GB2380713A

GB2380713A - Tipping wheelbarrow

Info

Publication number: GB2380713A
Application number: GB0124229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Eric Cole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-10-09
Filing date: 2001-10-09
Publication date: 2003-04-16
Also published as: GB0124229D0

Abstract

A wheelbarrow has a frame 1, side wheels 2, a handle 3 and a container 4. The container 4 has a rim 5 which has a straight bottom portion 5a. The wheelbarrow is adapted to stand on the bottom rim portion 5a and the wheels 2, in which position it can be pushed forwards into material on the ground, for loading the material into the container in a shovel-like action. The container 4 can be tipped forwards by pivoted rotation with respect to the frame to dump the loaded material, by moving a tipping handle 8, which is mounted to the rim 5 of the container via tipping handle arms, apart from the frame handle 3, which is mounted to the frame 1.

Description

WHEELBARROW The present invention relates to a wheelbarrow.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wheelbarrow comprising : a wheel frame portion, having a handle end and a base end region, with wheel means rotatably mounted to the wheel frame portion at the base end region whereby the wheel frame portion is supported above a ground surface; and a container frame portion, having a container and a handle end and being pivotally connected to the wheel frame portion at the base end thereof at a location ahead, in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow, of the rotational axis of the wheel means, such that, when the frame portions are pivotally closed to one another, their handle ends are adjacent one another to be used to push the wheelbarrow; and wherein the container of said container frame portion has an open mouth defined by a rim of the container and is so adapted that, when the handle ends of the frames are fully raised with the wheelbarrow resting on the wheel, a bottom portion of the rim of the container lies substantially at ground level and the wheelbarrow can be wheeled forwards into material lying on the ground for loading the material into the container.

The container is arranged so that, after loading material, by subsequently lowering the handle ends of the frame portions, with the wheelbarrow still resting on the wheel, the material rests in the container and the wheelbarrow can be trundled on the wheel.

The pivotal connection of the frame portions means that by lifting the handle end of the container frame portion relative to that of the wheel frame portion enables the container to be tipped for emptying the container. Thus, when the handle arms of the frame portions are closed to each other the wheelbarrow can readily be trundled, whereas when the handle arms are pivoted apart, the tipping of the container can readily be performed.

The container frame portion may comprise the container itself connected by frame members to the handle end and having bearing means on the container base to form the

pivotal connection with the base end region of the wheel frame portion. The bottom portion of the rim of the container is suitably a straight rim portion parallel with the ground.

I fr Alternatively, the container frame portion may comprise an open frame structure into which a container fits, with the pivotal bearing means attachment being carried by the open frame. In this embodiment the container frame portion advantageously has a leading edge blade member attached at its bottom end region and said container rim fits into a locating arrangement on this blade member behind the front edge thereof. Again

advantageously the bearing means, for pivotal connection to the wheel frame portion, I ir are carried at the rear of the leading edge blade member.

The handle ends of the frame portions are preferably provided with one or more handle formations to facilitate manual operation.

It is preferred that the centre of balance of the wheelbarrow is such that the wheelbarrow can stand with the handle ends of the frame portions in the fully raised condition. In this condition, the wheelbarrow can readily be pushed forward in the manner of a shovel or scoop, to load material such as sand, autumn leaves, snow, debris, stable manure, garden waste and the like, as well as being able to be left standing when unattended.

The front rim of the container, if it is a structural part of the container frame portion, or the leading edge blade member may, if desired, be provided with brushes, flaps or other attachments, to assist loading of material into the container.

The wheelbarrow can be manufactured from any convenient materials by manufacturing methods which will be well known to those skilled in this art. Most preferred materials will be metal and plastics, or combinations thereof.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a wheelbarrow comprising :

a wheel frame portion, having a base end region, with wheel means rotatably mounted thereto at the base end region, whereby the wheel frame portion is supported above a ground surface ; and a container frame portion being pivotally connected to the wheel frame portion at the base end thereof at a location ahead, in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow, of the rotational axis of the wheel means and having a leading edge blade, a container and a handle end; and wherein the leading edge blade is positioned ahead of the container in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow and the container of said container frame portion has an open mouth defined by a rim of the container and is located adjacent the leading edge blade, the arrangement being such that with the wheelbarrow resting on the wheel means and the container frame handle end raised, the leading edge of the container frame lies substantially at ground level and the wheelbarrow can be wheeled forward pushing the leading edge into material lying on the ground for loading the material into the container.

The wheelbarrow of the present invention provides for very convenient loading of materials from the ground, avoiding excessive lifting of material with spades, forks or the hands, and furthermore avoids the need to lift the entire wheelbarrow and its contents in order to perform a tipping action of the container when dumping the material.

