US3685942A

US3685942A - Snow architecture scoop

Info

Publication number: US3685942A
Application number: US82660A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jasper Dean Shaffer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-10-21
Filing date: 1970-10-21
Publication date: 1972-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-22

Abstract

A device and method for use in producing compacted blocks of snow which can be assembled and shaped into sculptured works or other snow structures, the device comprising a scoop in the nature of an open ended mold having four tapered closed sides and a proximal end wall defining a mold cavity. The proximal end wall contains air holes and a handle to be gripped by the user. Snow blocks are formed in a continuous manner by forcing the open end of the scoop into snow, compacting the snow in the mold cavity of the scoop when the scoop is full of snow by pushing the scoop toward the ground into more snow and jarring the compacted snow from the mold cavity after elevating the scoop.

Description

Unite States atent Shatter 1541 SNOW CECTURE SCOOP [72] Inventor: Jasper Dean Shaffer, 150 South First E., Providence, Utah 84332 22 Filed: Oct. 21, 1910 [21] App1.No.: 82,660

'52 U.S.C1 ..425/276, 4611 R, 249/141, 425/812 51 Int.C1 ..B28b 7/34,A23g 5/02 [58] Field of Search ..249/134, 69, 1, 13, 117, 207, 249/127,141,133, 70,120,l21,131, 203;

18/DIG. 57, 2 RM, 1 R, 42 J, DIG. 55, 39;

46/11,16, 41, 1 R; 215/1 C; 220/DIG. 6,94

[151 3,685,942 [4 1 Aug. 22, 1972 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney-Lynn G. Foster [57] ABSTRACT A device and method for use in producing compacted blocks of snow which can be assembled and shaped into sculptured works or other snow structures, the device comprising a scoop in the nature of an open ended mold having four tapered closed sides and a proximal end wall defining a mold cavity. The proximal end wall contains air holes and a handle to be gripped by the user. Snow blocks are formed in a con tinuous manner by forcing the open end of the scoop into snow, compacting the snow in the mold cavity of the scoop when the scoop is full of snow by pushing the scoop toward the ground into more snow and jarring the compacted snow from the mold cavity after elevating the scoop.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDmzz ls}? FIG. 7

IN JASPER DEA NTOR.

BACKGROUND l. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device and method of making architectural creations of snow or other like compressible material, and more particularly to a scoop and related method for fabricating blocks of snow or the like which can be combined to form sculptured works, fortresses, etc.

2. Prior Art and Objects of the Invention Prior art devices that are used to form, mold or otherwise structure loose snow, include an apparatus comprising a shovel, a box and an ejector used in combination to form snow blocks of a predetermined configuration while being used to shovel the snow from a walkway. This apparatus is costly, awkward to use in making snow blocks and may not adequately compact the snow block without excessive labor. Another apparatus comprises tongs including handles which compress snow within a portable mold, half the mold being attached to one handle and half to the other.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a novel, manually operable scoop which comprises a housing with handle structure, the housing also defining a mold cavity open at one end. Provision is made for evacuating air from the mold cavity as snow or the like is caused to be located in the cavity. Snow blocks are readily formed in a continuous manner by displacing the scoop within available snow until the mold cavity is filled with snow which is compressed. Additional compaction results thereafter when the mouth of the cavity is oriented downward and the scoop is forced toward the ground into more snow, following which the snow is removed from the cavity by a jarring motion after the scoop has been elevated.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel device and unique method for forming snow blocks, the device being simple to use.

Also it is the object of this invention to provide a device and method, the device being inexpensive and relatively simple to manufacture.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a presently preferred scoop according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective representation of another type of proximal end for the scoop;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of still another proximal end construction for the scoop;

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate the manner in which the scoop is used to form blocks of snow; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective representation of snow architecture formed using blocks fabricated with the scoop of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT With particular reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, presently preferred scoop structure, according to the present invention, will now be described, like numerals being used to identify like parts throughout.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is generally designated 10. The scoop 10 comprises a housing or enclosure 12, which defines an open end or mouth 14 at the distal edges of four sides 16 through 19. The edges at the mouth 14, if desired, may be tapered to a narrow edge (not shown). The construction of the scoop 10 is preferably of one-piece injection molded plastic. In any event, the sidewalls 16 through 19 are integral one with another and define a mold cavity 20.

