Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Hand forks and shovels
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-10
2001-01-09
Cherry, Johnny D. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Hand forks and shovels
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170893
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an implement such as a shovel or spade having a reinforced structure that results in improved strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
Implements, such as shovels or spades, generally include a work engaging blade, an elongated handle for manipulating the blade and a socket which joins the handle to the blade. Because these implements are typically used for transferring relatively heavy material, such as dirt or similar material, by taking advantage of the leverage provided by the elongated handle, considerable stress is applied to the area where the handle and socket interface with the work engaging blade. While formerly, conventional wooden handles have had a greater tendency to break than the blade, with the advent of stronger fiber glass and composite handles, a greater likelihood is presented of the blade itself being subjected to sufficient stress to either deform or break. Such a deformation or breakage can also in part result from metal fatigue caused by repeated stress over a long period of time.
Accordingly, as with many implements which employ leverage to repetitively move or work against relatively heavy objects, there is a need for providing greater strength, especially in the areas of the implement most directly affected by stress and most likely to undergo fracturing or deformation.
Previous attempts to provide such enhanced strengthening, particularly to shovels and spades, have involved, for example, providing thickened or reinforced metal portions where the stress is most likely to occur. This, however, results in greater weight and expense since the thickness of the blade must necessarily be varied to provide the enhanced strengthening. It would therefore be desirable to provide enhanced strengthening of the blade and socket of an implement, especially without having to employ additional material or material of variable thickness or type in order to achieve the desired strengthening of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an implement such as a shovel or spade that substantially obviates one or more of the problems of devices of the prior art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the device of the invention as particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, the invention comprises a device such as a shovel or spade having an elongated handle, a work engaging blade and a socket for receiving an end portion of the handle. The socket has a tubular portion for receiving the end of the handle and a flared portion that extends into the blade and joins the socket with the blade. An elongated reinforcing rib extends longitudinally along the tubular portion of the socket and the flared portion into about the middle portion of the blade to provide enhanced strength to the structure especially at the point where the socket and the blade of the implement are joined together.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 121331 (1871-11-01), Calhoun
patent: 1083952 (1914-01-01), Surbaugh
patent: 1194924 (1916-08-01), Anderson
patent: 1225864 (1917-05-01), Schlager
patent: 1353307 (1920-09-01), Berger
patent: 1458987 (1923-06-01), Della Monica
patent: 1706658 (1929-03-01), Davis
patent: 2937046 (1960-05-01), Olvey
patent: 3177026 (1965-04-01), Cowan
patent: 4655494 (1987-04-01), Eads et al.
patent: 830902 (1938-08-01), None
patent: 1007708 (1952-05-01), None
patent: 1009947 (1965-11-01), None
patent: 2063142 (1981-06-01), None
patent: 359640 (1938-06-01), None
Cherry Johnny D.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Uniontools, Inc.
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