GB2051692A - Collapsible wheelbarrow - Google Patents

Abstract

The longitudinal chassis members (20) are adapted to be closed together to reduce the width of the chassis, releasable locking means being provided to retain the chassis members (20) in the extended condition. The body or container (1) is preferably foldable and extendible with the chassis and is shown consisting of hinged front and rear wall members (11, 12) floor members (14) and side wall members (13). The front and rear wall members (11, 12) and floor members (14) have a supporting flanged interengagement (141, 142) in the extended condition. The locking means (4) may be interlinked (44) with body members such as the floor members (14) to initiate folding of the body (1). A front support may be provided for the front wall members (11) from the chassis (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wheelbarrow The object of this invention is to provide a wheelbarrow which can be reduced in size for compact stowage, e.g. in a garage or shed and which can be readily used in an extended condition, e.g. as a wheelbarrow of conventional form. Practical advantages of the invention in this respect will be apparent from the following disclosure.

According to the invention a wheelbarrow is characterised by longitudinal chassis members of the wheelbarrow which carry the body or container being adapted to be closed together to reduce the width of the chassis, releasable means being provided to retain the chassis members in the extended condition. The invention is further characterised by the body or container being laterally foldable with the chassis on closing of the chassis members together and vice versa.

In practice the construction and arrangement of a wheelbarrow embodying the invention is as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the wheelbarrow in the extended condition, Figure 2 is a similar view showing the wheelbarrow partially folded, Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged scale detail views of hingeing points with reference to Fig.

2 and shown disconnected, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the wheelbarrow fully folded, Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged scale detail views of disconnected hingeing points with reference to Fig. 5, Figures 8, 9 and 10 are rear end views of locking linkage in the extended, partially folded and fully folded conditions respectively, Figure 11 is an enlarged detail front view of the linkage pivotal connection with reference to Figs. 8 to 10.

Figures 12 to 15 similarly show modified linkage.

Figures 16, 17 and 18 are detail front perspective views of front support of the body respectively shown in the extended, partially folded and fully folded conditions of the body, and Figure 19 is a detail perspective view of an underfloor support member for the body.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 5 the locking linkage of Figs. 8 to 11 has been omitted for clarity.

In the arrangement shown the body or container 1 of the wheelbarrow is advantageously of rigid form in the extended condition, i.e. of sheet metal wall and bottom members and also of conventional shape for use in the normal manner.

The body 1 is supported on a chassis 2 shown consisting of a pair of longitudinal members 20 together providing forks 23 for the front wheel 3, rear supporting legs 22 and also a pair of handles 21 again in a conventional manner.

Basically in the realisation of the invention, the chassis members 20 can be closed together to reduce the width of the wheelbarrow for stowage purposes, the body or container 1 being foldable or collapsible with such closing movement so that the body 1 is also substantially reduced in width when fully folded. (see Fig. 5).

For this purpose two front and two rear end wall sheet members 11, 1 2 of the body 1 are hingedly or pivotally connected about a central generally upright axis at 111 and 11 2 respectively so as to fold inwardly between the side walls 13, the bottom of the body consisting of a pair of floor sheet members 14 pivotally or hingedly connected at 114 about a longitudinal axis so as to have a downward folding action.In addition to the pivotal connections 111, 11 2 and 114 referred to, the end wall members 11, 1 2 and the floor members 1 4 are hinged to corresponding side wall members 1 3 by suitable hinge connections shown of lug and rivet form at corners of the side members 1 3. However the hinge connections may be of conventional hinge form, e.g. of the extended or "piano" type such as that described in the description of the preliminary patent application No.

79-23139.

Thus the upper corner of each side wall member 1 3 is provided with a perforated lug 11 3 (see Figs. 2 and 3) which is secured by a rivet or the like (not shown) to the upper flanges 11 5 and 1 25 of the front and rear wall members 11 and 1 2 respectively. In order to provide support for the side wall members 13, the front and rear wall members 11 and 1 2 are provided with flanges 116, 1 26 at their outer upright edges.

In alignment with a corresponding upper pivotal connection 11 3, a lower flange 11 8 of each front wall member 11 has a pivotal connection with one limb of an L-form lug 143, the other upright limb of the latter having a pivotal connection with the front flange 141 of a corresponding floor member 14. Similar lower double pivotal connection is provided at 1 23 between the side wall and rear wall members 1 3 and 1 2.

A groove 1 48 provided by an upturned edge 147 of the front flange 141 locatingly receives the lower flange 11 8 in the fully extended condition of the body 1 (see Fig. 4) in order to provide supporting inter-engagement between the wall members 11 and floor members 14.

Each pair of end wall members 11, 1 2 are pivotally connected together at 111, 11 2 with some overlap 121, 122 to provide effective closure at the pivotal connections 111, 11 2 in the extended condition and also prevent or resist outward movement of the end wall members 11, 12.

