GB2292351A - Wheeled container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container for shotguns or golf clubs comprises a tubular body (10) having an open upper end (12) closeable by a cover (14). A pair of coaxially mounted wheels are provided at the lower end of the container mounted on an axle (28) on one side of a notional central transverse plane of the container. On the other side of said plane there is provided a leg assembly (40) by means of which the container may be supported in an inclined position. The container may be tilted from said inclined position through a vertical plane to a second inclined position in which the container is rollable on the wheels (26), the leg assembly being automatically retracted on movement to the second position. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Container and Support Description of Invention This invention relates to a container of the type which may be used for the containment and transportation of relatively heavy elongate objects particularly such as sporting guns or golf clubs.

A person engaged in the sport of clay pigeon shooting would typically have to transport several items of equipment to the shooting ground and from stand to stand at the shooting ground. For example, as many as three hundred or more cartridges may be carried, two guns may be used, a variety of chokes and/or spare barrels may be carried as well as waterproof clothes and other sundries.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container, particularly but not exclusively for sporting guns and shooter's accessories, which will facilitate the containment and transportation of articles therein.

In accordance with the broadest aspect of the invention there is provided a container for elongate articles comprising a principle body portion having an open-mouthed upper end for the insertion and withdrawal of said articles; a pair of spaced apart wheels mounted coaxial with one another on the lower end of the container; and container support means mounted on a side of the container whereby the container may be tilted from a first inclined position in which it is supported by said support means through a vertical plane to a second inclined position in which the container is rollable upon said wheels.

Conveniently said pair of wheels are mounted on an axis of rotation offset from a central transverse plane of the container and said container support means are mounted on that side of said central transverse plane of the container opposite that on which said axis of rotation of the wheels is provided.

Said support means conveniently comprises support legs pivotable automatically outwardly and inwardly relative to the container between a retracted inoperative position and an extended operative position. Preferably when said support legs are in their extended operative position, the container is supportable on a horizontal or generally horizontal surface with said wheels clear of said surface.

Conveniently a handle is provided on said container on that side thereof remote from said support means.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention in a first inclined position in which it is supported relative to the ground by support means; Figure 2 is a similar diagrammatic side view to that of Figure 1 showing the container in a second inclined position in which the container is rollable upon its wheels; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic front view of the container when in the inclined position of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a detailed view of the support means mounted on the rear of the container.

In the specific example described and illustrated herein the invention is embodied in the form of a container for shotguns as may be used by persons engaged in the sport of clay pigeon shooting although it should be appreciated that a container constructed in accordance with the invention may be used for other purposes.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the container of the invention comprises a principle container body portion 10 of generally elongate rectangular form having an open-mouthed upper end 12 closable by a cover portion 14 of the body. The cover portion 14 may be detachably secured to the body portion such as by a zip or press stud means. As illustrated, the principle body portion 10 of the container is designed for the containment of one or more shotguns which, as illustrated in Figure 1, may be contained with their butts uppermost so as to be easily accessible at the open upper end of the container.

The body portion 10 is conveniently provided with a plurality of closable pockets incorporating zip or press stud closure means. For example, there may be provided an elongate side pocket 16 for the containment of spare shotgun barrels, a second side pocket 18 for the containment of waterproof clothing and front pockets 20 and 22 for the containment of cartridges, spare chokes and other shooter's accessories. A hinged handle 24 is provided adjacent the open upper end of the body portion 10 on the front face thereof for facilitating movement of the container as will be further described below.

At the lower end of the container there is provided a pair of coaxially mounted freely rotatable wheels 26 mounted on an axle 28 disposed to one side, the forward side, of a notional central transverse plane of the container. As illustrated, the axle 28 defining the axis of rotation of the wheels 26 is mounted on an L-shaped bracket 30 which is itself secured for example such as by riveting to the front and under surfaces of the container body portion 10.

At the rear of the container body portion 10 there is provided support means in the form of an automatic leg assembly of a type generally known per se.

The assembly comprises a pair of pivotally mounted upper arms 32 spaced apart transversely of the container with each arm being freely pivotable at a cranked inner end 34 thereof on a mounting plate 36 secured such as for example by riveting to the rear face of the container body portion 10 approximately midway between its upper and lower ends. At the outer free end 38 of each arm 32 there is provided a support leg 40 in a fixed orientation relative to its respective arm.

