Robust collapsible shovel
View Patent ↗A first elongated shaft and a second elongated shaft are removably coupled together at a connector to facilitate collapsing of a handle of the shovel. A spade is attached to a distal end of the first shaft. The connector has two parts, with one of the two parts attached to each of the ends of the shaft that are adjacent to each other. One of the two parts of the connector includes an insert and the other of the two parts includes the receiver, with the insert fitting into the receiver in a removable but secure fashion. The shafts are formed of a robust durable material such as fiber reinforced polymer formed from a pultrusion method. A grip is optionally provided on a proximal end of the second shaft.
1 . A robust collapsible shovel, comprising in combination:
a first shaft having a spade on a distal end thereof and a proximal end opposite said distal end;
a second shaft having a proximal end opposite a distal end;
a connector having two parts including a first part and a second part, said two parts removably attachable to each other along a central axis of said connector;
said first part of said connector coupled to said proximal end of said first shaft;
said second part of said connector coupled to said distal end of said second shaft;
wherein said connector is coupled to said first shaft and said second shaft through an adhesive; and
wherein said proximal end of said first shaft includes a lesser diameter tip of cylindrical form, and with said first part of said connector including a sleeve thereon, said sleeve having an inner diameter similar to an outer diameter of said tip at said proximal end of said first shaft, plus a tolerance amount, said tip having a lesser diameter than portions of said first shaft more spaced from said proximal end then said tip.
2 . The shovel of claim 1 wherein said central axis of said connector is aligned and co-linear with a central axis of said first shaft and said second shaft.
3 . The shovel of claim 1 wherein said adhesive includes beads thereon.
4 . The shovel of claim 3 wherein said beads are sized greater than 50% of a size of a tolerance space between said tip and said sleeve.
5 . The shovel of claim 4 wherein said beads are formed of glass.
6 . The shovel of claim 1 wherein said two parts of said connector include an insert and a receiver, said insert sized complementary with said receiver so that said insert can fit within said receiver.
7 . The shovel of claim 6 wherein said insert and said receiver exhibit a friction fit therebetween.
8 . The shovel of claim 7 wherein at least one of said insert and said receiver includes a rubber surface.
9 . The shovel of claim 6 wherein said receiver includes a set screw rotatable to pass through a wall of said receiver to engage said insert and hold said insert within said receiver.
10 . The shovel of claim 9 wherein said insert includes an indentation therein, sized to receive said setscrew therein.
11 . The shovel of claim 9 wherein said insert includes a through bore therein, sized to receive said setscrew therein.
12 . The shovel of claim 6 wherein said insert and said receiver are each threaded with complementary male and female threads for threadable attachment of said two parts of said connector together.
13 . The shovel of claim 1 wherein said second shaft includes a handle grip on said proximal end.
14 . The shovel of claim 13 wherein said handle grip is formed of rubber.
15 . The shovel of claim 1 wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are each formed of a non-electrically conductive material.
16 . The shovel of claim 15 wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are each formed of fiber reinforced polymer.
17 . The shovel of claim 16 wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are each formed by pultrusion.