strong and have the necessary elasticity elastic members similar to so called 34 bungi cords 34 may be preferable applicant defers this detail to the design engineer fig4 illustrates the sequence of actions as the shovel is in use in fig4 a the shovel in closed position has been lowered in a vertical position through the snow 80 to the ground 82 force is exerted on the handgrips 34 in opposite outward and downward directions to positions as shown in fig4 b and 4c thereby forcing apart the handgrips and by means of the pivotable joint 32 in the handles 30 also forcing apart the blades 20 while they are simultaneously forced downward to maintain contact with the ground 82 the mass of the snow being moved and the friction of the contact with the ground cause the distal section 24 of each blade to deflect from its normal position coplanar with the corresponding proximal section 22 thereof as the proximal section departs from the vertical towards the horizontal as shown in fig4 c this deflection of the distal blade section tends to keep the distal blade sections 24 nearly vertical as they are forced apart as the distal blade sections are forced apart moving in opposite directions substantially normal to their respective surfaces they push the snow from their path without the need for the operator to bend stoop or lift any snow upon completion of one stroke the shovel of this invention is lifted closed advanced in a direction parallel to the bottom edge of its blade and placed into the snow again as in fig4 a to repeat the sweeping action as is illustrated in fig5 it is a part of this invention to have such a snow shovel.