CA1195543A

CA1195543A - Snow shovel

Info

Publication number: CA1195543A
Application number: CA000422423A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Alfred E. Stewart
Original assignee: Stewart (ab) Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Stewart (ab) Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1983-02-25
Filing date: 1983-02-25
Publication date: 1985-10-22

Abstract

SNOW SHOVEL

Abstract of the Disclosure A snow shovel has a smooth-surfaced blade.
The blade is pivotally connected to the shovel handle.
The blade cutting edge extends along both sides of the blade and along the front edge of the blade. The shovel may be used either as a shovel or as a pick to remove snow from the roof of a building. Deep snow accumula-tions are easily removed from the roof through a combi-nation of picking and shoveling actions which break the snow up into large blocks which are easily pushed over the side of the roof.

Description

SNOW SHOVE~

Field of the Invention This invention pertains to "shovels" for sliding snow off sloped surfaces such as building roof tops. The shovel handle is pivotally connected to the shovel blade.
sack~round of the Invention Snow accumulates on t:he roof tops of buildings in regions which experience heavy snowfall. Such accum-ulated snow must be periodical:Ly removed from the roof top to avoid structural damage to the building which may be caused by excessive snow loads; to avoid possible water seepage into the building; and also -to avoid pos-sible injury or damage which may be caused if the accum-ulated snow should suddenly slide off the roof.
A variety of devices have previously been pro-vided for clearing snow from building roof tops. Such devices typically include extended handles or ropes for manipulating the device from the ground, which ma~es it cumbersome and difficult to use such devices ef~fective-ly. ~ person standing on the ground usually does not have a good view of the roof portion from which snow is to be cleared, unless the snow clearing device has an exceptionally long handle or ropes. However, if extend-ed handles or ropes are provided, it becomes progres-sively ntore dif-ficult to manipulate such devices from the ground ~- often, more than one person may be re~uir-ed to manipu:late the device. A further disadvantage of such devices is that they cannot easily be used to A

5~3 remove deep snow accumulations from a roof, since a person standing on the ground is not able to exert sufficient force through extended handles or ropes to cause the device to penetrate through deep snow to the roof surface. Thus, it becomes necessary to clear deep snow accumulations from the roof in layers, until the surface of the roof is reached, which greatly increases the time and effort required to complete the roof snow clearing operation.
Conventional snow shovels of the type commonly used for clearing snow from sidewalks or driveways can-not conveniently be used to clear snow from the roof of a building. The blade of a conventional snow shovel is typically rigidly attached to the shovel handle at a fixed angle. It is very awkward for a person standing on a sloped roof to clear snow from the roof with a con-ventional snow shovel. This is because the snow clear-ing operation begins at the eaves and proceeds up to the peak of the roof. Thus, the angled blade of a conventional snow shovel must be used against the roof incline, which is awkward and inefficient.
Furthermore, it is difficult to effectively use a conventional snow shovel to clear snow from a roof without damaging the roof, prying shingles loose, etc.
The present invention provides a snow shovel which is inkended for use by a person standing on the roof top from which snow is to be cleared. A person standing on the roof has a much better view of the por-tion o the roof from which snow is to be cleared than a person who is standing on the ground. Furthermore, a person standing on the rooE may exert greater force on a snow-clearing device than a person standing on the ground, whose SIIOW clearing efforts are transmitted through an extended handle or rope. A person standing on the roof also has greater control over a snow-clearing device than does a person standing on the ground.
The shovel of the present invention has a blade which is pivotally connected to the shovel handle.
This enables a person standing on a sloped roof to hold the shovel handle in a comfortable position, while maintaining the shovel blade in an effective working position on the sloped surface of the roof. The user may alternatively lift the shovel blade of the roof and allow it to pivot downward, approximately perpendicular to the handle. In this position the shovel blade may be used as a pick to cut deep snow into large blocks or to dislodge packed snow from the roo~.
Summary of the Invention The invention provides a shovel comprising a handle, a smooth-surfaced blade and a connector means for pivotally connecting the handle to the blade. The blade has a cutting edge which extends along the blade sides and along the front edge of the blade. The cutting edge is formed by bevelling the sides and front edge of the blade. Advantageously, to preven-t the blade from catching on roof shingles or the like, the blade front edge is further bevelled along its underside and the blade corners are rounded where the blade sides intersect the blade front edge.

