AU726746B3 - An improved wheelbarrow - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: AN IMPROVED WHEELBARROW Name of Applicant: DOUGLAS WALTER ROBERTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: AN IMPROVED WHEELBARROW Technical Field This invention relates to an improved wheelbarrow.

Background Art Machines employing leverage principles for carting items from one place to the next are well known. Examples include porter's trolleys, wheelbarrows, four wheel trolleys and so forth.

A typical wheelbarrow will have a hopper or other receptacle for receiving the items being carried. At one end of the wheelbarrow there will be at least one wheel attached to the hopper, and at the other, handles (usually a pair of arms) for the user to grip and manoeuvre the wheelbarrow. At the handle end, there is also a stand that keeps the wheelbarrow in a substantially level position while it is sitting and not moving.

Some patented examples include: New Zealand Patent No. 217673 describes a wheelbarrow with a frame having two arms acting as handles, support legs and a wheel support structure, configured so that under load, the centre of gravity of the container is vertically above the axle of the wheel. It also includes an "abutment member" disposed at the front of the wheelbarrow which also enables the wheelbarrow to be stood conveniently on its end.

New Zealand Patent No. 208458 describes an eccentric wheel mounting for a wheelbarrow that has a wheel assembly and mounting with a low transfer and shock absorbing arrangement.

New Zealand Patent No. 204371 describes a delivery barrow having at least two pairs of wheels, and is of the 36193.DOC type used to cart stacked boxes and so forth. The second pair of wheels are located above the primary set of wheels, and cantilevered at a distance from the main frame, to assist in negotiating steps.

New Zealand Registered Design No. 28871 illustrates a brick barrow with a substantially flat support surface for balancing the bricks upon.

Prior art wheelbarrows are sometimes emptied and the load expelled by tipping the wheelbarrow forward and allowing the contents of the hopper to empty under gravity.

This is usually where the load does not need to be removed in any orderly fashion, for example in the case of grass clippings, leaves, waste and so forth.

Depending on the load carried by the wheelbarrow, and the physical strength attributes of the person using the wheelbarrow, emptying the wheelbarrow in this fashion can present problems if the load is too great.

If the load is too great, it can be very difficult to lift the wheelbarrow to the angle sufficient to remove the contents thereof.

Some attempts have been made to overcome these difficulties, for example by choosing the placement of the wheels so that they correspond to the centre of gravity of the wheelbarrow under load, and also providing an abutment means, such as described in New Zealand Patent No. 217673.

However these solutions by themselves have not satisfactorily overcome the problem, as one must still have enough strength to lift the wheelbarrow so that it is substantially vertical before all of the contents thereof can be expelled.

It would be advantageous if at least preferred embodiments of the present invention addressed the 36193.DOC 4 toregoing problems or at least provided the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

Disclosure of Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wheelbarrow, which includes: a load container, connected to at least one transporting means upon which the wheelbarrow can be transported, at least one handle depending from the wheelbarrow for aiding in the movement of the wheelbarrow, the wheelbarrow characterised in that the load container includes remotely releasable opening means covering an aperture in the load container through which the contents of the load container may be emptied, the remotely releasable opening means forming substantially an entire end of the wheelbarrow, with a fixed hinge at its top, the hinge located outwardly from the extremity of the base of the load container, and the bottom of the opening means configured to effect self-engagement of the bottom of the opening means with a catch mechanism to effect securement of the opening means in a closed position after the emptying action has been completed.

The transport means may comprise a skid, wheel, tracks, rollers, casters and so forth.

Preferably the wheelbarrow according to the present invention may include at least one wheel attached to the wheelbarrow via an axle and a wheel support frame.

Preferably there may be at least two wheels.

However reference to two wheels should not be seen to be limiting as a single wheel may suffice, as may more than two.

The releasable opening means may be releasable from a closed position to an open position.

The releasability may be by way of disturbing or \BP ISl homeS \Bel ndaW\Ke p cPer\P36193.doc 20/09/00 4a releasing a catch, spring, clutch, rachet or some other means that retains the releasable opening means in the closed position.

,,BPISL~home$\BIirinianI Krr ,spec i Peter\Plrl9] do' 009/00 Reference to a load container may be made with reference to any container, tub, hopper, vessel, or some other apparatus that will provide the function of being able to retain items for transporting by the use of the wheelbarrow. For convenience, and without limiting the present invention in any way, the load container may be called a hopper hereafter.

The releasable opening means may be any door, flap, iris, trapdoor, sliding door, and chute configured so that when in the closed position the contents of the load container are retained therein.

For convenience only, reference to the releasable opening means may be made with reference to a trapdoor hereafter.

Preferably there may be two handles provided on the wheel according to the present invention.

However reference to two handles should not be seen to be limiting, as a single handle may suffice, as may more than two handles.

Preferably the handles may comprise two arms depending from the wheelbarrow and attached thereto.

However other embodiments of the handle may be included within the scope of the present invention.

For example, there may be provided a continuous pipe depending from and returning to the wheelbarrow defining a handle.

