Get the latest tech news
The secret lives of snowblowers
Yes, they throw snow. But the mechanical design of residential snowblowers is more interesting than it seems.
The outer edges are usually curved inward; this not only engages the material more gradually and reduces vibration, but also helps compress fluffy snow so that it retains momentum once expelled. In this design, auger blades (teal) are connected to a drive shaft via a worm gearbox (yellow) that reduces the speed and increases the torque roughly ten-fold: The high torque delivered to the auger poses some challenges; there is a risk of bending or breaking the drivetrain if one hits a big rock, a planter, or a similar object hidden under the snow.
Or read this on Hacker News