Patent ID: 7681336

Claim:
A wheeled shovel comprising: a wheel assembly having an axle and a wheel; a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion, the frame disposed relative to the axle such that the axle is operable as a fulcrum about which the frame can pivot; a handle disposed at about the upper portion of the frame; a shovel blade disposed at about the lower portion of the frame; and at least one linking member pivotable along the axle and hingedly connecting the frame's upper portion to the frame's lower portion such that the upper portion is pivotably movable relative to the lower portion between at least: a closed, collapsed configuration in which the upper portion is alongside the lower portion such that the handle is adjacent the shovel blade; and an open, ready-for-use configuration in which the upper portion is generally upwardly and rearwardly from the lower portion such that the handle is above and rearward of the shovel blade; wherein the upper frame portion is pivotably moveable relative to the lower frame portion from the open position to the closed position in a generally forward direction and in a generally rearward direction; wherein the frame is disposed generally along only one side of the wheel; wherein the frame is configured with at least one curved portion adjacent the wheel to accommodate for the positioning of the wheel at about a center of gravity of the frame; and wherein the wheel assembly, frame, handle, and shovel blade are cooperatively configured so as to enable the wheeled shovel to throw a load of material generally upwardly and forwardly away from the shovel blade in response to a sufficient force applied to the handle for pivoting the frame relative to the axle with a recoil generated through the fulcrum at the axle.