Material handling tool

• US 8,256,809 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC Tools Inc.
• Original Assignee: Timothy M. Coutu
• Inventors: Coutu, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Assistant Examiner(s): PUIG, GABRIELA M
• Application Number:
  US12/851,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20110042982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 294/51, 294/54.5, 294/59, 294/49, 37266-268
• US Class Current: 294/51
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 1/20 Combinations of different kinds of hand tools
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 1/02 with interchangeable or adjustable tool elements
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 3/30 comprising screwed sockets or tangs
• 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: E01H 5/12 Apparatus or implements specially adapted for breaking, disintegrating, or loosening layers of ice or hard snow with or without clearing or removing E01H5/10 takes precedence; Roughening ice or hard snow by means of tools by means of gritting materials E01H10/00; roughening or breaking-up pavements E01C23/08, E01C23/12

Abstract

A tool for manipulating a material, such as snow, ice, sand, salt, dirt, gravel, concrete, vegetation, grains, debris and the like, resting on a surface has an elongated handle, an elongated shaft, and a compound blade head. The handle is attached to a proximal end of the elongated shaft and the compound blade is fixed to a distal end of the elongated shaft. The tool is capable of pushing and pulling materials when operating either the first tool section or the second tool section. The compound blade head has a first tool section adapted generally for shoveling and digging and a second tool section adapted for chopping and scraping. Tamping, compressing, and leveling is achieved when using the tools in the shoveling/digging position. The structure of the tool is designed to endure the stresses and forces of aggressive and repeated operating.

Claims

1. A tool for manipulating a material resting on or part of a surface, the tool comprising:

an elongated handle having proximal and distal ends;

an elongated shaft at a proximal end of the elongated handle; and

a compound head fixed at a center portion thereof to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the compound head having a first tool section having a first tangential angle at an end of the first tool section of less than 30 degrees with respect to the elongated handle, and having a second tool section having a second tangential angle at an end of the second tool section of between 60 and 120 degrees with respect to the elongated handle;

said first tool section having a side profile that defines a first parabolic expression and said second tool section having a side profile that defines a second parabolic expression rotated with respect to the first parabolic expression;

said first and second tool sections having a continuous, non-flat transition between said parabolic expressions;

said distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft having longitudinal axis that are distally offset;

whereby the tool may be used alternately in a first orientation to work the material using the first tool section, or by rotating the handle 180 degrees in a second orientation to work the material using the second tool section.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the elongated shaft is attached to the handle by at least one of welding and an attachment comprising at least one of cooperating screw threads on the elongated shaft and the handle and a pin traversing the elongated shaft and handle when mutually attached, the pin securing the handle to the elongated shaft.

3. The tool of claim 1 wherein the elongated shaft comprises at least two substantially discontinuous contours along the elongated shaft.

4. The tool of claim 1 wherein the compound head is formed from a single metal casting process.

5. The tool of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of the handle intersects the second tool section at an intersection point and the shaft is attached to the first tool section at a point along the parabolic expression of the first tool section.

6. The tool of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the elongated shaft is attached to the compound head at an apex of the first tool section.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include a single common side wall that follows the shape of said first and second parabolic expressions.

8. The tool of claim 1 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include two common side walls that follows the shape of said first and second parabolic expressions.

9. The tool of claim 1 wherein the elongated handle and elongated shaft are integrally formed from an extruded metal tube.

10. The tool of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first tool section and the second tool section comprises one of a cutting blade, a sharpened serrated edge, a sharpened V-shaped notch, a plurality of cutting teeth, a plurality of tines, a plurality of sharpened prongs, and a plurality of apertures in a blade.

11. A tool for manipulating a material resting on or part of a surface, the tool comprising:

an elongated handle having proximal and distal ends;

an elongated shaft at a proximal end of the elongated handle; and

a compound head fixed to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the compound head having a first tool section and a second tool section, the first tool section having a side profile that defines a convex surface relative to the handle, and the second tool section having a side profile that defines a concave surface relative to the elongated handle, the compound head comprising a curvilinear section that forms part of both the convex surface and the concave surface;

the distal end of the elongated shaft being offset from a longitudinal axis of the elongated handle;

whereby the tool may be used alternately in a first orientation to work the material using the first tool section, or by rotating the handle 180 degrees in a second orientation to work the material using the second tool section.

12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the first tool section has a first tangential angle at an end of the first tool section of less than 30 degrees with respect to the elongated handle, and the second tool section has a second tangential angle at an end of the second tool section of between 60 and 120 degrees with respect to the elongated handle.

