GB2390575A

GB2390575A - Goods transportation apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2390575A
Application number: GB0216101A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Mark Wass
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-07-12
Filing date: 2002-07-12
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2022-07-12
Also published as: GB0216101D0; GB2390575B

Abstract

In order to assist in the transportation of goods, especially fishing tackle, a goods transportation apparatus (10) comprises an elongate handle (14) coupled to a first support portion (22) suitable for carrying elongate items and having a pair of wheels (26) coupled thereto. A second support portion (24) is connected to the first support portion (22) by a rotatable universal joint (32) and also has a pair of wheels (27) coupled thereto. The rotatable universal joint (32) allows the first support portion (22) and the second support portion (24) to pivot with respect to each other so that, when the first support portion (22) is pivoted in a direction away from the ground (29) about the axle of the wheels (26), the second support portion (24) also pivots about the axle of the wheels (27)(see fig 3).

Description

- 1 A Goods Transportation Apparatus The present invention relates to an

apparatus for the transportation of goods; in particular, of a type used for transporting fishing tackle.

When manually transporting goods such as fishing tackle, from, for example a car to the river bank and back, assistance is normally provided through the use of a trolley. Known designs of fishing trolley typically comprise a steel or aluminium frame for carrying a fishing tackle box. The 10 trolley frame is typically supported on two pairs of wheels, one at each end of the frame, with a pivotable handle being provided at one end to allow the user to pull the trolley. A fishing tackle box can often be quite large and heavy, typically including tools, bait, rod rest, bed chairs and nets (and hopefully on the return journey also fish) and pulling the trolley over 15 uneven and/or muddy ground can be difficult and require considerable strength. Furthermore, a fisherman will usually also need to carry one or more rods and bank sticks. Even when dismantled, the rods are still quite long, and cumbersome to transport. Known fishing trolleys do not provide a space for such elongate items and therefore the user must carry them 20 separately, which can be awkward and makes the simultaneous pulling of the trolley more difficult.

Such a trolley is disadvantageous because during transportation of the goods, the weight of the goods must be borne substantially by the user 25 which may result in injury and strain. Furthermore, fishing in addition to a selection of rods which, when packaged, can extend up to two metres in length and can be damaged if subjected to external abrasions. Such a range of goods is very cumbersome to transport on such a fishing trolley especially as the terrain upon which the trolley is used is often very 30 uneven and muddy.

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- 2 The present invention therefore seeks to provide an apparatus for the transportation of goods, which overcomes, or at least reduces the above-

mentioned problems of the known trolleys.

5 According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a goods transportation apparatus comprising: an elongate handle coupled to a first support portion having a first rolling mechanism connected thereto for contacting a surface the apparatus is disposed upon, a second support portion coupled to the first support portion having a second rolling 10 mechanism connected thereto for contacting the surface the apparatus is disposed upon; wherein the first support portion is pivotable about the first rolling mechanism in a direction away from the surface upon which the apparatus is disposed, the first and second rolling mechanisms maintaining contact with the surface.

In a preferred embodiment, the first rolling mechanism and/or the second rolling mechanism comprises a pair of wheels supported on an axle.

Preferably, the first support portion is coupled to the second support 20 portion by way of a connection that allows the first and second supports to pivot with respect to each other. More particularly, in a preferred embodiment, the second support portion is connected to the first support portion at a point spaced from the first rolling mechanism so that, when the first support portion is pivoted about the first rolling mechanism in a 25 direction away from the surface upon which the apparatus is disposed, the second support portion is pivoted about the second rolling mechanism away from the surface, while maintaining the connection with the first support portion.

30 The connection between the first and second support portions is preferably a rotatable universal joint.

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- 3 Alternatively, the connection between the first and second support portions can be a resilient device having a substantially cylindrical cross section, for example, made from rubber or a rubber composite.

5 Preferably, the first support portion is adapted to support elongate goods.

Preferably, the elongate handle is coupled to a supporting device for supporting elongate goods therein.

10 Preferably, the first support portion and/or the second support portion include legs projecting from their underside.

Preferably, the goods transportation apparatus is a fishing trolley.

15 The present invention therefore provides a fishing trolley enabling the easier and more efficient transportation of heavy, bulky loads such as fishing tackle boxes together with a facility for carrying elongated loads such as fishing rods. The fishing trolley requires less strength to operate than those known in the art and offers greater stability when carrying 20 varied load sizes reducing imbalance.

At least one embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a goods transportation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a connecting means of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus of Figure 1 in use.

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Referring to Figure 1, a goods transportation apparatus, for example a fishing trolley 10, comprises a handlebar 12 coupled to a first end of an elongate handle 14. A supporting device 16 for accommodating elongate goods such as a bundle of fishing rods (not shown in Figure 1) therein is 5 connected to the elongate handle 14. An elastic fastening device, such as a toggle 18 or quick coupler is fixed to the supporting device 16.

A second end of the elongate handle 14 is coupled to a first supporting portion 22. The first supporting portion 22 comprises a substantially 10 circular section 28 mounted upon an 'A frame' section 30 disposed parallel to a ground 29. The apex of the 'A frame' section 30 is coupled to a first end of a connecting means such as a rotatable universal joint 32 (shown in more detail in Figure 2) and the free ends of the 'A frame' section 30 are coupled to an axle (not shown) of a first pair of wheels 26 resting on the 15 ground 29 such that the elongate handle 14 and the first support portion 22 are capable of pivoting about the axle. In addition, the elongate handle 14 and the first support platform 22 may comprise means to enable them to be locked in position following a pivot.

