Patent ID: 6086049
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: A01B

Abstract:
In a shovel having a head defining a material handling scoop with a load carrying upper face, a handle shaft connected to the head and projecting axially away from the scoop, and two hand grip areas on the handle shaft including one grip area located closely adjacent the scoop and the other grip area located more axially remote from the scoop by a distance exceeding several feet, the combination therewith of a mechanical force-magnifying attachment comprising:a bracket and means connecting the bracket to the handle shaft at a fixed axial location closely adjacent the one hand grip area for allowing unlimited bracket rotation in either direction completely around the handle shaft, and an elongated power transfer rod and means connecting the rod at one end to the bracket for rotating throughout at most about half-circle arcs defining planes extended through the handle shaft;said power transfer rod thereby being adapted to be moved to operative positions underlying the handle shaft and to be angled transverse to the handle shaft to abut the opposite end of the rod against an underlying ground support, and also to be moved to an inoperative position disposed in adjacent side-by-side alignment with the handle shaft on its upper side, and means for releasibly holding the rod in this inoperative position relative to the handle shaft with its opposite end adjacent the other grip area; andsaid power transfer rod being comprised of elongated members cooperating telescopically together operable to be shifted between minimum and maximum opened lengths, and means to lock the pair of elongated members at certain adjusted rod lengths.