Reinforced delta scraper snow shovel

• US 5,845,949 A
• Filed: 01/11/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shear Magic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Quickie Manufacturing Corp. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Vosbikian, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Dean
• Application Number:
  US08/782,910
• Time in Patent Office: 696 Days
• Field of Search: 294/49, 294/54.5, 294/55, 294/56, 294/59, 15/257.9, 15/236.01, 37/265, 37/285
• US Class Current: 294/54.5
• 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

Abstract

A snow shovel comprises a longitudinally elongated handle and a curved generally rectangular blade receiving an end of the handle on the convex surface of the blade. The blade is curved respecting a transverse axis and includes a scraper support edge extending transversely to the handle, defining a blade extremity remote from the handle. The blade further includes an upstanding lip on its periphery not defined by the scraping edge, extending transversely to the blade in the direction of the blade concave surface, with the portion of the lip being parallel to the handle, preferably being canted inwardly towards the handle. The blade further has upstanding triangularly configured reinforcing gussets formed in the blade and protruding from the blade concave surface, generally parallel with the handle, with the gussets having heights and widths at least initially increasing with distance from the scraping edge. The shovel also includes a generally triangular scraper connected to and fitting flushly against the blade. The scraper has an edge adapted for complemental fitting around and extending parallel to the handle. The scraper edge defines a long side of the triangular shape. Two remaining shorter sides of the scraper converge to a vertex.

Claims

1. A snow shovel comprising:

a. longitudinally elongated handle;

b. a transversely curved blade comprising;

i. a receptacle on a convex side of said blade receiving said handle;

ii. a scraper support edge extending transversely respecting said handle and defining a blade longitudinal extremity remote from said handle;

c. an isosceles triangularly-shaped scraper connected to said blade, comprising;

i. a scraping edge defined by the long side of said triangular shape extending transversely to said handle;

ii. a shoulder extending in two directions transversely to and facing said handle, longitudinally abutting an oppositely facing surface formed in said blade;

iii. a central portion extending longitudinally from said shoulder and being in substantially facing contact with said blade;

iv. a longitudinal extremity of said scraper remote from said shoulder being transverse to said handle and extending the width of said blade, extending longitudinally beyond the longitudinal extremity of said blade to define said scraping edge of said scraper;

v. a bulbous protrusion formed in said central portion and extending transversely substantially the width of said scraper proximate said scraper support edge of said blade; and

vi. a pair of bulbous wear pads formed in said central portion, located at a common longitudinal location on said scraper, protruding from said scraper central portion in the same direction as said bulbous protrusion wear pads being symmetrically disposed respecting said handle.

2. A snow shovel comprising:

a. a longitudinally elongated handle;

b. a rectangular transversely curved blade, comprising;

i. a transversely extending edge defining a blade scraping extremity remote from said handle;

ii. a receptacle receiving said handle and located proximate the midpoint of the blade;

iii. a pair of upstanding lips extending along respective peripheries of said blade not defined by said transversely extending edge, said lips extending transversely from said blade in the upwardly facing direction of a snow carrying concave surface of said blade, for restraining snow from falling off of the edges of said snow carrying concave surface; and

c. a triangularly shaped scraper connected to said blade, comprising;

i. a scraping edge defined by the long side of said triangular shape extending transversely to said handle;

ii. a shoulder extending in two directions transversely to and facing said handle longitudinally abutting an oppositely facing surface formed in said blade;

iii. a central portion extending longitudinally from said shoulder and being in substantially facing contact with said blade; and

iv. a longitudinal extremity of said scraper remote from said shoulder being transverse to said handle and extending the width of said blade, extending longitudinally beyond the longitudinal extremity of said blade to define said scraping edge of said scraper.

3. The snow shovel of claim 2 in which a bulbous protrusion is formed in said central portion, extending transversely substantially the width of said scraper proximate said scraper support edge of said blade, and in which a pair of bulbous wear pads is formed in said central portion, located at a common longitudinal location on said scraper, protruding from said scraper central portion in the same direction as said bulbous protrusion, said wear pads being symmetrically disposed respecting said handle.

