AU2010100723B4

AU2010100723B4 - Single Wheel Trolley

Info

Publication number: AU2010100723B4
Application number: AU2010100723A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Paul James Kukulies
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-07
Filing date: 2010-07-07
Publication date: 2011-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-07
Also published as: AU2010100723A4

Description

1 TITLE: SINGLE WHEEL TROLLEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to devices for manual, wheel 5 transport of loads using a wheeled carrier. In particular, it relates to a single wheel arrangement with a substantially planar load carrying surface, when at rest. 2. Background Art There are many devices provided that allow the facilitation of 10 transport of loads with a mechanical advantage provided to the user. The conventional wheelbarrow is a device of considerable history and has facilitated a wide range of human endeavours including in building and agricultural activities. The conventional wheelbarrow however is somewhat limited in its stability at rest and acquires placement of loads into and out of a 15 bucket. Further, the conventional wheelbarrow requires lifting from a rest position for use. This mandates the conscious consideration of safe ergonomics to avoid potential physical injury. United States Patent No. 4,343,483 to Base is for a wood toter. The device has a frame rotatably supported by a pair of wheels, an arcuate 20 panel member attached to the frame and a handle for gripping the wheeled carrier. The device is relatively load specific as it provides for the transverse location of fire logs or, in an alternative embodiment, longitudinal placement of logs. The second embodiment has a significant distance between a carry handle and the wheels with the majority of the load carried in that space and 25 its centre of gravity being located anterior to the wheel. The first embodiment has a deep bucket shape with open sides. It necessitates the placing of a load either over the top of the arrangement or on the side with forward extension of the arms in either application. Czech Patent No. 18217 appears to describe a single wheel 30 wheelchair with coil suspension. The centre of gravity of a passenger 2 appears to be located almost directly above the axle of the arrangement. It is task specific. French Patent No. 9612341 describes a two-wheel transporter for a large bin and is operated by placing a load within the bin and drawing it 5 much in the way of the "wheelie bin". Access to the carrying compartment is again an "up and over" type approach to depositing a load within its compartment. The disclosure is to a container on a vertical upright on two wheels. The container is formed as an open box with flat sides and rounded corners. 10 U.K. Patent No. 2,303,588 is to a trolley for carrying baskets such as shopping baskets. The device has hooks on arms which allow the removable support of one or more baskets. A small support foot 13 is provided. Again, this item is very specific in its application. None of the above items provide an easy way of positioning 15 and transferring a compact heavy item with a regular shape and, in some cases, a planar base. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION in a first and not necessarily the broadest aspect, the invention resides in a trolley for manual transport of loads, the trolley comprising: 20 a single wheel, preferably pneumatic; an axle operatively coupled to the wheel; a pair of handles connected, directly or indirectly, to the axle, the handles diverging in a direction away from the axle; a load-carrying frame extending forward from and mounted to 25 the handles; a pair of spaced support legs extending down from the load carrying frame and positioned either side of the wheel, the pair of legs adapted to support the load-carrying frame substantially parallel to a surface on which it is placed when the trolley is in an upright, non-travel position. 30 The frame may be rectangular or square, having a front 3 member, a rear member and two side members wherein the rear member is connected to the handles and forms a brace for the handles. The trolley may further include a load stability frame extending upwards from the rear frame member and preferably comprising two vertical 5 side members and a top member. The top member is also preferably attached to the handles to form a second brace. In a preferred embodiment, the load carrying frame and the load stability frame are both topped with a sheet, preferably planar, to form a load carrying platform and load stability platform, respectively. 10 SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the following Figures, while understanding that the description is by way of example only. Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a single wheel 15 trolley of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the trolley of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a right sided view of the trolley of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear view of the trolley of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a left-sided view of the trolley of Figure 1; 20 Figure 6 is an upper front isometric view of the trolley of Figure 1; Figure 7 is an upper rear isometric view of the trolley at Figure 1; Figure 8 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a single 25 wheel trolley of the present invention; Figure 9 is a front view of the trolley of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a right sided view of the trolley of Figure 8; Figure 11 is a rear view of the trolley of Figure 8; Figure 12 is a left sided view of the trolley of Figure 8; 30 Figure 13 is an upper front isometric view of the trolley of 4 Figure 8; and Figure 14 is an upper rear view of the trolley of Figure 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures 1 to 7 show a first embodiment of a trolley 10 of the 5 present invention. The trolley 10 has a wheel 12 operatively coupled to an axle 14. The axle and wheel are formed as is well-known in the art and may include one or more bearings or may be as simple as a shaft on one or more bushes arrangement. The wheel 12 is preferably pneumatic and of a reasonably sized diameter and width. Two handles 20, 22 are coupled to the 10 axle 14. This coupling may be direct or indirect but results in the axle acting as a pivot point when the handles are rotated around the wheel. The handles 20, 22 diverge from each other in a direction away from the wheel and axle as is most apparent in Figures 2, 6 and 7. The handles are of a length to allow convenient use by an operator as will be described further 15 below. A load carrying frame 30 is formed by a front member 32, a rear member 34 and two side members 36, 38. A load stabilizing frame 40 is formed by two spaced vertical side members 42, 44 and an upper frame member 46. 20 As is apparent in Figures 4, 6 and 7, the rear member 34 and upper frame member 46 are both connected to the handles 20, 22, thereby bracing the handles and stabilising their position relative to each other. A pair of support legs 50, 52 are positioned either side of the wheel 12 to support the load carrying frame 30 substantially parallel to a 25 surface on which it is located in an upright non-travel position. This is particularly evident in Figure 3. The legs are substantially U-shaped and depend from the side members 36, 38. Figures 3 and 5 also highlight the intimate association of the load stabilizing frame 40 and handles 20, 22. The operation and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent. An 30 item to be carried may be lifted onto the load carrying frame 30. The height 5 needed to access this frame is only slightly higher than the frame itself. It is not necessary to place a load into a bucket by rising over an edge and leaning forward to place the load downwards over a side. The present invention is particularly useful for items with a base that extends beyond the 5 frame dimensions in at least one direction. It is particularly well-suited for items such as welders which are heavy items with regular bases which would sit comfortably on the frame and slide and abut against the load stabilizing frame 40. It may also be used for a range of packaged items or materials including boxes of goods, paper, drinks, tiles and bagged material including 10 stock feed, pottery mix or cement. Once the load is in position, a person standing upright may operate the handles by simply tilting them backwards so that the support legs clear a ground surface. In this rotational operation, the arms pivot around the axis to provide a mechanical advantage to the operator. The load may 15 slide or sit in contact with the load carrying frame 30, thereby nesting into the right angled shape formed by the component. The operator may then draw or push the load in a preferred direction. Figures 8 to 14 show a variation of the present invention through the addition of a load carrying sheet 60 and load stabilizing sheet 70. 20 These sheets are substantially planar and strong enough to carry the chosen loads. This allows for the loading of smaller items which otherwise may fall between the frame members of the first embodiment. The result is a chair like arrangement which may be used for movement of appropriate loads. The other components of the second embodiment are similar to those 25 already described. The sheet may be formed from any suitable material including plastic, wood, metal or suitable other polymer.

Claims

1. A trolley for manual transport of loads, the trolley comprising: a single wheel, preferably pneumatic; an axle operatively coupled to the wheel; 5 a pair of handles connected, directly or indirectly, to the axle, the handles diverging in a direction away from the axle; a load-carrying frame extending forward from and mounted to the handles; and a pair of spaced support legs extending down from the load 10 carrying frame and positioned either side of the wheel, the pair of legs adapted to support the load-carrying frame, substantially parallel to a surface on which it is placed when the trolley is in an upright, non-travel position.

2. The trolley of Claim 1 wherein: the frame is rectangular or square, having a front member, a 15 rear member and two side members wherein the rear member is connected to the handles and forms a brace for the handles.

3. The trolley of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: the trolley includes a load stability frame extending upwards from the rear frame members and comprises two vertical side members and 20 a top member with the top member attached to the handles to form a second brace.

4. The trolley of any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: the load carrying frame and the load stability frame are both topped with a sheet, preferably planar, to form a load carrying platform and 25 load stability platform.

5. A trolley for manual transport of loads substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 7 or Figures 8 to 14.