AU640968B2

AU640968B2 - Hand Held Shifting Device

Info

Publication number: AU640968B2
Application number: AU66741/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wayne Frederick Hodge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-11-20
Filing date: 1990-11-19
Publication date: 1993-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-19
Also published as: AU6674190A

Description

640 FORM 10 S F Ref: 147488 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int. Class 0 0@SS

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555.

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5.55 Application Number: Lodged: Priority: PJ7461 20 November 1989 Accepted: Published: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: 6655 5 S. 5O Wayne Frederick Hodge 73 Grandview Street Shelley Beach New South

AUSTRALIA

Wales 2261 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Wayne Frederick Hodge Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Hand Held Shifting Device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us So 18~26 1/19 1 /1 5815/2 -a- The following invention relates to a method of balancing and shifting loads when using a hand-held shifting device, and a device for attachment, or when attached to conventional hand-held shifting devices such as shovels and spades and other similar scooping and/or lifting devices.

The use of conventional shifting devices such as shovels and spades and other scooping and/or lifting devices in a shovelling manner requires the bending of a lifter's back in which the lifter's muscles are extensively used. Incorrect use of the device or imbalance in the load being shifted can result in excessive pressure and/or strain being placed on the lifter's back muscles which may result in considerable pain. In addition, elderly or invalid persons and people with back ailments or reduced spinal movement or mobility find the action of shovelling and lifting difficult, painful and in some cases it is not possible with particular loads.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a hand-held implement comprising: a first elongate member having a scooping means at one end thereof and a handle at the other end thereof, the scooping means comprising a load bearing surface, and a second elongate member fixedly attached to an interRnediate portion of said first elongate member so as to extend generally perpendicularly therefrom, the second elongate member having a handle at 25 its distal end, which handle resides at a position essentially normal to the centre of said load bearing surface.

Typically, the scooping means is a spade or shovel blade.

Generally, attachment means are provided between the first and oee o *second elongate members, wherein the attachment means comprises a hollow portion, preferably cylindrical in shape, which fits around the first elongate member, a securing means by which the hollow portion is securely held in position on the first elongate member and a second hollow o portion, preferably cylindrical in shape, which is formed integrally with the aforementioned hollow portion, and to which is fitted the second 35 elongate member.

Alternatively the attachment means, alone or together with the second elongate member can be formed integrally with the first elongate member, for example as one moulded piece.

/01721 where minimal or no bending of the lifter's back is required when the handle is grasped and held by the lifter.

There is further disclosed herein An elongate member adapted to be attached to an intermediate portion of a hand-held implement so as to extend generally perpendicularly thereto, the elongate member having a handle formed at one end thereof and an attachment means at the other end thereof, the attachment means comprising a hollow cylindrical portion adapted to fit around said portion of the hand-held implement and comprising securing means by which the hollow portion may be securely held in position on the intermediate portion of the hand-held implement.

Typically, a second hollow cylindrical portion is formed integrally with the first hollow cylindrical portion and Is fitted to the elongate member.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: i *Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a hand-held gardening implement, Fig, 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the gardening implement of Fig. 1, and .5555o Fig. 3 is a schematic view depicting the hand-held gardening implement of Fij. 1 in use.

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a gardening implemernt i. The gardening implement 1 comprises a first elongate member 2 having attached at one end thereof a spade or shovel blade 3. At the end of the first elongate member 2 opposite blade 3 is a So:. handle 4. In the preferred embodiment depicted, it should be appreciated that components 2, 3 and 4 comprise a standard spade or shovel.

Attached to the first elongate member 2 by way of an attachment bracket 5 is a second elongate member 6. At the distal end of the second elongate member 6 is a handle 7.

Attachment bracket 5 comprises a pair of clamping elements 8 which are adapted to grip around an intermediate portion of the first elongate member 2. Formed integrally with each of clamping elements 8 is a respective secondary clamping element 9. Clamping elements 9 are adapted to fix over the end of the second elongate element 6. A threaded fastener 10 extends through one or both of clamping elements 9 and extends into the second elongate element 6.

TMS/26071 -4- A bolt 11 may extend through clamping elements 9 which penetrates the end of the second elongate element 6 so as to provide a positive connection.

Once attached and secured in position the blade 3 may be placed under the load to be shifted and while holding the handle 4 of the first elongate member 2 with one hand, the lifter then grasps the handle 7 of the second elongate member 6 with the other hand and lifts the load in an upward vertical manner.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the handle 7 of the second elongate member 6 is arranged in a vertical manner such that prior to lifting the load, a line when drawn through the said handle 7 and through the centre of gravity of the load is essentially perpendicular to the surface of the load lifting blade or scoop 3, such that the load does not spill from the said load lifting blade or scoop.

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TMS/26071

Claims

2. The implement of claim 1 wherein the scooping means is a spade or shovel blade.
3. The implement of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein attachment means are provided between the first and second elongate members, wherein the attachment means comprises a hollow cylindrical portion which fits around the first elongate member, a securing means by which the hollow portion is securely held in position on the first elongate member and a second hollow cylindrical portion which is formed integrally with the first hollow cylindrical portion, and to which is fitted the second elongate member.
4. The implement of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein attachment means are provided, the attachment means being formed integrally with the first and/or second elongate members. The implement of any one of the preceding claims wherein the 25 second elongate member is of variable length.
6. A hend-held implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this SIXTEENTH day of JUNE 1993 Nayne Frederick Hodge Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON *c