The device includes a blade and a handle whereby the device may be used as a conventional snow pusher. Skis or skids below the blade support the blade at an angle relative to the ground, and may raise the blade 5 cm or so off the ground surface, so that the blade does not snag the ground during pushing. Left and right struts support the skis from the blade. The struts are collapsible, and when collapsed the skis lie tucked away against the back of the blade, whereby the device may be used as a shovel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a device for assisting a person carrying out the 
task of clearing snow, for example from a driveway. 
Motorized snow blowers and throwers of course make light of the task of 
removing snow from a driveway, etc.. But there are times when the use of 
such motorised machines is inappropriate, and in any event the machines 
can be expensive. The invention is concerned with a device for enabling a 
person to use his own forceful physical movements to the best advantage, 
so that a person may conveniently remove snow without resorting to 
motorised machines. 
Apart from motorised machines, the ordinary shovel is a commonly employed 
device for moving snow, but the use of a shovel requires that the snow be 
lifted and thrown, repeatedly, so that conventional shovelling is regarded 
as somewhat too strenuous. 
A common alternative to the ordinary shovel is the snow pusher, in which a 
blade is pushed through the snow, like a hand-held snow plow. A 
characteristic of the snow pusher, which is unlike the snow shovel, is 
that during operation of the device the device rests on the ground. People 
prefer to use the pusher device, rather than the shovel, because the 
shovel involves the strenuous task of repeatedly lifting the snow, and 
indeed lifting the shovel. The use of the pusher device is less arduous 
because the device remains in contact with the ground. 
However, with the conventional snow pusher device, because the device 
remains in contact with the ground, problems arise when the ground is 
uneven. For example, when the device is used on an uneven surface, the 
edges and corners of the blade can become snagged in protrusions and 
crannies. This makes snow removal more irritating, because of the 
stoppages and interruptions to smooth movements. Another problem arises in 
that when the driveway is of gravel, moving snow with a snow pusher can 
lead to pebbles, etc. being picked up and moved along with the snow. This 
of course can damage the driveway surface, and the damage often can occur 
without the person being aware of the fact. 
Particularly in the case of the snow pusher, it is important to maintain 
the pusher blade at a suitable angle relative to the horizontal ground 
surface, for efficient removal of the snow. 
Snow pushers have been in common use for many years, and it has been 
proposed to place skis underneath the handle of a snow pusher, in order to 
maintain the pusher blade at the correct angle for pushing. U.S. Pat. No. 
2,388,985 (Martin, 1944) is an example of this. 
Snow shovels are also in common use, and it has been proposed to place skis 
under the blades of shovels, spades, and scoops, as shown for example in 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,484,409 (Jameson, 1946); in Canadian patent no. 687,138 
(Neuman, 1964); and in Canadian patent no. 892,438 (Gohl, 1972). 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention provides a device which combines the functions of snow pusher 
and snow shovel. The device includes a blade and suitable runners, 
preferably skids or skis, which rest on the ground, and which maintain the 
blade at the correct angle for pushing. The runners are mounted on a 
collapsible suspension system, and can be folded into a tucked-away 
position, and the device is so arranged that, when the suspension system 
is folded, the device may then be used as a simple shovel. 
The suspension system is so structured into the device so that when the 
suspension system is collapsed, the various components of the suspension 
system, including the runners, remain tucked out of the way to a 
sufficient extent as to permit the device to be used as a shovel. 
When the suspension system is collapsed or folded, the device is compact 
enough for easy storage, for example by hanging the device on the wall of 
a garage, etc.. 
Preferably, there is handle with two laterally spaced-apart members 
incorporating blade support means on which the blade is mounted. The 
device includes left and right skis, pivotally attached to the blade 
support means, and pivotable between a folded storage or shovelling 
position, and an unfolded plowing position, where preferably they are held 
in position by collapsible struts, as will be described in greater detail 
later herein. 
Preferably, the blade is movable along the blade support means, so that the 
height of the forward lower edge of the blade may be adjusted relative to 
the ground level; that is to say, the ground level as determined by the 
runners. By keeping the blade above the ground level, the device may be 
easily pushed even over a loose or uneven ground surface without snagging 
or digging-in, and without displacing loose pebbles or otherwise 
disrupting the surface. 
Details of the invention will be described or will become apparent during 
the course of the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and described below are 
examples which embody the invention. It should be noted that the scope of 
the invention is defined by the accompanying claims, and not necessarily 
by specific features of exemplary embodiments. 
The snow pusher/shovel device 1 as shown in the drawings is arranged for 
use by a person 2 who is grasping the device in his hands 3, 4. 
The device 1 may be used as a snow pusher for clearing a body of snow 13 
down to a level 10. As shown, the device is used to clear snow over loose 
pebbles on a rough gravel surface. The level of snow left by the device is 
somewhat higher than the level of the pebbles. 
The device includes a snow pushing blade 24. A reinforcing edge strip (not 
shown) may be attached to the lower edge of the blade 24, if desired. The 
lower edge of the blade may be provided with a curled-under portion 23 to 
reduce the likelihood of the blade "digging in". The top of the blade 24 
is curled forwards, as at 25, in order that snow travelling up the blade 
24 during pushing of the snow will roll over forwards, as at 14. 
