Abstract:
A material handling device, primarily intended for moving material such as firewood, having an elongated handle with a shaft mounted on the handle and with a point removable mounted in the shaft, the handle, the shaft and the point all being concentrically aligned with one another, the point including a lip to retain the point in the material which can be released by tossing the material or moving the handle over the lip.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This device relates to a material handling device and more specifically to a device for handing fire wood. 
     2. Prior Art and Objects of the Invention 
     It is well known that many materials are difficult to handle and most especially firewood is difficult to handle and to move. Just one situation is loading firewood onto a carrier or into a cart to bring it into the home for use from an outside pile. This is notably so when the wood is wet or covered with snow. Clothing is quickly soiled and even with gloves the hands become wet and cold. It is definitely desirable to be able to handle material such as firewood without having to touch to firewood and while being able quickly and assuredly to lift, toss and move the firewood. The instant invention is specifically designed to handle firewood but may be also used for other materials providing the consistency of the other materials is sufficiently similar to wood to permit penetration by the Device. 
     Devices are known for handling wood, most specifically pulp logs with a device commonly referred to as a pickaroon. One version of the pickaroon, described as being suitable for use with firewood, is described in the Rybeck Patent, U. S. Pat. No. 4,560,194. The Rybeck Patent and pickaroons in general specifically teach a device with a point generally located at right angles to the handle. Such devices have the same general relationship between the point and the handle as an axe or a maul. 
     Another example of a pickaroon is shown in the Juntunen Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,229 which teaches a pickaroon with a removable point. 
     Devices for handling a variety of materials are also shown in the Leu patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,375 and the Rocquin Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,722. 
     The Leu Patent teaches a device for use in handling firewood but when the firewood is in a fireplace. Liu, in essence, teaches an improved fireplace poker. The device proposed by Liu, however, is an elongated member with a handle at one end. 
     The Rocquin Patent is also an elongated member with a handleat one end but with a straight spear for picking up trash by penetrating the trash. The Rocquin Patent further teaches an apparatus totally unrelated to the instant invention for removing the trash from the tip. The tip, as described in the Rocquin Patent, is removable and thus replaceable. 
     The Konucik, et. al. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,067 teaches an elongated device for spearing frogs. Konucik, et. al. shows a set screw with a spring about it for retaining the spear in different positions in the handle. 
     These devices do not provide an easy way to pick up and toss or otherwise move firewood while standing upright and back away from the wood. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for easily handling materials, such a firewood, when in a standing position away from the material so as to be able to lift, move and toss the material without bending down and picking up the material with the hands. 
     Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a device which can be easily thrust into a unit of material, such as a piece of firewood, so as securely to hold the material for moving of the material while also permitting easy release from the material. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a device where the point which engages the material can be readily replaced if damaged or worn. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device which is both economical and durable. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device which is simple and easy to use. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be come apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A material handling device is achieved by mounting a point on a handle with the point and the handle being aligned with one another. The point is provided with a shank end and a working end, the working end of the point has a top surface and a bottom surface and two side surfaces and an end surface at the working end. The side surfaces are slightly sloped toward the working end. The top and bottom surfaces slope toward the working end. The end surface extends above the top surface and a lip surface extends from the top surface to the end surface to form a lip with an edge. Means are provided for connecting the point to the handle. The handle and the point are axially aligned with one another. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view along the longitudinal axis of the device showing the point mounted in the shaft which in turn is press fitted into the handle. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional top view showing the point in the shaft. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the entire Material Handling Device. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the point and a portion of the shaft adjacent to the point. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the point and the portion of the shaft adjacent to the point. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a handle  11  is shown with a shaft  13  that is press fitted into the handle  11 . The handle  11 , best shown in its entirety in FIG. 3, is an elongated member with an inner end  15  and an outer end  17 . Returning to FIG. 1, a handle opening  19  is formed concentrically into the inner end  15  of the handle  11  for a portion of the length of the handle  11 . The shaft  13  is press fitted into the handle opening  19 . 
     A boot  21  is placed about the inner end  15  of the handle  11  and extends from the inner end  15  of the handle  11  for only a portion of the length of the handle opening  19 . The boot  21  provides resistance against the handle  11  splitting from the shaft  13  being press fitted into the handle opening  19  of the handle  11  which most appropriately would be made of wood. A hole  23  is formed in the boot  21 , generally midway along the length of the boot  21 . A retaining screw  25  is screwed into the hole  23  and into the handle  11  but the retaining screw  25  is of a sufficient length so that a collar  27  can be placed about the retaining screw  25 . The collar  27  is held against the boot  21  by the head  29  of the screw  25  and the combination of the collar  27  and the head  29  of the retaining screw  25  creates a readily visible marker on the boot  21 . The head  29  of the retaining screw  25  and the collar  27  are preferably coated with a highly visible coating to make the retaining screw  25  and the collar  27  very detectable as a marker. The retaining screw  25  and the collar  27  serve to align the Material Handling Device when being used, as is further explained hereinafter. 
     The shaft  13  has a lower end  31  and an upper end  33 , the upper end  33  being mounted within the handle opening  19  and the lower end  31  extending from the handle  11 . As best seen in FIG. 1, the major portion of the shaft  13  is embedded in the handle opening  19  within the handle  11  with only a minor portion of the shaft  13  extending from the inner end  15  of the handle  11 . A shaft opening  35  extends generally concentrically into the lower end  31  along a small portion of the length of the shaft  13 . The shaft opening  35  is located within the portion of the shaft  13  which extends outside the handle  11 . 
     A point  37  fits into the shaft opening  35 . The point  37  has a shank end  39  which is round so as to fit snugly into the shaft opening  35  and has a working end  41  which is thrust into a unit of material, most usually a piece of firewood. 
     A tapped opening  45  is formed in the shaft  13  and extends into the shaft opening  35 , generally at right angles to the shank end  39  of the point  37 . The point  37  has a flat  47  cut into it adjacent the tapped opening  45 . A set screw  49  is threaded into the tapped opening  45  and engages the flat  47  in the point  37  thereby locking the point  37  in place within the shaft  13 . The point  37  may, however, be readily replaced merely by turning back the set screw  49 , withdrawing the point  37 , inserting another point  37  and tightening the set screw  49 . 
     It should be noted, as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 3, that the handle  11 , the shaft  13  and the point  37  are all generally concentrically aligned with one another. As best seen in FIG. 3, the major portion of the length of the Material Handling Device is in the handle  11 . 
     The configuration of the working end  41  of the point  37  is vital to the successful operation of the device. The angular relationships of the working end of the point  37  are shown in FIG.  4  and in FIG.  5 . The point  37  is slightly tapered on its sides surfaces  51  as the side surfaces  51  are progressively slightly closer to one another as the point  37  extends from the shank end  39  to the working end  41 . The bottom surface  53  slopes progressively closer to the top surface  55  of the point  37 , as the bottom surface  53  extends from the shank end  39  to the working end  41 . The top surface  55  slopes toward the bottom surface  53  progressively as the point  37  extends toward the working end  41  but the slope of the top surface  55  begins approximately halfway between the shank end  39  and the working end  41 . 
     A lip surface  57  extends sharply at an obtuse angle to the top surface  55  toward the working end  41 . The end surface  59  slopes from the bottom surface  53  at an obtuse angle to the bottom surface  53  and is directed away from the top surface  55  and beyond the top surface  55 , meeting the lip surface  57  at an edge  61 , which preferably is a sharp edge, thereby forming a lip  63  which extends from the top surface  55  at the working end  41 . 
     As a point of reference, quantitative angles are stated hereinafter from a line parallel to the major axis of the handle, shaft and point, which is the major axis of the entire device. The qualitative angles previously referred to are the angles, generally speaking, between specified surfaces. 
     The point  37 , as viewed looking down on the top surface  55 , as shown in FIG. 4, is symmetrical. The angle A of slope of the side surfaces  51  of the point  37  is preferably approximately six degrees with a possible range of four to eight degrees. The angle B of slope of the bottom surface  53  is approximately fifteen degrees with a range of ten degrees to twenty degrees. The angle C of the slope of the top surface  55  is very slight, and is also approximately six degrees with a range of three degrees to ten degrees. 
     The end surface  59  extends from the bottom surface  53  to the edge  61  above the top surface  55  at an angle of slope D of approximately seventy-five degrees with a range of sixty-five degrees to eighty five degrees. The lip surface  51  slopes from the edge  61  to the top surface  55  at an angle E of approximately forty five degrees and within a range of forty degrees to fifty degrees. The end surface  59  and the lip surface  57  form the lip  63  with the edge  61  which should be sharp so as readily to penetrate the material to hold the material onto the point  37 . 
     The retaining screw  25 , previously described as being brightly colored is aligned with the edge  61  so that by having the retaining screw  25  directed upwardly when used, the edge  61  is also directed upwardly and is therefore in the proper position for use. 
     The design of the point  37  permits the point  37  to penetrate material, such as a piece of wood, merely by jabbing the point  37  into the material by the handle  11  which is aligned with the point  37  and without the force obtainable by use of a handle generally at right angles to the point  37 . Once into the material, the handle  11  is best rotated slightly backwardly to force the lip  63  upwardly into the material thereby assuring a grip on the material. If the material is tossed up into a cart, the upward movement of the material causes the material to release from the point  37  at the top of the throw. If the material is placed elsewhere, merely rotating the handle  11  slightly forward, which is the opposite direction used to embed the lip  63 , the lip  63  will move out of the material and permit the point  37  to be readily withdrawn from the material. Due to the length of the handle  11 , the Material Handling Device is used from a remote position and the material never needs to be touched to be lifted, tossed or moved. 
     Thus, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.