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A skid for use on a snow blower, where the snow blower includes an auger housing through which snow removed from an area is channeled. The skid includes a body that is secured to a vertical side wall of the auger housing. The body includes a sliding surface which assists the auger housing in sliding

A skid for use on a snow blower, where the snow blower includes an auger housing through which snow removed from an area is channeled. The skid includes a body that is secured to a vertical side wall of the auger housing. The body includes a sliding surface which assists the auger housing in sliding over snow-covered regions of the area being cleared; and a rolling surface which assists the auger housing to travel over snow-free regions of the area. A slot is provided in the sliding surface of the skid and a portion of the rolling surface projects for a distance below the sliding surface. An adapter plate may be positioned between the body and the side wall of the auger housing. The adapter plate enables the body to be secured to different makes of auger housing.

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1. A skid for use on a snow blower, where the snow blower includes an auger housing through which snow removed from an area is channeled, said skid comprising: a body adapted to be secured to a vertical side wall of the auger housing; said body including: a first side wall adapted to abut the side w

1. A skid for use on a snow blower, where the snow blower includes an auger housing through which snow removed from an area is channeled, said skid comprising: a body adapted to be secured to a vertical side wall of the auger housing; said body including: a first side wall adapted to abut the side wall of the auger housing;a second side wall spaced from the first side wall;a first end wall and a second end wall spaced from each other and extending between the first and second side walls; and wherein the body has a longitudinal axis that extends between the first and second end walls;a sliding surface extending between a bottom end of the first side wall and a bottom end of the second side wall; said sliding surface being adapted to assist the auger housing to slide over snow-covered regions of the area to be cleared; and wherein each of the first and second side walls extends upwardly from the sliding surface and a top end of the first side wall is spaced a vertical distance beyond a top end of the second side wall; anda rolling surface adapted to assist the auger housing to travel over snow-free regions of the area to be cleared, and wherein at least a portion of the rolling surface extends for a distance below the sliding surface. 2. The skid as defined in claim 1, further comprising a slot defined in the sliding surface, and wherein the portion of the rolling surface extends through the slot. 3. The skid as defined in claim 2, wherein the sliding surface includes: a central face disposed generally equidistant between the first and second end walls and parallel to the body's longitudinal axis; and wherein the central face has a substantially planar exterior surface; anda first face extending outwardly from a first end of the central face and to a bottom end of the first end wall; and wherein the slot is defined in the central face. 4. The skid as defined in claim 3, wherein the first face is disposed at a first angle to the exterior surface of the central face, and wherein the first angle is such that the first face angles upwardly away from the first end of the central face. 5. The skid as defined in claim 4, wherein the first angle is between 25 degrees and 35 degrees relative to the exterior surface of the central face. 6. The skid as defined in claim 5, wherein the first angle is 30 degrees relative to the exterior surface of the central face. 7. The skid as defined in claim 3, wherein the sliding surface further includes: a second face extending between a second end of the central face and the second end wall of the body, and wherein the second face is disposed at a second angle to the exterior surface of the central face, and wherein the second angle is such that the second face angles upwardly away from the second end of the central face. 8. The skid as defined in claim 7, wherein the second angle is between 25 degrees and 35 degrees relative to the exterior surface of the central face. 9. The skid as defined in claim 8, wherein the second angle is 30 degrees relative to the exterior surface of the central face. 10. The skid as defined in claim 3, wherein the rolling surface comprises: an axle extending between the first and second side walls and disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body;a wheel rotatably mounted on the axle; anda circumferential surface provided on the wheel and adapted to contact the areato be cleared of snow by the snow blower. 11. The skid as defined in claim 10, wherein a chamber is defined between the first side wall and the second side wall; and wherein the axle extends across the chamber and between the first and second side walls, and wherein the wheel is disposed at least partially within the chamber; and wherein the chamber has an opening defined between the top ends of the first and second side walls. 12. The skid as defined in claim 11, wherein the body further includes: a securement mechanism adapted to secure the body to the side wall of the auger housing, and wherein the securement mechanism is accessible through the opening to the chamber. 13. The skid as defined in claim 12, wherein the securement mechanism comprises: a slot defined in the first side wall of the body; anda fastener adapted to secure the first side wall of the body to the side wall of the auger housing, said fastener being received through the slot in the first side wall and being selectively movable therealong to permit the body to be adjustably positioned on the side wall of the auger housing. 14. The skid as defined in claim 12, further comprising: an adapter plate having a first side surface and a second side surface, wherein said second side surface of the adapter plate is disposed in abutting contact with an exterior surface of the first side wall, and the first side surface of the adapter plate is adapted to be disposed in abutting contact with the side wall of the auger housing; anda first fastener extends between the first side wall of the body and the second side surface of the adapter plate; anda second fastener is adapted to extend between the first side surface of the adapter plate and the side wall of the auger housing. 15. The skid as defined in claim 14, wherein the positioning of one or both of the first and second fasteners on the adapter plate is adjustable so as to permit the body to be secured to a variety of different auger housings. 16. The skid as defined in claim 14, wherein the first and second fasteners are one or both of vertically and horizontally offset relative to each other on the adapter plate. 17. The skid as defined in claim 16, further comprising: an additional first fastener that extends between the first side wall of the body and the second side surface of the adapter plate; andan additional second fastener that is adapted to extend between the first side surface of the adapter plate and the side wall of the auger housing; and wherein the first fastener and additional first fastener are longitudinally spaced apart from each other by a first distance, and the second fastener and additional second fastener are longitudinally spaced apart from the other by a second distance; and the first fastener and additional first fastener are generally horizontally aligned with each other, and the second fastener and additional second fastener are generally horizontally aligned with each other and are generally vertically spaced from the first fastener and additional first fastener by a third distance; and wherein one or more of the first, second and third distances are adjustable. 18. The skid as defined in claim 16, further comprising: a second adapter plate having a first side surface and a second side surface;an additional first fastener that extends between the first side wall of the body and the second side surface of the second adapter plate; andan additional second fastener that is adapted to extend between the first side surface of the second adapter plate and the side wall of the auger housing; and wherein the first fastener and additional first fastener are longitudinally spaced apart from each other by a first distance, and the second fastener and additional second fastener are longitudinally spaced apart from the other by a second distance; and the first fastener and additional first fastener are generally horizontally aligned with each other, and the second fastener and additional second fastener are generally horizontally aligned with each other and are generally vertically spaced from the first fastener and additional first fastener by a third distance; and wherein one or more of the first, second and third distances are adjustable. 19. The skid as defined in claim 1 wherein the first side wall of the body is substantially planar in a longitudinal direction, and wherein the second side wall of the body is substantially curved in a longitudinal direction. 20. A snow blower comprising: a frame;a motor mounted on the frame;an auger housing mounted on the frame; said auger housing having a pair of spaced apart vertical sidewalls;an auger rotatably mounted between the pair of spaced apart vertical sidewalls of the auger housing;an impeller mounted on the frame and disposed to receive snow cleared from a surface by the auger, said impeller being driven by the motor;a chute operationally connected to the impeller; said chute being provided to direct removed snow received via the impeller to a location remote from the snow blower;a pair of skids, each skid being adjustably secured to one of the pair of sidewalls of the auger housing; and wherein each skid comprises: a body including: a first side wall which abuts the respective one of the auger housing sidewalls;a second side wall spaced from the first side wall;a first end wall and a second end wall spaced from each other and extending between the first and second side walls; and wherein the body has a longitudinal axis that extends between the first and second end walls thereof;a sliding surface extending between a bottom end of the first side wall and a bottom end of the second side wall; said sliding surface being adapted to assist the auger housing to slide over snow-covered regions of the area to be cleared; and wherein each of the first and second side walls extends upwardly from the sliding surface and a top end of the first side wall is spaced a vertical distance beyond a top end of the second side wall; anda rolling surface, and wherein at least a portion of said rolling surface projects for a distance downwardly beyond the sliding surface. 21. The skid as defined in claim 19, wherein the second side wall is substantially convex in relationship to the first side wall. 22. The skid as defined in claim 10, further comprising: a through-hole defined in the axle; anda cotter pin is received through the through-hole to prevent withdrawal of the axle from its engagement with first and second side walls.