Snow Blower Shovel Attachment Apparatus

Abstract

A snow blower shovel attachment apparatus for using a snow blower as a plow for wet snow includes a frame coupled to a shovel blade. The frame has a horizontal portion extending from a back face of the shovel blade and a vertical portion extending from the horizontal portion to above a top edge of the shovel blade. A plurality of attachment brackets is coupled to the frame. The plurality of attachment brackets includes a pair of upper attachment brackets coupled to a top end of the vertical portion of the frame and a pair of lower attachment brackets coupled to a bottom end of the vertical portion of the frame. The upper attachment brackets pivotably engage an auger housing of a snow blower and the lower attachment brackets selectively engage the auger housing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

[0004] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

[0005] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

[0006] The disclosure relates to snow shovel devices and more particularly pertains to a new snow shovel device for using a snow blower as a plow for wet snow.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

[0007] The prior art relates to snow shovel devices and attachments to snow blowers. Some existing devices are fixed in front of the snow blower and are not removable. Other existing devices utilize long arms extending in front of, and to the sides of, the snow blower making the device much more difficult to wield.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shovel blade having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front face, and a back face. A frame is coupled to the shovel blade. The frame has a horizontal portion extending from the back face of the shovel blade and a vertical portion extending from the horizontal portion above the top edge of the shovel blade. The vertical portion is coupled to the left edge and the right edge of the shovel blade. A plurality of attachment brackets is coupled to the frame. The plurality of attachment brackets includes a pair of upper attachment brackets coupled to a top end of the vertical portion of the frame and a pair of lower attachment brackets coupled to a bottom end of the vertical portion of the frame. The upper attachment brackets are configured to pivotably engage an auger housing of a snow blower and the lower attachment brackets are configured to selectively engage the auger housing.

[0009] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0010] The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a snow blower shovel attachment apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new snow shovel device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0019] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the snow blower shovel attachment apparatus 10 generally comprises a shovel blade 12 having a bottom edge 14, a top edge 16, a left edge 18, a right edge 20, a front face 22, and a back face 24. The front face 22 may have a tapered portion 26 adjacent the bottom edge 14 to more effectively shovel snow. The front face 22 may also have a plurality of ridges 28 to direct the snow while shoveled.

[0020] A frame 30 is coupled to the shovel blade 12. The frame 30 has a horizontal portion 32 extending from the back face 24 of the shovel blade and a vertical portion 34 extending from the horizontal portion 32 to above the top edge 16 of the shovel blade. The horizontal portion of the frame 32 may have a left horizontal portion 36 coupled to the back face 24 of the shovel blade proximal the left edge 18, a right horizontal portion 38 coupled to the back face 24 of the shovel blade proximal the right edge 20, and a medial horizontal portion 40 extending between the left horizontal portion 36 and the right horizontal portion 38. The vertical portion 34 of the frame may have a left vertical portion 42 and a right vertical portion 44 coupled to the left edge 18 and the right edge 20 of the shovel blade, respectively. A plurality of gussets 46 may be coupled to the left horizontal portion 36 and the right horizontal portion 38 of the frame. The plurality of gussets 46 is coupled between the horizontal portion 32 and the back face 24 of the shovel blade and between the horizontal portion 32 and the vertical portion 34 of the frame for improved structural integrity. Each gusset 46 may have a curved outer edge 48.

[0021] A plurality of attachment brackets 50 is coupled to the frame 30. The plurality of attachment brackets 50 includes a pair of upper attachment brackets 52 coupled to a top end 54 of the vertical portion 34 of the frame and a pair of lower attachment brackets 56 coupled to a bottom end 58 of the vertical portion 34 of the frame. Each attachment bracket 50 of the plurality of attachment brackets may extend perpendicularly to the vertical portion 34 of the frame and has a rounded distal end 60.

[0022] Each of the upper attachment brackets 52 may have a pivot aperture 62 proximal the distal end 60 and a locking aperture 64. Each of the lower attachment brackets 56 may have an attachment aperture 66. A pair of hinge bolts 68 is configured to pivotably couple the pivot aperture 62 of each upper attachment bracket to an auger housing 70 of a snow blower 72. The locking aperture 64 of each upper attachment bracket receives a pair of quick release pins 74 configured to selectively engage a pair of store position apertures 76 of the auger housing of the snow blower to maintain the apparatus 10 in an upright store position as shown in FIG. 4. The attachment aperture 66 of each of the lower attachment brackets receives the pair of quick release pins 74 to selectively engage a pair of use position apertures 78 of the auger housing of the snow blower to maintain the apparatus 10 in a use position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0023] As seen in FIG. 6, a pair of headlights 80 may be coupled to the shovel blade 12. Each headlight 80 has a light housing 82, a bulb 84, a battery 86 in operational communication with the bulb 84, and a control switch 88 in operational communication with the battery 86. Each light housing 82 may be cuboidal and coupled to the top edge 16 of the shovel blade adjacent the vertical portion 34 of the frame. The control switch 88 may be coupled to a handle 90 of the snow blower.

