Method and apparatus for removing snow from a roof

Abstract

A snow removal knife includes a knife assembly operably, disengagably connectable to a handle assembly and having a pole interface disposed on a knife assembly upper margin, the knife assembly presenting a substantially planar knife assembly lower margin and having a distal cutting edge, the cutting edge being non-coplanar with the knife assembly lower margin, the cutting edge being upwardly directed relative to the knife assembly lower margin to define a roof engaging surface proximate an intersection of the knife assembly lower margin and the distal cutting edge. A method of forming the knife is further included.

1 . A snow removal knife for removing snow from a roof surface comprising: 
 a knife assembly having a top margin and a substantially planar lower margin and a plurality of edges including a distal edge, wherein the distal edge is formed with a cutting edge and roof contact edge, wherein the cutting edge is not co-planar with the roof contact edge such that the cutting edge does not contact the roof surface when the roof contact edge is in contact with the roof surface, and a pole interface formed on the top margin proximate the proximate edge;    a handle assembly having a plurality of pole sections, wherein each pole section has an interior diameter and includes a terminal end, wherein the terminal end includes structure defining a protrusion with an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter is less than the interior diameter of the pole section, wherein each pole section has interconnection means, whereby a plurality of pole sections may be interconnected together to increase the overall length of the handle assembly and whereby a connection may be maintained with the pole interface; and    a gripping portion including a proximate end and a distal end, wherein the proximate end includes a handgrip, wherein the distal end includes interconnection means, whereby the gripping portion may be connected to the handle assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional of the knife assembly taken along a center axis tapers from a maximum value at the proximate edge to a minimum value at the distal edge.  
     
     
         3 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein the interconnection means comprises a spring loaded locking mechanism.  
     
     
         4 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein the pole interface further includes a spring loaded locking mechanism.  
     
     
         5 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion is constructed of an electrically insulated material.  
     
     
         6 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein the knife assembly is constructed of a high-density polyethylene material.  
     
     
         7 . The snow removal knife of  claim 1 , wherein the knife assembly is constructed of a high impact plastic material.  
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a snow removal knife comprising: 
 assembling a plurality of pole sections, forming each pole section hollow and with an interior diameter and including a terminal end, said terminal end including structure defining a protrusion with an outer diameter, said outer diameter less than said interior diameter of the pole section;    connecting a gripping portion to the handle assembly;    connecting a knife assembly to the handle assembly, forming said knife assembly including an upper and a substantially planar lower surface and including a proximate edge and a distal edge, forming said distal edge with a cutting edge and roof contact edge, forming said cutting edge non-coplanar with the roof contact edge.    
     
     
         9 . A snow removal knife comprising: 
 a knife assembly operably, disengagably connectable to a handle assembly and having a pole interface disposed on a knife assembly upper margin, the knife assembly presenting a substantially planar knife assembly lower margin and having a distal cutting edge, the cutting edge being non-coplanar with the knife assembly lower margin, the cutting edge being upwardly directed relative to the knife assembly lower margin to define a roof engaging surface proximate an intersection of the knife assembly lower margin and the distal cutting edge.    
     
     
         10 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9  including the cutting edge being beveled relative to the knife assembly lower margin.  
     
     
         11 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9  including the knife assembly being formed of a resilient material and having strengthening structure.  
     
     
         12 . The snow removal knife of  claim 11  including the strengthening structure comprising a plurality of strakes disposed on the knife assembly upper margin proximate the cutting edge.  
     
     
         13 . The snow removal knife of  claim 11  including the strengthening structure comprising forming the knife assembly with a tapered cross section, a cross sectional dimension being greatest proximate the proximal edge.  
     
     
         14 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9 , the handle assembly including at least one pole, the pole having a spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface.  
     
     
         15 . The snow removal knife of  claim 14  including the locking mechanism being engagable with a detent formed in the knife assembly pole interface.  
     
     
         16 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9 , the handle assembly including a plurality of poles, each pole having a spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface or with another pole.  
     
     
         17 . The snow removal knife of  claim 14  including the locking mechanism being engagable with a detent formed in the knife assembly pole interface or formed in the other pole.  
     
     
         18 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9 , including the handle assembly being formed of an electrically non-conductive material.  
     
     
         19 . The snow removal knife of  claim 9 , a gripping portion including at least one pole, the pole having a spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface or with the handle assembly as desired.  
     
     
         20 . The snow removal knife of  claim 19  including the locking mechanism being engagable with a detent formed in the knife assembly pole interface or formed in the handle assembly.  
     
     
         21 . The snow removal knife of  claim 19 , including the gripping portion being formed of an electrically non-conductive material.  
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a snow removal knife comprising: 
 forming a knife assembly operably, disengagably connectable to a handle assembly;    forming a pole interface disposed on a knife assembly upper margin;    forming the knife assembly with a substantially planar knife assembly lower margin and with a distal cutting edge;    forming the cutting edge non-coplanar with the knife assembly lower margin, the cutting edge being upwardly directed relative to the knife assembly lower margin; and    defining a roof engaging surface proximate an intersection of the knife assembly lower margin and the distal cutting edge.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  including forming the cutting edge beveled relative to the knife assembly lower margin.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  including forming the knife assembly of a resilient material and including strengthening structure.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  including forming a plurality of strakes disposed on the knife assembly upper margin proximate the cutting edge to define the strengthening structure.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  including forming the knife assembly with a tapered cross section, a cross sectional dimension being greatest proximate the proximal edge to define the strengthening structure.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , including forming the handle assembly of at least one pole and including a spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  including forming a detent in the knife assembly pole interface and forming the locking mechanism engagable with the detent.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , including forming the handle assembly of a plurality of poles and including with each pole a spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface or with another pole.  
     
     
         30 . The snow removal knife of  claim 27  including forming a detent in the knife assembly pole interface and forming a detent formed in the other pole, and forming the locking mechanism being engagable with both detents.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , including forming the handle assembly of an electrically non-conductive material.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 9 , including forming a gripping portion including at least one pole and forming a pole spring loaded locking mechanism for disengagable mating with the knife assembly pole interface or with the handle assembly as desired.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  including forming a detent in the knife assembly pole interface and forming a detent in the handle assembly, and forming the locking mechanism engagable with either detent.  
     
     
         34 . The snow removal knife of  claim 32 , including forming the gripping portion of an electrically non-conductive material.