Ice Resurfacer

Abstract

A self-propelled ice shaving machine suitable for use in skating rinks or the like includes a pair of power rotary cutters positioned immediately beyond the steerable front wheels of the vehicle. A suction blower removes ice chips and cuttings blown upwardly from the rotary cutter blades and conveys the cuttings and chips to a receptacle disposed above the vehicle chassis. The vehicle is powered by means of an internal combustion engine and means are provided to connect the engine in heat exchange relationship with the receptacle thereby to cause melting of the ice chips. The water derived from the melting of the ice is spread over the surface of the ice at the rear of the machine by means of a suitable water spreader connected to the vehicle chassis.

Description

This invention relates to improvements in machines for smoothing and renewing the surface of the ice in a skating rink after the same has been roughened by skaters.

As is well known, one of the major problems in connection with the operation of a skating rink is the maintenance of a relatively smooth ice surface. After the ice has been in use for a period of time, it is necessary to resurface the ice by removing a relatively thin layer of ice thereby to eliminate shallow scratches and surface roughness caused by skate blades and to thereafter spread a thin film of water over the surface of the ice to fill in any remaining cracks or depressions. This thin film of water freezes within a short time and skating maybe thereafter resumed.

A number of years ago the above described resurfacing operation was carried out manually. A number of attendants were sent out onto the ice surface with small scrapers and sweeping devices which they generally pushed ahead of them. After the surface of the ice had been scraped in this manner, a thin film of water was spread over the ice to fill in the cracks and the low spots. However, this method possessed a large number of disadvantages, as for example, the excessive length of time required to complete the operation, and the tendency for the thickness of the ice to increase gradually due to the addition of more water than was removed in the form of shaved ice; in addition, roughened surface portions arising due to the freezing of coarse grained slush and the like which, from time to time was missed by the scrapers, lowered the overall ice quality.

In an attempt to overcome the above problems, the prior art has provided a number of different devices. One well known ice rink resurfacing machine includes a vehicle arranged for travel over the surface of the ice with the vehicle including a frame which rests directly on the ice surface and is towed by the vehicle. A sharp edged blade is mounted on the frame generally transverse to the direction of forward travel and is arranged to take a light shaving cut on the ice. A conveyor means driven by the vehicle motor for clearing away the shaved ice from in front of the blade and depositing same in a suitable receptacle mounted on a vehicle is provided. The vehicle also includes a water tank and a spreader for distributing a thin film of water over the surface of the ice behind the blade so as to fill up deep scratches and cavities extending below the cutting edge of the blade.

Machines of the above general nature, although quite popular and reasonably successful, do possess a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the use of the transversely disposed blade arranged to take a shaving cut on the ice requires the use of a machine or vehicle capable of producing a substantial amount of tractive force or power. In order to provide the required tractive force it is necessary that the machine be of relatively heavy weight and that relatively wide tires capable of exerting a sufficient amount of tractive force be provided. These requirements tend to increase the cost of the machine somewhat. In addition, there is a tendency for the blade to "chatter" when certain ice conditions are encountered and/or when the blade support mechanism is not adjusted in exactly the right manner. When blade "chatter" occurs, "wavy" or ridged ice is often the result.

In order to overcome the above disadvantages the present invention provides, in one aspect, a machine of the general character mentioned above wherein the transversely disposed ice shaving blade is eliminated and powered rotary cutters especially designed to impart a smooth finish to the ice surface are utilized. Blade "chatter" is thus eliminated and a relatively smooth surface is imparted to the ice. In addition, the amount of tractive force required to move the rotary cutters over the surface of the ice is markedly reduced thus permitting use of a lighter weight vehicle etc.

A further drawback to most, if not all, of the prior art machines under consideration is that they position the cutting device at the rear of the vehicle, usually behind the rear wheels. With the cutting device positioned in this manner it is difficult, if not impossible, to get into the "corners" of the rink with the machine thereby to resurface the same. As a result, a certain amount of manual labor is often required in order to complete the resurfacing job.

In order to overcome or at least substantially reduce the above mentioned problem, the present invention provides, in a further aspect, for the powered cutters to be positioned adjacent the front end of the vehicle thereby ensuring easier operator visibility and ready access to tight corners. In the embodiment in the invention to be described, the cutters are located immediately behind the front wheels of the vehicle, said front wheels being steerable.