In a similar manner overlap may be provided at the longitudinal pivotal connection 114 of the floor members 14 which pivotal connection is effected between the front and rear end flanges 141, 1 42 by pivot pins 114 through the upturned edges 147, the flanges 141, 142 serving to contain corresponding end wall members 11, 1 2 in the extended condition with the front groove location at 1 48 as referred to above.

The body 1 is mounted on and connected to the chassis members 20 by pivotal connection to the floor members 14 at a forward part of the latter for which purpose the chassis members 2 pass through lugs 140 of inverted U-form secured to the underside of corresponding floor members 14. The floor members 1 4 are further connected to the chassis members 2 by pivotal connections 1 44 of their rear flanges 1 42 to the rear legs 22. The lugs 140 may provide a transverse lost motion slot engagement with the members 20 to facilitate the folding action.

The arrangement is such that downward folding movement of the floor members 14 with inward folding of the end wall members 11, 1 2 is able to take place on closing together of the chassis members 20 so that mainly by one operation the complete wheelbarrow can be laterally folded to a compact form as indicated in Fig. 5 and just as simply extended ready for use.

To provide a conventional form of body 1 the axes of the hinge connections 123, 143 need not be parallel but instead may have some forward divergence. Nevertheless this does not adversely affect the folding action of the body 1. The angles of inclination of the end walls 11, 1 2 and side walls 1 3 may be also varied.

To ensure firm support of the wheel 3 in the extended condition of the chassis 2 and body 1, a threaded end portion of the wheel spindle 30 (Figs. 12 to 14) receives a nut such as a wing nut 33, the nut 33 being tightened to firmly support the wheel 3 in the forks 23 and slackened to permit lateral closing together of the chassis members 20.

In order to brace and also releasably retain the chassis 2 in the extended condition, locking linkage 4 (Figs. 8 to 11) is provided consisting of a pair of links 40 pivotally connected at 41 so as to have a toggle or over-centre action. For the purpose of initiating the folding action of the body 1 the links 40 are pivotally connected via further links or plates 42 to the rear legs 22 of the chassis at 24, the links 40 being pivoted to the plates at 43. The arrangement permits an appropriate length of cross links 44 pivotally connected at 45 to the plates 42 and at 46 to the rear flanges 142 of the floor members 14.

To release the locking action and initiate folding of the body 1 and chassis 2, the central pivotal connection 41 is pulled upwardly (Fig. 9). This draws the legs 22 towards one another for folding the chassis 2 (after slackening the wheel wing nut 33) and also turns the plates 42 about their pivots 24 to thrust the cross links 44 inwardly with the result that they impart a downward movement to the floor members 14 causing them to fold about their pivotal connections 114. Thus folding of the body 1 is initiated in the required manner.

A stop 420 on each plate 42 (Figs. 9 and 11) ensures required movement of the plates 42 during extension of the wheelbarrow, i.e.

on pushing the toggle links 40 downwardly in Fig. 9 in which case the end portions of the links 40 abut corresponding stops 420 adjacent the pivotal connections 43 so that the plates 42 are swung downwardly and not outwardly.

Figs. 1 2 to 1 5 are similar to Figs. 8 to 11 but show a simplified locking linkage 4. Thus instead of the further links or plates 42, the ends of the toggle links 40 are upwardly cranked at 400 and are pivotally connnected at 47 to the ends of corresponding links 44.

As shown in Fig. 1 5 the pivotal connections at 47 may have a pin and slot action for required freedom of movement as necessary whilst the pivotal connections preferably lie upwardly over centre in relation to the pivotal connections 24 to the legs 22 so that downward load on the links 44 (i.e. when the extended barrow is laden) tends to thrust the toggle links 40 into the locking condition.

However, if desired, the pivotal connections 24, 47 can coincide.

A flange 404 on each upwardly cranked portion 400 extends over the end portion of the adjacent link 44 to provide stabilising abutment when the linkage is in the extended locking condition.

Other possible modifications are the coincident pivotal connection of the links 44 to the pivotal connection 114 or to corresponding flanges each side of the latter, i.e. without cross over of the links 44.

In a development shown in Figs. 1 6 to 1 9 further support 5 of the front wall members 11 is provided against their forward distension, e.g. when the barrow is being wheeled with the body laden with heavy material such as soil or is being forwardly tipped to discharge such material. A support member 50 for this purpose shown of inverted U-form extends upwardly against the front surfaces of the wall members 11 when the barrow is in the fully extended condition shown in Fig. 1 6.

