Snow removal device

• US 5,791,707 A
• Filed: 08/22/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Szakurski
• Original Assignee: Joseph Szakurski
• Inventors: Szakurski, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERRY, JOHNNY DAN
• Application Number:
  US08/704,385
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 294/49, 294/51, 294/53.5, 294/54.5, 294/55-59, 15/257.1, 15/257.4, 15/257.7, 37/264-268, 37/241, 37/270, 37/271, 37/278, 37/284, 37/285, 37/434, 56/400.01, 56/400.04-400.06, 172/372-376, 403/98, 403/103, 403/104
• US Class Current: 294/54.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 1/225 around a substantially horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/02 Hand implements E01H5/04, E01H5/10, E01H5/12 take precedence shovels or spades in general A01B1/02; brooms, brushes A46B
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/106 Snow removing devices for gutters E04D13/076

Abstract

A snow moving device which can assume the configuration of a roof snow scraper, a snow pusher or plow, and a conventional shovel, comprising a handle connected to a planar rectangular blade via a plurality of support arms, the blade incorporating arcuate opening or channel cut out sections allowing the blade to pivot on the support arms in response to the direction of the device when the device is being used as a roof snow scraper, pusher or plow, the blade also having the ability to be fixed in position for use as a shovel.

Claims

1. A snow moving device comprising:

(a) a handle,

(b) a planar rectangular blade incorporating a planar rectangular surface, a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges with raised side extensions extending at angles from the plane of the blade along both side edges of the blade,

(c) a plurality of support arms, fixedly connected to the handle, forming a connection between the handle and the blade,

(d) an arcuate opening or channel cut out of each side extension, and

(e) means to pivotally and interchangeably connect the blade to the support arms through the arcuate opening or channels in each side extension of the blade allowing the blade to pivot on the support arms between a first position and a second position, with such first and second positions being variable and depending on the orientation of the blade with respect to the support arms.

2. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting means additionally comprises:

(f) a first pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade, and

(g) a second pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels in the blade so that the back edge of the blade is oriented away from the handle.

3. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second pair of bolts slidably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, allowing the blade to pivot on the support arms between a first position slightly angularly displaced from the horizontal of the longitudinal axis of the handle as the device is moved away from a user, and a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle as the device is moved toward the user, for use of the device as a scraper.

4. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second pair of bolts fastenably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, locking the blade in a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, for use of the device as a pusher or plow.

5. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting means additionally comprises:

(f) a first pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade, and

(g) a second pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels in the blade so that the back edge of the blade is oriented toward the handle.

6. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the second pair of bolts fastenably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, locking the blade in a position angularly displaced from the longitudinal axis of the handle, for use of the device as a shovel.

7. A snow moving device in accordance with claims 2 or 5, wherein the side extensions are curved, with the greatest curvature at the back edge of the blade, and the smallest curvature toward the front edge of the blade.

8. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting means additionally comprises a first set of bolts fixedly connecting the support arms to the blade, and a second set of bolts fixedly connecting the support arms to the blade, neither of the sets of bolts extending through the arcuate opening or channels, for use of the device as a shovel.

9. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the handle is further partially comprised of means to attach or interlock a consecutive handle member to the handle in order to extend the distance between a user and the blade.

10. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front edge of the planar rectangular blade additionally comprises means to protect a contacting surface from the front edge of the blade.

11. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the protective means further comprises a blade with the front edge slightly rounded.

12. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the protective means further comprises a blade with the front edge slightly upwardly curved.

13. A convertible manual snow removal apparatus comprising:

(f) a supporting handle adapted for grasping by the hands of a user,

(g) a blade means having a straight working edge at one end plus two raised edges substantially at right angles to the straight working edge,

(h) bracket means adapted for connecting the handle to the blade means in at least partially rotatable relationship by fastening means including a fastening means in each raised edge about which the blade means is rotatable,

(i) further fastening means in at least one raised edge limiting the rotation of the blade means to less than half a rotation,

(j) the blade means being partially rotatably mountable in the bracket means in at least two configurations including with the raised edges directed toward the handle with the working edge directed away from the handle, and with the raised edges directed away from the handle with the working edge directed toward the handle.

14. A convertible manual snow removal apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein the further fastening means limits the rotation of the blade means to approximately half a rotation or approximately 60°

from a first orientation to a second orientation.

15. A convertible manual snow removal apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein the further fastening means comprises an arcuate opening or channel.

16. A convertible manual snow removal apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein the fastening means are threaded fastening means.

17. A snow moving device comprising:

(a) a handle,

(b) a planar rectangular blade incorporating a planar rectangular surface, a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges with raised side extensions extending at angles from the plane of the blade along both side edges of the blade,

(c) a plurality of support arms, fixedly connected to the handle, forming a connection between the handle and the blade,

(d) an arcuate opening or channel cut out of each side extension, and

(e) a first pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade and a second pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels in the blade so that the back edge of the blade is oriented away from the handle,

(f) wherein the second pair of bolts slidably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, allowing the blade to pivot on the support arms between a first position slightly angularly displaced from the horizontal of the longitudinal axis of the handle as the device is moved away from a user, and a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle as the device is moved toward the user, for use of the device as a scraper.

18. A snow moving device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the second pair of bolts fastenably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, locking the blade in a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, for use of the device as a pusher or plow.

19. A snow moving device comprising:

(a) a handle,

(b) a planar rectangular blade incorporating a planar rectangular surface, a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges with raised side extensions extending at angles from the plane of the blade along both side edges of the blade,

(c) a plurality of support arms, fixedly connected to the handle, forming a connection between the

handle and the blade,

(d) an arcuate opening or channel cut out of each side extension, and

(e) a first pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade and a second pair of bolts connecting the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels in the blade so that the back edge of the blade is oriented toward the handle,

(f) wherein the second pair of bolts fastenably connects the support arms to the blade through the arcuate opening or channels, locking the blade in a position angularly displaced from the longitudinal axis of the handle, for use of the device as a shovel.