The most widely accepted commercial snow removal tool is the snow thrower. This is especially useful in large capacities. In modern times, a snowplow consists of a large pickup truck with a large snowplow that is permanently attached. Some plows are used electrically and/or hydraulically to raise and lower them. Even larger plows can be fitted to a very large tractor, backhoe or loader. Some of which can hold more than one large plow and even distribute salt as they plow. Aside from pickup trucks, snow plows can also be found on other types of vehicles, such as a personal SUV or even a small lawn mower traditionally used for mowing grass in the summer. Snowplows are also used to mount on railroad cars to remove snow from railroad tracks.
Where snow blowers work by using an impeller to pull snow into the chute, a snow thrower works differently and uses a much simpler concept. Using the force of the vehicle, the snow thrower is pushed forward or at an angle. The snowplow blade picks up snow and pushes it toward the direction of the vehicle, clearing the previously covered surface.
Early versions of a snowplow were horse-powered. Wedge blades were made of wood. Since the invention of the automobile, the snowplow was logically adopted and converted for use with vehicles. Patents for snowplows were issued in the early 1920s. The first infamous plow for vehicles was created by two brothers named Hans and Even Overaasen from Norway. They built a plow for use on vehicles which soon paved the way for the traditional equipment used today to clear highways, railways and airports. Shortly after the creation of the Overaasen snow removal systems. Another historical inventor by the name of Carl Frink was also considered one of the first manufacturers of automobile-mounted snowplows. His company, Frink Snowplows, based in Clayton, New York, was established in 1920 and still operates under the Frink-America name.
Trains and snow clearing date back to the mid-19th century. An interesting invention known as a rotary snowplow was created by a Canadian dentist named JW Elliot. A rotary snow thrower contains a set of blades arranged in a circle. It works by rotating the blades and cutting through the snow as the train moves forward. The rotary snow plow was devised after continuing problems with the traditional wedge snow plow. The wedge snowplow, which works like many snowplows today, simply couldn’t clear the snow fast enough for the trains. The rotary snow thrower requires the power of a motor to rotate the blades. A second engine is usually used to help move the train, while the first one at the front is responsible for snow removal. As the blades rotate, the snow rises through a flume and is forced to the top of the flue. The operator sits on top of a cab behind the hopper and has the ability to control the direction of the hopper and the speed of the blades. These controls eventually led back to the “push” engine so that the operator of a push locomotive could be in control. In areas where severe snowfall is required, ‘double’ or ‘twin’ rotary engines were put into use. The engines would contain rotary plows at both ends. They were often effective in removing snow from train stations and in situations where snow continued to accumulate after going one direction.
Early rotary blades were powered by rod motors, while newer ones are powered by gas or electricity. Due to the advancement of new technologies, rotary blades are rarely used. They are also very expensive to maintain and are only used as a last resort by many railway companies.
Plows were a godsend for citizens at the end of the 19th century. Helped ease the stress of transportation. While the horse-drawn plow was uncommon in most North American cities in the 1860s, it soon became widespread with popularity. However, with the road clearing a new problem arose that we still see today. While the plow effectively cleared the roads, it blocked the sidewalks and side roads that pedestrians used to travel on. Piles of snow lined the sides of the streets. Citizens complained and even started lawsuits against the plowing companies. Store owners complained that their store fronts were inaccessible to customers due to mounds of snow left behind as a result of plowing. Pedestrians had to overcome the snow while walking on the sidewalks. Sleigh riders were also annoyed that the resulting plowed surface created ruts and uneven surfaces.
Citizens of major North American cities responded in various ways. They hired people to shovel the walkways and horse-drawn carts to remove the snow. Often they worked in conjunction with plowing companies to haul snow to nearby rivers. This not only solved the problems of pedestrians and shop owners, but also created a small surplus of jobs for the winter season. This can still be seen today.
