Grading blade for a toothed shovel

Claim 1

A grading blade attachment for a backhoe shovel or the like having a plurality of outwardly extending spaced teeth, each of said teeth having a raised portion on the upper surface thereof, said blade attachment comprising: a substantially planar trapezoidal first blade member having a short parallel edge of width substantially equal to the width of said shovel, a long parallel edge, and a pair of opposed converging side edges, a substantially planar rectangular second blade member rigidly affixed to said long parallel edge of said first blade member and extending outwardly thereof, said second blade member terminating in a scraping edge substantially parallel to said parallel edges, a pair of upstanding side portions, one of said side portions being attached to said first blade member along each of said nonparallel edges and extending upwardly substantially perpendicular to said first blade member, means for attachment of said blade attachment to said shovel without modification of said shovel consisting essentially of, a clamping member attached to the underside of said second blade member to define therebetween an opening for receiving the end portions of said teeth, said clamping member being so located as to position said attachment such that said short parallel edge and said side portions are in juxtaposition to the respective edges of said shovel when said end portions of said teeth are in said opening, a plate member attached to the underside of said first blade member, said plate member having a plurality of notches for receiving the teeth of said shovel, each of said notches being defined at least in part by a shoulder oriented substantially perpendicular to said short parallel edge and engageable with the raised portion of said teeth when said teeth extend into said opening, and a plurality of threaded bolts extending through the holes provided in said first blade member and said clamping member and passing through the spaces between said teeth, said bolts being secured by nuts installed thereon to fasten said grading blade attachment to said shovel.