Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Hand forks and shovels – Handles
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-05-29
Cherry, Johnny D. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Hand forks and shovels
Handles
C254S131500, C294S054500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237975
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a snow shovel.
BACKGROUND
Conventional shovels are used to move articles such as snow and the like. It is known that shovels can be altered in ways to provide an easier method of shovelling. Some examples of these alternate methods or devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,921 (Gutman), U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,090 (Bruno), U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,327 (Jurkowski et al), U.S. Pat. NO. 4,130,953 (Samuelson) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,530 (McCullough).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,090 discloses a conventional shovel which has an adjustable lever mechanism and an adjustable grip mechanism. The lever mechanism is arranged such that a user would shovel an amount of snow and then engage an end of the lever onto a ground surface and pull rearwards on the grip to lift the snow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,953 provides a shovel which is pivotally mounted on a sled which allows the shovel blade or bucket to be scraped along the ground and can be tilted upwards on the pivot for lifting of the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,327 is a wheeled shovel which has a wheel mounted on a frame adapted to fit onto a conventional handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,921 is a conventional shovel with a wheel arm extending from a handle in a perpendicular manner, the shovel is arranged to be scraped across the ground as the wheel is placed on the end of the wheel arm providing leverage for the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,530 provides a shovel with an elongate bracing member releasably attached to the handle allowing a user to use the handles as a lever for lifting the snow.
None of the above patents mentioned provide a shovel with a simple leverage portion which would allow a user to use the shovel in the conventional way or use the shovel in a novel way with a fulcrum.
SUMMARY
The present invention is arranged to provide a shovel which has a fulcrum to enable people with back problem and/or elderly people to perform the task of shovelling snow without having to manually lift the shovel. The present invention is a shovel which has a bent portion such that a user can use the bent portion as a fulcrum to lift an end of the shovel from a ground surface.
According to the present invention there is provided a shovel comprising;
an elongate body;
a handle at an end of the body;
a digging end at a respective end of the body which is arranged to move material; and
a bent portion on the body adjacent the digging end, the bent portion is formed such that a engaging end is arranged to engage a ground surface creating a fulcrum affect when the handle is forced downwards by a user thereby tilting the digging end off the ground surface.
Preferably, the bent portion is generally U-shaped having a first bend at the digging end which extends downwards therefrom, a second bend which extends upwards and a third bend which extends rearwards generally longitudinally with the digging end.
Preferably, the second bend has a larger radius than the first and third bends defining a rounded rolling surface such that a contact point of the fulcrum is varied longitudinally as the shovel is tilted.
Preferably, the shovel body is formed from a single elongate tube.
REFERENCES:
patent: 445621 (1891-02-01), Kretsinger
patent: 545536 (1895-09-01), Russell
patent: 1007656 (1911-10-01), Fox
patent: 2121265 (1938-06-01), Ruffcorn
patent: 2373898 (1945-04-01), Kulesh
patent: 3343807 (1967-09-01), Moraski
patent: 4130953 (1978-12-01), Bruno
patent: 4198090 (1980-04-01), Gutman
patent: 5487530 (1996-01-01), Mccullough
patent: 5511327 (1996-04-01), Jurkowski et al.
patent: 5918921 (1999-07-01), Samuelson
patent: 81309 (1963-07-01), None
patent: 1407731 (1965-06-01), None
patent: 95/03923 (1995-02-01), None
Battison Adrian D.
Cherry Johnny D.
Williams Michael R.
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