The walls 16 through 19 of the housing 12 are tapered so that the mold cavity 20 is shaped for a more ready egress of snow or the like following introduction and compaction. Only a very slight taper is required to serve the indicated purpose.

The proximal end of the housing 12 is closed at 22, the end 22 being integral with the previously mentioned sides 16 through 19. A plurality of air holes 24 are provided in the end 22 to accommodate expulsion of air from the mold cavity 20 as the mold cavity is being filled with snow.

For ease of handling, a handle, generally designated 26 axially extends from the back wall 22 and is integral therewith. The handle 26 comprises, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate 28 into which a large slot 30 is formed of sufficient dimension to allow the user to readily place his or her hand therethrough to handle and control the scoop. It is not critical that the handle be of the configuration indicated nor that it be located precisely as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

For example, the proximal end of the scoop may be configurated as illustrated in FIG. 3. Specifically, the four walls 16 through 19 merge into a rectangular flange extension 36 which is spanned in one direction by a handle 38 comprising a plate 40 which is integral with the flange 36 and defines a slot 42 for receiving the fingers or hand of the user.

In like manner, the proximal end of the scoop may be configurated as illustrated in FIG. 4. Specifically, the end construction of FIG. 4 comprises a flange 44 forming an extension of the previously mentioned walls 16 through 19, opposed legs of the flange 46 and 48 defining hand-receiving slots 50 and 52 respectively, to receive the two hands of the user.

Snow or like blocks are formed in a continuous manner by the user gripping the handle and by forcing the open mouth 14 into snow laden upon the ground with sufficient force to cause the snow to become compacted within the mold cavity 20, as best shown in FIG. 5. The compaction of the snow in the mold cavity of the scoop may be completed by orienting the scoop in a vertical direction with the mouth down and forcing the mouth toward the ground in the snow, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, additional snow may be forced into the scoop and the snow already in the scoop will be further compacted. Subsequently, the scoop is elevated above the snow level on the ground and is advanced in a downward direction continuously followed by upward jerks so that the scoop is jarred and the compacted snow is ejected from the mold cavity, as shown in FIG. 6

Once a number of snow blocks have been fabricated in the manner described, they may be assembled to form walls, igloos, snow furniture, sculptured works of art, etc. One type of snow block construction, which may be constructed using blocks formed according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, each snow block 60 is placed in tiers which are staggered one in respect to the next, and are shaped to define a series of steps 62 and a surface slide 64 for children.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A device for making construction of snow and the like compressible material comprising: a plastic scoop structure including a housing closed by a back wall at one end, the housing comprising four side walls tapered outward from the proximal ends thereof and integrally connected one to the next, the proximal end of each side wall being integrally joined to but extending slightly beyond the back wall thereby defining a rearwardly extending flange, the side walls and back walls in combination defining a divergent mold cavity for receiving the snow, said back wall comprising at least one aperture for venting air from the mold cavity as snow is received, the distal end of the side walls together defining a front opening to the mold cavity, the scoop structure further comprising handle means including a thin slotted bridge spanning between opposed portions of said rear flange which does not extend beyond the axial length of the flange, said handle means extending transversely of said back wall and adapted to be manually gripped by the user and used to manipulate the scoop to fill it with snow, to compact the snow in the scoop and to discharge the compacted snow as a block.

Claims

1. A device for making construction of snow and the like compressible material comprising: a plastic scoop structure including a housing closed by a back wall at one end, the housing comprising four side walls tapered outward from the proximal ends thereof and integrally connected one to the next, the proximal end of each side wall being integrally joined to but extending slightly beyond the back wall thereby defining a rearwardly extending flange, the side walls and back walls in combination defining a divergent mold cavity for receiving the snow, said back wall comprising at least one aperture for venting air from the mold cavity as snow is received, the distal end of the side walls together defining a front opening to the mold cavity, the scoop structure further comprising handle means including a thin slotted bridge spanning between opposed portions of said rear flange which does not extend beyond the axial length of the flange, said handle means extending transversely of said back wall and adapted to be manually gripped by the user and used to manipulate the scoop to fill it with snow, to compact the snow in the scoop and to discharge the compacted snow as a block.