The support member 50 is mounted from floor structure of the body 1 and derives support from the front forks 23 at the wheel spindle 30 through a locking lever 55 having a toggle action. The support member 50 is pivotally mounted at 51 from a bracket 61 of the underfloor closure member 6 which latter consists of a strip 60 (Fig. 1 9) preferably of inverted channel V-form for sufficient strength in supporting the floor members 14 at their adjacent edges when under load. The strip 60 is connected to the floor members at the pivotal connections 144 of the latter by the front bracket 61 and a rear lug 62.

Forwardly extending limbs 52 of the support member 50 extend approximately parallel with the forks 23 and are pivotally connected to the locking lever 55 about a transverse axis at a point 53 along the length of the limbs 54 of the latter. The locking member 55 is pivoted about the wheel spindle 30 and in the extended condition of the barrow shown in Fig. 1 6 is pushed down against the limbs 52 to lock the member 50 in the supporting position, the locking member 55 having outwardly directed lugs 56 for such abutment.

Having regard to the downward pivotal movement of the floor members 14 on folding of the body, the support member 50 is first released for downward movement therewith by upward swinging movement of the locking member 55 as indicated in Figs. 17 and 18, the fully downward position of the support member 50 being shown in Fig. 1 8.

Whereas the above described folding action of the body 1 is satisfactory in practice, if desired the arrangement may be varied with appropriate structural modification, e.g.

whereby the floor members or panels 14 fold upwardly between the side walls 1 3 and the end walls 11, 1 2 fold outwardly.

Again, if desired, the body 1 may be partly of flexible material for obtaining a folding or collapsing action whilst in a modified arrangement of the wheelbarrow, the chassis 2 may have a lateral folding action the same or similar to that already described but adapted to removably receive a body which may be of rigid or non-folding form so that on removal of the body the chassis 2 can be folded for compact stowage and the body stowed in an out of the way position such as by hanging it on a wall. When such a body is fitted on the chassis 2 it can serve to positively retain the latter in the extended condition.

Claims (14)

1. A wheelbarrow characterised by longitudinal chassis members of the wheel barrow which carry the body or container being adapted to be closed together to reduce the width of the chassis, releasable means being provided to retain the chassis members in the extended condition.

2. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1 wherein the body or container is laterally foldable with the chassis on closing of the longitudinal chassis members together and vice versa.

3. A wheelbarrow according to claim 2 wherein front and rear walls of the body or container each consist of a pair of wall members hingedly connected about central generally upright axes and the floor thereof consists of a pair of floor members hingedly connected about a central longitudinal axis for respective folding movement together, said front and rear wall members and floor members being hingedly connected to side wall members for folding movement together of the latter therewith and vice versa.

4. A wheelbarrow according to claim 3 wherein the front and rear wall members are arranged to fold inwardly between the side wall members and the floor members have a downward folding action.

5. A wheelbarrow according to claims 2 and 3 or claims 2, 3 and 4 wherein the floor members are pivotally connected to the longitudinal chassis members for folding or extension movement therewith.

6. A wheelbarrow according to claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the front and rear wall members and the floor members overlap at their hinged connections to prevent or resist relative pivotal movement beyond the fully extended condition of the body or container.

7. A wheelbarrow according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein the front and rear wall members and the floor members have a supporting inter-engagement in the extended condition of the body or container.

8. A wheelbarrow according to claim 7 wherein the supporting inter-engagement is effected by flange engagement between the front and rear wall members and the floor members in the extended condition of the body or container.

9. A wheelbarrow according to any of the preceding claims wherein the releasable means for securing the longitudinal chassis members in the extended condition consists of releasable locking linkage connected between the chassis members.

10. A wheelbarrow according to claim 9 wherein the releasable locking linkage has a toggle or overcentre action.

11. A wheelbarrow according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the releasable locking linkage is interlinked with hingedly connected members of the body or container to initiate folding of the latter.

1 2. A wheelbarrow according to claim 11 wherein the releasable locking linkage is interlinked with the floor members of the body or container in order to initiate said folding action.

1 3. A wheelbarrow according to claim 2 or to any claim appendant thereto wherein support means is carried by the chassis for supporting the front of the foldable body or container such as hingedly connected front wall members thereof against outward distension under load of contents in the body or container.

14. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1 3 wherein the support means is carried by folda ble floor members of the body or container and is releasable for folding movement therewith.

1 5. A wheelbarrow according to claim 3 or to any of the preceding claims appendant thereto wherein an underfloor support member is provided to the floor members for supporting them at their adajacent edges in the extended condition of the body or container.

1 6. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the body or container is at least partly of flexible material for folding or collapsing movement with the chassis.

1 7. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1 wherein the foldable chassis when extended receives a body or container of rigid or nonfolding form.

1 8. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1 7 wherein the body or container of rigid or nonfolding form serves to retain the chassis in the extended condition but which permits folding of the chassis by dis-engagement or removal therefrom.

1 9. A folding wheelbarrow substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.