GB1565091A - Horticultural aid - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN IMPROVED HORTICULTURAL AID (71) I, GEORGE FREDERICK CRAGGS, of 1 South View, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland County; a British subject do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a horticultural trolley.

Both allotment holders and garden owners have the problem of storing garden implements, e.g., spades, rakes, hoes and forks as well as canes, twine or the like accessories and small tools such as trowels and dibbles which may be kept in the corner of a garage, lean-to or free standing shed, transporting them to the place of use and returning them for safe keeping.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool trolley for presenting such implements for selection at the place of use rather than necessitating the gardener returning for further or forgotton accessories.

According to the invention there is provided a horticultural trolley comprising a rectangular base frame, an end pair of wheels journalled at one end of said frame, a pair of feet at the other end of said frame and an intermediate pair of wheels journalled to said frame, between the end wheels and feet, the lowermost portions of the rims of said intermediate pair of wheels extending below those of said end pair of wheels, so that said intermediate pair of wheels forms a pivot whereby said trolley can be pivotted between a rest position standing on said feet and said intermediate pair of wheels, and a movable position resting on both said pairs of wheels, said base frame supporting a superstructure having upper opposed sides which are provided with mutually spaced apart panniers which are spaced from the bottom of said opposed sides, and retainers for holding tools.

A cover may be included for extending over the contents and protecting them from the elements.

Support may be provided for locating a grass box and/or associated machinery or refuse collectors.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trolley embodying the invention and Figure 2 is a section thereof on line 2-2 Figure 1.

A horticultural aid according to the invention comprises a trolley 1 having four uprights 2,3,4 and 5 one at each corner of a rectangular base frame 6. Uprights 2 and 3, hereinafter referred to as 'front uprights' are extended below the level of the base frame 6 to form feet 7 and 8. Two pairs of wheels 9 and 10 are journalled to the base frame 6, one rearward pair 9 being journalled adjacent the joint between the frame 6 and the uprights 4 and 5, and the other pair 10 being journalled to the frame 6 near the centre thereof. The lowermost parts of the rims of the pair of wheels 9, may be extend below the rims of wheels 10 by being mounted below one latter, or by making them of larger diameter.

The upper ends of uprights 2 and 3 are joined by a cross-bar 12. The upper ends of uprights 4 and 5 also support a pair of curved handles 13, 14 joined at their outer end by a cross-bar 15. The upper parts between the uprights 2, 3 4, 5 are clad with panels 16 and 17 respectively. A plate 18 extends between the panels 16 and 17 parallel to but displaced to one side from the centre line of the trolley 1. Two parallel bars, an upper one 19 and a lower one 20 extend close to and parallel to plate 18, between panels 16 and 17.

Large panniers 21 are hooked over the top of panel 18 and be on one side thereof, while smaller panniers 22 are hooked onto the bars 19 and 20. Clips 23 are secured to the upper bar 19 between the panniers 22 to grip the shanks of large garden tools such as digging forks 24 and a spade 25, Similar clips are provided between panniers 21 and secured to the plate 18, for holding the shanks of longer implements such as rakes, hoes and lawn rakes.

Recesses 26 are provided in the top sides of cross-bars 11 and 12 to receive small items, and a pair of blocks 27 each with bores 28 therethrough are secured to a respective cross-bars 11, 12. These can be used to receive the handles of small tools such as trowels and weeding forks, or dibbers or the pegs for setting out lines. The panniers can be used for storing seeds, fertiliser material transporting debris, and general odds and ends.

The arrangement of the wheel enables the trolley 1 to be rested with its weight applied to the feet 7 and 8 and the pivot wheels 10, while to move the trolley, it is tilted about the wheels 10 by pressure on the handle 15, so that the wheels 9 contact the ground, and the trolley can be propelled by pushing whilst it runs on these wheels with the centre of gravity of the aid above a point behind the pivot wheel centres.