In prior art machines of the type under consideration there is a tendency, under certain circumstances, for the frame upon which the ice shaving blade is mounted to ride up on ice chips or the like resting on the ice surface. When this happens, the ice shaving blade is, of course, lifted upwardly and may occasionally be lifted clear of the ice altogether with obvious results.

In order to eliminate the above problem the invention provides, in a further aspect, for the cutter assembly to be mounted directly on the machine frame as opposed to having the cutter mounted on a frame which rests on the ice surface. With the cutter assembly mounted on or suspended from the vehicle frame the tendency for the cutter assembly to be lifted upwardly when the machine is passing over ice chips or other obstructions is markedly reduced.

Prior art ice resurfacing machines usually employ some means for flooding the ice to effect renewal of the ice surface. Water used for flooding the ice is carried in a reservoir mounted on the vehicle and passes from there down to a suitable water spreading device located adjacent the rear of the machine.

The present invention, in a still further aspect, provides an ice resurfacing machine including means whereby the heat rejected from the resurfacing machine drive engine is utilized to melt the ice removed from the surface by the rotary cutters. The water derived from the melted ice is returned to the ice surface via a suitable spreading device; this arrangement eliminates the need for the vehicle to carry a separate water reservoir and, furthermore, one is automatically assured that the amount of water being spread on the ice surface equals the amount of water being removed from the latter in the form of shaved ice thereby substantially avoiding the problems associated with ice build-up.

Further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention wherein reference is had to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an ice rink resurfacing machine employing the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan section view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan section view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation view of the machine as seen from the left hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the rotary cutter mounting sub-assembly;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the rotating cutters per se;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are section views of the rotary cutter blades taken alone lines 7--7 and 8--8 respectively in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view, partly in cross-section, of a different form of rotary cutter arrangement suitable for use with the ice resurfacing machine of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the rotary cutter assembly shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a further variety of cutter blade;

FIG. 12 is an end elevation of two of the cutter blades of FIG. 11;

Reference will be had firstly to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 8. In this form of the invention the resurfacing machine is seen as including a chassis 10 including laterally spaced longitudinally extending frame members 12 with transversely extending fore and aft frame members 14 and 16 respectively extending therebetween and rigidly connected thereto. Mounted on the chassis 10 by means of transversely extending support members 18 is an internal combustion engine 20. This internal combustion engine 20 is connected through customary clutch means, gear box means, drive shaft means etc. to a differential mechanism located in the rear axle housing 24 thereby to drive the rear wheels 26 of the vehicle in a manner well known in the art. The front wheels 28 of the vehicle are steerable by means of steering linkages 30 and controlled from a steering wheel 32 connected to a steering column 34. The steering wheel 32 is mounted just forwardly of an operator's seat 36 which is mounted on the rear of the vehicle chassis in any suitable manner. Suitable driving controls (not shown) are provided, whereby the operator can start and stop the engine, shift the gears, apply the brakes and clutch etc.

Mounted on and extending vertically upwardly from frame 10 are four posts 38 which support a large closed-top-receptacle 40 above the chassis of the machine. The receptacle 40 is conveniently of a sheet metal welded construction, reinforced as required to provide the necessary structural stability and includes top wall 42, floor 44 and end and side walls 46. The bottom or floor 44 of receptacle 40 is of a special construction and a plan section view taken through same in a horizontal plane is shown in FIG. 3. It will be seen from FIG. 1 that floor 44 comprises two layers 48 and 50 spaced apart and having a plurality of transversely extending longitudinally spaced baffles 52 (best seen in FIG. 3) extending therebetween. The purpose and function of this specialized construction for floor 44 will become more apparent hereinafter.

Rigidly connected to chassis 10 and disposed immediately rearwardly of the front wheels 28 is the ice cutter sub-assembly 54. Subassembly 54 includes a spaced pair of rotatable cutter blades 56 which are mounted for rotation about spaced parallel axes which lie in the same horizontal plane at a distance above the surface of the ice determined by the dimensions of the blades themselves.

