GB2031347A

GB2031347A - Assembly of Dustbin Trolley and Dustbin Therefor

Info

Publication number: GB2031347A
Application number: GB7840357A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-10-12
Filing date: 1978-10-12
Publication date: 1980-04-23

Abstract

An assembly of a dustbin trolley 2 and a dustbin 1 therefor is provided with an elongate wheeled frame having a platform 3 thereon. Said platform comprises a handle 6 and wheels 8 which are remote from each other whereby 40 to 60% of the weight of the assembly only acts through said wheels during translational movement and the remainder of the weight acts through the handle. In a preferred embodiment rotational movement of the handle acts to urge road wheels 8 into contact with the road by causing axle 9 to move downwardly thereby raising the platform from its lowered position engaging the road. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Assembly of Dustbin Trolley and Dustbin Therefor The present invention relates to an assembly of a dustbin trolley and a dustbin therefor; and particularly to such assemblies for use with domestic dustbins.

Two wheeled trolleys for carrying loads are generally known to comprise of a handle attached to a frame supported on an axle bearing a pair of road wheels, said frame also supporting a platform upon which a load may be removably positioned. One such embodiment of trolleys of this type is that used for the transport of grain sacks.

If such devices are used for the translational movement of domestic dustbins, the dustbin must be held steady relative to the trolley while the trolley is moved translationally. Since a full dustbin is unwieldly this can require considerable effort and the present invention seeks, therefore to provide an assembly of a dustbin trolley and a dustbin therefor which can be moved translationally without the necessity of manual steadying of the dustbin relative to the trolley.

Further in such prior art devices, as set forth above, substantially all the weight of the device and its load acts through the axle thereof. This requires that the axle and road wheels must be strongly made to withstand the point loads applied; this extra strength of course reflects in the cost of the device.

In the present invention, by spreading the load substantially equally between the axle and the handle a lighter construction is allowed which is, of course, more economic.

According to the present invention, therefore there is provided an assembly of a dustbin trolley and a dustbin therefor, wherein said trolley comprises an elongate frame member having a platform portion for support of the dustbin thereon, said platform portion including means for restraining the dustbin against lateral movement, a handle attached to said frame at a first end thereof, and an axle bearing road wheels supporting said frame for translational movement, said axle being mounted at or adjacent a second end of the frame; the arrangement being such that during translational movement of the assembly 40 to 60%, and preferably substantially 50%, of the weight of the assembly is disposed upon the axle.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that normal use, i.e.: while in the at rest condition, the platform portion of the trolley engages the ground, optionally by means of suitably positioned feet. In this position all or substantially all the load is borne by the platform portion; the road wheel being either clear of the ground or only just in contact therewith. When translational movement is required the handle is manually raised by thus raising the platform from the ground and transferring the load such that about 50% thereof acts through the axle and about 50% thereof acts through the handle.

For convenience the handle may be formed of a substantially U-shaped member and the frame may comprise, adjacent the handle, a handle tube substantially paralled to the axle; said tube accommodating a portion of the handle therein whereby in use the ends of the handle which normally fall to the substantially vertical under their own weight may be raised to the substantially horizontal. The relationship of the handle and the handle tube is such to allow relative rotational movement through only about 900. A ratchet means may be provided to allow the handle to be releasably held in the upper position.

In a particular embodiment this relative rotational movement is utilized to urge the road wheels into engagement with the ground. In this instance, movement of the handle from the vertical to the horizontal causes a plurality of operating rods or an operating wire to move in a desired direction. The axle instead of direct attachment to the frame is pivotally attached thereto and is attached via an extension piece to said rods or wire. When the handle is moved as indicated the rods or wire act to force the axle downwardly thus urging the road wheels into contact with the ground.

It will be appreciated that braking of this assembly may in contradistinction from the prior art devices, be effected merely by letting go of the handles during translational movement. Such an action will not result as heretofore in the probability of an upset load.

The invention will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an assembly according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view from above of the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side elevation of an assembly according to the invention with the axle in its downward position; and Figure 4 shows the assembly of Figure 3 with the axle in its upper or at rest position.

