Snow Shovel

Abstract

The snow shovel easily and with minimal effort, scoops up a pile of snow, pivot and wheels the contents to another location, whereupon operation of a lever releases its load. The telescoping frame and rotatable handle provides a selection of lockable positions. The front mounted scoop head is pivotally mounted to the lower end of the frame. Upon activation of a release lever, the scoop head is allowed to rotate downward, releasing its load. A wheel assembly mounted to an intermediate portion of the frame supports the shovel in an inclined position, allowing the user to concentrate on applying force in a forward direction rather than expending effort lifting the handle. Furthermore, the wheel assembly acts as a fulcrum whereby downward pressure on the handlebars of the shovel elevates the scoop for ease of transport. The wheel assembly may be rotated towards the frame when not in use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to snow removal, and more particularly to a wheeled snow plow assembly having an adjustable handle and a mechanism for efficiently releasing the snow from a pivotally attached scoop.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. patent Publication No. 2001/0029685, published October 2001, discloses a snow shovel which includes a handle mounted to an intermediate portion of a base of a mobile frame such that the handle can undergo pivotal movement between selected vertical angles relative to the base and a tool adjustably mounted to a front end of the base.

U.S. patent Publication No. 2001/0045029, published November 2001, discloses a manually operated snowplow blade and an attachment apparatus to be secured to the front of a contractor's type wheelbarrow.

U.S. patent Publication No. 2002/0047251, published April 2002, discloses a hand cart apparatus that will allow the user easy loading of bulky and heavy items into a wheeled bin by having an open end at or near load/ground height which aids in shoveling/scooping loads, transporting the loads contained in the bin, and then dumping, shovel or slide out the contents of the bin.

U.S. Pat. No. 830,871, issued to R. Wilken in September 1906, discloses a snowplow having a blade pivotally supported at the forward end of a frame mounted on wheels and provided with handles by which the device is operated. The height of the blade is adjustable as well as the position of the blade relative to the line of travel of the machine.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,751, issued to Schoemann et al. in September 1980, discloses a snow removal comprising a frame, a flexible scoop, and a mechanism for flexing and relaxing the scoop.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,893, issued to Z. Asay in March 1990, discloses a wheeled chassis having a pair of wheels and a preferably V-shape handle, pivotally secured to a slide member mounted to the chassis. A variety of utility devices, such as a snow plow, scraper, weeder, etc., may be removably secured to the front of the chassis and provisions may be made to removably secure a variety of utility devices, such as a cultivator, rake, weeder, etc. behind the wheels.

Similar wheeled snow shoveling devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,327 issued to Jurbowski et al. in April 1996 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,915, issued to E. Lobato in December 1996.

Canadian Patent Application No. 2323917, published in April 2002, discloses an all season multi-purpose shovel and wheelbarrow combination. The device moves along the ground at varying heights scooping up any loose material to be shoveled and transported to another location. The container is attached to a wheeled frame, which is pushed by handles after being rotated to a horizontal position. Upon reaching a desired location the container can be dumped by the use of straps to rotate the container.

While many of the above devices disclose mechanisms for adjusting the height or angle of the snow scoop, they lack an efficient method of transporting the contents of the scoop to a different location and then releasing the contents of the scoop.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a snow shovel solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The snow shovel of the present invention is designed to scoop up a pile of snow easily and with minimal effort, to transport the contents to another location, and upon operation of a lever releases its load.

The handle of the snow shovel is telescoping, providing a number of uniformly spaced adjustable lengths. Furthermore, the handle is capable of pivoting about a vertical axis thereby providing a selection of lockable positions in order to provide the most leverage in operating the shovel.

A wheel assembly mounted to an intermediate portion of the frame supports the frame in an inclined position, allowing the user to concentrate on applying force in a forward direction rather than expending effort lifting the handle. The wheel assembly is pivotally mounted to the frame, allowing the wheel assembly to fold against the frame for storage when not in use.

The scoop portion is pivotally mounted to the lower end of the frame and upon activation of a release lever, the scoop head releases its load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snow shovel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an environmental side view of the snow shovel of FIG. 1 being used to load the scoop with a pile of snow.