For better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be performed, embodiments thereof will now be described, purely by way of example and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wheelbarrow according to one embodiment of the invention with the rear portion of the frame fully raised; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the wheelbarrow of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wheelbarrow of Figure 1, showing the forward tipping of the container;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a frame arrangement for a wheelbarrow according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a container and other components that can be combined with the frame arrangement of Figure 4 to form a wheelbarrow according to the second embodiment; and Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-section through the lower front portion of the frame arrangement of Figure 4 with the container of Figure 5 attached to the frame arrangement.

In the different figures of the drawings, for ease of understanding and comparison, the same or corresponding elements have been given the same reference numerals Referring to the drawings, there is shown generally a wheelbarrow having a wheel frame 1 with a pair of supporting side wheels 2 rotatably mounted to the frame at a base end thereof. The frame has a handle end to which is mounted a lateral handle formation 3 to facilitate manual operation.

A container 4 is associated with the frame at the base end of the frame 1. The container 4 has an open mouth defined by a rim 5 of the container.

The container is adapted so that, when the handle 3 end of the frame 1 is fully raised with the wheelbarrow resting on the wheels 2 (Figure 1) a straight bottom portion 5a of the rim 5 of the container 4 lies parallel with the ground and substantially at ground level, in which condition the wheelbarrow can be wheeled forwards into material (not shown) lying on the ground. In this way, the material can be loaded into the container 4 in the manner of a shovel.

By subsequently manually lowering the handle 3 end of the frame, with the wheelbarrow still resting on the wheels 2, the bottom portion 5a of the rim 5 of the container 4 will be correspondingly raised and the material will be brought to rest in the container 4 so that the wheelbarrow can be trundled, e. g. by pushing or pulling by hand, or by towing behind a vehicle.

The container is pivotally mounted to an extension 6 provided at the base end of the wheel frame 1. The extension 6 extends forward from one side of the frame, and turns transversely across the frame before returning to meet the frame at the other side thereof.

The pivotal mounting of the container to the extension 6 suitably takes the form of a conventional journal bearing 7 between the transverse portion of the extension 6 and a transverse portion of the container wall.

The arrangement is such that the container 4 may be tipped forwards (Figure 3), to dump material from the container, this tipping being achieved by rotation of the container about the journal bearing 7, relative to the frame 1. Manual tipping of the container 4 is facilitated by the provision of a container tipping handle 8 mounted to the container.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tipping handle 8 is configured to cooperate with the frame handle 3, to provide a handle system comprising handle arms pivotal about the journal bearing 7. When the handle arms are closed substantially parallel to each other (Figure 1), the wheelbarrow can readily be trundled, whereas when the handle arms are pivoted apart (Figure 3), the tipping function of the container can readily be performed.

With the wheelbarrow of Figures 1 to 3, the container 4 is subject to wear at its front edge 5a by constant friction with the material for transportation into which it is pushed. Also significant stress is placed on the bearing points on the container by the resistance of the material to the pushing force. As a result, with this embodiment of the invention, it will be most advantageous if the container 4 and its bearing parts are made of suitably strong metal.

Figures 4 to 6 show an alternative embodiment which reduces the stress on the container and enables the container to be made of plastics material such as high density polyethylene, which is lightweight, tough, non-corrosive, easily moulded and available in different colours. As shown in Figure 4, the wheel frame arrangement 1, 3 and 6 of Figures 1 to 3 remains the same and this includes the wheels 2, although they have been omitted from the figure to enable the remainder of the structure to be seen more clearly.

The wheels 2 would be attached to the frame at the junctions of members 1 and 6 and the cross member 16 by any suitable means.

In this arrangement the container tipping handle 8 is not connected directly to the container but is attached by means of two frame members 9 to a leading edge blade member 10. The lower ends of members 9 are firmly fixed to the blade member 10 by any suitable means, such as by welding, and the rear of the blade is formed with bearing extensions 7. These extensions 7 almost completely encircle and form bearings around the transverse section of frame extension 6, pivotally attaching the container frame

(formed of blade member 10, frame members 9 and tipping handle 8) to the handle frame IP 4-, 1,3 and extension 6. The container 5 of Figure 5 is designed to fit between the frame members 9 with the sideways curved extensions 17 resting on the frame members 9. As shown more clearly in the cross-section of Figure 6, the front edge 5a of container 4 fits behind a lip 11 on the leading edge blade member 10. Lip 11 may preferably be a single lip extending completely across the blade member 10 but may alternatively be formed by two, or more, short lips or lip portions protruding from the surface of the blade as indicated by the two short lip portions shown in Figure 4.

