20, which rotates about the connecting shaft 21 as a fulcrum.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6(b), when the operator operates the grip portion 31 upward and positions the hook 41 above the engagement portion 42, the contact between the engagement portion 42 and the hook 41 is released. This operation enables the operating rod 30 to move back and forth relative to the support frame 20. In other words, by releasing the engagement of the engagement device 40, the blade portion 10 is released from its fixed swinging motion relative to the support frame 20, and becomes swingable. Therefore, in addition to moving up and down as the support frame 20 rotates, the blade portion 10 can also rotate around the front end of the support frame 20 as a fulcrum.

[0028] The operating rod 30 is rotatable around the rod connecting portion 16 as a fulcrum, so that an operator can switch between preventing and releasing the rotation of the blade portion 10 relative to the support frame 20 by moving the grip portion 31 up and down. By engaging and disengaging the engaging device 40, it is possible to fix and release the rotation of the blade portion 10 around the connecting portion 15 as a fulcrum.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 6 , a sliding portion 43 is provided in front of the engaging portion 42. The sliding portion 43 is formed continuously from the top of the engaging portion 42 toward the top of the support frame 20 on the front side. The lower part of the hook 41 is allowed to slide along the upper surface of the sliding portion 43. Even if the operator stops gripping the operating rod 30 after the engagement device 40 is disengaged from the support frame 20 and the operating rod 30 moves forward relative to the support frame 20, as shown in FIG. 6( c), the hook 41 slides along the sliding portion 43, allowing the blade portion 10 to continue rotating. Furthermore, when sliding with the hook 41, the sliding portion 43 can prevent the operating rod 30 from rotating downward. Therefore, the gripping portion 31 can be kept positioned in a convenient location for the operator.

[0030] When the hook 41 is in a sliding state on the sliding section 43, if the upper part of the blade section 10 is rotated relative to the support frame 20 so as to move rearward, the hook 41 moves to the rear end of the sliding section 43 and then falls under its own weight. This automatically causes the hook 41 to engage with the engaging section 42, and the rotation of the blade section 10 relative to the support frame 20 is fixed. Therefore, after the rotation of the blade section 10, the rotation of the blade section 10 relative to the support frame 20 can be fixed without the operator having to operate the operating rod 30.

[0031] An actual snow removal operation will be described. As shown by the two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the blade unit 10 is swung to the discharge position C and snow removal is completed, the operator releases the grip 31. The grip 31 then falls downward. That is, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the hook 41 falls downward together with the operating rod 30, and the hook 41 falls onto the sliding portion 43. At this time, the blade unit 10 is in the discharge position C, has not returned to the return position D, and is rotated forward. In this state, the operator pushes up the operating handle 9, causing the lower end of the blade unit 10 to contact the traveling surface. Thereafter, when the traveling body 3 is moved backward, the traveling surface, which moves relative to the blade unit 10, pushes the lower end of the blade unit 10 forward, causing the blade unit 10 to rotate to return to the return position D. At this time, in conjunction with the rotation of the blade unit 10 returning to the return position D, the hook 41 moves while sliding backward on the sliding portion 43. When the hook 41 reaches the rear end of the sliding portion 43, it falls under its own weight, and an engagement state is formed between the hook 41 and the engagement portion 42. In this way, the blade portion 10 returns to the return position D, and the rotation of the blade portion 10 is automatically fixed.

[0032] As clearly shown in FIG. 7 , a restricting unit 50 is disposed on the right side of the machine frame 1. The restricting unit 50 has a restricting receiving portion 51 provided on the support frame 20 and a restricting rod 53 that can restrict the rotation of the blade unit 10 by engaging with the restricting receiving portion 51. The restricting rod 53 is a rod-shaped member whose one end, which is on the front side, is rotatably connected to the upper rear side of the blade unit 10, and whose other end, which is located on the rear side, has a protruding portion 53a disposed thereon. The protruding portion 53a moves forward and backward relative to the support frame 20 in conjunction with the rotation of the blade unit 10. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b), when the blade unit 10 rotates forward, the protruding portion 53a also moves forward in conjunction with the blade unit 10, and when the blade unit 10 rotates rearward, the protruding portion 53a also moves rearward in conjunction with the blade unit 10.

