US Patent 7347468 Combined shovel and clearing tool arrangement

A combined shovel and clearing tool with a shovel and a clearing tool member for being coupled to the shovel. The clearing tool member can be selectively retained in a usage disposition, such as relative to a leading edge of a shovel blade, and in a storage disposition, such as relative to a trailing edge of the shovel blade or relative to a handle of the shovel. The clearing tool member can be retained by, for example, a clip arrangement, an elastic tether, or a rigid arm. Bristles can project from an obverse side of the shovel blade. The handle and the blade can be reconfigurable by, for example, a relative pivoting or a selective coupling of the handle with multiple receiving portions on the blade. A universal clearing tool can be coupled to a standard shovel.