Scraping Assembly

Abstract

A scraping assembly includes a handle has a first end, a second end and a bottom side extending between the first end and the second end. The handle is elongated between the first end and the second end. A pair of grips is provided and each of the grips is attached to the handle wherein the grips may be gripped. A scraper is removably attached to the handle. The scraper is positioned on the second end wherein the scraper may be positioned to scrape a support surface.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT (IF APPLICABLE)

N/A

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention addresses the problem of difficult-to-use scraping tools in the construction industry. Many construction jobs require scraping tools or devices to remove old flooring, remove adhesion from flooring, remove paint or resin from flooring or tiling, or to scratch a hard surface in preparation of applying a new finish.

The current options available in the prior art are electrical scraping machines and handheld tools. The scraping machines are expensive, difficult to transport, and require access to a power source. Current handheld tools are difficult to use because available tools include either long handles or short handles. The short handles are not effective at scraping large surfaces due to their size. The long-handled tools require significant downward pressure from the user. It is difficult to maintain a proper grip on a handle when attempting to simultaneously apply downward pressure and push or pull the handle. It also requires the user to pull in a non-optimal trajectory because the user must press down and push or pull at the same time, therefore applying a sort of semi-circular trajectory to the tool.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a long-handled scraping tool with two grips attached to the handle. The grips extend downward from the handle and contain hills and valleys that create notches for a user's fingers to hold the grips.

A user can hold the device by placing their index fingers on the smooth side of each grip closest to the bladed edge. Each successive finger, starting with the middle finger, will be placed in the successive notches created by the hills and valleys of the grips.

The invention allows a user to place downward pressure with the hand closest to the bladed edge while pulling or pushing in a straight line with the rear hand. The notches of the grips support the fingers and prevent slippage, improving stability and increasing the amount of pressure the user can apply without losing their grip. The smooth edges being engaged by the user's index fingers provide an anchor for the user to pull on. This provides both increased leverage and gives the user the ability to pull or push in a straight line. By pulling and pushing in a straight line, the user can perform scraping tasks without the wasted effort and energy required by traditional scraping tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description refers to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective diagrammatic view of a scraping assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure, wherein the top angle is shown with more detail.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the disclosure, wherein the bottom angle is shown with more detail.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side plan diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the blade and mount of the invention in an exploded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings simultaneously, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention being a scraping assembly 10. The scraping assembly 10 generally comprises a handle 12, a pair of grips 20, a scraper 30, a scraper mount 36, and a blade 46.

Said handle 12 generally comprises a first end 14, a second end 16, and a bottom side 18. The bottom side 18 extends between the first end 14 and the second end 16. The handle 12 is elongated between the first end 14 and the second end 16.

The grips 20 generally comprise an upper side 22, a lower side 24, hills 26, and valleys 28. Each of the grips 20 is attached to the handle 12, generally by injection molding. The grips are configured such that the grips 20 may be gripped. The upper side 22 of the grips 20 are positioned to abut the bottom side 18. One of the grips 20 is positioned adjacent to the first end 14 and one of the grips 20 is positioned between the first end 14 and the second end 16.

The lower side 24 of each of the grips 20 comprises an alternating sequence of hills 26 and valleys 28. Each grip 20 includes four hills 26 and three valleys. Each valley 28 is the approximate size of an average adult human finger, such that the grips 20 may be gripped by a user placing their pinky finger within each valley 28 closest to the front end 14, their ring finger within each middle valley 28, and each middle finger within the valley 28 closest to the front end 16. The user will then place their index fingers against the sides of the grips 20 closest to the second end 16, and the user will wrap their thumbs around the side of the handle 12 opposite the bottom side 18.

The hills 26 and valleys 28 create a mechanical advantage by enhancing a user's control of the scraping assembly 10 by reducing slippage of a user's hands and by increasing support to the user's hands. Furthermore, the grips 20 provide an additional angle from which to pull the scraping assembly 10 when in use, grip of each of the grips 20. Each of the grips 20 may be comprised of a resiliently compressible material.

The scraper 30 comprises a mount 36 that is attached to and extends away from the second end 16 of the handle 12. The mount 36 has a distal end 38 with respect to the second end 16 and the mount 36 has a top surface 40 and a bottom surface 42. The top surface 40 curves downwardly to meet the bottom surface 42 at the distal end 38. The bottom surface 42 has a slot 44 extending toward the top surface 40. The slot 44 is positioned closer to the second end 16 than the distal end 38 and the slot 44 extends laterally across the mount 36. The scraper 30 has a pair of cutting surfaces 34 such that a selected one of the cutting surfaces 34 is exposed on the second end 16. A scraper 30 is removably attached to the handle 12. The scraper 30 is positioned on the second end 16 wherein the scraper 30 may be positioned to scrape a support surface 32. The support surface 32 may be a hardwood floor or the like and the scraper 30 may be utilized to smooth the support surface 32 thereby facilitating the support surface 32 to be refinished.

The blade generally comprises a first portion 54, a central portion 56, and a second portion 60. Said first portion 54 comprises a first end 48 and a first bend 52. The central portion 56 is the portion of the blade 46 that elongates between the first bend 52 and the second bend 58. The central portion 56 includes a small aperture near the center wherein a removable means of attachment may be disposed (e.g. a screw 62). The second portion comprises a second end 50 and a second bend 58. Said first end 48 and the second end 50 of the blade 46 are both sharpened, thereby defining each of the cutting surfaces 34.

