Hand truck-mountable snowplow

Abstract

A hand truck-mountable snowplow is described. The snowplow includes a plow blade includes a front snow-engaging surface and a rear surface. The snowplow further includes a mounting apparatus having a connecting member and a toe plate-engaging member. The connecting member can be connected at a first end to the rear surface of the plow blade. The toe plate-engaging member is attached to the connecting member at a second end of the connecting member. The toe plate-engaging member includes an upper engagement plate and a lower engagement plate. The upper and lower engagement plates are in substantially parallel planes and are separated by a distance of at least the thickness of a toe plate of a hand truck. The snowplow further includes a securing mechanism adapted to hold the toe plate-engaging member in place relative to the toe plate when the toe plate is received by the toe plate-engaging member.

1 . A hand truck-mountable snowplow comprising: 
 a plow blade comprising a front snow-engaging surface and a rear surface; and    a mounting apparatus comprising 
 a connecting member connected at a first end to the rear surface of the plow blade,  
 a toe plate-engaging member attached to the connecting member at a second end of the connecting member, the toe plate-engaging member comprising an upper engagement plate and a lower engagement plate, the upper and lower engagement plates being in substantially parallel planes and being separated by a distance of at least the thickness of a toe plate of a hand truck, and  
 a securing mechanism adapted to hold the toe plate-engaging member in place relative to the toe plate when the toe plate is received by the toe plate-engaging member.  
   
   
   
       2 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member comprises a unitary sheet of metal.  
   
   
       3 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 2 , wherein the metal is steel.  
   
   
       4 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member and toe plate-engaging member are formed of unitary construction.  
   
   
       5 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is curved such that the first end and second end are disposed at a vertical angle of between about 50 degrees and about 100 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is curved such that the first end and second end are disposed at a vertical angle of between about 70 degrees and about 80 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is curved such that, in use, vertical rails of a hand truck on which the snowplow is mounted are disposed at an angle of between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees off horizontal.  
   
   
       8 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is curved such that, in use, vertical rails of a hand truck on which the snowplow is mounted are disposed at an angle of between about 40 degrees and about 50 degrees off horizontal.  
   
   
       9 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is curved such that the first end and second end are disposed at a horizontal angle of between about 5 degrees and about 25 degrees.  
   
   
       10 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the plow blade is disposed at a horizontal angle of between about 12 degrees and about 18 degrees with respect to a front face of the toe plate-engaging member.  
   
   
       11 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the securing mechanism comprises a threaded member and an aperture in the upper engagement plate adapted to receive the threaded member.  
   
   
       12 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 11 , wherein, in use, the threaded member frictionally engages the top surface of the toe plate when received by the aperture.  
   
   
       13 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 11 , wherein the aperture is threaded.  
   
   
       14 . The hand truck-mountable snowplow of  claim 1 , wherein the securing mechanism comprises 
 a flexible strap having a first end attached to one of the upper or lower engagement plates, and a second end with a first connector, and    a second connector adapted to receive the first connector, the second connector being attached to the one of the upper or lower engagement plates to which the first end of the strap is not attached.    
   
   
       15 . A method of moving snow comprising: 
 providing a hand truck-mountable snowplow comprising a plow blade, a mounting apparatus and a securing mechanism, the mounting apparatus comprising a toe plate-engaging member attached to the plow blade, the toe plate-engaging member comprising an upper engagement plate and a lower engagement plate, the upper and lower engagement plates being in substantially parallel planes and defining a slot for receiving a toe plate of a hand truck;    providing the hand truck having the toe plate;    providing snow;    sliding the mounting apparatus onto the toe plate such that the upper engagement plate is juxtaposed against a top surface of the toe plate and the lower engagement plate is juxtaposed against a bottom surface of the toe plate;    securing the mounting apparatus on the hand truck with the securing mechanism; and    pushing the hand truck to engage the plow blade with the snow, thereby moving the snow.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the securing step comprises threadedly engaging a threaded member with an aperture in the upper engagement plate such that the threaded member frictionally engages the top surface of the toe plate.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the securing step comprises wrapping a flexible strap connected to one of the upper or lower engagement plates around the back of the toe plate and connecting the strap to the one of the upper or lower engagement plates to which the strap was not already attached.