AU2017239560B2

AU2017239560B2 - A multi purpose mono-wheel barrow

Info

Publication number: AU2017239560B2
Application number: AU2017239560A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andrew Duncan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-10-05
Filing date: 2017-10-05
Publication date: 2019-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-05
Also published as: AU2017239560A1

Abstract

THE INVERTA BARROW: A MULTI PURPOSE MONO-WHEEL BARROW The disclosed multi purpose mono-wheel barrow is a flat tray folded from a flat sheet, forming box section sides and fitted with tubular front and rear sections to transfer the loads from the axle to the box section sides and from the handles to the tray. Flat sheet metal is formed to carry axle loads to the tray and provide a vertical front to the tray in the low-loader position. The rear tube section carries the load from the handles and legs to the tray. Stubs with hard-locating pins attach the handles to the tray when in use and allow the handles to rotate up to 1800 in order to reverse the barrow. The opposite end of the handles function as the supporting legs of the barrow when it is in use. Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig.4

Description

A MULTI PURPOSE MONO-WHEEL BARROW < TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to wheel barrow-type devices for transporting articles. Embodiments of the present invention find application, though not exclusively, in fields typically involving manual tasks such as construction, home renovation, gardening, painting, materials handling and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or 5 all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia or elsewhere before the priority date of this application.

For years the available options for transporting heavy and or bulky goods have 0 been either multi-wheel barrows or single-wheel barrows that require the user to pile the contents such as bricks on top of each other. The former requires a stable surface to be wheeled and the latter are usually suited to loose material but are difficult to use when loading large, heavy items. The other alternative has been flat top mono-wheel barrows that are unstable when transporting heavy loads due 25 to the high centre of gravity.

It is an aim of at least some aspects of the invention to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a barrow defining a front and a rear, with a single wheel at the front and a pair of L-shaped handle/leg members each being rotatably mountable at the rear, the barrow defining a tray-top configuration in which a tray is disposed just above the tyre, the tray being configured to carry a ^H load, the barrow being configured to be turned upside down so as to define an inverted configuration in which the tray is disposable on, or adjacent to, the floor to facilitate placement of heavy loads onto the tray, each of the handle/leg members being rotatable into a position whereby the handle/leg members lay substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor when the barrow is in the inverted configuration.

In one embodiment a platform is supportable upon the tray when the barrow is in the tray-top configuration, the platform extending from adjacent the rear of the barrow, over the wheel, to a position ahead of the front of the barrow. The platform may be hinged so as to fold into an L-shape, the L-shaped platform being supportable upon the tray when the barrow is in the inverted configuration.

Preferably each of the handle/leg members are removable so as to allow the barrow to assume a storage configuration.

Preferably the tray has a rubber surface.

In one embodiment the handle/leg members are each rotatably mountable by means of a socket/spigot arrangement. Preferably each socket/spigot arrangement includes a pin entrained within a slot, the slot being shaped so as to define rotational limits of the respective handle/leg member. Preferably the rotational limits allow for approximately 180 degrees of rotation of each handle/leg member. Also preferably, the rotational limits may allow for the handles of the handle/leg members to be rotated towards each other.

When one embodiment of the barrow is in the inverted configuration, with each of 30 the handle/leg members laying substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor, the handles of the handle/leg members are liftable so as to rotate the handle/leg members and thereby orientate legs of the handle/leg members into a substantially vertical orientation such that the legs are positioned to support a rear end of the tray in a tilted configuration.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent 5 from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided by way of example only, together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an elevation of an embodiment of the mono-wheel barrow in the traytop configuration with the handles topmost and the legs below. Note the tray is above the wheel.

Figure 2 is an elevation of said barrow in the inverted configuration with the handles inverted as compared with the handles as shown in figure 1. Note the low centre of gravity of the tray in relation to the wheel.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the embodiment of said barrow in the inverted configuration with handles rotated 90° to come together to sit flat for easy loading 0 of heavy items.

Figure 4 shows a template of the flat tray showing the curved cut-outs at the corners to which the tubing may be attached and dotted lines indicating the positions of 90° bends that are to be formed in the sheet.

Figure 5 shows a template of the axle supports in which the dotted lines indicate the positions of 90° bends that are to be formed in the sheet so as to form a pyramid shape, as well as a circular cut-out for the tray tube. The pattern for each of the two axle supports is the same, the bends being made in the opposite direction for the second support to create a mirror image.

Figure 6 shows the central section of a handle-leg at the point where the tubing is bent at 90°. The mounting sleeve with locating slots can be seen.

