Plow with pivoting blade wing

1. A plow assembly for attachment to a vehicle, the vehicle having a longitudinal axis, said plow assembly comprising:

a plow blade having first and second ends,

a first plow wing pivotally mounted to said first end of said plow blade,

a plow support adapted to be operably mounted to the vehicle, said plow blade being operably pivotally mounted to said plow support to permit said plow blade to pivot relative to the vehicle about a generally vertical axis between a center position, where said plow blade is positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and a first position, where said first end of said plow blade is pivoted toward the vehicle, and between said center position and a second position, where said second end of said plow blade is pivoted toward the vehicle,

said first plow wing being biased by a first compression spring operable between said first plow wing and said plow blade so as to be angled forwardly relative to said plow blade when said plow blade is in said center position, and

a first connecting member connected to said first plow wing, passing through said first compression spring generally coaxially therewith, and connected to said plow support, said first connecting member configured to pivot said first plow wing relative to said plow blade during pivoting of said plow blade from said center position to said first position such that when said plow blade is in said first position said first plow wing is generally parallel to said plow blade.

2. The plow assembly of claim 1 wherein said first connecting member comprises a first flexible cable.

3. The plow assembly of claim 2 wherein said first flexible cable has a first end connected to said plow support at a location forward of the generally vertical pivot axis and between the generally vertical pivot axis and said first end of said plow blade, and wherein said first flexible cable has a second end connected to said first plow wing at a location rearward of a pivot axis of said first plow wing.

4. The plow assembly of claim 2 wherein said first flexible cable is in tension when said plow blade is in said first position and is slack when said plow blade is in said second position.

5. The plow assembly of claim 2 wherein said plow support comprises an A-frame having a forward end and a rearward end, said plow blade operably pivotally mounted to said forward end of said A-frame, said rearward end of said A-frame adapted to be operably mounted to the vehicle.

6. The plow assembly of claim 5 wherein said plow blade is pivotally mounted to a pivot beam so as to permit said plow blade to pivot relative to the vehicle about a generally horizontal axis generally transverse to the vehicle longitudinal axis to trip in the event said blade strikes an obstruction during plowing, and said pivot beam is pivotally mounted to said A-frame for pivoting movement about the generally vertical axis.

7. The plow assembly of claim 6 wherein said first compression spring, said first flexible cable, and the generally horizontal trip pivot axis are generally coaxial.

8. The plow assembly of claim 6 further comprising:

a second plow wing pivotally mounted to said second end of said plow blade,

said second plow wing being biased by a second compression spring operable between said second plow wing and said plow blade so as to be angled forwardly relative to said plow blade when said plow blade is in said center position, and

a second connecting member connected to said second plow wing, passing through said second compression spring generally coaxially therewith, and connected to said plow support, said second connecting member configured to pivot said second plow wing relative to said plow blade during pivoting of said plow blade from said center position to said second position such that when said plow blade is in said second position said second plow wing is generally parallel to said plow blade.

9. The plow assembly of claim 8 wherein said second connecting member comprises a second flexible cable.

10. The plow assembly of claim 9 wherein said second flexible cable has a first end connected to said plow support at a location forward of the generally vertical pivot axis and between the generally vertical pivot axis and said second end of said plow blade, and wherein said second flexible cable has a second end connected to said second plow wing at a location rearward of a pivot axis of said second plow wing.

11. The plow assembly of claim 9 wherein said second flexible cable is in tension when said plow blade is in said second position and is slack when said plow blade is in said first position.

12. The plow assembly of claim 11 wherein said second compression spring, said second flexible cable, and the generally horizontal trip pivot axis are generally coaxial.

13. The plow assembly of claim 6 further comprising a first actuator connected to said A-frame and to said pivot beam between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and said first end of said plow blade, and a second actuator connected to said A-frame and to said pivot beam between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and said second end of said plow blade, for pivoting said pivot beam about the generally vertical axis.

14. A plow assembly for attachment to a vehicle, the vehicle having a longitudinal axis, said plow assembly comprising:

a plow blade having first and second ends and being pivoted to a pivot beam to permit said plow blade to pivot relative to the vehicle about a generally horizontal trip pivot axis generally transverse to the vehicle longitudinal axis,

a first plow wing pivotally mounted to said first end of said plow blade,

an A-frame adapted to be operably mounted to the vehicle, said pivot beam being pivotally mounted to said A-frame to permit said pivot beam and plow blade to pivot relative to the vehicle about a generally vertical axis between a center position, where said plow blade is positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and a first position, where said first end of said plow blade is pivoted toward the vehicle, and between said center position and a second position, where said second end of said plow blade is pivoted toward the vehicle,

said first plow wing being biased by a first compression spring operable between said first plow wing and said plow blade so as to be angled forwardly relative to said plow blade when said plow blade is in said center position, and

a first flexible cable connected to said first plow wing and to said A-frame, said first flexible cable configured to pivot said first plow wing relative to said plow blade during pivoting of said plow blade from said center position to said first position such that when said plow blade is in said first position said first plow wing is generally parallel to said plow blade,

said first compression spring, said first flexible cable, and the generally horizontal trip pivot axis of said plow blade being generally coaxial.

15. The plow assembly of claim 14 further comprising:

a second plow wing pivotally mounted to said second end of said plow blade,

said second plow wing being biased by a second compression spring operable between said second plow wing and said plow blade so as to be angled forwardly relative to said plow blade when said plow blade is in said center position, and

a second flexible cable connected to said second plow wing and to said A-frame, said second flexible cable configured to pivot said second plow wing relative to said plow blade during pivoting of said plow blade from said center position to said second position such that when said plow blade is in said second position said second plow wing is generally parallel to said plow blade,

said second compression spring, said second flexible cable, and the generally horizontal trip pivot axis of said plow blade being generally coaxial.