[0024] In use, the pair of hinge bolts 68 is used to mount the apparatus 10 to the snow blower 72. The pair of quick release pins 74 is then used to lock the apparatus 10 in either the store position to use the snow blower 72 normally or in the use position when the snow is too wet for normal snow blowing. The snow blower 72 then serves to drive the shovel blade 12 to act as a snow plow.

[0025] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0026] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A snow blower shovel attachment apparatus comprising: a shovel blade, the shovel blade having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front face, and a back face; a frame coupled to the shovel blade, the frame having a horizontal portion extending from the back face of the shovel blade and a vertical portion extending from the horizontal portion to above the top edge of the shovel blade, the vertical portion being coupled to the left edge and the right edge of the shovel blade; and a plurality of attachment brackets coupled to the frame, the plurality of attachment brackets including a pair of upper attachment brackets coupled to a top end of the vertical portion of the frame and a pair of lower attachment brackets coupled to a bottom end of the vertical portion of the frame, the upper attachment brackets being configured to pivotably engage an auger housing of a snow blower, the lower attachment brackets being configured to selectively engage the auger housing of the snow blower.

2. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pair of headlights coupled to the shovel blade, each headlight having a light housing, a bulb, a battery in operational communication with the bulb, and a control switch in operational communication with the battery.

3. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 2 further comprising each light housing being cuboidal and coupled adjacent the vertical portion of the frame.

4. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the horizontal portion of the frame having a left horizontal portion coupled to the back face of the shovel blade proximal the left edge, a right horizontal portion coupled to the back face of the shovel blade proximal the right edge, and a medial horizontal portion extending between the left horizontal portion and the right horizontal portion.

5. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of gussets coupled to the left horizontal portion and the right horizontal portion of the frame, the plurality of gussets being coupled between the horizontal portion and the back face of the shovel blade and between the horizontal portion and the vertical portion of the frame.

6. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 5 further comprising each gusset having a curved outer edge.

7. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the vertical portion of the frame having a left vertical portion and a right vertical portion coupled to the left edge and the right edge of the shovel blade, respectively.

8. The snow blower shovel attachment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising each attachment bracket of the plurality of attachment brackets extending perpendicularly to the vertical portion of the frame and having a rounded distal end, each of the upper attachment brackets having a pivot aperture proximal the distal end and a locking aperture, each of the lower attachment brackets having an attachment aperture, a pair of hinge bolts being configured to pivotably couple the pivot aperture of each upper attachment bracket to the auger housing of the snow blower, the locking aperture of each upper attachment bracket receiving a pair of quick release pins configured to selectively engage a pair of store position apertures of the auger housing of the snow blower, the attachment aperture of each of the lower attachment brackets receiving the pair of quick release pins to selectively engage a pair of use position apertures of the auger housing of the snow blower.

9. A snow blower shovel attachment apparatus comprising: a shovel blade, the shovel blade having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front face, and a back face; a frame coupled to the shovel blade, the frame having a horizontal portion extending from the back face of the shovel blade and a vertical portion extending from the horizontal portion to above the top edge of the shovel blade, the horizontal portion of the frame having a left horizontal portion coupled to the back face of the shovel blade proximal the left edge, a right horizontal portion coupled to the back face of the shovel blade proximal the right edge, and a medial horizontal portion extending between the left horizontal portion and the right horizontal portion, the vertical portion of the frame having a left vertical portion and a right vertical portion coupled to the left edge and the right edge of the shovel blade, respectively; a plurality of gussets coupled to the left horizontal portion and the right horizontal portion of the frame, the plurality of gussets being coupled between the horizontal portion and the back face of the shovel blade and between the horizontal portion and the vertical portion of the frame, each gusset having a curved outer edge; a plurality of attachment brackets coupled to the frame, the plurality of attachment brackets including a pair of upper attachment brackets coupled to a top end of the vertical portion of the frame and a pair of lower attachment brackets coupled to a bottom end of the vertical portion of the frame, each attachment bracket of the plurality of attachment brackets extending perpendicularly to the vertical portion of the frame and having a rounded distal end, each of the upper attachment brackets having a pivot aperture proximal the distal end and a locking aperture, each of the lower attachment brackets having an attachment aperture, a pair of hinge bolts being configured to pivotably couple the pivot aperture of each upper attachment bracket to an auger housing of a snow blower, the locking aperture of each upper attachment bracket receiving a pair of quick release pins configured to selectively engage a pair of store position apertures of the auger housing of the snow blower, the attachment aperture of each of the lower attachment brackets receiving the pair of quick release pins to selectively engage a pair of use position apertures of the auger housing of the snow blower; and a pair of headlights coupled to the shovel blade, each headlight having a light housing, a bulb, a battery in operational communication with the bulb, and a control switch in operational communication with the battery, each light housing being cuboidal and coupled adjacent the vertical portion of the frame.