FIG. 2B is an environmental side view of the snow shovel of FIGS. 1 and 2A with the handle assembly rotated upward and the scoop elevated for wheeling the snow shovel to a new location.

FIG. 2C is an environmental side view of the snow shovel of FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B with the handle assembly rotated upward and the scoop in its released position.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the snow shovel according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the handlebar angle adjusting assembly.

FIG. 4B is an exploded, perspective view of the handlebar angle adjusting assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a section view of the handlebar angle adjusting assembly illustrating the handle in a locked position with one set of pins engaging the rotating portion of the handlebar stem.

FIG. 5B is a section view of the handlebar angle adjusting assembly illustrating the handle angle adjusting pins pulled back in an unlocked position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmented, perspective view of the telescoping frame assembly, with the assembly broken away and partly in section, according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the snow scoop and its rear mounted mounting block of the snow shovel of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the scoop release assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 8B is an exploded perspective view of the scoop release assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 9A is a side elevation view of the scoop release assembly securing the scoop mounting block before release of the scoop according to the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a side elevation view of the scoop release assembly after having allowed the scoop mounting block to rotate forward thereby emptying the scoop of its load.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a snow shovel, designated generally as 100 in the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, snow shovel 100, includes an elongated telescoping frame 102, a handle assembly 104, a scoop head 126, and a wheel assembly 105. The snow shovel 100 is designed to scoop up a load of snow or other material in the front containment section 134 of the scoop head 126 and deposit its load at a desired location.

The handle assembly 104 includes a transverse handle bar 106 having spaced apart handgrips 112 disposed on each end. A stem 108 depending from the center of the handle bar 106 is rotatably mounted to a handle pivoting assembly 110 disposed on the upper telescoping member 122 of the frame 102. The pivot mechanism 110, allows a user to adjust the angle of handle assembly 104, thereby providing the user with the optimum height for operating the snow shovel 100. A handle angle adjusting lever 114 is operative to allow the user to rotate the handle assembly 104 to one of several uniformly spaced positions, and is mounted on one end of handle bar 106. The lever 114 is connected by means of a flexible cable 118 to the handle pivoting assembly 110.

A wheel assembly 105 is mounted to an intermediate position on the lower portion 124 of the telescoping frame 102. The wheel assembly 105 includes a pair of wheels 130 rotatably connected to a pair of struts 132, each strut 132 pivotally connected to a support bracket 136. In normal operation, the wheels 130 and struts 132 extend out from a position parallel to the frame 102 and by means of a locking pin (not shown) lock into a position normal to frame 102. The wheels 130 may be folded back to the frame 102 for storage.

Fixedly mounted to the rear 140 of the scoop 126 is a mounting block 702 best seen in FIG. 7. The scoop 126 is pivotally mounted to a scoop release assembly 128 mounted at the lower end of the telescoping frame member 124. The scoop release assembly 128 is actuated by means of a flexible cable 120 interconnecting the release assembly 128 with scoop release lever 116 mounted on the handle bar 106. Although the snow shovel 100 discloses a lever and cable actuated mechanism, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and may encompasses other release mechanisms known in the art.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the scoop head 126 has a first position, in which the shovel 100, moving in a forward direction, scoops up snow or other loose material within the forward facing containment section 134. FIG. 2B illustrates the snow shovel 100 being used to transit material between two locations. By exerting downward pressure on the handle grips 112, a user elevates the scoop head 126 permitting the shovel 100 to roll on wheel assembly 105. The handle assembly 104 is rotated upwards to provide the optimum height for operating the shovel 100. FIG. 2C illustrates the scoop head 126 having a second position, in which by activating release lever 116, gravity causes scoop head 126 to pivot within release assembly 128, thereby releasing its contents.

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the snow shovel 100 and provides a good view of the scoop release assembly 128 disposed on the rear 140 of the scoop head 126.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the detailed operation of the handle pivoting assembly 110, which as previously disclosed, allows the handle stem 108 to rotate about the cylindrically shaped upper end 404 of telescoping stem 122.