Attached to the blade 24 is a handle assembly 26 by means of which the 
device is held in the hands 3, 4 of the person 2. The handle assembly 
includes left and right side pieces 27, 29. 
The blade 24 is secured to backing bars 52, which are welded or otherwise 
secured to the side pieces 27, 29 and which serve to stiffen the blade. 
Preferably, the securing of the blade to the backing bars is by the use of 
wingnuts 28, the backing bars being provided with slotted holes 30 so that 
the position of the blade relative to the backing bars, and hence relative 
to the runners or skis, may be adjusted. This allows the height of the 
blade to be set to a value wherein snow is cleared down reasonably close 
to the ground level, and yet wherein there is little danger that the blade 
will snag the ground. 
The backing bars 52 serve also to receive the components of the foldable 
support runners, as will now be described. The device includes left and 
right foldable support runner assemblies. Each runner assembly includes a 
ski or skid 20. The ski 20 has turned-up ends 21 to allow the ski to pass 
over rough gravel without snagging the pebbles thereof. 
The foldable support runner assembly comprises the suspension system, by 
means of which the skis 20 are mounted from the backing bars 52. The 
suspension system includes pivot pin connections 19 for the front of each 
ski, and left and right struts 36, with a connecting cross-piece 37. 
At the bottom of the struts are pins 46 which engage L-shaped slots 47 in 
vertical flange pieces 45 projecting upwardly from the skis. Preferably 
these vertical flange pieces are integral to the skis. 
Preferably the skis are connected by a cross-piece 48 which is formed to 
provide a lifting handle 49. As shown in FIG. 14, this lifting handle is 
used when the device is folded into the shovel configuration, or may be 
pushed against by the user's foot in the plow configuration, as shown in 
FIG. 8. 
The fact that the suspension system of the device is easily collapsible is 
important for two reasons. First, the collapsibility needs to be simple in 
order to make the task of stowing the device away after use that much 
easier -- together, of course, with the task of lifting the device down 
from its hook or hangar or other storage means, and preparing it for use. 
The second reason why easy collapsibility is important lies in the fact 
that the person requires to change, while clearing the driveway, from 
using the device as a pusher or snow-plow to using the device as a shovel. 
This change occurs for example after the person has been using the device 
as a pusher, in the sequence of steps shown in FIGS. 7-9, and the blade 
then reaches the edge of the driveway: that is to say, when the person has 
pushed a pile of snow to the edge of the driveway as shown in FIG. 9. 
Now, the person wishes to lift the piled-up snow and place it out of the 
way: for example, by piling the snow onto a heap or banking; or by 
throwing the snow onto, say, a piece of clear ground, such as a lawn, 
adjacent to the driveway; or perhaps even by lifting the piled-up snow 
into a wheelbarrow for more distant disposal. 
With the device of the invention, to change to shovel-mode, the person 
simply manually adjusts the suspension system from the extended condition 
to the collapsed or folded condition, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Upon 
his doing so, the device is immediately ready for use as a shovel. 
After the person has disposed of that particular portion of piled-up snow, 
he may wish to continue with clearing the driveway. In that case, he then 
simply re-extends the suspension system, and reverts to using the device 
in the pusher or plow mode. 
A person needs to have two tools at hand when clearing a driveway, i.e. 
both a pusher and a shovel. The device of the invention provides him with 
both tools in one, and allows him to change from one to the other very 
readily. 
It should be noted that it would seriously detract from the ease of use of 
the device if the person needed, for example, to use a wrench or the like 
to effect the changeover of the runner suspension system. This applies not 
only to preparing the device for use and for stowing it away after use, 
but applies especially during the actual operation of the device. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the angle of the blade relative to the skis may be 
readily adjusted, if desired, by selecting different slots 47 for the pins 
46 to engage. 
It is important that the two skis 20 be spaced wide enough apart that the 
blade 24 is properly supported against lateral or sideways tipping. In 
prior art devices where the lower front edge of the blade rests against 
the ground, the blade was of course inherently unable to tip (though, as 
noted, the blade could snag and dig into the ground surface), and only a 
single ski was needed in order to support the blade. However, when the 
blade is supported some distance clear of the ground, e.g. about 5 cm. as 
may be typical in the device described, the blade would inevitably tend to 
slip sideways, and it would require considerable strength and manipulative 
skills on the part of the user to keep the blade straight. 
Therefore it is preferred that the skis or runners be so arranged as to 
prevent sideways tipping of the blade, and the provision of the two skis, 
spaced well apart across the width of the blade, as described, is a 
preferred manner in which this can be achieved. 
It will be appreciated that many variations on the specific embodiment 
described above will be obvious to many persons, and such obvious 
variations are considered to be within the scope of the invention as 
defined by the claims, whether or not expressly described above. 
As one example only, it should be apparent that the specific mechanism for 
supporting the skis could be readily varied, i.e. the invention is not 
limited to the specific configuration involving the pins 46 in slots 47.