[0033] The restriction receiving portion 51 is a member fixed to the support frame 20, and has a restriction pin 51a that can engage with the protrusion 53a. The restriction pin 51a is arranged in the left-right direction that intersects with the restriction rod 53. When the protrusion 53a moves forward, the rear portion of the restriction pin 51a comes into contact with the front portion of the protrusion 53a, as shown in FIG. 7B, thereby preventing the restriction rod 53 from moving forward. In other words, the restriction portion 50 can prevent the blade portion 10 from rotating forward. In the description, the position where the blade portion is rotated to a position where the rear portion of the restriction pin 51a comes into contact with the front portion of the protrusion 53a is defined as the ejection position C. The restriction portion 50 prevents excessive rotation of the blade portion 10, thereby preventing the blade portion 10 from having difficulty returning to the return position D.

[0034] The fixed position of the restriction receiving portion 51 with respect to the support frame 20 can be changed. In other words, by changing the timing at which the protrusion 53a and the restriction pin 51a engage, the amount of rotation when the blade portion 10 rotates forward can be freely adjusted. In the embodiment, the engagement timing is changed by moving the restriction receiving portion 51 forward or backward relative to the support frame 20.

[0035] As described above, by providing the operating rod 30 and the restricting portion separately on each side of the support frame 20, the operator can freely move the operating rod 30 while ensuring reliable rotation of the blade portion 10. The grip portion 31 when operating the operating rod 30 can be positioned in a variety of positions, so there are no restrictions on the operator's physique or movement direction. On the other hand, the amount of rotation when the blade portion 10 is rotated forward can be kept constant regardless of the operator or operation method.

[0036] The position and posture of the blade unit 10 are as follows. As shown in Figures 2 to 5, by operating the operating handle 9 to raise or lower, the blade unit 10 can be raised or lowered within a range between a lowered position A and a raised position B. By operating the operating handle 9 to raise the grip 9b, the front end of the support frame 20 is lowered as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the position where the bottom end of the blade unit 10 contacts the traveling surface is the lowered position A. By operating the operating handle 9 to lower the grip 9b, the front end of the support frame 20 is raised as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and the position where the blade unit 10 is separated upward from the traveling surface is the raised position B.

[0037] Furthermore, between the lowered position A and the raised position B, if the operating rod 30 is operated to disengage the engaging device 40 and then moved forward, the blade section 10 will rotate forward with the connecting section 15 as the fulcrum, and will reach the discharge position C. The rotation between the return position D and the discharge position C can be achieved by transmitting the operating force of the operator directly to the blade section 10 via the operating rod 30. Therefore, the operator can forcibly rotate the blade section 10 with an intuitive operation without any hesitation.

[0038] To return the blade unit 10 from the discharge position C to the return position D, the operating rod 30 is operated to move rearward, or the lower end of the blade unit 10 is moved forward relative to the support frame 20. The blade unit 10 rotates rearward with the connecting portion 15 as a fulcrum to the return position D. When in the return position D, the engagement device 40 can be engaged and disengaged. The blade unit 10 can rotate within a range between the return position D and the discharge position C.

[0039] Snow removal work using the work machine W is performed as follows. First, an example of a method for removing snow while the work machine W is left in approximately the lowered position A will be described. In the illustration, the method will be described in which the work machine W travels from flat ground over snow that has piled up in a mountain shape and then removes the snow, and the object S pushed out by the blade portion 10 will be described as snow.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 8 , with the blade unit 10 in the lowered position A and the return position D, the traveling machine body 3 is moved forward to push away snow using the blade unit 10. The worker moves the work implement W forward from the position shown in FIG. 8( a) to the desired position from which snow is to be removed. As shown in FIG. 8( b), snow, which is the target object S, enters the storage space 14 of the blade unit 10 and accumulates to a certain amount. After positioning the work implement W at the discharge location shown in FIG. 8( c), the worker lifts the gripping portion 31 of the operating rod 30 to disengage the hook 41 of the engagement device 40 from the engaging portion 42. Then, when the worker pushes the operating rod 30 forward, the blade unit 10 rotates to the discharge position C or to any position between the return position D and the discharge position C. Because the blade unit 10 is forcibly rotated by the worker, the snow in the storage space 14 is forced downward with momentum and discharged. Therefore, snow can be removed without accumulating directly below the discharge position C. As shown in Figure 8(c), when removing snow from a position near the peak of a mountain of snow that has already been discharged, snow does not accumulate near the peak of the mountain where the discharge operation is performed, so the altitude of the accumulated snow mountain can be reduced.