13. The tool of claim 11 wherein the elongated shaft is attached to the handle by at least one of welding and an attachment comprising at least one of cooperating screw threads on the elongated shaft and the handle and a pin traversing the elongated shaft and handle when mutually attached, the pin securing the handle to the elongated shaft.

14. The tool of claim 11 wherein the elongated shaft comprises at least two substantially discontinuous contours along the elongated shaft.

15. The tool of claim 11 wherein the compound head is formed from a single metal casting process.

16. The tool of claim 11 wherein the longitudinal axis of the handle intersects the second tool section at an intersection point and the shaft is attached to the first tool section at a point along the convex surface of the first tool section.

17. The tool of claim 11 wherein the distal end of the elongated shaft is attached to the compound head at an apex of the first tool section.

18. The tool of claim 11 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include a single common side wall that follows the shape of the side profile of the first and second tool sections.

19. The tool of claim 11 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include two common side walls that follows the shape of the side profile of the first and second tool sections.

20. The tool of claim 11 wherein the elongated handle and elongated shaft are integrally formed from an extruded metal tube.

21. The tool of claim 11 wherein at least one of the first tool section and the second tool section comprises one of a cutting blade, a sharpened serrated edge, a sharpened V-shaped notch, a plurality of cutting teeth, a plurality of tines, a plurality of sharpened prongs, and a plurality of apertures in a blade.

22. A tool for manipulating a material resting on or part of a surface, the tool comprising:

an elongated handle having proximal and distal ends;

an elongated shaft at a proximal end of the elongated handle; and

a compound head fixed to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the compound head having a first tool section having a side profile that defines a convex surface relative to the handle, and a second tool section having a side profile that defines a concave surface relative to the elongated handle;

the distal end of the elongated shaft being offset from a longitudinal axis of the elongated handle and being attached to the first tool section at an attachment point along the convex surface of the first tool section, wherein the longitudinal axis of the handle intersects the second tool section at a point spaced from the attachment point;

whereby the tool may be used alternately in a first orientation to work the material using the first tool section, or by rotating the handle 180 degrees in a second orientation to work the material using the second tool section.

23. The tool of claim 22 wherein the first tool section has a first tangential angle at an end of the first tool section of less than 30 degrees with respect to the elongated handle, and the second tool section has a second tangential angle at an end of the second tool section of between 60 and 120 degrees with respect to the elongated handle.

24. The tool of claim 22 wherein the offset of the distal and proximal ends is formed by at least two substantially discontinuous contours along the elongated shaft.

25. The tool of claim 22 wherein the compound head comprises a section that forms part of both the convex surface and the concave surface.

26. The tool of claim 22 wherein the elongated shaft is attached to the handle by at least one of welding and an attachment comprising at least one of cooperating screw threads on the elongated shaft and the handle and a pin traversing the elongated shaft and handle when mutually attached, the pin securing the handle to the elongated shaft.

27. The tool of claim 22 wherein the compound head is formed from a single metal casting process.

28. The tool of claim 22 wherein the distal end of the elongated shaft is attached to the compound head at an apex of the first tool section.

29. The tool of claim 22 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include a single common side wall that follows the shape of the side profile of the first and second tool sections.

30. The tool of claim 22 wherein the first tool section and the second tool section include two common side walls that follows the shape of the side profile of the first and second tool sections.

31. The tool of claim 22 wherein the elongated handle and elongated shaft are integrally formed from an extruded metal tube.

32. The tool of claim 22 wherein at least one of the first tool section and the second tool section comprises one of a cutting blade, a sharpened serrated edge, a sharpened V-shaped notch, a plurality of cutting teeth, a plurality of tines, a plurality of sharpened prongs, and a plurality of apertures in a blade.

33. A tool for manipulating a material resting on or part of a surface, the tool comprising:

an elongated handle having proximal and distal ends;

an elongated shaft at a proximal end of the elongated handle; and

a compound head fixed to the distal end of the elongated shaft having a first tool section and a second tool section;

said first tool section having a side profile that defines a first parabolic expression and said second tool section having a side profile that defines a second parabolic expression rotated with respect to the first parabolic expression;

said first and second tool sections having a curvilinear transition between said parabolic expressions;

whereby the tool may be used alternately in a first orientation to work the material using the first tool section, or by rotating the handle 180 degrees in a second orientation to work the material using the second tool section.