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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/11559| Title: | Performance testing of a snowblast plow |
| Authors: | Jackovich, Edward R. Wuori, Albert F. |
| Keywords: | Snow Snow plows Snowblast plows Greenland Greenland Ice Cap Performance tests Equipment |
| Publisher: | Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.) |
| Series/Report no.: | Special report (U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory) ; 41. |
| Description: | Special Report Summary: The Snowblast, a tractor-mounted rotary snow plow, was first tested on the Greenland Ice Cap during the 1958 and 1959 test seasons. The unit operated for a total of 50 hours, 17 of which were spent constructing six snow runway test sections. The model tested could be considered a prototype, and no field shakedown tests were conducted before the tests described here. During the course of the test seasons many defects in the Snowblast were noted. Two major breakdowns occurred in the power train consisting of bearing failures in the transfer gear box. The first breakdown occurred after 48 hours of plowing; after the necessary repairs were made the unit operated another 2 hours before the same failure occurred, thus ending any further testing in Greenland. The plow was then returned to Houghton, Michigan where repairs and modifications were performed. These included repair of the power train, provision for a slower track speed, and increasing the horsepower of the plow engine. The machine was operated for an additional 20 hours after modification. It was found that the modifications had corrected many of the original deficiencies in the machine. However, although the rotary unit itself is effective in milling and moving snow, additional modifications would have to be made to make the Snowblast operationally satisfactory on the Greenland Ice Cap. |
| Rights: | Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/11559 |
| Appears in Collections: | Special Report |
