GB2137939A - Trolleys - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley for supporting a dustbin has a base 1 mounted on wheels 5 and defining a recess 4 which, in combination with a platform 3, receives the peripheral rim on the underneath of a dustbin. The dustbin is held securely in place by an adjustable stem 8. This stem 8 includes a rod 14 having a hooked end 16 which can engage the rim or a handle portion of the dustbin. The rod 14 is held in position by securing a wing nut 15 against a flat bar 9 forming part of the stem 8. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Trolleys This invention relates to trolleys for containers, particularly but not exclusively dustbins.

A dustbin is large and unwieldy, and when full can be extremely difficult to carry. Since dustmen, or rather refuse collection executives, have ceased to give the service to which we were accustomed, it is now expected that frail old ladies must carry their dustbins from the back door to the front gate, which may be a considerable distance. There is therefore a need for some device which will lighten this burden.

According to the present invention there is provided a trolley for containers comprising a wheeled base with a cradle for receiving and locating part of the lower rim portion of a container, and an adjustable stem upstanding from the cradle adapted at its upper end positively to engage an upper rim portion of the container.

When so assembled with a container, the trolley can be tilted to lift the container completely clear of the ground, and it-can then be pushed or pulled on its wheels.

Conveniently, there will be just two wheels on a common axle, giving lateral stability. However, a single wheel version would be possible, although this might be developed into one with a wide tread and be almost a roller. Preferably, the cradle will be L-shaped with a convex curved wall and a platform projecting from the bottom of that wall. This platform will generally have a curved groove or recess, coaxial with the curve of the wall, to receive part of an annular rib at the base of the container. Most dustbins have such a rib.

The upper end of the stem may be formed with a hook. This can be arranged to engage the handle of a dustbin if that is of the ring or loop type, or if it is drilled to receive the point of the hook. Alternatively, the hook may engage over the rim of the dustbin, although that will require local raising of the lid. Alternatively, when the dustbin is of plastics material with integrally moulded handles, the upper end of the stem may have a formation which will engage the recessed underside of either handle.

For a better understanding of the invention, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a dustbin trolley, Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the trolley of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows details of various handle or rim engaging arrangements.

The trolley has a hollow body 1, open at the bottom, of tough moulded plastics. It has a convex front wall 2 curved to match the circumference of a dustbin. From the base of this wall there projects a platform 3 which is of stepped form to provide a curved recess 4 along the base of the wall. Practically all dustbins have a peripheral rim underneath, and partofthis will locate in the recess 4, with the stepped-up portion of the platform 3 engaging behind it to keep it captive to the body 1.

The trolley has two wheels 5 on either side of the body 1 mounted on a common axle 6 which is fixed in a box-like projection 7 at the rear of the body. The position of the axle is such that the perimeters of the wheels are just to the rear of the arc of the front wall 2, and such that the trolley can stand stably on the wheels and the underside of the recess 4 with the wall 2 substantially vertical.

A two-part adjustable stem 8 is upstanding from the body 1. The lower part is a flat bar 9 which extends through a transverse slot 10 in the top of the body 1 and down behind the wall 2 to terminate in a short flange underneath the centre of the recess 4, to which it is attached by a rivet 11. The portion of the bar 9 above the body 1 has a longitudinal slot 12, and the bar terminates in a forwardly projecting flange 13 with a circular aperture The upper part of the stem 8 is a rod 1 4 which passes down through this aperture and turns rearwardly in a short screw-threaded section through the slot 1 2. The rod can be adjusted vertically and clamped at any selected position by a wing nut 1 5 on this threaded section.

The upper end of the rod 14 is designed for positive engagement with a handle of the dustbin, or perhaps with its rim. In Figures 1, 2 and 3(a), the upper end is simply bent over laterally to form a hook 16. This engages a loop handle by the rod being extended upwards and then brought down so that the hook engages over the handle. If the latter is not a loop, as for example with many plastic dustbins, the handle may be drilled to receive the point of the hook. When engaged, the wing nut 1 5 is tightened, and the trolley with the dustbin captive to it can be tilted and easily moved on the wheels 5.

The transverse slot 10 is longer than the width of the bar 9, and although hard and tough, the plastics material will have some resilience. This means that the stem 8 can be moved slightly from side to side as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, pivoting about the rivet connection 11 and slightly distorting the platform 3. Thus the stem 8 can be moved slightly to one side to clear a handle as the rod 14 is extended and then brought back as the hook engagement is made.

Figure 3(b) shows an alternative where the hook is bent forwardly so that it will engage over the rim of the dustbin. Thus, although this means locally lifting the lid, it does not require the trolley to be positioned directly below one of the handles.

Figure 3(c) shows another version, for plastic dustbins, where the integrally moulded handle forms a downwardly open recess for a good finger grip. Here, the upper end of the rod 14 is provided with a plug 1 7 which will enter that recess.

It will be understood that various means for attaching the top of the stem to the upper rim of the dustbin may be adopted, but it is preferred to have some form of inter-hooking engagement which just requires the length of the stem 8 to be adjusted.

When using this trolley, either handle of the dustbin may be held to push it or pull it, as desired. However it would be possible to provide the upper end of the rod 14 with a handle somewhat easier to grasp than that of the dustbin. Such a handle could be an 'extra' and be clamped onto the rod.

The stem 8 obviously caters for dustbins of various heights. Although the front wall 2 and recess 4 are of particular curvatures, the width of the recess and the nature of most rims at the bottom of dustbins are such that, although some will not be a perfect fit, most dustbins will seat reasonably well. The trolley is therefore usable with the vast majority of dustbins, and it can also have applications for manoeuvering other bins, for example in factories or warehouses.

Claims (9)

1. A trolley for containers, the trolley comprising a wheeled base with a cradle for receiving and locating part of the lower rim portion of a container, and an adjustable stem upstanding from the cradle adapted at its upper end positively to engage with the container at or near an upper rim portion thereof.

2. A trolley according to claim 1, having two wheels on a common axle, giving lateral stability.

3. A trolley according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cradle is L-shaped with a convex curved wall and has a platform projecting from the bottom of that wall.

4. A trolley according to claim 3, wherein the platform has a curved groove or recess, coaxial with the curve of the wall, to receive part of an annular rib at the base of the container.

5. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper end of the stem is formed with a hook.

6. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper end of the stem incorporates a formation which will engage the recessed underside of a handle on a container.

7. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the stem is in two parts, one of which is secured to the cradle and the other of which carried the engagement adaptation, the two parts being movable with respect to each other to vary the length of the stem, and locking means is provided to secure the two parts in a desired relationship.

8. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the upper end of the stem carries a member defining a handle.

9. A trolley for containers substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.