S5~.~3 Advantageously, the connector means pivotally connects the shovel handle to the blade along the rear edge of the bladeO Preferably, the shovel handle inclucles a generally "Y"-shaped -fork at one end thereof.
A pivot pin may then be slideably mounted within an apertured sleeve disposed along the rear edge of the blade to pivotally connect the blade between the arms of the fork.
Brief Description of the Drawin~
FIGURE 1 is a pictorial illustration of the preferred embodiment of -the invention.
FIGURES 2 through 5 are pictorial and side elevation illustrations showing the sequence of opera-tions in which the invention may be used to clear snow from the roof of a building.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the blade and a portion of ~he handle of the preferred embodiment.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of t_e Invention In the drawings, a snow shovel, generally des-ignated 10, has a handle 12 and a blade 14. A connector means such as pivot pin 16 pivotally connects handle 12 to blade 14.
Blade 14 has a smooth, gently rounded, upper surface 18. The underside of blade 14 (not shown) is flat. The cutting edge of blade 14 extends along each of blade sides 20, 22 and along blade front edge 24.
This cutting edge is formed hy bevelling blade upper surface 18 along sides 20l 22 and along front edge 24, as shown in Figures 1 and 6~ The underside of blade ~g . 35 front edge 24 is also bevelled, as shown at 26, to assist in preventing blade 14 from catching on roof shingles or the like. Blade corners 28 are rounded (i.e. where sides 20, 22 intersect front edge 24~, which also helps prevent blade 14 from catching on roof shingles or the like.
Blade 14 has a rear edge 30 opposite front edge 24. An apertured sleeve 3~ is formed along rear ed0e 30 to facilitate pivotal connection of handle 12 and blade 14 as hereinafter explained.
Handle 12 includes a generally "Y"-shaped fork 34 having arms 36 and 38. Pivot pin 16 extends through apertures in the ends of each of arms 36, 38 and through sleeve 32, thereby pivotally connecting blade 14 between arms 36, 38. Pivot pin 16 may be a long bolt, in which case it may be fastened in position with a nut. ~he nut may be released to facilitate separation of handle 12 from blade 14 for storage. Alternatively, cotter pins or other releasable connector means may be used to pre-vent pivot pin 16 from sliding with respect to handle 12 or blade 14. "Y"-shaped fork 34 provides structural integrity as compared with a single point connection of handle 12 and blade 14, since forces imposed on blade 14 are distributed along r0ar edge 30.
Blade 14 is preferably constructed from alumi-num, high-impact plastic or other suitable light~weight, durable materials. In particular, blade 14 may be formed as a hollow aluminum shell and then fil]ed with Styrofoam .~ffl~ 3 FIGURES 2 through 5 illustrate the sequence of operations in which shovel 10 may be used to convenient ly clear accumulated snow Erom a roof 100.
The user must first clear snow Erom a small portion o~ the roof, just above the eaves, so that he will have a place to stand on arld work Erom. Although not shown in the drawings, this initial step is easily accomplished by using shovel 1() while standing on a lad der propped against roof 100.
The user then takes shovel 10 onto roof 100 and works from the cleared space as shown in FIGURES 2 through 5. FIGU~E 2 illustrates how shovel 10 may be used as a pick by allowing blade 14 to pivot with res-pect to handle 12 such that blade 14 hangs approximately vertically downward from handle 12. By using shovel 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 the user may sever the snow along an arc extending around the position in which he is standing. Note that this cannot convenient-1~ be accomplished with a conventional snow shovel -- particularly in deep snow -- due to the difficulty of extending a fixed blade shovel away from the user and then forcing the blade at right angles down through the snow toward the roof. When held in the position shown in FIGURE 2, shovel 10 may also be used as a pick to dislodge packed snow from roof 100.
After cutting a snow arc as explained above, the user allows blade 14 to pivot with respect to handle 12 so that blade 14 extends directly away from handle 12 (i.e. in the manner shown in FIGURE 3). Blade sides 20, 22 are then used to "chop" the snow arc into large bloc]cs. This is facilitated by the cutting edge along sides 20, 22. Note that blade 14 has no raised edges for retaining shoveled material on the blade (as do many conventional shovels) since such edges would impede "chopping" as aforesaid.
The aorementioned "picking" and "chopping"
operations should leave an arc of snow blocks around the user. Blade 14 is then slid underneath one of the snow blocks nearest the eaves in the manner shown in FIGURE
4, so that the snow block is supported on blade 14~ The user then allows blade 14 and the supported snow block to slide across roof lO0 and over the eaves, where the snow falls to the ground. Note that the user need not lift shovel lO to throw the snow off the roof -- pivot pin 16 allows blade 14 to slide across the sloped roof surface while the user holds handle 12 in a convenient working position. Further, the user need not turn shovel 10 over to allow the snow to fall to the ground.

