Patent ID: 6053548
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: B25G,E01H

Abstract:
A manually-operable shovel for efficiently moving material, comprising:(a) a shovel blade;(b) a shovel handle;(c) joint means for attaching the shovel blade to the shovel handle, comprising a first joint member carried by said shovel blade, a second joint member carried by said shovel handle;(d) connector means comprising at least one pin interconnecting the first joint member with the second joint member; and(e) articulation means cooperating with said joint means for permitting the operator to position the blade to a predetermined fixed angle in relation to the direction of blade movement for moving the material in a predetermined desired relation to the direction of blade movement, said articulation means comprising a slot formed in one of the first or second joint members and oriented generally in the direction of blade movement within which said at least one pin is positioned for both translational and rotational movement, and a transversely-extending toothed opening in the same one of the first or second joint members in which the slot is formed for receiving a second pin therein, whereby forward and rearward translational movement of said at least one pin during material disengaging and engaging movement of the blade reciprocates the blade between unlocked and locked positions and rotational movement of said at least one pin while in the unlocked position moves the blade into a desired angle in relation to the direction of blade movement, whereby said articulation means is moveable between:(i) an unlocked position wherein the angle of the blade in relation to the direction of blade movement is variable; and(ii) a locked position wherein the angle of the blade is locked into a fixed angle in relation to the direction of blade movement; and(iii) further wherein the articulation means automatically assumes the locked position during a forward, material engaging movement of the shovel and automatically assumes the unlocked position during a rearward material disengaging movement of the shovel, whereby the shovel is adaptable for selectively lifting and displacing or pushing and displacing the material.