Material removing tool

Abstract

A manually operated material lifting tool primarily used for lifting roofing material. The tool has a tool blade, the blade having a front edge and rear edge, the front and rear edges joined by side edges. The blade is wider than it is longer and has slots extending inwardly from the front edge toward the back edge forming teeth between the slots. A handle is attached to the top of the blade approximately midway between the side edges, the bottom, front of the handle located behind, but adjacent the closed end of the nearest slot, and the bottom, rear of the handle adjacent the rear edge of the blade. The handle extends rearwardly and upwardly from the top of the blade at an angle ranging between 30° and 50°.

1 . A manually operated material lifting tool having: a short tool blade, the blade having front and rear edges, the front and rear edges joined by side edges, the front and rear edges being longer than the side edges to make the blade wider than it is longer; the blade having slots extending inwardly from the front edge toward the back edge forming teeth between the slots; a handle, having a bottom, attached to the top of the blade approximately midway between the side edges, the handle extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top of the blade; the bottom of the handle located between, and closely adjacent to both, the rear edge of the blade, and an imaginary line joining the inner ends of the slots so that the bottom of the handle extends substantially the entire distance between the rear edge of the blade and the imaginary line joining the inner ends of the slots. 
   
   
       2 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the tool blade is between about 2 to 3 and about 1 to 2. 
   
   
       3 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the handle extends directly upwardly from the top of the blade at an angle ranging between 30° and 50° . 
   
   
       4 . A tool as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the handle extends directly upwardly from the top of the blade at an angle ranging between 30° and 50° . 
   
   
       5 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each slot has a wide, generally short, inwardly tapering entry mouth, and a narrow, elongated extension extending rearwardly from the entry mouth to a closed end, the extension being longer than the entry mouth and slightly inwardly tapering towards its end. 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the tool blade has a raised strengthening ridge extending across the width of the blade between its side edges, the ridge parallel to the front edge and located adjacent the front of the handle. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A tool as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the ridge extends across the teeth. 
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the side edges of the blade angle away from each other toward the rear of the blade to make the rear edge longer than the front edge. 
   
   
       12 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the blade tapers in thickness from its rear edge to its front edge. 
   
   
       13 . A short tool blade for a manually operated material lifting tool, the tool blade having a front edge and a rear edge, the front and rear edges joined by side edges, the front and rear edges being longer than the side edges to make the blade wider than it is longer; the blade having slots extending inwardly from the front edge toward the back edge forming teeth between the slots; a hosel, having a bottom, attached to the top of the blade behind the slots and approximately midway between the side edges, the hosel extending rearwardly and upwardly from the top of the blade, the hosel adapted to receive a handle member by means of which the tool is manually operated, the bottom of the hosel located between, and closely adjacent to both the rear edge of the blade and an imaginary line joining the inner ends of the slots, so that the bottom of the hosel extends substantially the entire distance between the rear edge of the blade and the imaginary line joining the inner ends of the slots. 
   
   
       14 . A tool blade as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the tool blade is between about 2 to 3 and 1 to 2. 
   
   
       15 . A tool as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the hosel extends upwardly from the blade at an angle ranging between 30° and 50° . 
   
   
       16 . A tool as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the hosel extends upwardly from the blade at an angle ranging between 30° and 50°. 
   
   
       17 . A tool blade as claimed in  claim 13  wherein each slot has a wide, generally short, inwardly tapering entry mouth, and a narrow, elongated extension extending rearwardly from the entry mouth to a closed end, the extension being longer than the entry mouth and slightly inwardly tapering towards its end. 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A tool blade as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the tool blade has a raised strengthening ridge extending across the width of the blade between its side edges, the ridge parallel to the front edge and located adjacent the front of the hosel. 
   
   
       20 . A tool blade as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the tool blade has a raised strengthening ridge extending across the width of the blade between its side edges, the ridge parallel to the front edge and located adjacent the front of the hosel. 
   
   
       21 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the tool blade is about four inches long and the teeth in the blade are about one and a half inches long. 
   
   
       22 . A tool blade as claimed in  claim 13  that is about four inches long and the teeth are about one and a half inches long. 
   
   
       23 . A tool blade for a manually operated material lifting tool, the tool blade having a front edge and a rear edge, the front and rear edges joined by side edges, the front and rear edges being longer than the side edges to make the blade wider than it is longer; the blade having slots extending inwardly from the front edge toward the back edge forming teeth between the slots; a hosel attached to the top of the blade behind the slots and approximately midway between the side edges, the hosel extending rearwardly and upwardly from the top of the blade, the hosel adapted to receive a handle member by means of which the tool is manually operated, the distance between the rear edge of the blade and an imaginary line joining the inner ends of the slots being only long enough, and no longer, to allow attachment of the hosel to the top of the blade with the front, bottom side of the hosel closely adjacent the imaginary line and the rear, bottom side of the hosel closely adjacent the rear edge of the blade.