With the wheelbarrow design of Figures 4 to 6, when the barrow is pushed into the material to be transported, the pushing force is fed directly through the frames to the leading edge blade with the stress passing directly through the blade to the frame members 9 and through the hinges 7 to the frame 1,6. The container or hopper 4 does not take part in the thrusting of the blade 10 into the material for gathering but serves simply as a container for the gathered material. Also, since the blade member 10 leads the thrust of the wheelbarrow into the material to be transported, wear on the front edge of the

container 5a is reduced or substantially avoided, particularly if a lip 11 is provided across the full width of the member 10.

After the container is loaded, slightly lowering the handles 3 and 8 will enable the loaded material to be wheeled to a dumping location. At the dumping location holding down handle 3 with one hand enables the pivoting of the container frame by lifting handle 8 resulting in the ejection of the transported material.

Figure 5 displays diagrammatically two further attachments that can be fastened on to the leading edge blade, although the manner of attachment is not shown. Many possible ways of fixing the attachments would be clear to a skilled person and any convenient method may be chosen. The first attachment 12 is an edging attachment for making a vertical edge, for example on a bank at the side of a drive. The attachment 12 has a flat blade for resting on the ground and a vertical cutting edge 13 for trimming the edge of the bank. Trimmed off material will be collected in the container 4.

The second attachment 15 simply depicts a brush arrangement for attaching to the front of the leading edge blade member 10 so as to lift leaves for collection by the container 4.

A wheelbarrow in accordance with the invention can find application in any place where material is to be scooped or shovelled and moved, for example, cleaning and clearing streets, sites, stables, zoos, gardens, paths etc.

The invention has been broadly described without limitation. Variations and modifications readily apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included in the scope of this application and any subsequent patents. The scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims, as properly interpreted according to law.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A wheelbarrow comprising: a wheel frame portion, having a handle end and a base end region, with wheel means rotatably mounted to the wheel frame portion at the base end region whereby the wheel frame portion is supported above a ground surface; and a container frame portion, having a container and a handle end and being pivotally connected to the wheel frame portion at the base end thereof at a location ahead. in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow, of the rotational axis of the wheel means, such that, when the frame portions are pivotally closed to one another, their handle ends are adjacent one another to be used to push the wheelbarrow; and wherein the container of said container frame portion has an open mouth defined by a rim of the container and is so adapted that, when the handle ends of the frames are fully raised with the wheelbarrow resting on the wheel, a bottom portion of the rim of the container lies substantially at ground level and the wheelbarrow can be wheeled forwards into material lying on the ground for loading the material into the container.
2. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1, wherein the container frame portion comprises the container itself connected by frame members to the handle end and having bearing means on the container base to form the pivotal connection with the base end region of the wheel frame portion.
3. A wheelbarrow according to claim 1, wherein the container frame portion comprises an open frame structure into which the container fits, with the pivotal bearing means attachment being carried by the open frame.
4. A wheelbarrow according to claim 3, wherein the container frame portion has a leading edge blade member attached at its bottom end region and said

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bottom portion of the container rim fits into a locating arrangement on this blade member behind the front edge thereof.
5. A wheelbarrow according to claim 3 or 4, wherein bearing means, for pivotal connection to of the container frame portion to the wheel frame portion, are carried at the rear of the leading edge blade member.
6. A wheelbarrow according to any preceding claim, wherein the centre of balance is such so that the wheelbarrow can stand with the handle ends of the frame in the fully raised condition.
7. A wheelbarrow according to any preceding claim, wherein the bottom portion of the rim of the container is a straight rim portion parallel with the ground.
8. A wheelbarrow according to claim 7, wherein the straight bottom rim portion is provided with brushes, flaps or other attachments to assist loading of material into the container or for cutting into material to be loaded.
9. A wheelbarrow according to claim 4, wherein the leading edge member is provided with brushes, flaps or other attachments to assist loading of material into the container or for cutting into material to be loaded.
10. A wheelbarrow comprising: a wheel frame portion, having a base end region, with wheel means rotatably mounted thereto at the base end region, whereby the wheel frame portion is supported above a ground surface; and a container frame portion being pivotally connected to the wheel frame portion at the base end thereof at a location ahead, in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow, of the rotational axis of the wheel means and having a leading edge blade, a container and a handle end; and wherein

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the leading edge blade is positioned ahead of the container in the direction of forward movement of the wheelbarrow and the container of said container frame portion has an open mouth defined by a rim of the container and is located adjacent the leading edge blade, the arrangement being such that with the wheelbarrow resting on the wheel means and the container frame handle end raised, the leading edge of the container frame lies substantially at ground level and the wheelbarrow can be wheeled forwards pushing the leading edge into material lying on the ground for loading the material into the container.
11. A wheelbarrow, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.