Upper end 404 has bores 438 uniformly spaced in a circular pattern on its right side, and has an axle bore 436 cut through its center. End 404 is rotatably secured within the pivot assembly 110 by means of threaded axle pin 430, the pin 430 having a shaft 431, a head 433, and a threaded end 432, the shaft 431 having a diameter smaller than its head 433. The threaded end 432 passes through an aperture 434 defined on the left side 402 of the pivot assembly 110, through bore 436 in the stem end 404 and is captured by a threaded recess defined on the right side 420 of the pivot assembly 110.

End 404 of upper telescoping stem 122 is held in a selected angular position by means of four retractable pins 422, which are received by four of the eight bores 438 previously disclosed. A coil spring 428, encompassing each pin 422, provides a horizontal biasing force seating one end of the pin 422 within the bore 438. The other end 424 of the pin passes through an aperture 418 cut in the right wall 420 of the pivot assembly 110. Connected to the end 424 of each pin is a wire 408 extending from the end 416 of flexible cable 118 which threadedly received by aperture 414 in support guide 410. Support guide 410 secures the sheath of cable 118 while allowing the wire 408 to move freely within the sheath and support guide 410.

FIG. 5A shows a cutaway view of pivot assembly 110, in which each of a pair of retractable pins 422 engage an aligned bore 438 in upper frame end 404. Pressure applied to the handle angle adjustment lever 114 applies tension on wires 408, and as shown in FIG. 5B, causes each pin 422 to retract within a recess 502, allowing the handle assembly 104 to rotate within the pivot assembly 110.

As previously disclosed, the telescoping elongated frame 102 allows a user to adjust the length of the frame 102 to increase the mechanical advantage of the snow shovel 100. As shown in FIG. 6, a hollow lower frame member 124 receives upper frame member 122, and is secured in place by pin 602, which passes through a pair of apertures 604 cut in the lower frame member 124 and is adapted to engage a pair of inline apertures 606a, 606b cut in upper frame member 122. Several pairs of apertures 606a, 606b are uniformly spaced approximately two inches apart in upper frame member 122 and allow the length of the telescoping frame to be adjusted by the user.

As shown in FIG. 7, a mounting block 702 is disposed on the rear surface 140 of scoop head 126. The mounting block 702 has a pair of apertures 704 cut in the lower portion of the block 702 and has a retaining lip 706 disposed on the upper rear portion of the block 702. As best seen in FIG. 9A, the scoop mounting block 702 is pivotally mounted to the scoop release assembly 128, and is held in place by slideably latch 818.

FIGS. 8A-8B illustrate the release assembly 128 fixedly attached to the lower end of frame member 124, and discloses a housing having two lateral support walls 806, 807 joined together by a transverse cross member 808. An aperture 822 disposed on one side support wall 806 and a threaded bore 823 on the second wall 807 captures pin 804 which is adapted to pass through and pivotally secure scoop mounting block 702 within the scoop release assembly 128. The wedge shaped slidable latch 818 is approximately two inches wide, and is slidably received by a pair of guide channels 820 recessed in side support walls 806, 807. The lower portion of the latch 818 has a lateral abutment surface 838 and a lower angled abutment surface 840. The latch 818 has a plunger 814 extending up from the center of the latch 818, the plunger 814 passing through an aperture 830 cut through cross member 808.

As best shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a coil spring 824, encircling plunger 814 is captured between the seat 836 of bore 834 and the upper surface of the latch 818. When the shovel 100 is directed in a forward direction, spring 824 biases and retains the latch 818 in a first “latched” position, the lateral surface 838 of latch 818 abutting the lateral surface 914 of retaining lip 706.

An “L” shaped lever 810 is pivotally mounted to the cross member 808 by lever bracket 812, one end of the lever 810 passing through an aperture 816 cut through the top of the plunger 814. The other end of the lever 810 is connected to a flexible wire 826 extending from the lower end of flexible cable 120, which in turn is connected to the scoop release lever 116.