2017239560 19 Sep 2019

Figure 7 shows the rear tray tube with a handle spigot at each end and the tray attached.

Figure 8 is an exploded view of the axle assembly complete with the tubing, bolt, nut and two spacers.

Figures 9 to 11 are perspective views of the embodiment of the barrow in the traytop configuration.

Figures 12 to 14 are perspective views of the embodiment of the barrow in the inverted configuration with the handles rotated 90°.

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of the mounting of a handle to the tray when 5 the barrow is in the inverted configuration with the handles rotated 90°.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the barrow in a storage configuration.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the barrow in the tray0 top configuration, said embodiment having a tray top sized so as to extend over the wheel.

Figure 18 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the barrow in the tray-top configuration, said embodiment having a hinged tray top.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of this invention as illustrated in the figures have been specifically devised in order to provide a solution, or at least an alternative, for transporting bulky goods, such as 44 gallon drums, stacks of bricks, or the like, without having to load them into the bowl-shaped cavity of a traditional wheel barrow or being stacked precariously onto a multi-wheeled device which requires a smooth and even surface for successful operation.

The embodiments of this invention relate to a barrow that can be used in a tray-top configuration, as shown in figure 1, or in an inverted configuration, as shown in figures 2 and 3, for loading and carting heavy or large loads. In the tray-top configuration, it can carry large flat items such as sheets of building materials. In the inverted configuration it can be used to carry very heavy items that can be loaded at ground level before lifting.

The barrow defines a front 18 and a rear 19, with a single wheel 15 at the front and a pair of L-shaped handle/leg members 10, 26, each being rotatably mountable at the rear 19. The barrow defines a tray-top configuration, as shown in figure 1, in which a tray 1 is disposed just above the tyre 15. The upper and lower sides of the tray 1 are each configured to carry a load and one or both of the upper and lower sides of the tray 1 may include a rubber surface.

The barrow may be turned upside down so as to define an inverted configuration, as shown in figure 3, in which the tray 1 is disposable on, or adjacent to, the floor 0 20, to facilitate placement of heavy loads onto the tray 1. Upon inverting the barrow, the handle/leg members 10, 26 may be rotated by approximately 180 degrees so that the handles 26 are again at the top and the legs 10 at the bottom.

As shown in figure 3, each of the handle/leg members 10, 26 is rotatable by approximately 90 degrees into a position whereby the handle/leg members 10, 26 lay substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor 20 when the barrow is in the inverted configuration. That is, the handles 26 come together to a flat substantially horizontal position matching the easy-load flat position of the tray 1.

As best shown in figure 17, a platform 21 is supportable upon the tray 1 when the barrow is in the tray-top configuration. The platform 21 extends from adjacent the rear 19 of the barrow, over the wheel 15, to a position ahead of the front 18 of the barrow. As best shown in figure 18, another embodiment of the platform 23 may have a hinged joint 22, which allows the platform 23 to fold into an L-shape. The lower portion of the L-shaped platform 23 is supported upon the tray 1 when the ^H barrow is in the inverted configuration. The upper portion of the L-shaped platform 23 is supported by the trailing edge of the pyramid-shaped axel supports

3.

Each of the handle/leg members 10, 26 are removable so as to allow the barrow to assume a storage configuration, as shown in figure 16. Whilst in the storage configuration, the barrow occupies a smaller volume and/or length as compared to 0 the other configurations.

As best shown in figures 6, 7 and 15, the handle/leg members 10, 26 are each rotatably mountable by means of a socket/spigot arrangement 24, 11. In the preferred embodiment the socket 24 is defined on the the handle/leg members 10, 5 26 and the spigot 11 extends from the rear of the tray 1, however in other embodiments the dispositions may be exchanged. Each socket/spigot arrangement

24, 11 includes a hardened pin 12 disposed on the spigot 11 and a slot 13 defined within the socket 24. The pin 12 is entrained within the slot 13, which is shaped so as to define rotational limits of the respective handle/leg member 10, 26. In 0 other words, one rotational limit is defined when the pin 12 hits one end of the slot 13 and the other rotational limit is defined when the pin 12 hits the other end of the slot 13. The rotational limits allow for approximately 180 degrees of rotation of each handle/leg member 10, 26. Additionally, the rotational limits allow for the handles 26 of the handle/leg members 10, 26 to be rotated towards 25 each other.

