GB2292123A

GB2292123A - Wheeled waste bin handling system, involving a trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2292123A
Application number: GB9516126A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geraint Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-08-06
Filing date: 1995-08-07
Publication date: 1996-02-14
Also published as: GB9516126D0

Abstract

The trailer 10 has a towing hitch 38 and a hook 40 which fits under the handle of the bin 12, fig. 1, so that the bin can be picked up and tilted backwards into a towing position, fig. 4. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: Load carrying systems DESCRIPTION This invention concerns load carrying systems.

Large waste bins commonly known as "wheely" bins are used more and more for collection of domestic waste.

They have a large capacity and are provided with wheels so that they can be easily manoeuvred by gripping a handle and tipping the bin onto its wheels, which are positioned so that when upright the bin rests on its base. Such bins would be useful for transporting a variety of loads if they could be made towable.

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby bins of the above-mentioned type may become towable.

According to his invention a load carrying system comprises a bin of the above-described type and a trailer onto which the bin can be mounted, which trailer is towable.

The preferred trailer has a main beam with a towing hitch at one end and a pair of wheels at or near its other end preferably on ends of a cross bar. The wheels may be mounted on the trailer via a suspension system.

The trailer may be collapsible for ease of storage. For example, the main beam may be foldable at or near its mid-point.

The trailer may be fitted with a number plate alone or with a lighting board connectable to the electricity supply of the towing vehicle.

The bins useful in the invention usually have a handle or handles on or near an upper part thereof and in one preferred embodiment the trailer will be couplable to said handle or handles. Typically, the handle of such a bin is spaced from and parallel to an upper edge of the bin and can form a pivot for a lid for the bin. Then it is preferred that the trailer have a hook or like member that fits under the handle. The hook or like member is preferably situated on the trailer so that the trailer can be manoeuvred for the hook member to engage the handle when the bin is upright and so that the two can be tipped backwards into a towing position with the bin on top of the trailer.

The hook member is preferably on the main beam and its position may be adjustable along the beam to suit different bin handle heights.

The trailer is preferably so sized that when the bin is hooked up, the bin rests on the main beam and cross bar with its wheels beyond the cross bar. To secure the bin to the trailer any suitable additional security means may be used. For example, elastic cords or the like may be attached to the trailer to pass over and around the bin.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the trailer has mountings for the wheels of the bin.

Such mountings are preferably provided on the trailer cross bar. The preferred mountings are sized so as to receive a wheel and retain it. A preferred form of mounting comprises a lower member, preferably in the form of a shallow trough, and an upper preferably curved member, whereby a wheel of a bin can fit between the two members. The two members together preferably provide a rearwardly directed opening so that the trailer can be reversed onto the wheels of a bin for the wheels to fit into the mountings. Once the wheels are in the mountings, the bin may be tipped onto the trailer.

For this embodiment additional securing means in the form of a strap or straps may be desirable to retain the bin on the trailer.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first trailer and bin combination from the side; Figure 2 shows, from above, the trailer partly sectioned along line AA of Figure 1 and the bin separated; Figure 3 shows the trailer of Figure 1 partfolded; Figure 4 shows the trailer and bin attached from the side; Figure 5 shows the trailer and bin of Figure 1 from the rear; Figure 6 is a plan view of a second form of trailer.

Figure 7 is a side view of the trailer of Figure 6 with bin attached.

Figure 8 is a rear view of the trailer of Figure 6 with bin attached.

Figures 9A and 9B are respectively front and side views of detail of the bin/trailer coupling; and Figure 10 shows the hitching/unhitching position for the bin and the trailer of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, load carrying apparatus comprises a trailer 10 and a bin 12 detachably mountable on the trailer. The trailer is designed to be hitched to a conventional towing ball on a motor vehicle.

The bin 12 is of the type known as a "wheely" bin and has a generally rectangular section body 14. The body is mounted on a pair of wheels 16, each wheel being at a lower corner at opposite ends of one sidle 18 of the bin. The bin 12 as a lid 20 which is pivotally attached to the bin along a top edge thereof of the side 18. The pivotal attachment of the lid comprises a handle 24 which is supported by brackets 2 and spaced from the rear of the bin. The lid has a pair of arms 28 extending therefrom by which the lid is pivotally attached to the ends of the handle 24.

The bin is manoeuverable by pulling back on the handles so that it can be wheeled about on its wheels.