4. A snow shovel comprising:

a. a longitudinally elongated handle;

b. a transversely curved blade connected to said handle, comprising a scraper support edge extending transversely respecting said handle and defining a blade extremity remote from said handle; and

c. a triangularly shaped scraper connected to said blade, comprising;

i. a scraping edge defined by the long side of said triangular shape extending transversely to said handle;

ii. a shoulder extending in two directions transversely to and facing said handle, longitudinally abutting anoppositely facing surface formed in said blade;

iii. a central portion extending longitudinally from said shoulder and being in substantially facing contact with said blade;

iv. a longitudinal extremity of said scraper remote from said shoulder being transverse to said handle and extending the width of said blade, extending longitudinally beyond the longitudinal extremity of said blade to define said scraping edge of said scraper.

5. The snow shovel of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of upstanding triangularly configured reinforcing gussets formed in said blade and protruding from the blade concave surface and wherein gusset height and width increases with longitudinal distance along at least a part of said gusset.

6. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein said gussets are longitudinally elongated.

7. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein one of said gussets is longitudinally aligned with said handle.

8. The snow shovel of claim 7 wherein said gusset aligned with said longitudinally elongated handle is larger than the remaining gussets.

9. The snow shovel of claim 7 wherein said gusset aligned with said handle is wider than the remainder of said gussets.

10. The snow shovel of claim 7 wherein said gusset aligned with said handle is longer than the remainder of said gussets.

11. The snow shovel of claim 7 wherein said gusset aligned with said handle most closely approaches said blade longitudinal extremity remote from said handle.

12. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein said gussets are symmetrically disposed with respect to said handle.

13. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein sides of said gussets are concave.

14. The snow shovel of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of ribs integrally formed within said gussets and extending transversely thereto.

15. The snow shovel of claim 14 wherein said ribs are transversely aligned.

16. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein said gussets comprises concave vertices.

17. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein at least some of said gussets emerge from said concave surface of said blade at respective ends of said gussets.

18. The snow shovel of claim 5 wherein said gusset longitudinal extremities are inboard of the periphery of said blade.

19. A snow shovel comprising:

a. a longitudinally elongated handle;

b. an integrally formed rectangular transversely curved blade with a scraper support edge extending transversely respecting said handle, said blade comprising;

i. a receptacle receiving said handle located on a convex side of said blade proximate the midpoint of the blade;

ii. a pair of upstanding lips extending along respective peripheries of said blade not defined by said scraping support edge, said lips extending transversely from said blade in the upwardly facing direction of a snow carrying concave surface of said blade, for restraining snow from falling off of the edges of said snow carrying concave surface;

iii. a plurality of upstanding triangularly configured reinforcing gussets formed in said blade and protruding from the blade concave surface;

(1) gusset height and width increasing with longitudinal distance along at least a part of said gusset;

(2) said gussets being longitudinally elongated;

(3) one of said gussets being longitudinally aligned with said handle;

(4) said gussets being symmetrically positioned with respect to said handle;

(5) sides of said gussets being concave;

(6) said gusset aligned with said longitudinally elongated handle being larger, wider and longer than the remainder of said gussets and most closely approaching said blade longitudinal extremity remote from said handle;

(7) vertices of said gussets being concave;

(8) at least some of said gussets emerging from said concave surface of said blade at respective ends of said gussets;

(9) said gusset longitudinal extremities being inboard of the periphery of said blade;

iv. a plurality of ribs integrally formed within said gussets and extending transversely thereto, said ribs being transversely aligned; and

c. an isosceles triangularly-shaped scraper connected to said blade, comprising;

i. a scraping edge defined by the long side of said triangular shape extending transversely to said handle;

ii. a shoulder extending in two directions transversely to and facing said handle, longitudinally abutting an oppositely facing surface formed in said blade;

iii. a central portion extending longitudinally from said shoulder and being in substantially facing contact with a scraper support portion of said blade;

iv. a longitudinal extremity of said scraper remote from said shoulder being transverse to said handle and extending the width of said blade, extending longitudinally beyond the longitudinal extremity of said blade to define said scraping edge of said scraper;

v. a bulbous protrusion formed in said central portion and extending transversely substantially the width of said scraper proximate said scraper support edge of said blade;

vi. a pair of bulbous wear pads formed in said central portion, located at a common longitudinal location on said scraper, protruding from said scraper central portion in the same direction as said bulbous protrusion, said wear pads being symmetrically disposed respecting said handle.