At the lower end of the container body portion 10 at the rear face thereof there is provided a guide bracket 42 extending transversely of the container. Within this bracket 42 there is provided spring actuating means in the form of a generally U-shaped yoke having a relatively short linear lower end 44 for engagement with the ground and relatively long linear side limbs 46 each of which terminates at its upper end in a transversely extending stub shaft 48 engaged within a respective elongate slot 50 in a respective said arm 32. The spring yoke part 44-46 of the support means is retained under tension by said arms 32 and said guide bracket 42 and the upper opposed stub shafts 48 are retained within their respective said slots 50 for pivotal movement relative to the arms 32.As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the support legs 40 are movable from an extended operative position shown in Figure 1 to a retracted inoperative position as shown in Figure 2 and, in known manner, the support legs 40 are automatically extendable or retractable dependent upon the contact with the ground of the lower linear portion 44 of the spring yoke 44-46. Thus upon tilting movement of the container from the inclined position shown in Figure 1 through a vertical plane to the inclined position shown in Figure 2, the support legs 40 will be automatically retracted and the container may then be rolled readily upon its wheels 26 by a user supporting the container by means of the handle 24. The container may thus be readily pulled along by a user.When the user wishes to rest the container it may be tilted from the inclined position of Figure 2 to the inclined position of Figure 1 at which time, during the tilting movement of the container, the support legs 40 will be caused to be extended to their operative support positions as shown in Figure 1. Thus the container may be supported in tripod like manner by the lower ends of the two support legs 40 and the lower portion 44 of the yoke with the wheels 26 of the container clear of the ground whereby there will not be any tendency for the container to move even if the ground upon which it is supported is not entirely level.

The support legs are movable from their retracted inoperative position shown in Figure 2 to a "park" position in which the support legs 40 are still retracted in an inoperative position but are withdrawn upwardly relative to the container so as to project only in a minimal manner below the lower surface thereof. Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, the normal retracted inoperative position of the actuating yoke 44-46 is shown in full line wherein the stub shafts 48 at the upper ends of the limbs 46 are pivotally mounted in the outer extremities of the respective slots 50. From this position, the shafts 48 may be displaced outwardly away from one another in such manner that they are slidable along the slots 50 to an inner end thereof at which time the shafts may be released to spring back towards one another under the spring influence of the yoke limbs 46.Normally, the shafts 48 are prevented from sliding along the slots 50 by virtue of the slots each having a lateral dimension which is less than the external diameter of each respective shaft. The aforesaid relative outward movement of the shafts relative to one another permits a reduced diameter portion of each shaft to enter each respective slot to enable sliding movement of the shaft relative to the slot to take place.

The "park" position of the actuating yoke is shown in chain dot outline in Figure 4 of the drawings. This position is of particular use when the container is to be stored in a vertical position with the wheels removed or if the container with its wheels removed has to be stored in a confined horizontal position such as in the trunk of a car. It will be appreciated that each of the wheels may be readily removable from its axle by a simple wing nut fixing.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (7)

1. A container for elongate articles comprising a principle body portion having an open-mouthed upper end for the insertion and withdrawal of said articles; a pair of spaced apart wheels mounted coaxial with one another on the lower end of the container; and container support means mounted on a side of the container whereby the container may be tilted from a first inclined position in which it is supported by said support means through a vertical plane to a second inclined position in which the container is rollable upon said wheels.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pair of wheels are mounted on an axis of rotation offset from a central transverse plane of the container and said container support means are mounted on that side of said central transverse plane of the container opposite that on which said axis of rotation of the wheels is provided.

3. A container as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 2 wherein said support means comprises support legs pivotable automatically outwardly and inwardly relative to the container between a retracted inoperative position and an extended operative position.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein when said support legs are in their extended operative position, the container is supportable on a horizontal or generally horizontal surface with said wheels clear of said surface.

5. A container as claimed in either one of claims 3 or 4 wherein a handle is provided on the container on that side thereof remote from said support means.

6. A container constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.