As soon as pivot pin 16 slides past the eaves, blade 14 pivots downward, due to the force of gravity, and the snow falls from blade 14 to the ground.
After clearing an arc of snow blocks from the roof as aforesaid, the user works his way up toward the peak of the roof, clearing snow blocks in arcs which increase outward from his initial starting point.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many al-terations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invent:ion without departing from the spirit or scope thereofO Acco~dinyly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance de-fined by the following cl~ims.

,

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A shovel for sliding material off a sloped surface, comprising:
(a) a handle, (b) a smooth-surfaced blade, and, (c) connector means for loosely pivotally connect-ing said handle to said blade such that said blade may pivot freely with respect to said handle while the shovel is in use.

2. A shovel as defined in claim 1, where said blade has a cutting edge extending along the blade sides and along the blade front edge.

3. A shovel as defined in claim 2, wherein said cutting edge is formed by bevelling said sides and said front edge.

4. A shovel as defined in claim 3, wherein said blade front edge is further bevelled along its underside.

5. A shovel as defined in claim 4, wherein the blade corners are rounded where said sides intersect said front edge.

6. A shovel as defined in claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein:
(a) said blade has a rear edge opposite said front edge; and, - Page 1 of Claims -(b) said connector means pivotally connects said handle to said blade along said rear edge.

7. A shovel as defined in claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein:
(a) said blade has a rear edge opposite said front edge;
(b) said handle includes a generally "Y"-shaped fork at one end thereof; and, (c) said connector means pivotally connects said forked handle end to said blade, along said rear edge.

8. A shovel as defined in claim 1, 2 or 4, further comprising:
(a) an apertured sleeve disposed along a rear edge of said blade, opposite said front edge;
(b) a generally "Y"-shaped fork at one end of said handle;
and wherein said connector means further comprises:
(c) a pivot pin slideably receivable in said sleeve for pivotally connecting said blade between the arms of said fork.

9. A shovel for sliding material off a sloped surface, comprising:
(a) a handle;

(b) a smooth surfaced blade having:
(i) a cutting edge extending along the blade sides and along the blade front edge; and, - Page 2 of Claims (ii) a rear edge extending between said sides and opposite said front edge;
and, (c) connector means for loosely pivotally con-necting said handle to said blade such that said blade may pivot freely with respect to said handle while the shovel is in use.

10. A shovel as defined in claim 9, wherein said front edge is bevelled along its underside.

11. A shovel as defined in claim 10, wherein the blade corners are rounded where said sides intersect said front edge.

12. A shovel as defined in claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein said connector means pivotally connects said handle to said blade along said rear edge.

13. A shovel as defined in claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein:
(a) said handle includes a generally "Y"-shaped fork at one end thereof; and, (b) said connector means pivotally connects said forked handle end to said blade along said rear edge.

14. A shovel as defined in claim 9, 10 or 11, further comprising:
(a) an apertured sleeve disposed along said rear edge;

- Page 3 of Claims -(b) a generally "Y"-shaped fork at one end of said handle; and, (c) a pivot pin slideably receivable in said sleeve for pivotally connecting said blade between the arms of said fork.

- Page 4 of Claims -