[0041] After the snow has been removed, the operator releases the grip 31 of the operating rod 30 while the blade 10 remains in the discharge position C. At this time, the operating rod 30 moves downward due to gravity, and the hook 41 of the engagement device 40 comes into contact with the sliding part 43. The operator pushes up the operating handle 9 to lower the blade 10, causing the traveling machine body 3 to move backward while keeping the lower end of the blade 10 in contact with the ground. As the traveling machine body 3 moves backward, the blade 10 rotates toward the return position D, and the hook 41 moves on the sliding part 43 to the rear side of the traveling machine body 3. When the blade 10 is pushed by the traveling surface and returns to the return position D, the hook 41 drops from the rear end of the sliding part 43 and engages with the engagement part 42, completing the engagement of the engagement device 40.

[0042] Return to return position D can also be achieved by the operator operating operating rod 30. After snow has been removed from blade unit 10, the operator pulls grip portion 31 of operating rod 30 to move it rearward. The movement of operating rod 30 forces blade unit 10 to return to return position D. Thereafter, the operator pushes down grip portion 31 to move operating rod 30 downward, engaging hook 41 with engaging portion 42, completing engagement of engagement device 40.

[0043] 9, when discharging snow at the foot or mid-slope of a mountain-like pile, the blade 10 can be forcibly rotated toward the discharge position C to push the object S forward in the direction of travel against the snow that has already accumulated in front of it. Therefore, the snow can be discharged in a compressed state, allowing for efficient use of the snow removal space.

[0044] Next, an example of a method for removing snow with the blade portion 10 at the raised position B will be described. As shown in FIG. 8(a), the traveling machine body 3 is moved with the blade unit 10 in the lowered position A and the returned position D, and the blade unit 10 pushes away snow. As the snow is pushed away, a certain amount of snow accumulates in the storage space 14 of the blade unit 10. When the operator presses down on the grip portion 9b of the operating handle 9, the blade unit 10, which is positioned in the raised position B, can scoop up snow, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 10. While maintaining the raised position B, the operator moves the traveling machine body 3 to any position where snow can be removed. When the snow removal position is reached, the operator operates the grip portion 31 of the operating rod 30 while keeping the traveling machine body 3 in the raised position B to disengage the engagement device 40 and rotate the blade unit 10. Because the storage space 14 for the blade unit 10 is located below the blade unit 10, the snow that was on the blade unit 10 falls from the blade unit 10, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 10, and removal from the blade unit 10 is completed.

[0045] The blade unit 10 can be forcibly rotated by the operating rod 30. Therefore, when removing snow from a pile of snow, the rotation of the blade unit 10 can be biased to push the snow to be removed. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the blade unit 10 scoops up snow. Then, as shown in Figure 8(c), the traveling body 3 is moved so that the blade unit 10, in its raised position B, is positioned directly above the peak of the snow mound, or slightly rearward and above the peak of the snow mound, as shown in Figure 9. In this state, the operating rod 30 is operated to disengage the engagement device 40 and rotate the blade unit 10. The forcibly rotating blade unit 10 pushes the snow toward the peak of the snow mound. Furthermore, because the blade unit 10 is rotated by the operating rod 30, the operator can adjust the biasing force to rotate the blade unit 10 according to the force with which the gripping portion 31 is pressed. Because the snow can be pushed downward for removal, snow removal work can be continued while preventing the snow mound from becoming too high. When pushing snow in, not only the rotation of the blade portion 10 but also the rotation of the support frame 20 may be combined.