The first bend 52 is positioned proximate the first end 48 of the blade 46 forming an angle with the central portion 56. The second bend 58 is positioned proximate the second end 50 of the blade 46 forming an angle with the central portion 56 such that the first portion 54 is congruent with the second portion 60. The angle between each of the first portion 54 and the second portion 60 with respect to the central portion 56 may be an inside angle ranging between approximately 100° and 110°.

The blade 46 is removably attached to the bottom surface 42 having a selected one of the first portion 54 or the second portion 60 extending into the slot 44. Thus, a selected one of the first portion 54 or the second portion 60 extends downwardly from the bottom surface 42 such that a selected one of the first end 48 and the second end 50 may scrape the support surface 32. A fastener 62 extends through the blade 46 and engages the mount 36 such that the blade 46 is removably retained on the mount 36. The fastener 62 may comprise a nut and a bolt or the like.

In use, the blade 46 is attached to the mount 36 having a selected one of the first portion 54 or the second portion 60 being positioned within the slot 44. Each of the grips 20 is gripped by a user placing their pinky finger within each valley 28 closest to the front end 14, their ring finger within each middle valley 28, and each middle finger within the valley 28 closest to the front end 16. The user will then place their index fingers against the sides of the grips 20 closest to the second end 16, and the user will wrap their thumbs around the side of the handle 12 opposite the bottom side 18.

The handle 12 is manipulated to position the blade 46 against the support surface 32. The handle 12 is urged forwardly and rearwardly such that the blade 46 abrades the support surface 32 thereby facilitating the blade 46 to smooth the support surface 32. The hills 26 and valleys 28 of the grips 20 provide mechanical advantages by enhancing a user's control of the scraping assembly 10 by reducing slippage of a user's hands and by increasing support to the user's hands. Furthermore, the grips 20 provide an additional angle from which to pull the scraping assembly 10 when in use. Without the grips 20, a user would be relying on gripping a scraping device by squeezing the user's hands around the handle. This provides less pulling leverage and results in the user's hand being occasionally angled downwards, thereby placing more burden on the user's forearms. With the grips 20, each finger has additional leverage by having surrounding support from the hills 26, thereby locking the user's fingers in and reducing the strain on the user's forearms. Furthermore, the grips 20 create mass directly behind a user's fingers against which the user can pull, thereby creating a more direct pulling angle. This pulling angle ensures the user's forearms do not require additional strain and also makes pulling more energy efficient by allowing a user to pull in a straight trajectory, instead of pulling in partially downwards or semicircular trajectories.

Claims

1. A scraping assembly adapted to scrape a surface comprising: a handle having first and second ends and a bottom side extending between the first and second ends;a scraper attached to the first end and extending outwardly and downwardly from the first end and the handle bottom side;a first grip attached to the handle near the handle first end, a second grip attached to the handle intermediate the first grip and the handle second end, the first and second grips extending outwardly and downwardly from the handle such that the first grip, the second grip and the scraper all extend outwardly and downwardly from the handle during use of the assembly;said first and second grip having an upper side, a lower side, and a flat frontal portion, said flat frontal portion being the flat side of the grips closest to the scraper.

2. A scraping assembly as in claim 1, wherein the grips only extend downwardly from the handle.

3. A scraping assembly as in claim 1, wherein the grips further comprise an alternating sequence of hills and valleys on the lower side of the grips.

4. A scraping assembly as in claim 1, wherein each of the grips is made of a resilient compressible material.

5. A scraping assembly as in claim 3, wherein there are four hills and three valleys on the lower side of each grip.

6. A scraping assembly as in claim 3, wherein the hills and valleys are configured to be gripped by a user placing a single finger within each valley.

7. A scraping assembly as in claim 3, wherein the hills and valleys are configured to improve a user's control over the scraping assembly and reduce hand slippage.

8. A scraping assembly as in claim 3, wherein the grips are configured to permit a user to push and pull the scraping assembly in a straight trajectory.

9. A scraping assembly adapted to scrape a surface comprising: a handle having first and second ends and a bottom side extending between the first and second ends;a scraper attached to the first end and extending outwardly and downwardly from the first end and the handle bottom side;a first grip attached to the handle near the handle first end, a second grip attached to the handle intermediate the first grip and the handle second end, the first and second grips extending outwardly and downwardly from the handle such that the first grip, the second grip and the scraper all extend outwardly and downwardly from the handle during use of the assembly;said first and second grip having an upper side, a lower side, and a flat frontal portion, said flat frontal portion being the flat side of the grips closest to the scraper;said grips only extend downwardly from the handle;said grips further comprise an alternating sequence of hills and valleys on the lower side of the grips;said grips being made of a resilient compressible material;said grips having four hills and three valleys on the lower side of each grip;said hills and valleys being configured to be gripped by a user placing a single finger within each valley;said hills and valleys being configured to improve a user's control over the scraping assembly and reduce hand slippage;said grips being configured to permit a user to push and pull the scraping assembly in a straight trajectory.