20 A second end of the rotatable universal joint 32 is coupled to a side plate 34 on a first end of the second support portion 24, the second end of which is coupled to an axle of a second pair of wheels 27 in contact with the ground 29. The second support portion 24 has a substantially rectangular frame and projecting from the underside of both lengths of the 25 frame are legs 36 for aiding stability of the fishing trolley 10 and for acting as a braking means by contacting the ground 29 when the fishing trolley 10 is at rest.

As best shown in Figure 2, the rotatable universal joint 32 comprises a first 30 U-shaped bracket 50 coupled at its base to the first support portion 22.

Each of the arms of the first U-shaped bracket 50 has a hole 52 punched therethrough and a block 54 is positioned between them with a :..: ..:

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- 5 complementary hole punched through a first end of its body, the first U-

shaped bracket 50 and the block 54 being coupled together by way of a pin (not shown) inserted through the respective holes so as to permit rotational movement in a plane orthogonal to the pin. As drawn, the pin is 5 substantially vertical and the block 54 can rotate with respect to the U-

shaped bracket 50 in a horizontal plane.

A second end of the block 54 has a hole punched therethrough at right angles to the first hole in the block 54 and is coupled by way of a pin 10 inserted through a pair of complementary holes 58 in arms of a second U-

shaped bracket 56 so as to permit the second U-shaped bracket 56 to rotate about the block 54 in a plane orthogonal to the plane of rotation of the block 54.

15 A shaft 60 projects from a base portion of the second U-shaped bracket 56 and has a hole 62 provided therethrough. The shaft 60 passes through an aperture in the side plate 34 of the second support portion 24 and is retained in positioned by way of a spring clip 62 in order to facilitate the easy assembly and disassembly of the second support portion 24 from the 20 first support portion 22. Thus, the first support portion 22 and the second support portion 24 can rotate, or pivot, relative to each other in both a horizontal plane and a vertical plane so that each support portion can move in a direction away from the ground 29 upon which the apparatus is disposed. It should be appreciated that the universal rotating joint 32 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is one example of many such connections. For the purposes of this embodiment of the present invention it is important that the universal rotating joint 32 permit the first 30 support portion 22 to pivot with respect to the ground 29 in a horizontal plane and to pivot in a direction away from the ground 29. The universal rotating joint 32 can, for example, be a resilient device manufactured from, *... *. *..

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- 6 for example a rubber composite having a substantially cylindrical cross-

section. Referring, again, to Figure 1, the fishing trolley 10 is shown in a rest 5 position in which the elongate handle 14 is disposed substantially upright with respect to the ground 29 and the first support portion 22 and the second support portion 24 are disposed substantially horizontally. The legs 36 are in contact with the ground 29 so as to provide stability and location of the fishing trolley 10.

Referring to Figure 3, a user 100 has loaded a selection of goods (102, 104) upon the first support portion 22 and upon the second support portion 24. The goods may be a bundle of fishing rods 102 and a box 104. In order to transport the goods 102, 104, the user 100 displaces the elongate 15 handle 14 in a first direction A so as to cause the first support portion 22 and the second support portion 24 to pivot in a direction away from the ground 29 upon which the fishing trolley 10 is disposed whilst the wheels 26, 27 maintain contact with the ground 29. If required, the user 100 may lock the elongate handle 14 in position. The user 100 then pulls the 20 fishing trolley 10 in the arrowed direction and upon reaching the final destination releases the elongate handle 14 so as to return the fishing trolley 10 to the rest position. Should the user 100 wish to transport the goods 102 mounted upon the first support portion 22 only, the second support portion 24 can be readily detached from the first platform portion 25 24 by way of removing the spring clip 62.

It should be appreciated that the apparatus described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3 may be employed to transport a range of goods and is not limited to fishing tackle: for example, the apparatus can readily 30 transport golfing or ski equipment. Furthermore, if desired, at least the second support portion may be motorised, for example by providing an electric battery to provide power to the wheels.

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Claims

1. A goods transportation apparatus comprising: 5 an elongate handle coupled to a first support portion having a first rolling mechanism connected thereto for contacting a surface the apparatus is disposed upon, a second support portion coupled to the first portion having a second rolling mechanism connected thereto for contacting the surface the apparatus is disposed upon; wherein 10 the first support portion is pivotable about the first rolling mechanism in a direction away from the surface upon which the apparatus is disposed, the first and second rolling mechanisms maintaining contact with the surface.

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2. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first rolling mechanism and/or the second rolling mechanism comprises a pair of wheels supported on an axle.

3 A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in either Claim 1 or 20 Claim 2, wherein the first support portion is coupled to the second support portion by way of a connection that allows the first and second supports to pivot with respect to each other.

4. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein 25 the second support portion is connected to the first support portion at a point spaced from the first rolling mechanism so that, when the first support portion is pivoted about the first rolling mechanism in a direction away from the surface upon which the apparatus is disposed, the second support portion is pivoted about the second rolling mechanism away from 30 the surface, while maintaining the connection with the first support portion.

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... .........CLME: - 8 5. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first support portion is coupled to the second support portion by way of a rotatable universal joint.

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6. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first support portion is coupled to the second support portion by way of a resilient device having a substantially cylindrical cross section.

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7. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the resilient device is manufactured from rubber or a rubber composite.

8. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first support portion is adapted to 15 accommodate substantially elongate goods.

9. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongate handle is coupled to a supporting device for accommodating elongate goods therein.

10. A goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first support portion and/or the second support portion include legs projecting from their underside.

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11. A goods transportation apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 3.

12. A fishing trolley comprising a goods transportation apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

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