GB2499811A

GB2499811A - Snow shovel having a wheel, a handle and a pair of blades arranged to form an arrowhead

Info

Publication number: GB2499811A
Application number: GB201203513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Than Htun Wai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-29
Filing date: 2012-02-29
Publication date: 2013-09-04
Also published as: GB201203513D0

Abstract

The snow shovel 1 comprises a pair of blades 10,11 connected to form an arrowhead having a leading edge 12A. The shovel also comprises at least one wheel 16 located behind the leading edge and a handle. In use, the blades disperse snow to the left and right of a path the snow shovel travels along. The handle may be collapsible and comprised of a push bar 21 and a telescopic shaft 20 that can be extended/retracted and secured by a friction collar 22. The leading edge may comprise an angle bar 12 having vertical hinges 13,14, each hinge being connected to a respective blade of the pair of blades. The angle of the blades relative to one another may be adjusted by rotating each blade about its respective vertical hinge and fixing the blade in the desired position using an adjustable length stay 17,18.

Description

1

Title: Snow Shovel The present invention relates to a snow shovel.

According to the present invention there is provided a snow shovel comprising:

a) a pair of blades each having a blade edge connected together at an angle to form an arrow head with a leading edge,

b) at least one wheel connected to the pair of blades behind the leading edge, and c) a handle connected to the blades and wheel/s to push the blades through snow on the ground with the wheel supporting the blades along the ground,

in use the blades dispersing snow to the left and right of the path the shovel is travelling.

Preferably the blades are connected together by a vertical (in use) hinge adjacent the leading edge whereby the angle of the blades relative to each other can be adjusted.

Preferably the blades are each pivoted to opposing edges of an angle bar by two hinges, said angle bar providing said leading edge.

Preferably the wheel is located behind and connected to the angle bar. Preferably the wheel rotates on an axis supported on a pair of arms connected to the angle bar. Preferably the hinged blades can fold either side of the wheel to make the shovel compact for storage and transport.

2

Preferably adjustment means is provided to secure the blades at various angles relative to each other. The adjustment means may include adjustable a pair of length stays each connected at one first end to a blade and at a second end to a fixed point relative to the leading edge. The second end may be connected to the pair of arms connected to the angle bar.

Preferably the blades have a scraping lip which extends from a bottom edge of the blade, said lip adapted to scrape snow off the ground.

Preferably the handle includes a telescopic shaft to adjust its length. Preferably the handle has a horizontal push bar.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a snow shovel with blades at a first wide angle, and Figure 2 shows a plan view snow shovel at a second folded position either side of a wheel. Figure 3 shows a plan view of the blades at various angles.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a snow shovel 1.

3

Snow shovel 1 has a pair of blades 10,11 each having a blade edge 10A,11A connected together at an angle through an angle bar 12 bar to form an arrow head with a leading edge 12A and adjacent side edges 12B,12C. Blade edge 10A is connected to edge 12B of bar 12 by a vertical hinge 13. Blade edge 11A is connected to edge 12C of bar 12 by a vertical hinge 14.The angle of the blades relative to each other can be adjusted by pivoting the blades 10,11 relative to the angle bar 12.

A U-shaped bracket 15 with arms 15A,15B support a wheel 16 on an axis behind the leading edge 12A. Bracket 15 is connected to angle bar 12.

A handle is provided with a telescopic shaft 20 extending from the bracket 15 with a horizontal push bar 21 to push the blades through snow on the ground with the wheel supporting the blades along the ground. Push bar 21 can be pushed using hands or the upper torso of a user. The length of shaft 20 can be adjusted by loosening or tightening friction collar 22.

Adjustment means is provided to secure the blades 10,11 at various angles relative to each other. The adjustment means includes an adjustable length pair stays 17,18. Stays 17,18 may be adjusted in length using pins in indexing holes. Stays 17,18 are each connected and pivoted at one first end to a blade 10,11 and at a second end to bracket arm 15A,15B respectively. Bracket arms 15A,15B form a fixed point relative to the leading edge 12 as they are connected to the angle bar 12.

4

Preferably the blades have curved free corners 10B,1 IB as shown and have a scraping forward directed lip 10C,11C which each extends from a bottom edge of respective blades. The lips IOC, 11C are adapted to scrape snow off the ground.

As shown in figure 2, the snow shovel can be folded the hinged blades either side of the wheel to make the shovel compact for storage and transport.

In use the blades can be pushed into the snow supported on the wheel 16 using handle 20 to disperse snow to the left and right of the path the shovel is travelling. Depending on the height and density of the snow, so the angle of the blades can be adjusted. Thus with light snow the blades can be angled fully apart to displace as much snow as possible with each pass of the snow shovel. With thick heavy snow the blades can be angles inwards towards the handle 20 to reduce the effort required to clear the snow with each pass of the snow shovel. The variations in the typical angles of blades are shown in plane view in Figure 3.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example the blades could be in a fixed angle relative to each other and not hinged to a leading edge.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A snow shovel comprising:

2. A snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein the blades are connected together by a vertical (in use) hinge adjacent the leading edge whereby the angle of the blades relative to each other can be adjusted.

3. A snow shovel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the blades are each pivoted to opposing edges of an angle bar by two hinges, said angle bar providing said leading edge.

4. A snow shovel according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein a wheel is located behind and connected to the angle bar.

6

5. A snow shovel according to claim 4, wherein the wheel rotates on an axis supported on a pair of arms connected to the angle bar.

6. A snow shovel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the hinged blades can fold either side of the wheel to make the shovel compact for storage and transport.

7. A snow shovel according to any preceding claim, wherein adjustment means is provided to secure the blades at various angles relative to each other.

8. A snow shovel according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment means includes a pair of adjustable length stays each connected at one first end to a blade and at a second end to a fixed point relative to the leading edge.

9. A snow shovel according to claim 8, wherein the second end may be connected to the pair of arms connected to the angle bar.

10. A snow shovel according to any preceding claim, wherein the blades have a scraping lip which extends from a bottom edge of the blade, said lip adapted to scrape snow off the ground.

11. A snow shovel according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle includes a telescopic shaft to adjust its length.

7

12. A snow shovel according to claim 11, wherein the handle has a horizontal push bar.

13. A snow shovel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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