The trailer 10 comprises a main bar 30 which is foldable at its mid-point 32 for ease of storage (see figure 3). At one end of the trailer is a cross bar 34 on each end of which is a wheel 36. A suspension system may be provided for the wheels. At its other end the trailer has a towing hitch 38 for attachment thereof to a towing ball on a motor vehicle. Just above its midpoint 32, the main bar 30 has a hook member 40. The hook member 40. The hook member 40 is intended to fit under the handle 24 of the bin 12 (see Figures 4 and 5).

Once the hook has been fitted under the handle the trailer and bin can be tilted backwards into a towing position as sown in Figures 4 and 5.

Elastic straps 42 indicated by broken lines in Figures 4 and 6 are used to secure the bin to the trailer. In this position, the bin can be towed easily and may be used for transporting any suitable load.

Turning to Figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, load carrying apparatus comprises a trailer 100 and a bin 12 detachably mountable on the trailer.

The trailer is designed to be hitched to a conventional towing balll of a motor vehicle. The bin 12 is the same as the bin described in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 6.

The trailer 100 comprises a main bar 102 which is foldable at its mid-point for ease of storage. At one end of the trailer is a cross bar 104 on each end of which is a wheel 106. A suspension system may be provided for the wheels. At its other end the trailer has a towing hitch 108 for attachment thereof to a towing ball on a motor vehicle.

The trailer cross bar 104 has extending rearwardly therefrom a pair of spaced mountings 110 each to receive a wheel 16 of the bin 12. The mountings 110 comprise a lower member 112 in the form of a shallow trough and an upper member 114 in the form of a curve.

The upper member 114 generally follows the contour of a wheel 16 of the bin but stops to leave an entry for the wheel into the mounting. The mounting is intended to be a fairly close fit onto its wheels.

At about its mid-point the main bar 102 of the trailer has a profiled plate 116 which acts as a resting place for the handle 24 of the bin.

To hitch the bin to the trailer with the bin in an upright position, the trailer is reversed upto the bin wheels with the main bar raised at an angle. The trailer is manoeuvred so that the mountings 110 fit over the wheels 16 of the bin. The trailer is then lowered so that the bin tips onto the main bar. Then a strap 120 is fastened to the bin (Figure 7) and to the main bar of the trailer to secure the bin to the trailer.

The strap 120 may be of any suitable type including elastic straps, although a length adjustable strap, such as by means of a ratchet system, may be preferred.

Claims

1. A load carrying system comprising a bin having wheels and a handle and a trailer onto which the bin is mounted, which trailer is towable.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trailer has a main beam with a towing hitch at one end and a pair of wheels at or near its other end.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wheels are on ends of a crossbar.

4. A system as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the wheels are mounted on the trailer via a suspension system.

5. A system as claimed in any one of. claims 1 to 4, wherein the trailer is collapsible.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the main beam of the trailer is foldable at or near its midpoint.

7. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the trailer is fitted with a number plate alone or with a lighting board connectable to the electricity supply of the towing vehicle.

8. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the trailer is couplable to a handle of the bin.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the handle of the bin is spaced from and parallel to an upper edge of the bin and forms a pivot for a lid for the bin.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the trailer has a hook or like member that fits under the handle.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hook or like member is situated on the trailer so that the trailer can be manoeuvred for the hook member to engage the handle when the bin is upright and so that the two can be tipped backwards into a towing position with the bin on top of the trailer.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the hook member is on the main beam.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the position of the hook is adjustable along the beam to suit different bin handle heights.

14. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the trailer is so sized that when the bin is hooked up, the bin rests on the main beam and cross bar with its wheels beyond the cross bar.

15. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising means for securing the bin to the trailer.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the securing means comprises elastic cords or the like attached to the trailer and passed over and around the bin.

17. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the trailer has mountings for the wheels of the bin.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said mountings are provided on a cross bar of the trailer.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the mountings are sized so as to receive a wheel and retain it.

20. A system as claimed in claims 17, 18 or 19, wherein the mounting comprise a lower member and an upper member, whereby a wheel of a bin can fit between the two members.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lower member is in the form of a shallow trough.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the upper member is curved.

23. A system as claimed in claims 20, 21 or 22, wherein the rearwardly directed opening so that the trailer can be reversed onto the wheels of a bin for the wheels to fit into the mountings.

24. A system as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 23 including securing means in the form of a strap or straps for retaining the bin on a trailer.

25. A load carrying system substantively as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.