Such a trolley enables a gardener to carry about and have readily available a large selection of tools. This can be particularly helpful where, as with many alottment gardens, the plot is some distance away from the gardener's home or nearest possible reasonably secure equipment store.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A Horticultural trolley comprising a rectangular base frame, and end pair of wheels journalled at one end of said france, a pair of feet at the other end of said fra ne and an intermediate pair of wheels journalled to said frame between the end wheels and feet, the lowermost portions of the rims of said intermediate pair of wheels extending below those of said end pair of wheels, so that said intermediate pair of wheels forms a pivot whereby said trolley can be pivotted between a rest position standing on said feet and said intermediate pair of wheels, and a movable position resting on both said pairs of wheels, said base frame supporting a super structure having upper opposed sides which are provided with mutually spaced apart panniers which are spaced from the bottom of said opposed sides, and retainers for holding tools.

2. A horticultural aid according to claim 2, wherein said superstructure comprises an upright member is provided at each corner of said base frame, two of said uprights being extended below said base frame to form said feet, said uprights being joined into pairs by cross-bars, and a plate extending between said pairs to define said opposed sides.

3. An horticultural aid according to claim 2, wherein some of said panniers on one side are hooked onto said plate, a pair of supports extending close to and parallel to said plate to provide for hooking on of panniers on said other side.

4. An horticultural aid, according to Claim 4 wherein said panniers are spaced apart, and clips are provided in such spaces, for gripping handles of horticultural tools.

5. An horticultural aid substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Large panniers 21 are hooked over the top of panel 18 and be on one side thereof, while smaller panniers 22 are hooked onto the bars 19 and 20. Clips 23 are secured to the upper bar 19 between the panniers 22 to grip the shanks of large garden tools such as digging forks 24 and a spade 25, Similar clips are provided between panniers 21 and secured to the plate 18, for holding the shanks of longer implements such as rakes, hoes and lawn rakes. Recesses 26 are provided in the top sides of cross-bars 11 and 12 to receive small items, and a pair of blocks 27 each with bores 28 therethrough are secured to a respective cross-bars 11, 12. These can be used to receive the handles of small tools such as trowels and weeding forks, or dibbers or the pegs for setting out lines. The panniers can be used for storing seeds, fertiliser material transporting debris, and general odds and ends. The arrangement of the wheel enables the trolley 1 to be rested with its weight applied to the feet 7 and 8 and the pivot wheels 10, while to move the trolley, it is tilted about the wheels 10 by pressure on the handle 15, so that the wheels 9 contact the ground, and the trolley can be propelled by pushing whilst it runs on these wheels with the centre of gravity of the aid above a point behind the pivot wheel centres. Such a trolley enables a gardener to carry about and have readily available a large selection of tools. This can be particularly helpful where, as with many alottment gardens, the plot is some distance away from the gardener's home or nearest possible reasonably secure equipment store. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A Horticultural trolley comprising a rectangular base frame, and end pair of wheels journalled at one end of said france, a pair of feet at the other end of said fra ne and an intermediate pair of wheels journalled to said frame between the end wheels and feet, the lowermost portions of the rims of said intermediate pair of wheels extending below those of said end pair of wheels, so that said intermediate pair of wheels forms a pivot whereby said trolley can be pivotted between a rest position standing on said feet and said intermediate pair of wheels, and a movable position resting on both said pairs of wheels, said base frame supporting a super structure having upper opposed sides which are provided with mutually spaced apart panniers which are spaced from the bottom of said opposed sides, and retainers for holding tools.

2. A horticultural aid according to claim 2, wherein said superstructure comprises an upright member is provided at each corner of said base frame, two of said uprights being extended below said base frame to form said feet, said uprights being joined into pairs by cross-bars, and a plate extending between said pairs to define said opposed sides.

3. An horticultural aid according to claim 2, wherein some of said panniers on one side are hooked onto said plate, a pair of supports extending close to and parallel to said plate to provide for hooking on of panniers on said other side.

4. An horticultural aid, according to Claim 4 wherein said panniers are spaced apart, and clips are provided in such spaces, for gripping handles of horticultural tools.

5. An horticultural aid substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.