Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of manually moving
snow and in particular to reducing the back pain associated
with this activity.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a snow shovel/scraper handle
which when used in conjunction with the conventional snow
shovel/scraper will greatly reduce the amount of back pain
suffered by the operators of snow shovel/scrapers during
and after the act of shoveling snow.
Various devices are available for manually shoveling
or moving snow.
The conventional snow shovels/scrapers available normally
include an elongated handle generally with a D-shaped hand
grip to assist with stability at the upper end of the handle
and a wide shovel blade at the lower end which can be used
to push and lift the snow to be thrown out of the way. The
lifting and throwing action with these conventional snow shovels/
scrapers involves pushing the shovel/scraper blade into the
snow, moving one hand down the shovel/scraper handle while
bending the back forward, then lifting the shovel/scraper
full of snow while straightening the back, then twisting the
body to one side or the other depending on the position of
the operator, in order to throw the snow out of the way.
The aforementioned method of manually shoveling snow
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often causes extreme lower back pain as well as heavy breathing
and a substantially increased heart rate in many people.
These aspects of conventional snow shovel/scraper designs
make them generally unsatisfactory in that they greatly reduce
the ability of many people to move snow with a reasonable
degree of comfort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary objective of the present invention
to, when added to a conventional snow shovel/scraper,
provide a device for manually moving snow in a manner
involving much less strain and pain to the back of the user.
This device, by allowing the user to grip the newly added
handle with the hand normally used on the lower portion of
of the original shovel/ scraper handle, enables them to
operate the shovel/scraper in a much more upright position
and with the ball and swivel joint it allows the snow to be
thrown to the side with much less twisting of the body.
The operator of the snow shovel/scraper, equipped with
this new device, will be able to push the shovel/scraper blade
into the snow in the normal manner and then lift the shovel/
scraper full of snow by lifting on the new handle, instead
of moving the lower hand down the shaft of the snow
shovel/scraper handle as normally done and lifting with the
back, the operator will be lifting the shovel/scraper full
of snow with their arm, making the act of shoveling snow much
more comfortable.
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The primary objective of this new device having been
stated, a secondary and also important advantage of this
invention is a reduction in the heavy breathing normally
associated with shoveling snow, making it somewhat safer
for many people with minor respitory difficulties.
This device may be easily adjusted by simply loosening
the bolts which secure handle and moving it either up or
down to a position comfortable to the user, then tightening
the nuts again.
The length of the shaft portion of the ball and socket
joint may also be adjusted by simply removing the nuts and
bolts holding the D-shaped hand grip to the shaft and moving
the hand grip to the shaft and moving the hand grip either
up or down the shaft and then re-installing the bolts and
nuts in the desired position.
The friction type securing device which holds the new
shovel/scraper handle in place when not in use may also be
adjusted to its desired position by loosening the nuts
holding it to the original shovel/scraper handle then simply
sliding the securing device up or down the shaft and tightening
the nuts again.
This device when added to a conventional snow shovel/
scraper will make the task of manually shoveling snow much
easier for the general population at a very reasonable cost.
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BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE DRAWINGS
A better understanding will obtained by reading the
description of the invention below, with reference to the
following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a view of an embodiment of the invention
the new handle being shown in position with the securing device.
Figure 2 is a frontal view of the invention.
Figure 3 is a side view of the invention in a position
on a section of shovel handle with the securing device.
Figure 4 is a frontal view of the securing device.
Figure 5 is a view from the top showing the ball and
socket portion of the invention on a section of shovel/scraper
handle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning to figure 1, an additional shovel handle when
added to a standard shovel/scraper handle 2 will greatly
reduce the amount of back pain and strain associated with
the act of shoveling snow.
The new shovel/scraper handle will be comprised of
a socket type housing 5 to hold the ball portion of the
device 4 allowing the new handle to pivot while throwing
snow to the side.
The ball portion of the device 4 will have a shaft and
stabilizing hand grip 3 attached.
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The socket type housing 5 will have a slight depression
5A at the end opposite the blade 1 to allow the new handle
to be held closely to the original shovel/scraper handle 2
by means of a securing device 6.
The socket type housing 5 will be slightly raised 5B
at the lower portion of the housing towards the blade 1 in
order to add strength while holding the ball portion 4 in
position while shoveling snow.
