Abstract:
The invention provides a single improved snow shovel and pusher combination with eight adjustable settings that is capable of providing the user an opportunity to adjust it according to their need during the process of snow removal from ground or the surface to be cleaned that could be but not limited to driveways, walkways, passages, stairs, docks and decks. To select any one of the 8 settings or adjustments of this invention, the D shaped hand grip needs to be rotated 45 degrees in clock wise direction which will change its setting or locking position. These multiple settings are useful in situations when the snow is also required to be pushed simultaneously towards right or left hand side while pushing forward before lifted and thrown away by using the snow shovel mode/setting.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    Snow shovels, pushers and some combinations have been known for a very long time, some of the following have patents in Canada and United States: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 CA 2621194 A1 
                 Gerald Westgarde 
               
               
                   
                 US 20080185857 A1 
                 Wesley Westgarde, Gerald Westgarde 
               
               
                   
                 U.S. Pat. No. 8,444,192 
                 John Pavlic 
               
               
                   
                 US 20130233582 
                 Oresti Frati S. R. L. 
               
               
                   
                 U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,598 A 
                 Kalman Szllage 
               
               
                   
                 U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,548 A 
                 Louis G. Bowles 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0002]    This improved design provides 8 selectable steps/options to the user to change the angle of the blade body relative to the ground or surface to be cleaned by just giving a twist of the D shaped hand grip. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Considered broadly, snow is removed by pushing it using a snow pusher which accumulates it and then lifted and thrown in a designated area by using snow shovel. The main difference between the two is the angle of the blade body relative to the ground or surface to be cleaned. In a snow shovel, the blade body is nearly horizontal to the ground or surface to be cleaned and in a snow pusher, the blade body is nearly vertical to the surface to be cleaned. If the snow is also required to be pushed towards right or left hand side simultaneously while being pushed forward which helps shifting more volume in the next pushing operation which collects the previously shifted snow along with a fresh layer of snow, then the process requires the blade body to have the ability to also rotate at another axis either to the right or left along with horizontal and vertical angles as required in a shovel and pusher. This angle shifts the pushed snow towards right or left, this shifting of snow is directly proportional to this angle, less shifting with smaller angle and more shifting with greater angle. 
         [0004]    The design of snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings includes a blade body and an elongated handle. Closer to the blade body between the two ends of the long handle is a 360 degree rotating joint which is comprised of two flanges joined together with the help of a steel bolt, nut and two washers while having the ability to rotate with one flange face sliding in a circular motion on the other. This rotating joint comprises of two main parts namely a stationary flange and a rotating flange. The stationary flange has a circular sliding face with 8 concave recesses evenly divided on the sliding face at equal distance from centre. There is also male component attached to the other side of the flange to be inserted in to the blade body attaching receptacle which is part of the blade body. The rotating flange also has a circular sliding face equal to size as in stationary flange. This flange has two tubular housings. Each one to accommodate one spring and one steel ball that are required to achieve the 8 locking positions. There is also a female receptacle attached to the other side of the rotating flange at an angle as a part to be attached to the other end of the. The other end of the long handle has a D shaped hand grip attached to it which is normally found in long handle tools. During use, the blade body in snow pusher setting/mode should be nearly vertical to the surface to be cleaned and in snow shovel setting/mode blade body should be nearly horizontal to the surface to be cleaned. The rotating joint assembly has 8 adjustable setting positions that are lockable. 
         [0005]    The invention with 8 setting options is very useful in operating the device most efficiently based on the need. A rotating movement of 180 degrees of the D shaped hand grip when it is parallel to the ground produces change in blade body position from snow pusher to snow shovel or visa a versa. In between these two settings are 6 other option available to user for simultaneously side shifting of snow towards left or right while pushing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a snow shovel and pusher combination. The setting or position could also be called as “mode” 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination, set in pusher setting/mode 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination, set in snow shovel setting/mode 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 22.5 degrees towards left in snow shovel setting/mode 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 22.5 degrees towards right in snow shovel setting/mode 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 22.5 degrees towards left in snow pusher setting/mode 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 22.5 degrees towards right in snow pusher setting/mode 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 45 degrees towards left in snow shovel setting/mode 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 45 degrees towards right in snow shovel setting/mode 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 45 degrees towards left in snow pusher setting/mode 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination tilted 45 degrees towards right in snow pusher setting/mode 
           [0018]      FIG. 12A  is the side view of the 360 degree rotating flange attached with the stationary flange of the rotating joint assembly 
           [0019]      FIG. 12B  is the steel bolt, nut and two washers for attaching the rotating flange with stationary flange of the rotating joint assembly 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is the rotating flange part of the rotating joint assembly 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is the stationary flange part of the rotating joint assembly 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is the cross section of the rotating flange part of the rotating joint assembly showing details in “X” axis 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is the cross section of the rotating flange part of the rotating joint assembly showing details in “Y” axis 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is the cross section of the stationary flange part of the rotating joint showing details in “Y” axis 
           [0025]      FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21  are the side elevations of the rotating and stationary flanges of the rotating joint assembled together and rotated 90 degrees in each step 
           [0026]      FIG. 22  is the side elevation of the blade body attached to rotating joint assembly showing Face line or “Blade Offset Angle” and “Handle Offset Angle” 