Each cutting blade 56 is made up from an elongated strip of steel of sufficient strength and thickness as to provide a blade sufficiently rigid as to resist any tendency towards bending and/or vibration during operation of the machine. Each blade 56 has a gradual helical return twist of 90.degree. from the ends of the blade to the center of its length; that is, a first one of the blades gradually twists about its longitudinal axis in the right-hand direction from one of its ends until a point midway along the length of the blade is reached, at which point the angle of twist is 90.degree.. The blade then gradually twists in the opposite (left-hand) direction until the other end of the blade is reached. The remaining blade 56 is exactly the same as the one described above except that it first gradually twists about its longitudinal axis in the left-hand direction by an angle of 90.degree. until a point midway along its length is reached and then the blade gradually twists in the opposite (right-hand) direction until the other end is reached. The relationship maintained between the two blades will be apparent from a study of FIGS. 6 through 8. It will be apparant from the transverse cross-sectional views of FIGS. 7 and 8 that the width dimensions of the two blades are always at approximately right angles to one another; this is true regardless of the point along the length of the blade at which the cross-section is taken. The above mentioned relationship between the two blades 56 is maintained at all times due to the fact that the two blades are driven in unison in opposite directions by means of intermeshing gears 57 (FIG. 1) each associated with a respective one of the blades.

From FIGS. 7 and 8 it will be seen that the blades 56 have their opposing edges bevelled thereby to present sloping faces 58 which face in the direction of rotation of the blade. Adjacent the diagonally opposed outermost extremities of each blade are detachably mounted elongated cutting edges 60. The cutting edges 60 are made from a suitably hardened steel so that they will maintain a sharp cutting edge even after long use. The cutting edges 60 are secured to blades 56 by means of bolts 62 thereby permitting the cutting edges to be readily removed for sharpening and/or replacement. It will be appreciated from the drawings that all points along the cutting edges 60 are substant-ially equidistant from the rotation axis of the blade.

Blades 56 are journalled at opposing ends by means of a spaced pair of bearing support plates 64 each associated with the respective one of the laterally spaced chassis members 12. Each of the support plates 64 is connected to chassis member 12 in a manner as to permit vertical adjustment of cutter blades 56 thereby to regulate the depth of cut. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein it will be seen that each bearing support plate is connected to the chassis member 12 by means of a spaced pair of screw fasteners 65 and 66. Fastener member 66 extends through an elongated slotted opening 67 in bearing plate 64 thereby permitting the latter to be pivoted by a relatively small angular amount with respect to chassis member 12. This permits initial adjustments to be made in the depth of cut.

In order to effect rotation of cutter blades 56, the rearmost cutter blade 56 is provided with an extended journal shaft upon which is mounted a V-pulley 70 which is driven via V-belts 71 from a further V-pulley 72 mounted on a drive shaft 74, the latter being suitably journalled on the machine chassis. The drive shaft 74 is drivingly connected to internal combustion engine 20 via suitable bevel gears 76 contained within gear box 78 disposed adjacent the front of engine 20.

When the cutters 56 are driven at high speed in opposite directions as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, the ice shavings or chips are thrown upwardly from the region intermediate the cutters in the direction shown by arrows B also in FIG. 1. Because of the specialized configuration of the cutters 56, the ice chips are brought inwardly from the ends of the cutter blades 56 towards the region above and midway along the lengths of the cutters. This makes it relatively easy to collect the ice chips and to pass them upwardly into the closed receptacle 40 mounted above the chassis of the machine. Another advantage resulting from a specialized shape of the cutter blade 56 is that only a fractional portion (say 10-15 percent) of the total length of the cutting edge of each blade is engaged with the ice at any one instant of time during rotation of the blades. As a result, any tendency for the blades to "chatter" and produce "wavy" or ridged ice is substantially eliminated.

In order to take the ice chips which are thrown upwardly during rotation of blades 56 and pass them into closed receptacle 40, there is provided a suction blower assembly 80 which is powered from drive engine 20. This arrangement includes a suction fan 82 which is mounted on spaced longitudinally extending support members 84 suitably welded to the transversely extending frame members 14 and 18. The impeller of suction blower 82 is driven via a shaft 86 upon which is mounted a pulley 87. Pulley 87 is driven from pulley 88 mounted on previously mentioned drive shaft 74 via a suitable V-belt 89. If desired, a suitable clutch arrangement (not shown) may be interposed between drive shaft 74 and pulley 88 and actuated by the operator by means of suitable linkage 90 thereby to permit the suction blower 82 to be disconnected or connected in driving relation with engine 20 as desired.