As shown in FIG. 9B, lever bracket 812 acts as a fulcrum for lever 810. When tension is applied to the wire 826, latch 818 is pulled upward against the force of spring 824, disengaging the latch 818 from the lip 706, thereby allowing the mounting block 702 and attached scoop 126 to rotate about pin 804 to a second or “unlatched” position.

Upon the release of scoop release lever 116, the spring 824 applies biasing force against the latch 818, forcing the latch 818 downward towards its “latched” position. The arcuate abutment surface 910 is adapted to engage the angled abutment surface 840 of latch 818, slidably displacing latch 818 until the scoop 126 has attained it “latched” position, at which point the latch 818 slides downward locking the scoop 126 in place.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A snow shovel, comprising: an elongated frame having an upper end and a lower end; a handle assembly mounted to the upper end of said elongated frame; a wheel assembly mounted to an intermediate portion of said frame; a scoop release assembly fixedly mounted to the lower end of said frame; and a scoop having a front scoop section, a rear section, and a rearward facing mounting block fixedly attached to said rear section, said mounting block pivotally mounted within said scoop release assembly, whereby said scoop has a first fixed operating position in which said scoop is horizontally aligned with said scoop release assembly, and a second operating position in which said scoop freely rotates in a vertical plane.

2. The snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein said handle assembly includes a substantially horizontal handlebar having a pair of spaced apart handles and a stem depending from the center of said handlebar, said stem pivotally mounted to the upper end of said telescoping frame, such that said handle assembly can be adjusted in a vertical plane between pre-selected vertical angles relative to said frame.

3. The snow shovel according to claim 2, further comprising a scoop release component mounted on said handlebars whereby activation of said scoop release component allows said scoop to vertically rotate within the scoop release assembly between the first position and said second position.

4. The snow shovel according to claim 3, further comprising a first elongated flexible member extending between said scoop release component and said scoop release assembly.

5. The snow shovel according to claim 3, further having: a handle angle adjustment mechanism mounted between said handle stem and the upper end of said frame; and a handle angle adjustment component mounted on said handlebar; whereby activation of said handle angle adjustment component permits said handle assembly to be secured at uniformly spaced angles relative to said frame.

6. The snow shovel according to claim 5, further comprising a second elongated flexible member extending between said handle angle adjustment component and said handle angle adjustment mechanism.

7. The snow shovel according to claim 5, wherein said handle angle adjustment component has a plurality of spring loaded pins securing said handle assembly to said frame.

8. The snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein said wheel assembly includes a pair of wheels, each of said wheels rotatably connected to a wheel strut, each wheel strut pivotally mounted to a wheel assembly mounting bar, whereby said wheels are pivotal from a position proximate to said frame to an extended position substantially normal to said frame.

9. The snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein said scoop mounting block has a transverse lip having a forward facing first lateral abutment surface and a second rear facing arcuate abutment surface.

10. The snow shovel according to claim 9, wherein said scoop release assembly includes a left side, a right side, a traversing member, and a spring-loaded latch slidably received between said left side and said right side.

11. The snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein the length of said elongated frame is adjustable.

12. A snow shovel, comprising: a telescoping frame having an upper end and a lower end; a handle assembly pivotally mounted to the upper end of said telescoping frame, said handle assembly including a handlebar, a handle stem depending from the center of said handlebar, and a handle angle adjustment assembly; a handle angle adjustment component mounted to said handlebar; a wheel assembly pivotally mounted to an intermediate portion of said frame; a scoop release assembly fixedly mounted to the lower end of said telescoping frame; and a scoop having a front scoop section, a rear section, and a rearward facing mounting block fixedly attached to said rear section, said mounting block pivotally mounted to said scoop release assembly, whereby said scoop has a first operating position in which said scoop is horizontally aligned with said scoop release assembly, and a second operating position in which said scoop is free to pivot in a vertical plane; a scoop release component mounted on said handle assembly; a first elongated flexible member interconnecting said scoop release component and said scoop release assembly; and a second elongated flexible member extending between said handle angle adjustment component and said handle angle adjustment mechanism.