           [0027]      FIGS. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30  are top view of the 360 degrees rotating flange of the rotating joint shown in 8 steps each of 45 degrees, rotated clockwise 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    The snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings will be described in details with reference to numbered parts 
         [0029]      FIG. 1, 1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip the long handle.  3  is the long handle.  4  is the screw securing the rotating flange to the long handle. Following are parts of the rotating joint  5 . Is the female receptacle to hold the other end of the long handle.  6 A and  6 B are the housings accommodating the two springs and steel balls for position locking.  7  is the rotating flange face.  8  is the stationary flange face, both faces touch each other and slide with lubrication in between, a nut, bolt and 2 washers (not visible) do the linking job.  9  is the stationary flange.  10  is the screw securing the stationary flange to the blade body and  11  is the blade body 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is the side view showing the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings in pusher setting/mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip.  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose part details is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is the side view showing the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings in shovel setting/mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip.  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose part details is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 22.5 degrees towards left in Shovel Mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose part details are shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 p adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 22.5 degrees towards right in shovel mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose part details is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 22.5 degrees towards left in pusher mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 22.5 degrees towards right in pusher mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 45 degrees towards left in Shovel Mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0037]      FIG. 9  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 p adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 45 degrees towards right in Shovel Mode.  1  is D shaped hand grip,  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0038]      FIG. 10  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 45 degrees towards left in pusher mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip.  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 degree rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0039]      FIG. 11  is a top elevation view of the snow shovel and pusher combination with 8 adjustable settings of  FIG. 1  tilted 45 degrees towards right in Pusher Mode.  1  is the D shaped hand grip.  2  is the screw securing D shaped hand grip to the long handle.  3  is the long handle and  11  is the blade body. The circled components are the 360 rotating joint assembly the rotating joint whose parts detail is shown in  FIG. 12A   
         [0040]      FIG. 12A  is the side view of the rotating joint the rotating flange attached with the stationary flange.  4  is the screw for securing long handle to the stationary flange.  5  is the rotating flange.  6 A and  6 B are the housings to accommodate the two springs and steel balls (not visible) for locking.  7  is the flange face of the rotating joint.  8  is the face of the stationary flange.  9  is the stationary flange body.  10  is the screw for securing stationary flange with shovel blade body. 
         [0041]      FIG. 12B   12  is the steel bolt.  13  is the vibration proof steel nut with nylon insert.  14 A and  14 B are the two plain steel washers. These four components are used to join together the two flanges namely the rotating flange and the stationary flange in such a manner that they can rotate while sliding over each other&#39;s circular face after lubrication but do not have any play or looseness. 
         [0042]      FIG. 13   5  is the 360 degree rotating flange body which is part of the rotating joint.  4  is the screw to secure the rotating flange with the long handle.  6 A and  6 B are the housing for springs and balls for position locking.  7  is the flange face.  15 A is the hole to install steel bolt  12  and washer  14 A.  16 A and  16 B are the two spring loaded steel balls.  16 C and  16 D are the springs for steel balls shown with steel balls which are hidden inside the housings  6 A and  6 B 
         [0043]      FIG. 14   9  is the stationary flange body which is part of the rotating joint.  8  is the stationary flange face.  10  is the screw for securing stationary flange to the shovel blade body.  15 B is the hole to install the steel nut  13  and washer  14 B.  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24  are the 8 concave recesses at 45 degrees to each other with reference to the centre of the flange to accommodate the 2 spring loaded steel balls  16 A and  16 B from the 360 degrees rotating flange for locking purposes. 
         [0044]      FIG. 15  These are the cross sections of 360 rotating flange part of the rotating joint on “X” axis.  25  is the bore for long handle  3 .  26  is the bore for steel bolt  12 .  6 A and  6 B are cavities which will house the steel balls  16 A and  16 B and springs  16 C and  16 D.  7  is the rotating flange face of the rotating joint. 
         [0045]      FIG. 16  These are the cross sections of 360 rotating flange of the rotating joint. on “Y” axis.  25  is the bore for long handle  3 .  26  is the bore for steel bolt  12  to be inserted with washer  14 A.  6 A and  6 B are cavities shown which will house the springs  16 C and  16 D and steel balls  16 A and  16 B.  7  is the rotating flange face of the rotating joint. 
         [0046]      FIG. 17  These are the cross sections of the stationary flange of the rotating joint. shown in “Y” axis.  27  is the bore for steel bolt  12  to accommodate the threaded side, washer  14 B and nut  13  at the lower end.  8  is the flange face.  9  is the stationary flange body.  10  is the screw to secure the flange to the shovel blade body.  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24  are the 8 concave recesses to accommodate the spring loaded steel balls for each of the 8 positions from the 360 degree rotating flange of the rotating joint for locking purposes. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21  are the four positions of the 360 degree rotating flange joined with stationary flange shown from front elevation but rotated at 90 degrees from each other. 
         [0048]      FIG. 22 , is the side elevation of the blade body attached to the rotating joint assembly showing the angle details of the blade body female receptacle and the rotary flange female receptacle. Line  31  indicates the rotational axis line of the rotary joint assembly, line  32  which is at 22.5 degrees in relation to line  31  indicates the long handle connection angle with D shaped handle at the end or “Handle Offset Angle”, line  30  indicates the face line angle of the blade body which is also at 22.5 degrees in relation to line  30  or “Blade Offset Angle”, line  30 A is a dotted line indicating a parallel line with the face line angle just to show more clarity. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30  are top elevation of rotating flange shown rotated at 45 degree increment clock wise.