[0046] A method for removing snow that has stuck to the blade portion 10 using the above snow removal method will now be described. When snow has stuck to the blade portion 10, the operating rod 30 is swung back and forth to swing the blade portion 10, thereby clearing away the stuck snow. The operator can remove the stuck snow while remaining near the operating handle 9, without having to move forward of the blade portion 10. While the configuration allows snow to be easily cleared from the blade portion 10, the storage space 14 can be maintained at an appropriate capacity. The operation of removing stuck snow from the blade portion 10 can be performed whether the blade portion 10 is in the lowered position A or the raised position B.

[0047] Although the present invention has been described above, it is not limited to the exemplified forms. For example, the shape and form of the blade portion 10 are not limited to the forms described above, and may be a form in which side plates are arranged on both sides of the blade portion 10, a form in which the left and right ends of the blade portion 10 are inclined and shifted forward and backward in plan view, or a form in which the blade portion 10 is bent in a V shape in plan view.

[0048] The overall configuration of the work machine W may also be different from the example, for example, the crawler traveling device 2 may be configured as a traveling device with wheels, or may be configured as a traveling device with multiple wheels including front and rear wheels. Also, the arrangement of the drive wheels 2a and driven wheels 2b of the crawler traveling device 2 may be changed.

[0049] Although the support frame 20 has been described as having an operating handle 9, the operating handle 9 may not be necessary. The traveling body 3 and the crawler traveling device 2 are driven by a battery 5 and an electric motor 4, but they may also be driven by an engine and a reducer, for example. The electric motor 4 and the battery 5 are not essential. A hydraulic motor may be used instead of an electric motor.

[0050] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented even if the mechanism for rotating the support frame 20 about the connecting shaft 21 is omitted. It is sufficient that the blade portion 10 is rotatable relative to the support frame 20 or the machine frame 1.

[0051] The restricting portion 50 that restricts the amount of rotation of the blade portion 10 may be configured in a form different from that described in the embodiment. For example, the restricting portion 51 may be fixed to the support frame 20, and the protruding portion 53a may be configured so that its position is changeable relative to the restricting rod 53. Furthermore, the protruding portion 53a may be configured using any material, and may be configured using a protrusion such as the head of a bolt or nut, or a pin-shaped member may be inserted in a direction intersecting with the restricting rod 53.

[0052] Furthermore, the lowered position A and raised position B shown in the figure are examples shown to facilitate understanding, and they can be set at positions different from those shown. The lifting range can also be set larger or smaller than those shown. Similarly, the discharge position C and return position D can also be set at positions different from those shown. This rotation range can also be set larger or smaller than those shown. [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the snow removal work illustrated as an example, but can also be applied to work machines that push out or scoop up a variety of objects such as earth, sand, and rubbish. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] W: working machine, 1: machine frame, 2: crawler travel device, 3: travel device, 9: operating handle, 9b: grip portion, 10: blade portion, 14: storage space, 15: connecting portion, 16: rod connecting portion, 20: support frame, 21: connecting shaft, 30: operating rod, 31: grip portion, 40: engaging device, 41: hook, 42: engaging portion, 43: sliding portion, 50: restricting portion, 51: restricting receiving portion, 51a: restricting pin, 53: restricting rod, 53a: protruding portion

Claims

1. A running body and A support frame that can swing to the traveling machine body via a connecting shaft; a blade portion supported on a front portion of the support frame and rotatable relative to the support frame; an operating rod connected to the blade portion and operable to rotate the blade portion relative to the support frame; A work machine characterized by comprising:

2. a hook of the operating rod that can fix or release the rotation of the blade portion by engaging with an engaging portion provided on the support frame; A work machine characterized by comprising:

3. The engaging portion has a sliding portion on which the hook can slide. A work machine characterized by comprising:

4. The operating rod is rotatably connected to the blade portion. A work machine characterized by:

5. a restricting portion that restricts rotation of the blade portion relative to the support frame; A work machine characterized by comprising:

6. The restricting portion includes a restricting receiving portion provided on the support frame. a restriction rod that can restrict the rotation of the blade portion by engaging with the restriction receiving portion; A work machine characterized by comprising:

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