In figures 1 and 2 a dustbin 1 shown in part only, is disposable on a frame 2 of the trolley. The frame 2 comprises a substantially horizontally disposed elongate platform portion 3 and upwardly thereof an arcuate retaining means 4 for the location of the dustbin 1. Said frame also includes a pair of handle support members 5 which terminate at their uppermost ends in a substantially horizontally disposed handle support tube 7.

Handle 6 is formed of a substantially U-shaped member, the bridge piece of said U-shape being located in the tube 7. The arrangement is such that the handle 6 is movable from the dotted line position of Figure 1 to the full line position. The tube has a slot disposed at either end to allow rotational movement of the handle 6 through an arc of only 900 or so.

Remote from the handle said frame bears an axle 9 having a pair of road wheels 8 disposed thereon. It will be noted that the frame 2 is bent upwardly adjacent the axle 9 so that in its at rest position as shown in Figure 1 the road wheels 8 only just contact the ground. In use the handle 6 is lifted to its position in the full line position of Figure 1 and the platform 3 is thereby raised from the ground. This brings the road wheels 8 into full contact with the ground and causes a slight tipping of the dustbin in the trolley. This slight tipping does not, however, materially effect the stability of the assembly during translational movement.

In the embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the movement of the handle 6 results in the corresponding movement of the axle 9 relative to the frame 2. Thus, in Figure 4 rods 11 connect handle 6 via engagement pieces 1 2 to an extension 13 extending from the axle support 1 5.

Feet 10 are provided to support the frame from the ground.

The axle support 1 5 is pivotally attached at pivot 1 6 to the frame 2. The engagement pieces 12 are of a generally triangular configuration and have a bore adjacent each apex. An end of a rod is engaged with each of two bores of each engagement piece, while the engagement piece itself is attached to a frame 2 by means engaging said other bore and being attached to said frame.

In order to use the assembly, the handle 6 is moved from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 3. As a result the rods 11 are moved so as to draw the piece 13 towards the frame 2 thereby forcing the road wheels 8 into engagement with the ground. Suitable ratchet means (not shown) may be provided to releasably lock the handle 6 in the position as shown in Figure 3. Downward movement of the handle 6 will conversely allow the wheels 8 to move out of engagement with the ground and hence cause the platform to settle on feet 10.

It will be appreciated that although the above described assembly has been described in terms of a dustbin and trolley therefor the assembly may be made integral with the frame 2 being, for example, moulded into a suitable dustbin shape during manufacture.

Claims

1. An assembly of a dustbin trolley and a dustbin therefor, wherein said trolley comprises an elongate frame member having a platform portion for support of the dustbin thereon, said platform portion including means for restraining the dustbin against lateral movement, a handle attached to said frame at a first end thereof, and an axle bearing road wheels supporting said frame for translational movement, said axle being mounted at or adjacent a second end of the frame; the arrangement being such that during translational movement of the assembly 40 to 60% of the weight of the assembly is disposed upon the axle.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein substantially 50% of the weight of the assembly is disposed on the axle during translational movement.

3. An assembly according to either of claims 1 or 2 wherein substantially all the load is transmitted to the ground by the platform portion in the at rest position.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein rotational movement of a handle portion acts to urge the road wheels into contact with the ground thereby raising the platform portion therefrom.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the handle is formed of a substantially U-shaped member and the frame comprises adjacent the handle, a handle tube substantially parallel to the axle, said tube accommodating a portion of said handle therein, whereby in normal use the ends of said handle fali into a substantially vertical plane under their own weight and wherein during translational movement said handles may be raised to a substantially horizontal upper position.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein the handle includes a ratchet to allow the handle to be releasably held in the upper position.

7. An assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the rotational movement operates a plurality of rods thereby urging the road wheels into contact with the ground.

8. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said dustbin, platform portion and means for preventing lateral movement are integrally moulded together during manufacture.

9. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore set forth and as illustrated in, and with reference to, Figures 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.