In order to prevent ice chips from being scattered due to rotation of blades 56, a generally inverted U-shaped cross-section collecting hood 92 is disposed thereabove and extends the full length of blades 56. At its mid-portion, the collecting hood 92 is provided with a transition section 94 which leads gradually upwardly into the intake of suction blower 82. The trailing edge 96 of collecting hood 92 extends downwardly towards the surface of the ice and its lowermost edge is provided with a flexible lip 98 which engages the surface of the ice thus picking up any small chips which may have been thrown off the rotating cutter blades 56.

The outlet of the suction blower 82 is connected to a conduit 100 which leads upwardly through the floor 44 of the receptacle 40 thereby to permit the ice chips to pass into the interior of the latter. When the machine is in operation and the suction blower 82 is being driven at the required rate of speed by drive engine 20, the ice chips thrown upwardly by cutter blades 56 pass into the intake of the suction blower and thence outwardly through its outlet, thence upwardly through conduit 100 and into the interior of receptacle 40 in a direction shown by the arrows C in FIG. 1.

As mentioned previously means are provided for melting the ice chips which are blown upwardly into the receptacle 40. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 it will be noted that the engine coolant is permitted to circulate between the previously mentioned layers 48 and 50 of the floor of receptacle 40. From FIG. 1 it will be seen that the water pump 102 of engine 20 has its outlet connected via hose 104 and thermostatic valve 106 to the region intermediate the two layers 48 and 50 of the floor of receptacle 40. Thermostatic valve 106 is secured to the floor of receptacle 40 adjacent the front end of the latter. Secured to the floor of receptacle 40 adjacent the rear of the latter is a connection piece 108 which is connected to elongated return conduit 110 which extends downwardly for connection to the cold water return inlet to engine 20. During the operation of engine 20, the water pump 102 forces hot water from the engine upwardly through conduit 104 into the region intermediate the two layers 48 and 50 of the floor of receptacle 40. By virtue of the staggered arrangement of the spaced baffles 52 interposed between layers 48 and 50, the engine cooling liquid is forced to take a tortuous path back and forth across the width of the floor of the receptacle as it moves from the front of the latter to the rear. The path of the engine cooling liquid as it travels from the hot water inlet 106' to the hot water outlet 108' is shown by the arrows D in FIG. 3.

The heat supplied by the engine cooling liquid to the floor of receptacle 40 is used to melt the ice chips blown into the interior of the latter so that a constant supply of water arising due to the melting of such ice chips is obtained. This water is used to flood the ice after the cutters have passed thereover thereby to fill up any remaining deep scratches in the ice surface. In order to apply this water to the ice surface a conventional water spreader arrangement 112 is mounted on the rear end of the machine and is connected via a conduit 114 to the interior of receptacle 40 so that the water derived from the melting of the ice chips may be supplied to the spreader. A valve 116 connected in conduit 114 may be used to regulate the flow of water to the spreader. The spreader 112 itself is of a structure which is per se well known in the art and includes an elongated length of a fabric 116 which is connected at its opposed longitudinal edges to a suitable support frame 118 whereby the fabric hangs downwardly therefrom thereby forming a generally U-shaped trough. An elongated pipe 120 extending transversely of the machine and disposed within the trough defined by the fabric 116 is connected to conduit 114 to receive water therefrom. A series of holes are provided along the length of pipe 120 so that the water is sprinkled into the interior of the trough defined by fabric 116 and is thereafter spread upon the ice surface as the machine moves forwardly. Suitable means (not shown) may be provided to effect raising and lowering of the water spreading device 112 as required.

In connection with the system described for melting the ice chips and returning the water derived thereby to the ice surface, it should be mentioned that auxiliary burners (not shown) may be utilized to apply additional heat to the floor of receptacle 40 to assist in melting the ice. It is also desirable that the engine 20 be provided with an electrical block heater so that engine 20 is enabled to produce an excess of heat energy which may be utilized in the melting of the ice chips shortly after start-up.

The foregoing description makes reference to all of the basic features of the ice resurfacing machine. However, there are an additional number of important elements which facilitate operation of the device. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is desirable to have some means whereby the cutters 56 may be readily lifted well clear of the surface of the ice as, for example, when the machine is being driven off the ice surface into its place of storage. In accordance with one feature of the device, there is seen in FIG. 4, a spaced pair of hydraulic jacks 126 interposed between the front axle 128 of the machine and the transversely extending fore or frontal frame member 14. Hydraulic jacks 126 are connected to a hydraulic pump and suitable control means (not shown). Actuation of hydraulic jacks 126 causes the front end of the ice resurfacing machine together with cutter blades 56 to be raised by several inches thereby to permit the cutter blades to clear any obstructions which might cause damage to same.