Preferably the trap door may be located in the end of the load container opposite the end where the handles are located.

However the location of the trapdoor in this fashion should not be seen to be limiting, as the trapdoor may be located in the sides, a base, or either end of the container.

36193.DOC Preferably the trapdoor may be remotely releasable by the user.

The remote operability may be by way of -any mechanism that allows the user to open the trapdoor remotely from it.

In preferred embodiments, the remote operability of the trapdoor may be achieved by a catch mechanism.

Preferably the catch mechanism may be released by an activation means located substantially on or near the handle end of the wheelbarrow.

For example the activation means may be located just below the load container within reach of the user, or may be located on one of the handles.

Preferably the trapdoor may be hinged to the load container.

In other embodiments the trapdoor may be automatically recloseable and relockable after use.

The recloseability may be by means of a spring mechanism, the force of gravity, and so forth.

Preferably the catch may lock automatically upon closing of the flap.

In preferred embodiments, the location of the transport means may be substantially at the centre of gravity of the wheelbarrow under load.

The present invention has a number of potential advantages over prior art wheelbarrows.

The primary advantage is the inclusion of the trapdoor, to ease the removal of items from the hopper.

The user may release the trapdoor which will either result in complete or partial emptying of the hopper, or will substantially reduce the amount of tipping required to empty the hopper.

36193.DOC When the trapdoor is combined with the centering of the wheels, the ease with which the wheelbarrow can be emptied is increased.

Brief Description of Drawings Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention shown by general arrow 1; Figures 2A and 2B show end views of the embodiment shown in figure 1, and Figure 3 shows the underside view of the embodiment of figure 1; Figure 3A shows an alternative configuration of the underside and catch of the embodiment of figure 1; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the embodiment of figure i.

Modes For Carrying Out The Invention There is shown, by general arrow 1, a wheelbarrow according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The barrow 1 includes a hopper 2 for containing a load carried by the barrow.

The hopper 2 has attached thereto handles 3, which are integrally connected with a stand frame 4. The stand frame 4 forms, together with wheels 5 and an axle 5A, a tripod support for the barrow 1.

The wheels 5 are located so that under load, the centre of gravity of the barrow is substantially over the axle At the left end in this view of the hopper 2, there is a trapdoor 6 formed in that end of the hopper 2, and 36193.DOC hinged to the hopper via hinges 8. The trap door is shown in the released position in this view. The base 10 of the trapdoor is shown in the released position in this view.

The base 10 of the trapdoor 6 is catchable and lockable by catches 9. The catches 9 hook the base 10 of the trapdoor 6 to secure it in the closed position in which the sides of the trap door 6 will abut flush against the opening 7 formed when the trapdoor is in the released position shown.

The catches 9 are remotely moveable and releasable via a lever and release mechanism 11 that is operably connected to the catches, and operable via a handle 12 at the other end of the wheelbarrow 1 from the trapdoor 6.

Figure 3, being the underside view of the wheelbarrow 1, more clearly shows the releasable catch mechanism for the trap door 6. The handle 12 is pulled, which will release the catches 9, allowing the trapdoor 6 to release and become open.

Figure 3A shows an alternative arrangement for the release mechanism. Attached to the base 10 of the trapdoor 6, are protrusions 14 that have an aperture formed therethrough. The protrusions are substantially vertical when the wheelbarrow is in the resting position.

An alternative handle 2A is supported by a support 15, and connected to extensions 15 via twin connection 16.

Upon the retraction of the handle 2A by a user, the extensions 13 withdraw through the apertures in the protrusions 14, which will release the trapdoor 6.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

36193.DOC

Claims (3)

1. A wheelbarrow which includes: a load container, connected to at least one transporting means upon which the wheelbarrow can be transported, at least one handle depending from the wheelbarrow for aiding in the movement of the wheelbarrow, the wheelbarrow characterised in that the load container includes remotely releasable opening means covering an aperture in the load container through which the contents of the load container may be emptied, the remotely releasable opening means forming substantially an entire end of the wheelbarrow, with a fixed hinge at its top, the hinge located outwardly from the extremity of the base of the load container, and the bottom of the opening means configured to effect self-engagement of the bottom of the opening means with a catch mechanism to effect securement of the opening means in a closed position after the emptying action has been completed.

2. A wheelbarrow as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remotely releasable opening means is releasable from a closed position to an opened position and vice versa by interaction of the opening means with the catch mechanism, the catch mechanism including at least one rod protruding through an aperture included in or attached to the remotely releasable opening means.

3. A wheelbarrow as claimed in claim 2 which further includes activation means operatively connected to the catch mechanism and remotely positioned from the catch mechanism substantially at the handle end of the wheelbarrow to facilitate remote releasability of the opening means. H: \Belidaw\i:eep\speci\Peter\P36193.doc 20/09/00 10 Dated this 2 Qoth day of September 2000 DOUGLAS WALTER ROBERTS By his Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK H:\BelindaW\Keep speei\ -et ,\p 3 6 1 9 3 do, 20/09/00