When the embodiment of the barrow is in the inverted configuration, with each of the handle/leg members 10, 26 laying substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor, as illustrated in figure 3, the handles 26 of the handle/leg members 10, 26 can be lifted. This rotates the handle/leg members 10, 26 by approximately 90 degrees and thereby orientates the legs 10 of the handle/leg members 10, 26 into a substantially vertical orientation. Thus positioned, the legs 10 support the rear end of the tray 1 in a tilted configuration, as shown in figure 2. Hence, the weight of the load is angled forwards towards the axel supports 3.

The tray 1 used in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is folded from a flat sheet along fold lines 2 according to the template shown in figure 4. This forms box section sides, which are fitted with tubular front and rear sections 9 to transfer the loads from the axle to the box section sides and from the handles 26 to the tray 1.

The axel supports 3 are formed from a flat sheet that is folded along fold lines 4 according to the template shown in figure 5. Hence the axel supports 3 are formed in a pyramid shape to carry axle loads to the tray 1 and to provide a front to the tray in the inverted configuration.

The rear tube section 9 carries the load from the handles 26 and the legs 10 to the tray 1. Spigots 11, with axes parallel to tray 1, with hard-locating pins 12 are attached to the tube for the handles 26 to locate on.

A piece of tubing forms each leg 10, the top of which is bent at 90° to form handles 26. Attached to the long side of each of these tubes, perpendicular to the tube and in the same plane as the handle 26 is a locating sleeve 24 (which may also be referred to in this document as a socket) which features a cut-out slot 13 to accommodate the locating pins 12 on the spigots 11. The sleeves 24 are located at such a distance from the bottom of the leg 10 that the tray 1 sits level in the tray25 top position.

A tubular axle 6, shown in figure 8, is fitted precisely between the two vertical front axle supports 3. This axle 6 is fitted with an inflatable rubber barrow wheel 15 of standard size, allowing for replacement by the user, as well as a spacer 7 each side in order to locate the wheel 15. A tie-bolt 8 penetrates the tubular axle 9 and is secured by a nut 17 on the opposite side so clamping the axle support to the axle.

2017239560 19 Sep 2019

The mono-wheel barrow is preferably made from steel, however other materials can also be used. For carrying bricks and similar without damage a platform 23 made out of plywood or similar and hinged at the front could be used in the inverted configuration. In this configuration the lower centre of gravity would be 5 beneficial. In either the tray-top or inverted configuration many other bins and containers could be used to carry materials such as the plastic tray 27 shown in figures 10 and 11, for example.

While a number of preferred embodiments have been described, it will be 0 appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

< THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

5 1. A barrow defining a front and a rear, with a single wheel at the front and a pair of L-shaped handle/leg members each being rotatably mountable at the rear, the barrow defining a tray-top configuration in which a tray is disposed just above the tyre, the tray being configured to carry a load, the barrow being configured to be turned upside down so as to define an inverted configuration in which the tray

0 is disposable on, or adjacent to, the floor to facilitate placement of heavy loads onto the tray, each of the handle/leg members being rotatable into a position whereby the handle/leg members lay substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor when the barrow is in the inverted configuration.

5
2. A barrow according to claim 1 wherein a platform is supportable upon the tray when the barrow is in the tray-top configuration, the platform extending from adjacent the rear of the barrow, over the wheel, to a position ahead of the front of the barrow.

0
3. A barrow according to claim 2 wherein the platform is hinged so as to fold into an L-shape, the L-shaped platform being supportable upon the tray when the barrow is in the inverted configuration.
4. A barrow according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each of the

25 handle/leg members are removable so as to allow the barrow to assume a storage configuration.
5. A barrow according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tray has a rubber surface.
6. A barrow according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the handle/leg members are each rotatably mountable by means of a socket/spigot arrangement.

2017239560 19 Sep 2019
7. A barrow according to claim 6 wherein each socket/spigot arrangement includes a pin entrained within a slot, the slot being shaped so as to define rotational limits of the respective handle/leg member.
8. A barrow according to claim 7 wherein the rotational limits allow for approximately 180 degrees of rotation of each handle/leg member.
9. A barrow according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the rotational limits allow for the 0 handles of the handle/leg members to be rotated towards each other.
10. A barrow according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, when the barrow is in the inverted configuration, with each of the handle/leg members laying substantially flat on, or adjacent to, the floor, the handles of the handle/leg

5 members are liftable so as to rotate the handle/leg members and thereby orientate legs of the handle/leg members into a substantially vertical orientation such that the legs are positioned to support a rear end of the tray in a tilted configuration.