With continued reference to FIG. 4 it will be seen that there is also provided a spaced pair of level adjusting screws 130 which are interposed between frame member 14 and front axle 128. When the hydraulic jacks 126 are in their lowered position, the screw adjusting assemblies 130 bear the full weight of the machine. Each screw assembly 130 comprises a casing 132 secured to the front axle 128. Rotatably mounted in frame member 14 are downwardly extending screws 134 which effect engagement with floating bushings 136 disposed within the casings 132. When the hydraulic jacks 126 are actuated, the screws 134 together with floating bushings 136 are lifted upwardly along with frame member 14. However, when the hydraulic jacks 126 are lowered downwardly, the floating bushing 136 comes into engagement with a projection formed on the interior of the cylinder 132 thereby to support the front end of the frame of the vehicle at the desired elevation. Adjustment of the elevation of the front end of the machine may be had by rotating screws 134 by means of hand cranks 138 suitably connected thereto. By means of the hand operated screw adjusting assemblies described above, fine adjustments in the depth of cut of cutter blades 56 may be effected. It should also be mentioned here that in order to stabilize the front axle when using the arrangement described above, front axle stabilizers 140 must be used, each having one end securely fastened to the front axle 138 and their opposite ends pivotally connected to the traversely extending member 14.

Although the preferred form for the ice cutting blades 56 is the helical return twist variety described above, another variety of rotatable cutter is suitable for use with the apparatus described above provided modifications are made to the chassis of the machine to provide support for the modified cutter. A modified cutter arrangement is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This form of cutter may be termed a radial end mill cutter and includes a relatively large disc 150 having a diameter equal to or exceeding slightly the width of the machine described above and journalled for rotation about a vertical axis. The bottom view of the cutter shown in FIG. 10 illustrates the form of the individual cutters 152. The cutters 152 comprise a series of spaced strips of hard steel welded or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom face of disc 150 with each such strip spiralling inwardly from the outer-most periphery of disc 150 to points relatively closely spaced about its center. The radial end mill cutter is driven by the drive engine in the direction indicated by the arrow E in FIG. 10. As the end mill cutter is rotated with cutters 152 in contact with the ice surface, the ice chips or shavings are swept inwardly, as a result of the action of the spiral shaped cutters, towards the center of disc 150. The central portion of disc 150 is connected to a hollow tube 154 which passes vertically upwardly through bushing assembly 156 and terminates adjacent the intake of a suction blower arrangement 158. Disc 150 contains a suitably sized aperture in its central portion thereby to permit the ice chips that have been swept inwardly towards its center to be drawn upwardly through the tube 154 through the suction blower 158 and outwardly therefrom into a suitable receptacle such as was previously described.

To effect rotation of disc 150 and its attached cutters 152, a suitably sized pulley 160 is secured to the upper end of tube 154 to permit the same to be rotated by the resurfacing machine drive engine. Downward movement of tube 154 relative to its support bushing 156 is prevented by means of a large lock nut 162 secured on tube 154 with any downwardly directed end thrust being taken up by bearing 164.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a still further form of cutter blade arrangement. Here, each cutter 170 comprises an elongated hollow box 172 of square cross section having an elongated blade 174 attached adjacent each of its four longitudinal edges. Each blade 174 has a sharpened cutting edge 176 leading in the direction of rotation of each cutter as shown by the curved arrows, cutting eges 176 being substantially equidistant from the rotation axis of the cutter along their lengths. The cutters are otherwise mounted for rotation about their longitudinal axes in exactly the same manner and occupy the same positions as described previously in connection with the helical return twist blades. Two cutters 170 are used in side by side parallel relation and their preferred angular relationship is shown in FIG. 12 whereby to reduce blade "chatter" to a minimum.

