Snow shovel
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various hand snow shovels are now made with scoops formed of plastic material. The most difficulty encountered with these shovels is the tendency for the scoops to bend and sometimes crack at the leading edge and in the body of the scoop just ahead of the handle-receiving socket. These difficulties prevent uniform snow removal over the full width of the shovel and also limit the shovel width. To attempt to overcome these tendencies it has been necessary to form the scoops of heavy material, thereby increasing their costs, and these attempts have not always been successful. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hand snow shovel which has a scoop of special form and a handle which may be of any suitable type. The scoop is molded in one piece from a suitable plastic, such as high-density polyethylene. A minimum wall thickness of material can be used because of the special reinforcing formation of the scoop. This formation includes a relatively heavy reinforcing and wear rib extending completely across the leading edge of the scoop. This rib, though relatively heavy, has a sharp edge and is formed and arranged that the edge is maintained as the rib does wear back from use. The reinforcing formation also includes a deep snow-retaining flange which extends around the remainder of the peripheral edge of the scoop, and laterallyspaced reinforcing ribs extending rearwardly from the leading edge. In addition, the top of the reinforcing formation contains a molded recess to allow nesting of additional sockets and handles and provide an extremely compact package for shipping when fully assembled. An outwardly-opening handle-receiving socket, with internally molded crush ribs is formed on the back surface of the scoop, at its centerline, and a reinforcing keel or rib is formed which extends from the socket to the reinforcing rib at the leading edge. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the snow shovel of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a face view of the scoop of the shovel; 
     FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the self-sharpening action of the wear rib; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the open end of the socket showing the crush ribs. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With specific reference to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a hand snow shovel which consists of a scoop and scraper 10 formed according to this invention and a handle 11 of any suitable type. 
     As indicated before, the scoop 10 is molded in one piece of a high-density plastic of suitable type, such as polyethylene. It is so formed that its wall thickness can be a minimum to save material and it still will have adequate strength to resist the forces encountered in shovelling or scooping snow and ice. 
     To accomplish this, the body 12 of the scoop is molded to a suitable shape, as indicated, which is of substantially rectangular outline and has a slightly concaved face. It has the leading wear edge or rib 13 and a retaining and reinforcing flange 14 provided at its remaining edges so that it is arranged in U-form. 
     The formation of the edge or rib 13 is important to this invention not only to resist wear but also as a reinforcement extending the full width of the body 12 to minimize transverse flexing and to prevent cracking of the edge. This wear and reinforcing rib 13 is indicated best in FIGS. 4 and 5, is wedge-shape in cross-section with its sharper edge leading or forward. As the edge wears, as indicated in FIG. 5, it will sharpen itself. It will continue to serve as a reinforcement until it completely wears off. 
     The flange 14 extending around the other three edges in an U arrangement not only serves to retain a substantial amount of snow on the scoop 10 but also serves as an important reinforcement of the scoop. It is angled outwardly so it will be self-cleaning and is of substantial depth at the rear or trailing edge of the scoop, but its sides gradually decrease in depth at forward portions 14a until it substantially merges with the rib 13. The rear part of flange 14 is provided with a mid-portion 14b which is curved farther rearwardly to provide for nesting and compact packaging by receiving the adjacent end of the socket of a superimposed scoop. In addition, the scoop body is provided with a series of laterally-spaced reinforcing ribs 15 which are embossed outwardly from its face. All of these ribs are similar except that the end ones have laterally outwardly curved ends 16 toward the adjacent portions 14a of flange 14, and the middle one extends more closely to the rear of inner part of flange 14. 
     A rearwardly or outwardly opening socket is integrally formed on the back surface of the scoop body 12, adjacent the rear portion of the flange 14, as shown best in FIG. 4, and at the center line laterally thereof. Its outer end is adjacent to the outwardly curved part 14b of the flange 14. This socket will receive the handle 11 which is secured therein by crush rib 17 shown in FIG. 6. This handle, may be wood or plastic and when wood, the ribs 17 will deform the wooden handle and will themselves also crush so as to cause an intimate fit. Two ribs 17 are shown in FIG. 6 but more may be used and they may be angularly disposed in the socket in different arrangements than that shown. 
     To prevent cracking or breakage in the body 12 at the inner end of the socket 18, which is a point of great stress during shovelling or scraping, a reinforcing keel 19 is provided in the form of a rib which projects from the rear surface of the scoop body as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This rib is formed at the centerline of the scoop body, midway of its side edges, and is integral with the center rib of the reinforcing ribs 15. It joins the closed end of the socket 18 where it projects rearwardly to substantially the same extent as the socket and is at a right angle to the rib 13. However, it tapers inwardly as it extends toward the rib 13, at the leading edge, and merges with the rib. 
     It will be apparent that when the scoop is used, the leading edge will be prevented from warping or cracking by the wear and reinforcing rib provided thereon. As this rib wears, it will be self-sharpening and will be a reinforcement until it completely wears away. The outwardly projecting peripheral U-flange will also serve as a reinforcement and will be self-cleaning. The ribs embossed in the face of the scoop will serve as additional reinforcement. The central keel on the back of the scoop will prevent cracking at the inner end of the socket. All of these reinforcement elements will make it possible to use a minimum of material with a resulting lowering of cost with improved strength. 
     The crush ribs will deform the wooden handle upon assembly and will themselves also crush so as to cause an intimate fit, preventing scoop or head rotation and maintaining the head to the handle.