Snow shovel with angularly adjustable blade

Abstract

A snow shovel includes a blade and an elongated handle having a first end and a second end. A pivoting joint is provided having a handle connection portion connected to the second end of the handle and a blade connection portion connected to the blade. The blade connection portion of the pivoting joint has more than two female receptacles defining positions for adjusting the angular positioning of the blade connection relative to the handle connection. A male member is insertable into a selected one of the female receptacles to set the relative position of the blade connection portion to the handle connection portion. The orientation of the blade relative to the blade connection portion is altered to change the angular orientation of the pivoting joint by 90 degrees from pivoting side to side relative to the handle to pivoting up and down relative to the handle.

1 . A snow shovel, comprising:
 an elongated handle having a first end and a second end;   a blade;   a pivoting joint having a handle connection portion connected to the second end of the handle and a blade connection portion connected to the blade, the blade connection portion of the pivoting joint having more than two female receptacles defining positions for adjusting the angular positioning of the blade connection relative to the handle connection;   a male member insertable into a selected one of the female receptacles to set the relative position of the blade connection portion to the handle connection portion;   the orientation of the blade relative to the blade connection portion is altered by 90 degrees to change the angular orientation of the pivoting joint from pivoting side to side relative to the handle to pivoting up and down relative to the handle.   
   
   
       2 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein a first pivotal stop is provided to stop pivotal movement in a first direction when the male member is aligned with one of the female receptacles and a second pivotal stop is provided to stop pivotal movement in a second direction when the male member is aligned with another of the female receptacles. 
   
   
       3 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein the male member is biased by a spring into an engaged positioned engaging one of the female receptacles and a linkage is provided to exert a force upon the male member to over come the biasing force of the spring to facilitate angular adjustment. 
   
   
       4 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage extends up through the handle terminating at the first end of the handle. 
   
   
       5 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein the blade connects to the blade connection portion of the pivoting joint through a male to female connection with a male member and a female receptacle, one of the male member or the female member having spring biased balls and the other of the male member or the female member having ball receiving recesses, the ball receiving recesses being arranged in opposed pairs and in an orientation offset by 90 degrees, to serve as means for altering the orientation of the blade relative to the blade connection portion to change the angular orientation of the pivoting joint by 90 degrees from pivoting side to side relative to the handle to pivoting up and down relative to the handle. 
   
   
       6 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein drainage holes are provided in the pivoting joint. 
   
   
       7 . The snow shovel of  claim 1 , wherein a grip at the first end of the handle rotates to accommodate changes in orientation of the blade. 
   
   
       8 . A snow shovel, comprising:
 an elongated handle having a first end and a second end;   a blade;   a pivoting joint having a handle connection portion connected to the second end of the handle and a blade connection portion connected to the blade, the blade connection portion of the pivoting joint having more than two female receptacles defining positions for adjusting the angular positioning of the blade connection relative to the handle connection;   a male member insertable into a selected one of the female receptacles to set the relative position of the blade connection portion to the handle connection portion;   a spring biasing the male member into an engaged positioned engaging one of the female receptacles;   a linkage to exert a force upon the male member to over come the biasing force of the spring to facilitate angular adjustment, the linkage extending up through the handle and terminating in an activation handle at the first end of the handle; and   a first pivotal stop is provided to stop pivotal movement in a first direction when the male member is aligned with one of the female receptacles and a second pivotal stop is provided to stop pivotal movement in a second direction when the male member is aligned with another of the female receptacles.   
   
   
       9 . The snow shovel of  claim 8 , wherein the pivoting joint enables the orientation of the blade to be pivoted up and down relative to the handle. 
   
   
       10 . The snow shovel of  claim 8 , wherein the pivoting joint enables the orientation of the blade to be pivoted from side to side relative to the handle. 
   
   
       11 . The snow shovel of  claim 8 , wherein the blade is connected to the blade connection portion of the pivoting joint through a male to female connection with a male member and a female receptacle, one of the male member or the female member having spring biased balls and the other of the male member or the female member having ball receiving recesses, the ball receiving recesses being arranged in opposed pairs and in an orientation offset by 90 degrees, to serve as means for altering the orientation of the blade relative to the blade connection portion to change the angular orientation of the pivoting joint by 90 degrees from pivoting side to side relative to the handle to pivoting up and down relative to the handle. 
   
   
       12 . The snow shovel of  claim 8 , wherein drainage holes are provided in the pivoting joint. 
   
   
       13 . The snow shovel of  claim 8 , wherein a grip at the first end of the handle rotates to accommodate changes in orientation of the blade.