Breakaway Plow™

 

 

 

Over 70% of roads in the United States receive at least 5 inches of snow annually. Almost 70% of Americans live in these snowy regions, leading to a high demand for snow removal services. As these snow-prone areas continue to urbanize, the demand increases exponentially.

The snowplow drivers servicing these areas often work in hazardous white-out conditions for 12+ hour shifts, leading to fatigue, reduced alertness, and mistakes. Impaired vision combined with exhaustion and plows that are 10 to 12 feet wide can cause damage to stationary objects and vehicles such as cracked pavement, dented and broken light poles, and damaged plows. Drivers operating under these conditions for extended periods are at a significantly increased risk of causing accidents and injury. The Breakaway Plow™ was designed with these drivers in mind.

Until the Breakaway Plow™, none of the blades on the market have been designed to significantly reduce structural damage caused by collision with pathway barriers and other stationary obstructions. The unique design cuts down on the cost of repairs to the roadways, signs, and similar stationary objects, but also to the snowplow itself. The unique feature of this plow is that it allows the curb section to spring back upon contact with the cement curb. Lowering the probability of damage to the plow itself. The Breakaway Plow ™ is not only effective at snow removal; it also saves significant amounts of time and money.

PRODUCT FEATURES & BENEFITS

Special Features

  • Springs back on hinge when contact is made with curb
  • Breakaway section to minimize plow damage
  • Optional wheel rollers to facilitate contact with concrete curbs
  • Outer edge recess to allow passage of stationary objects
  • Designed to minimize structural damage
  • Saves time and money on replacement snowplow moldboard/blades
  • Flexibility to produce in various sizes and models

 

 

PRODUCT DETAILS

The Breakaway Plow ™ has a unique design that allows for greater productivity and less property damage, leading to significant time and cost savings. The plow blade is angled 30 degrees from left to right and consists of a hinged break point that springs back when there is contact made with a concrete curb. The outer recess of the break-away section is tapered to avoid contact with stationary objects, such as mailboxes, light poles, bridge supports etc. This design permits the removal of snow and ice to the far edges of the street, avoiding the usual pile up that occurs in the roadway. If enough pressure is applied, the hinged portion will easily break away, avoiding the usual damage to property that occurs during snowplow collision with guardrails, telephone poles, signs, etc.

The Breakaway Plow™ was first and foremost designed with the snowplow driver in mind. Drivers often work in 12+ hour shifts, overnight, in blizzard conditions. As the snow builds up on the pavement, it becomes difficult to determine where the curb begins. This is the case especially when driving through a snow-covered intersection with no clear sign of where the curb begins; the far corner is often found with a hard impact, sometimes causing the truck to veer into the next lane. Hard impacts result in broken blades, moldboards, and attachments. There are even instances where the transmission of the truck is damaged. The Breakaway Plow™ aims to relieve the driver’s stress and anxiety by providing a blade that will significantly reduce the damages normally caused by these collisions and protect the driver from hard impact.

The second notable advantage of the Breakaway Plow™ is the long-term cost savings to taxpayers by the municipality when this blade is utilized by state, city, or county vehicles. Because the break-away section is intentionally designed to allow for the parts to separate during contact with obstructions, the blade is easily repaired, saving on the cost of replacement moldboard/blades. Drivers are not forced to return as often to the yard, saving additionally on the cost of labor. Aside from saving on the cost of replacing moldboard/blades, taxpayers are also relieved of the burden of the repair costs for damaged roadways, signs, and other common snowplow obstructions. The time and money saved on repairs is immeasurable.

Another advantage of using the Breakaway Plow™ is increased safety once the plows have cleared the roadway. When plows are damaged, they are forced to return to the yard for repairs or replacement blades, leaving their routes unattended. When the damage cannot be repaired, plows are taken out of service, sometimes with no replacement. Snow continues to accumulate on the road surface, producing more hazardous driving conditions and increasing the probability of accidents.

Additionally, the Breakaway Plow™ allows the drivers to ride the curb, clearing snow to the edge of the roadway and keeping the sewer grates clear of ice and snow. By keeping the sewer grates clear, thawing snow can safely drain away. When thawing snow has nowhere to drain, water accumulates in the road, which can then freeze as temperatures drop at night, causing icy patches that lead to accidents. Additionally, snow allowed to pile on the edges of the streets narrows the roadway significantly. Snow accumulation can quickly turn a 12-foot lane into a 10-foot lane, which is not safe for large trucks. Narrow lanes also force vehicles into closer proximity, which increases accidents when visibility is low and the snow and ice cause unstable driving conditions. The Breakaway Plow™ clears the entire roadway, drastically increasing driving safety during snowy weather.

Materials needed to produce the Breakaway Plow™:

  • Carbon steel blade
  • A pair of trip springs
  • 14 Guage steel moldboard
  • Rubber deflector
  • Steel wheel roller
  • Hinge

 

 

The Breakaway Plow™ is covered by United States Utility Patent: 10,870,959

 

 

 

 

For additional information, licensing opportunities, and a full prospectus on the Breakaway Plow™ contact:

 

 

BankOnIP

VP of Business Development

Email: info@BankOnIP.com