A Wovel is a Whopper of a Shovel!
NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT - Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - Yesterday I was surfing the internet and I found something that was really intriguing. I found a picture of a gadget that looked like a morph between an old fashioned bicycle – you know – the kind with the great big front wheel – and a shovel! You stand on one side of the wheel and the shovel blade is on the other. The shovel/handle is centered on the wheel's hub. Using a seesaw action, you lower the blade to the ground; push the gadget to fill the shovel, then "throw" the snow in the shovel using an action not unlike what you used to do to scare the kid on the other end of a seesaw! Do you remember quickly pushing down on the handles to make the kid up in the air lift from his seat?
A company press release describes the device pretty well:
"The Wovel is a wheeled snow shovel that is defining the new physics of snow removal by making it safer and easier to clear the white stuff from sidewalks and driveways. The unique design of the Wovel allows the user to multiply mechanical force to remove and throw snow three-times faster than a traditional shovel. The Wovel outperforms single stage snow blowers, handles slush, is fully adjustable for user height and snow conditions, and breaks down for off-season storage. Made of injection-molded polypropylene plastic and steel, the 100% American made Wovel is just over six feet long with a 26" by 18" blade; the Wovel wheel diameter spans three feet. The adjustable fulcrum point at the axle allows the Wovel to work like a seesaw, leveraging a mechanical advantage without the physical discomfort of normal shoveling.
The mechanical advantage makes it possible to throw three-times as much snow (as a traditional shovel) and make piles over four feet high with less physical exertion.
`The Wovel is dramatically changing snow removal wherever it's tried,'said Mark Noonan, designer of the Wovel and founder and president of Structured Solutions II, manufacturer and distributor of the Wovel.
`It outperforms and is safer than a single stage snow blower, is environmentally clean, and because of the leverage achieved through the design is less stressful on a person's heart, joints and muscles.'
`People also are having a lot of fun with the word, wovel,'added Noonan. `They have turned it into a verb: To Wovel. And a noun: Woveler. But more importantly, they have embraced the concept and the product.'
With an estimated 73,000 medical emergency room visits annually due to injuries received through snow removal (including over exertion, heart attacks, strokes, back, muscle and joint injuries and snow blower-related injuries), the Wovel is a safe and affordable alternative for snow removal.
`With the Wovel, it would appear that personal snow shoveling has entered the machine age!' said Steven J Weiss, D.O., a top New York City sports medicine specialist.
`While it will not remove all risks of strain or injury, it appears to have made shoveling much more efficient, safer, less strenuous, easier, thus reducing the risks for either musculoskeletal or heart-related injuries.'
Several accessories are also available, including: an ice chipper; gravel wheels and a replacement wear strip for the shovel blade; and foam grips for additional comfort.
The Whovel sells for $119.95 (MSRP). To purchase the Wovel and accessories, call 877-598-2599.
The Wovel is manufactured and distributed by Structured Solutions II, located in New Canaan, Connecticut. Structured Solutions II designs and manufactures novel products that simplify and ease the chores of every day life. Our products and patents range from hardware items like the Wovel to electronics accessories and military/defense technologies - all based on our patented custom designs. All our products are manufactured in the United States. For more information, call 877-598-2599."
I called the company and spoke with Mr. Hank Pohl, Director of Marketing, to ask him some questions. To hear his responses to each question, right click the question.
1. Is the currently available in stores, and if not, where can it be purchased?
2. How long has this gadget been around?
3. Have you sold any Wovels in the Upper Peninsula's snow belt?
4. Are there any attachments, improvements, etc. in the works? Who is your customer base?
6. Do you think global warming will affect sales of the Wovel?
7. How difficult is it to maneuver the device? Is it hard to "throw" the snow?
8. Is it difficult to cut through heavy snow, snow banks or packed snow and ice?
9. How far can you "throw" the snow using a Wovel?
10. What is the Wovel made of and will it stand up to heavy use?
To see a History Channel video of the Wovel in action [CLICK HERE]
To see a NBC News report on the Wovel [CLICK HERE]
Mr. Pohl said he will send us a list of local vendors as it comes available. The company is looking for "brick and mortar" outlets to sell the Wovel. Dealership information is also available through their corporate offices and online. The company's website address is www.wovel.com.
Jim Albert
