GB2033194A - Shovel - Google Patents

Abstract

A shovel or spade blade is pressed from sheet steel and has a fillet 17 welded to the rear thereof in register with the frog 12 thereby to close off the recess 15. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Shovel This invention relates to a shovel or spade.

There are basically two kinds of blades for shovels or spades, namely those made by pressing sheet metal, and those made by forging.

Forged blades have the advantage that they are rigid and robust, but are rather heavy and expensive. Pressed blades on the other hand are cheaper and lighter, but are considerably less rigid. Further the aperture in the rear of the frog of a pressed shovel or spade can accumulate matter which mades the shovel heavier, such as cement or concrete, and which in the case of food handling stainless steel shovels (for example for bulk handling of comestibles and meat) is undesirable from a health point of view.

An object of the invention is to provide a shovel or spade blade which is cheaper to manufacture than a forged shovel blade, but has considerable stiffness.

Accordingly the invention provides a shovel or spade pressed from sheet steel and having a fillet welded to the rear thereof in register with the frog.

Where a handle-engaged socket is integrally formed with the blade the fillet is preferably welded to the lower extremities thereof to completely close the frog to prevent access of material thereto.

The edges of the metal along the socket are also preferably welded together.

The blades can be made of stainless steel, or carbon steel.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not iimitative of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a rear view of a pressed shovel blade before attachment of a fillet thereto; Fig. 2 is a similar view with a fillet attached; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing a spade with a fillet attached.

A preferred embodiment of shovel blade 10 of the invention is made from a blank (not shown) of sheet metal having a generally oblong main portion and a strip or tongue extending centrally from one shorter side of the main portion axially thereof. The blank is pressed to form the main portion into a body 11 of the blade and a portion thereof aligned with the tongue into a frog 12 of the blade, the tongue being bent to form a tubular socket 1 3. At this stage the blade 10 has, between the end of the frog 12 and the start of the full socket 13 (i.e. where the edges 14 of the tongue are close together, a generally diamondshaped recess 1 5 having two shorter sides 1 6a between the rear edge of the body and the socket and two longer sides 1 6b extending along the sides of the frog 12.

A fillet 17 is now cut from the same material as the blank and welded to cover this recess 1 5. The adjacent edges 1 8 of the tongue which has been bent to form the socket 13 are also welded together. The socket 13 can be secured to a wooden reinforced rubber, or fibreglass or plastics handle (not shown) in conventional manner, or can be welded to a steel handle. This is particularly important for shovels for use in food handling which have to be of stainless steel.

The fillet gives the pressed steel blade 10 added strength and rigidity, and prevents the recess 1 5 from becoming clogged with heavy or hazardous material. Thus the properties of a forged shovel are obtained, but the advantages of cheapness and lightness found in a pressed shovel are maintained.

Fig. 3 shows the application of the same principle to a spade 1 9 having a fillet 20 and socket 21.

Claims

1. A shovel or spade blade pressed from sheet steel and having a fillet welded to the rear thereof in register with the frog.

2. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein a handle-engaging socket is integrally formed with the blade, the fillet being welded to the lower extremities of the socket to completeiy close the frog.

3. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in claim 2, wherein the edges of the metal extending longitudinally of the socket are also welded together.

4. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in any preceding claim and made of stainless steel.

5. A shovel or spade blade substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Shovel This invention relates to a shovel or spade. There are basically two kinds of blades for shovels or spades, namely those made by pressing sheet metal, and those made by forging. Forged blades have the advantage that they are rigid and robust, but are rather heavy and expensive. Pressed blades on the other hand are cheaper and lighter, but are considerably less rigid. Further the aperture in the rear of the frog of a pressed shovel or spade can accumulate matter which mades the shovel heavier, such as cement or concrete, and which in the case of food handling stainless steel shovels (for example for bulk handling of comestibles and meat) is undesirable from a health point of view. An object of the invention is to provide a shovel or spade blade which is cheaper to manufacture than a forged shovel blade, but has considerable stiffness. Accordingly the invention provides a shovel or spade pressed from sheet steel and having a fillet welded to the rear thereof in register with the frog. Where a handle-engaged socket is integrally formed with the blade the fillet is preferably welded to the lower extremities thereof to completely close the frog to prevent access of material thereto. The edges of the metal along the socket are also preferably welded together. The blades can be made of stainless steel, or carbon steel. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not iimitative of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a rear view of a pressed shovel blade before attachment of a fillet thereto; Fig. 2 is a similar view with a fillet attached; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing a spade with a fillet attached. A preferred embodiment of shovel blade 10 of the invention is made from a blank (not shown) of sheet metal having a generally oblong main portion and a strip or tongue extending centrally from one shorter side of the main portion axially thereof. The blank is pressed to form the main portion into a body 11 of the blade and a portion thereof aligned with the tongue into a frog 12 of the blade, the tongue being bent to form a tubular socket 1 3. At this stage the blade 10 has, between the end of the frog 12 and the start of the full socket 13 (i.e. where the edges 14 of the tongue are close together, a generally diamondshaped recess 1 5 having two shorter sides 1 6a between the rear edge of the body and the socket and two longer sides 1 6b extending along the sides of the frog 12. A fillet 17 is now cut from the same material as the blank and welded to cover this recess 1 5. The adjacent edges 1 8 of the tongue which has been bent to form the socket 13 are also welded together. The socket 13 can be secured to a wooden reinforced rubber, or fibreglass or plastics handle (not shown) in conventional manner, or can be welded to a steel handle. This is particularly important for shovels for use in food handling which have to be of stainless steel. The fillet gives the pressed steel blade 10 added strength and rigidity, and prevents the recess 1 5 from becoming clogged with heavy or hazardous material. Thus the properties of a forged shovel are obtained, but the advantages of cheapness and lightness found in a pressed shovel are maintained. Fig. 3 shows the application of the same principle to a spade 1 9 having a fillet 20 and socket 21. Claims

1. A shovel or spade blade pressed from sheet steel and having a fillet welded to the rear thereof in register with the frog.

2. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein a handle-engaging socket is integrally formed with the blade, the fillet being welded to the lower extremities of the socket to completeiy close the frog.

3. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in claim 2, wherein the edges of the metal extending longitudinally of the socket are also welded together.

4. A shovel or spade blade as claimed in any preceding claim and made of stainless steel.

5. A shovel or spade blade substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.