Patent ID: 7172229

Claim:
A shovel comprising: a shovel having a scoop portion and a shovel handle portion; the scoop portion having a bottom, a leading edge, and a side, the bottom having at least one first sifting opening therethrough, the side having at least one retaining aperture thereinto; a sifting plate having at least one second sifting opening therethrough and a plurality of positioning apertures therethrough; and a retaining plate having a tab dimensioned and configured to pass through at least one of the positioning apertures and into the retaining aperture in a first position, the tab not passing into the retaining aperture in a second position, the retaining plate having a spring urging it into the first position the retaining plate further comprising a slanted side dimensioned and configured to engage the scoop side, and a retaining plate handle attached to the retaining plate, the retaining plate handle dimensioned and configured to provide a secure hand grip when the retaining plate is pulled against the spring into the second position and at least one retaining arm projecting upward from the scoop side, at least one post projecting upward from the retaining plate, the spring disposed under compression on the post and between the retaining arm and the retaining plate and wherein a first of the plurality of positioning apertures through the sifting plate is positioned so that when the tab of the retaining plate passes therethrough and into the retaining aperture, the sifting plate is positioned in a first sifting plate position wherein the first and second sifting openings do not overlap and the shovel scoop bottom is entirely closed and wherein a second of the plurality of positioning apertures through the sifting plate is positioned so that when the tab of the retaining plate passes therethrough and into the retaining aperture, the sifting plate is positioned in a second sifting plate position wherein the first and second sifting openings overlap by a first percentage of the surface area of the scoop bottom and wherein a third of the plurality of positioning apertures through the sifting plate is positioned so that when the tab of the retaining plate passes therethrough and into the retaining aperture, the sifting plate is positioned in a third sifting plate position wherein the first and second sifting openings overlap by a second percentage of the surface area of the scoop bottom.