Ice removal device

[DetectorGuy]

I have been working on the design of an ice removal device that will slip into the 2" receiver of a pick-up truck and hoist the ice out of the hole. Ultimately I would like it to hoist a 1500 pound block in one piece but as plan B a person could third up the block. If some of you ice divers could chime in as to what you think of the design and let me know what you think I should do differently. Here are some jpeg images of the AutoCad drawings that I have been working on:

[Hydro]

thats a lot of tension on the rear of the truck... if you could manage to put another brace on the other side of the ice block, it might make it a lot more stable... less risk of bending your truck... im guessing you are gonna drive forward to move the ice... so maybe use an adjustable trailer wheel to get the right height... or like a brace for a lift that goes out diagonally.

draw up those plans, and let me know so i can file for a patent 

[mattd]

Would it be easier just to put a cherry picker on a tripod or something.  Lift it out, rotate, drop it down.

[DetectorGuy]

I was thinking that the skid plate under the mast of the crane could be at 3" above the ice with no load on the hoist. Then when you hit the button and hoist the block, the truck springs take 3" of the load (adding traction) but the remainder of the load will be on the "skid" and slides on the ice as you drive forward. I even thought of making this "skid" from a pair of hockey skates but that may be copywrite infringement in it self if I was to ever get a patent on it. I think the skid will be made from a 3" wide piece of "C-channel" with a ramp at the front side.

[mattd]

Oh boy.  We've got some concepts mixed up.  There is no copyright infringement issue here - wipe that out of your mind.  IF someone else has patented a feature of your device, you can't build it even if you are using it in another way.  But, enforcing patents is an expensive PITA so if its just detector guy and his DIY ice picker, I doubt you would have any problems.

Now, if this is something you plan to market and want to spend the money on getting a patent - do not discuss it in public.  From the time you disclose it or offer one for sale, you have 1 year to file for a patent.  Be careful of that clock.  There is some pending legislation that might change this grace period, but as of right now, that is the law.

[DetectorGuy]

I don't plan on getting a patent on it so if anyone else wants to... thats fine (especially if they invite me to go diving with them). I was looking at a simpler lever for ice last year but I gave up on that idea as the length of the lever would need to be too long to make it practical. Here is a pic of that old idea with some weight calculations

[arcFlash]

I too have been working some ideas but they are more about a auger that uses the hitch to cut a hole but the size needed for a round hole is too big to be practical.

Did you run any yield strength calculations on the 2 inch tube? I'd like to see the point loads and the tension on the straps. I got a feeling the main tube is going to deflect badly between the straps and the hitch just below the brace.

it's easily fixed but you have a 2 foot lever and a 1500 pound moment.

The only thing I'd consider is a snatch block at the screw to take the stain off the winch. No need to pull so hard when your only lifting 3 feet.

[DetectorGuy]

Here are the colored PDF files of the rig

[mattd]

Are you over estimating the weight of that block?  We did some rough and probably wrong math last weekend and figured the block weighed about 400 pounds.  I don't know about your truck, but 400 pounds isn't going to make mine drop 3".

Edit: Google says ice is 62 pounds per cubic foot.  So if your block is 4' on a side and 2.5' thick, that's about 17 cubic feet or about a thousand pounds.  That a big block.

[DetectorGuy]

wet fresh water weighs 62.4 pounds per cubic foot and Ice is less dense. I don't know the exact weight of ice but 62 pounds per square foot is probably pretty accurate. I used 62.4 as a safe number. A 4' equilateral triangle has 24 square feet of surface area on top. At this size, every 12" vertical ice thickness would weigh just under 500 pounds. If I design this thing to lift a 4' equilateral triangle that is 3' thick, it would be about 1500 pounds with out cutting it into thirds. That would be cool. More than one screw would be necessary as a precaution so that no one catches one in the melon when it tears out. I think that the truck would handle the weight, but the reciever would fold without using two ratchet straps from the top of the mast going to the eyelets in the front of the box bed.