Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A closed back shovel is fabricated by placing a frog within a back-side cavity of a standard open back shovel head. The frog is configured to fill the back-side cavity of the shovel blade. A tang element interconnects the frog and a forward end of a tool handle positioned within a tool receiving socket of the blade, within a handle receiving socket, to secure the tool handle to the shovel head. A process for assembling a closed back shovel includes the steps of securing the tang element to the frog, heating the tang element and placing the frog within the back-side cavity of the shovel blade so that the tang element extends into the handle receiving socket, and aligning a tool handle with the tang element by inserting the handle front end into the handle receiving socket. The tool handle includes a thermoplastic section in proximity into the front end thereof, having an elongate tang receiving channel. The heated tang element is driven into the tang receiving channel such that as the tang element engages the tool handle, the thermoplastic section surrounding the tang receiving channel is softened and flows into intimate contact around the tang element and then hardens as the heat of the tang element is dissipated to hold the tang element in place.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim