AU2007100034A4 - Wheelie-bin Towing Bracket - Google Patents

Description

WHEELIE BIN TOWING BRACKET FIELD OF INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a wheelie bin towing bracket. The invention has particular application to a bracket attachable to a wheelie bin of similar type to those allocated to households in a number of countries and known at least in Australia by the trade marks "OTTO" and "SULO". However, the invention is not limited to wheelie bins of any particular brand.

BACKGROUND ART Wheelie bins have become an almost universal standard in Australia for municipal authorities collecting household refuse. In suburban settings, wheelie bins provide a very satisfactory apparatus for this purpose. However, in rural or semi-rural settings, or where properties are larger than typical suburban subdivisions, ambulatory transport of the wheelie bin can be very difficult, particularly if the weight of material in the wheelie bin is high.

Householders may load the wheelie bin into the back of a ute or truck, but this involves either lifting the wheelie bin onto the tray of the truck or rolling the wheelie bin up a steep ramp, and then the problem presenting itself again to unload the wheelie bin from the tray of the truck.

Wheelie bins of the type in respect of which the present invention may be used typically have a pair of wheels on a common axis near one edge of the base of the wheelie bin, but spaced slightly from the plane of the base such that when the wheelie bin rests on its base on a support surface, the wheels are clear of the support surface, but when the bin is tilted about the axis of the wheels to an "operative tilt angle", the wheels are lowered to the support surface so that the wheelie bin may be wheeled along the support surface on its wheels.

The present invention aims to provide a wheelie bin towing bracket which alleviates at least one of the aforesaid shortcomings, or at least provide an alternative solution to existing arrangements. Other aims and advantages of the invention may become apparent from the following description.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a wheelie bin towing bracket including:a bin clamp sized and shaped for girding a wheelie bin, the bin clamp having opposed sides which may be moved with respect to one another between a closed attitude at which the clamp grips the wheelie bin about its external periphery and an open attitude at which the clamp may be removed from and engaged with the wheelie bin; and locking means operatively associated with each side of the clamp for locking the sides in their closed attitude; a draw bar extending from the bin clamp from a proximal end attached to the bin clamp to a distal end remote from the bin clamp; and a towing fitting operatively associated with the distal end of the draw bar for fitting to a towing vehicle.

In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a wheelie bin towing bracket including:a bin clamp sized and shaped for girding a wheelie bin, the bin clamp having hoop means extendable about the between two ends; and locking means operatively associated with end of the hoop means for locking the ends together to substantially encircle the wheelie bin; a draw bar extending from the bin clamp from a proximal end attached to the bin clamp to a distal end remote from the bin clamp; and a towing fitting operatively associated with the distal end of the draw bar for fitting to a towing vehicle.

Preferably, the bin clamp is formed from flat metal such as mild steel, folded to conform to the size and shape of a typical wheelie bin. Of course, several models of wheelie bin towing bracket may be provided largely determined by the shape or configuration of such wheelie bins.

The inner face of the bin clamp may be provided with cushioning material to prevent the bin clamp from damaging the wheelie bin. A hinge may be provided tojoin two sides ofa two-sided bin clamp. Alternatively, the metal flats used to form the bin clamp may be selected from resiliently flexible or dead-fold flexible material to facilitate the relative motion between the sides of the bin clamp.

Preferably, the towing fitting is formed as a socket for fitting to a tow ball or hitch on the towing vehicle. For vehicles which do not have a towbar or other suitable hitch, a hitching clamp may be provided for clamping to a rear wall, such as an upstanding wall of the rear of a hatchback type vehicle. The hitching clamp includes a towbar and padded clamping means adapted for clamping to an upstanding wall portion of the towing vehicle.

The locking means may be provided in the form of a hook and loop pair, the hook being provided on one side of the bin clamp and the hook being provided on the other side of the bin clamp. In such form, the hook may be provided with a pivot connection to the relevant side of the bin clamp, the pivot being provided such that its axis of pivoting is spaced outwardly from the bin clamp a distance to permit the hook to lock against the bin clamp when operatively engaged with the hook, in such form as, for example, an over-centre arrangement.

The drawbar is preferably arranged at an angle to the bin clamp, that is to say, such that when the towing fitting is fitted to a towing vehicle, the drawbar is roughly parallel to the ground, but the bin clamp holds the wheelie bin at the operative tile angle with whereby the wheels of the wheelie bin engage with the ground to support the wheelie bin thereon. The towing fitting is typically in the form of a socket for a tow ball, but it will be appreciated that the fitting may be selected from those suitable to attach the draw bar to other hitching assemblies, such as hook and loop, chain links, lynch pin and apertures and such like. In particular, the hitching arrangement is selected from those which provide triaxial pivotal connection between the bin clamp and the towing vehicle.

A trolley assembly may be operatively interposed between the bin clamp and the draw bar. In such form, the trolley assembly includes a platform for supporting the bin or the number of bins for which bin clamps are provided, and a pair of wheels arranged transversely-to the draw bar. The wheels are may be arranged to support the platform when the platform is tilted to a hitching position, but be supported by the platform when the platform is flat on the ground.

Accordingly, when the trolley assembly may be tilted between two positions one being flat on the ground at which the wheelie bins may be loaded onto or unloaded off from the platform. The other position is the towing or hitched position at which the platform is tilted for support above the ground. In such form, the trolley assembly further includes a frame arranged for supporting the bin clamp(s) and against which the bin or bins may be leant when in the towing position.

In an alternative form, the trolley may be arranged to retain one or more wheelie bins without the use of respective bin clamps. That is, the bin clamps may be substituted by the trolley assembly. For example, the frame may be arranged to receive straps, ropes or the like to retain the wheelie bin(s) against the frame and in a suitable disposition for transport on the platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred and/or alternative embodiments of the invention, wherein:- Fig. 1 is a pictorial side view of a wheelie bin towing bracket according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a pictorial rear view of the wheelie bin towing bracket of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a pictorial view of an alternative wheelie bin towing bracket according to the invention; and Fig. 4 is a pictorial view of a hitching clamp for attaching the wheelie bin towing bracket or alternative wheelie bin towing bracket to a towing vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The wheelie bin towing bracket 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 includes two bin clamps 11 each sized and shaped for girding a wheelie bin 13. Each bin clamp has opposed sides which may be moved with respect to one another between a closed attitude and open attitude, the bin clamps being shown in their closed attitude. The opposed sides join one another at respective proximal ends and are shaped to extend around the girth of a wheelie bin to be closed by a locking clamp 12 visible in Fig 2 only.

The locking clamp comprises a hook 14 on the distal end of one of the sides of the bin clamp which is engageable by a looped rod 15 connected to the other side of the bin clamp by way of a lever 18. The looped rod is connected to the lever by a rod pivot 16 and to the other side of the bin clamp by a lever pivot 17. For retention of clarity of the Fig. 2, the reference numerals pertaining to the parts of the locking clamp are included only for the bin clamp on the right of the field of view. The relative position s of the lever pivot and the rod pivot are arranged such that once the locking clamp is closed, the locking clamp is self-locking in the locked position.

A draw bar assembly 20, visible only in Fig. 1, extends from each the bin clamp from a proximal end 21 attached to the bin clamps to a distal end 22. The draw bar assembly comprises two connector bars 23 extending from each bin clamp to a cross bar 24, and extending from the centre of the cross bar away from the connector bars to a draw bar 25. A towing fitting 26 is fixed to the end of the draw bar remote from the cross bar. In order to prevent the bin clamps from slipping down the body of the bins, a clamp hook 19 is provided extending upward from the junction of each bin clamp and the draw bar assembly to hook over the respective handle of the wheelie bin.

In use, a pair ofwheelie bins may be clamped in the bin clamps (one to each bin clamp) by opening up the sides enough to slide over the top or around the sides of the bin. The bin clamps are then closed about the wheelie bins about halfway up their sides and locked in place by the respective locking clamps. The draw bar assembly is then attached to the bin clamps and the towing fitting attached to the complementary towing fitting of a towing vehicle, the wheelie bins being towable by the towing vehicle in similar fashion to vehicular trailer or such like.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the towing fitting is a socket for a tow ball fitted to the towing vehicle. For vehicles without a towbar or tow ball, a hitching clamp may be provided on the distal end of the draw bar to clamp to, for example, the rear wall of the boot or trunk of the towing vehicle. Of course, suitable padding is provided on the body clamp to prevent damage to the towing vehicle. Because the wheelie bins are to be towed only short distances on private property, vehicular signal and warning lamps are not required, but could be fitted, along with secondary registration plate particulars according to local traffic regulations if required.

When the wheelie bins are at their designated location, they may be removed from the bin clamps and the wheelie bin towing bracket collapsed (such as by detaching the draw bar and/or draw bar assembly) and stowed in the towing vehicle for re-use.

The alternative wheelie bin towing bracket shown in Fig. 3 includes the same hitching and draw bar arrangement as shown and described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. However, instead of the bin clamps, there is provided a trolley assembly 31 which comprises a substantially rectangular platform 32, frame 33 and a pair of wheels 34 (only one of which is shown). The draw bar extends from the front end of the trolley assembly, and the wheels are substantially aligned with the front edge of the platform. The frame includes two upright members 37 which extend upward from respective U-brackets into the mouth of which the wheels extend. A frame cross bar 36 extends between the upper ends of the upright members. Two bracing members 38 extend between the upper ends of the upright members and the rear edge of the platform at or near the corner. Instead of the bin clamps described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a rope (or elastic rope) is tied between the frame cross bar and the rear edge of the platform.

The hitching clamp 40 shown in Fig. 4 includes a pair of adjustable clamps mounted to a frame having a towbar 41 to which a tow ball 42 is mounted. The tow ball is mounted in the normal manner as it would be to a standard towbar by way of insertion through an aperture and fastening with a nut on a threaded portion of the tow ball. The towbar is mounted to a drop member 43 which depends downward from a transverse member 44 when the hitching clamp is in its normal orientation.

For convenience, reference will be made to the "forward" and "rear" of the hitching clamp using the same approach as with reference to a vehicle to which the hitching clamp may be mounted. That is, the towbar extends to the rear. Thus, extending forward from the outside ends of the transverse member there are provided two mounting bars 45, one to each outside end. Each mounting bar terminates with a fixed clamping jaw 46 depending downward from the mounting bar. Each fixed clamping jaw is engageable with a slideable clamping jaw 47.

The slideable clamping jaws each include a threaded adjustment bar 48 which may be turned about its axis by a handle 49 to move axially with respect to the slideable clamping jaw.

The handle is provided on the rear end of the threaded adjustment bar, and a swivel 50 is provided on the forward end of the threaded adjustment bar. Each swivel is fixed to a padded bar 51 which extends between the two adjustable clamps. The padded bar is provided in such form as to substantially prevent damage to the paint or other finish of the towing vehicle, the fixed clamping jaw terminating in engagement mounting pads substantially aligned with the swivels of the corresponding moveable clamping jaw.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims (5)

1. A wheelie bin towing bracket including:- a wheelie bin towing bracket including:- a bin clamp sized and shaped for girding a wheelie bin, the bin clamp having opposed sides which may be moved with respect to one another between a closed attitude at which the clamp grips the wheelie bin about its external periphery and an open attitude at which the clamp may be removed from and engaged with the wheelie bin; and locking means operatively associated with each side of the clamp for locking the sides in their closed attitude; a draw bar extending from the bin clamp from a proximal end attached to the bin clamp to a distal end remote from the bin clamp; and a towing fitting operatively associated with the distal end of the draw bar for attachment to a towing vehicle.

2. A wheelie bin towing bracket including:- a bin clamp sized and shaped for girding a wheelie bin, the bin clamp having opposed sides which may be moved with respect to one another between a closed attitude at which the clamp grips the wheelie bin about its external periphery and an open attitude at which the clamp may be removed from and engaged with the wheelie bin; and locking means operatively associated with each side of the clamp for locking the sides in their closed attitude; a draw bar extending from the bin clamp from a proximal end attached to the bin clamp to a distal end remote from the bin clamp; and a towing fitting operatively associated with the distal end of the draw bar for attachment to a towing vehicle.

3. A wheelie bin towing bracket according to Claim I or Claim 2, wherein the bin clamp is substituted by a trolley assembly having a platform for supporting one or more bins and a pair of wheels arranged transversely to the draw bar.

4. A wheelie bin towing bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment of the draw bar to the towing vehicle is by way of a towing hitch attachable to a tow ball on the towing vehicle.

5. A wheelie bin towing bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment of the draw bar to the towing vehicle is by way of a hitching clamp having padded clamping means adapted for clamping to an upstanding wall portion of a towing vehicle. Dated this 10 th day of January 2007. AIRCO HELICOPTER OPERATIONS PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys AHEARN FOX