AU2005100793B4

AU2005100793B4 - Mobile Metal Detector Support Unit

Info

Publication number: AU2005100793B4
Application number: AU2005100793A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Neville Thomas Allsopp
Original assignee: NEVILLE ALLSOPP
Current assignee: NEVILLE ALLSOPP
Priority date: 2005-07-19
Filing date: 2005-09-23
Publication date: 2006-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2013-09-23
Also published as: AU2005100793A4

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

SPECIFICATION

NO )N O VA±m 7'-e MOBILE METAL DETECTOR SUPPORT

UNIT

The invention is described in the following statement: MOBILE METAL DETECTOR SUPPORT UNIT The present invention relates to a mobile metal detector support unit.

SBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a mobile metal detector support unit which is attached to a metal detector, in particular a deep nugget metal detector, to allow better and easier control of the metal detector when fossicking.

Deep nugget metal detectors have a large detection coil which makes the ci units heavy and unwieldy to operate. As a consequence they cannot be hand-held as they are too heavy too lift and sweep across the area being checked for nuggets. In general, these large detection coils are attached to and dragged behind a mobile unit, such as a motorbike, meaning deep nugget fossicking is less available to fossickers.

While mobile metal detector support units do exist to allow the fossicker to manually use the metal detector, they are cumbersome to assemble and operate, and do not provide the ability to easily sweep an area of land.

Being cumbersome, they tend not to be able to be used over a long period of time as the fossicker will easily become fatigued, and cannot be used with individuals with back problems due to the stress on the back region. Also, these support units do not allow the metal detector to cover a large area at a time as they do not provide a full 180 degree sweep, and are generally difficult to manage over undulating terrain.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mobile metal detector support unit whereby a full 180 degree sweep can be conducted with minimal stress to the operator and can be operated in various types of terrain. This is accomplished in the following manner: 2 SBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The new mobile metal detector support unit comprises of a T-shaped base unit with wheels at the front and a brake spike at the rear. This base unit supports a centre post, which extends upwards from the front to a rotating control unit. The rotating control unit houses the central rotating arm to which the metal detector is attached, and can be rotated left and right to greater than 180 degrees as well as up and down. Below the rotating control unit, there are two battery trays attached to carry the batteries for the metal detector.

Using the handle on the central rotating arm, the operator is able to swing the metal detector left and right close to the ground to search for nuggets. In addition, by twisting the handle left or right, the detection coil changes angles which allows the coil to sweep on sloping ground. After sweeping an area, the operator is able to move by lifting the rear of the base unit, thus lifting the brake spike and moving backwards or forwards. Once the operator is located ready for the next sweep, they place the brake spike down anchoring the unit, and commence sweeping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described by way of example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which: Figure 1 shows the front view of the mobile metal detector support unit according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 3 and 4 are side views of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mobile metal detector support unit; 3 Figure 6 is a top view of the rotating control unit of the mobile metal detector support unit; SFigure 7 is a bottom view of the rotating control unit of the mobile metal Sdetector support unit; Figure 8 is a front view of the rotating control unit of the mobile metal detector support unit; 0 Figure 9 is a cross-section view of the centre post of the mobile metal detector support unit showing the internal sleeves; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the rotating control unit of the mobile metal detector support unit when not assembled; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the battery tray of the metal detector unit; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the housing sleeve and locking clips for the telescopic arm of the metal detector unit; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the centre base frame of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 14 is a perspective, sectional view of the front wheel axle frame of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 15 is a perspective view of the front wheel frame of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 16 is a top view of the centre post of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 17 is a top view of the bottom brace of the mobile metal detector support unit; Figure 18 is a back view of the guide post of the mobile metal detector support unit; 4 Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic arm of the mobile metal detector support unit.

Figure 20 is a bottom view of the T-shaped, base frame unit of the mobile metal detector support unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the various figures of the drawings, like reference characters designate like parts.

The mobile metal detector support unit, as embodied in the drawings, is made up of a T-shaped base unit. The T-shaped base unit is comprised of a rectangular-shaped, hollow front wheel frame 23 containing a u-shaped axle frame 71 at each end of the front wheel frame 23. Each u-shaped axle frame 71 is aligned with the opening 95 at each end of the front wheel frame. The axle frames 71 have a hole 74 and 75 at either end to house cylindrical, wheel axles 70 and 74. These wheel axles 70 and 74 are placed through the holes 74 and 75 in the axle frame 71 and are welded in place. The u-shaped axle frames 71 are kept in place by rivets 78, 79 84 and 85 through holes 72 and 73 in the front wheel frame 23. Wheels 24 and 25 are attached to the wheel axles 70 and 104 respectively using a split pin inserted through the holes 76 and 77 located toward the end of the wheel axles 70 and 104.