A preferred embodiment of the invention together with a modification thereof have been described. Other variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Certain of the above described features can be used alone on an ice resurfacing machine; alternatively suitable combinations of same may be employed. Various modifications may be made to the drive couplings between the internal combustion engine 20 and the cutters 56. For example, a fluid type coupling could be utilized whereby the cutters 56 would automatically cease to rotate when the engine is at idling speed and then automatically comes up to speed upon acceleration of the engine. Those skilled in the art will also realize that applicant's cutter blade arrangement and ice chip removal system could be employed with a simple box type receptacle which does not employ means for melting the ice chips. In this case, of course, some means such as a door or the like, would be provided in the receptacle to permit the ice chips to be removed. In addition, a separate water reservoir would have to be provided to supply water to the spreader which is mounted adjacent the rear end of the machine.

Claims

I claim:

1. An ice rink resurfacing machine comprising a vehicle having wheels mounted thereon, an internal combustion drive engine, at least one of said wheels drivingly connected to said engine to effect movement of the machine over the ice surface, and certain other of said wheels being steerable to effect directional control of the machine, ice cutting means connected to said vehicle for removing a thin layer of ice from the rink surface, a receptacle carried by said vehicle and means for conveying the ice removed by the ice cutter to said receptacle, means connecting said drive engine in heat exchange relation with said receptacle whereby heat produced by said engine effects melting of said removed ice, and water spreader means connected to said receptacle to receive water therefrom derived from the melting of said ice all arranged to apply a film of water to the ice surface after said ice cutting means has passed thereover.

2. The machine according to claim 1 wherein said engine employs a liquid cooling system, and wherein the means connecting the engine in heat exchange relationship includes means for conveying heated liquid from said engine to said receptacle to effect melting of the ice therein, and means to return such liquid to said engine from said receptacle.

3. The machine according to claim 2 wherein the means connecting the engine in heat exchange relation further comprises means in said receptacle to cause said engine cooling liquid to follow a tortuous path while in contact with said receptacle prior to returning to said engine.

4. An ice rink resurfacing machine comprising a vehicle having wheels mounted thereon, an internal combustion drive engine employing a liquid cooling system, at least one of said wheels drivingly connected to said engine to effect movement of the machine over the ice surface, and certain other of said wheels being steerable to effect directional control of the machine, ice cutting means connected to said vehicle for removing a thin layer of ice from the rink surface,a receptacle carried by said vehicle and means for conveying the ice removed by the ice cutter to said receptacle, means connecting said drive engine in heat exchange relation with said receptacle including means for conveying heated liquid from said engine to said receptacle to effect melting of the ice therein, there being provided a means in a floor portion of said receptacle to cause the engine cooling liquid to follow a tortuous path while in contact with said receptacle prior to returning to said engine, and a water spreader means connected to said receptacle to receive water therefrom derived from the melting of said ice and arranged to apply a film of the water to the ice surface after said ice cutting means have passed thereover.

5. The machine according to claim 4 wherein said floor portion of the receptacle comprises two layers, with the means connecting the engine and receptacle in heat exchange relation including inlet and outlet means for supplying hot and removing cooled liquid respectively from the region intermediate the two layers of the receptacle floor portion, and the means for causing the liquid to move in a tortuous path comprises baffle means interposed between the two layers of said floor portion.

6. An ice rink resurfacing machine comprising a chassis having wheels mounted thereon, a drive engine, at least one of said wheels being drivingly connected to said engine to effect movement of the machine over the ice surface, certain of the wheels being steerable to effect directional control of the machine, ice cutting means connected to said vehicle for removing a thin layer of ice from the rink surface, a receptacle carried by said chassis and means for conveying ice chips from the region of the cutting means to said receptacle, a pair of said cutting means being provided in spaced parallel relation, each said ice cutting means including a plurality of spaced cutting edges mounted for rotation about a rotation axis, all points along said cutting edges being substantially equidistant from their respective rotation axes, and drive means connected to said engine for rotating the cutting means rapidly about said rotation axes whereby said cutting edges remove said layer of ice from said ice surface, the axes of rotation of the ice cutting means being generally horizontally disposed and arranged generally laterally of the direction of forward travel of the machine.

7. The machine according to claim 6 wherein the drive means are arranged to rotate said cutting means in opposite directions.

8. The machine according to claim 7 wherein the drive means rotate the cutters such that the chips are thrown upwardly from the region intermediate the cutters, and a hood arranged over said cutting means to catch ice chips thrown upwardly therefrom, and means for creating an air flow sufficient to convey said chips from said hood to said receptacle.