The centre post 17 is welded to a centre post bracket 20 and is reinforced by braces 18 and 19 extending from each outer edge of the centre post bracket 20 to the centre post 17. The centre post bracket 20 is attached to the top middle of the front wheel frame 23 by placing bolts 21, 22, 96 and 97 through the holes 61, 62, 98 and 99 on the centre post bracket 20 and through the holes 80, 81, 82 and 83 on the top of the front wheel frame 23.

A bottom connecting bracket 26 is then attached over the protruding bolts 21, 22, 96 and 97 through holes 65, 66, 100 and 101 and nuts 27, 28, 103 and 105 are attached on the bottom side to the protruding bolts 21, 22, 96 and 97 to keep the two brackets in place.

A centre frame 33 slides between the centre post bracket 20 and the bottom connecting bracket 26 and extends outwards. The centre frame 33 is kept in place by bolts 94 and 37 inserted through the holes 64 and 63 respectively in the top connecting plate 20 and through the holes 67 and 68 in the bottom connecting plate 26 and nuts 38 and 102 are attached on the bottom side to the protruding bolts 94 and 37 to secure the centre frame 33 in place. The centre frame 33 has an end cap 32 attached to the outer opening of the centre frame 33 to seal the frame. A hole 91 is located towards the outer end of the centre frame 33, which is used to house the guide post 31.

The guide post 31 has a thread 105 at the bottom end which passes through the hole 91 in the centre frame 33, and screws into the brake spike 29 which is pushed into the ground to stop the unit from moving. At the upper end of the guide post 31 is an arm rest 30 which is used to support the arm of the mobile metal detector support unit when at rest.

The centre post 17 has two internal flanges 47 and 48. A primarily, Ushaped rotating control head 1 has a pointed shaft 46 protruding from the bottom which is placed inside the centre post 17 and is secured in place by the internal flanges 47 and 48. At the top of the shaft 46 is a roller bearing which sits in the flange 47 and allows the rotating control head 1 to rotate. Located in each top corner of the rotating control head 1 are support units 2, 3, 4 and 5, which the coil control box of the metal detector unit rests in and is secured in place by bolts 6 and 7. Attached to each outer edge of the rotating control head 1 are battery housing units 15 and 16. The battery housing units 15 and 16 are attached to the rotating control head 1 by placing screws 34, 35, 49 and 50 through the holes 59 and 60 in the battery housing unit and then through the holes 53, 55, 54 and 56 in the rotating control head 1.

A cylindrical, arm guiding unit 12 is welded to two guiding unit posts 8 and 9. Each guiding unit post 8 and 9 has a threaded hole 86 at the outer edge.

The guiding unit posts 8 and 9 are attached to the rotating control head 1 by inserting bolts 10 and 11 through the holes 51 and 52 in the rotating control 6 head 1 and into the threaded hole 86 in each guiding unit post 8 and 9. The 0 arm guiding unit 12 allows the arm to move up and down.

An outer arm 69 is passed through the arm guiding unit 12 and is kept from Sslipping by locking sleeves 87 and 88 at either end of the arm guiding unit 12. The locking sleeves 87 and 88 are kept in place with screws 89 and Swhich prevent the arm from sliding. The outer arm 69 has a telescopic, inner arm 36 on the rear end, which can be adjusted to the length required and locked in place using the locking unit 39. The inner arm 36 has a gripping handle 13 at the end, which is locked in place with bolt 41 and nut 43. The inner arm 36 is placed on the arm rest 30 of the guide post 31 when the mobile metal detector support unit is not being used.

A metal detector attachment neck 14 is attached to the front end of the outer arm 69 and is locked in place with bolt 40 and nut 42. The metal detector attachment neck 14 has a hole 44 at the lower end, which the detection coil is attached to when in use.

Numerous alterations of the structures herein discussed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to preferred embodiments of the invention, which are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

Claims

1. A mobile metal detector support unit comprising of: A T-shaped base unit with wheels at the front and a brake spike at the rear; Said base unit supporting a centre post, which extends upwards from the front to a rotating control unit; Said rotating control unit housing the central rotating arm to which the detection coil is attached; Said rotating control unit with multiple battery housing units attached; Said rotating control unit with a support structure on the top surface to house the coil control box.

2. A mobile metal detector support unit according to claim 1 wherein the central rotating arm is a single rod;

3. A mobile metal detector support unit according to claim 1 wherein the central rotating arm is telescopic;

4. A mobile metal detector support unit according to any claims 1-4 wherein the T-shaped base unit, centre post and rotating control unit are made from aluminium; A mobile metal detector support unit, said device being substantially as described with reference to figures 1-20 of the accompanying drawings. Neville Thomas Allsopp 12 June 2006 !r Australia 03 JUL 2006 A'Q.