GB2427603A

GB2427603A - A wheeled hoist for lifting, lowering and transporting material

Info

Publication number: GB2427603A
Application number: GB0612681A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Peter Burrell
Original assignee: BU Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: BU Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-27
Filing date: 2006-06-27
Publication date: 2007-01-03
Also published as: GB0612681D0; GB2427603A8; GB0512985D0

Abstract

Apparatus for lifting, lowering and transporting material comprising a wheeled frame 2, a hoist operated by a winch 4, a container 1 and handles 3. The position of the handles 3 may be adjustable and they may be foldable or detachable. The arms 10 supporting the container and the undercarriage 8 may also be may also be foldable or detachable. The mounting of the container 1 may include a tipping mechanism.

Description

I

TRUNDLEHUMPER

The present invention relates to apparatus for transporting material, the apparatus being suitable for use by a single person in for example a domestic, do-it- yourself (DIY) or small business context. It is particularly concerned with apparatus in such contexts and usable to raise or lower a load and transport the load manually, perhaps without motor assistance. It is also concerned with such apparatus that is versatile to the extent of being usable to pull stakes and small tree trunks from the ground and to negotiate steps and other obstacles whilst transporting material, and which is lightweight and readily stowable.

More than a quarter of the accidents reported each year to the authorities are associated with manual handling. Most of the reported accidents are as a result of back injury, although hands, arms and feet are also vulnerable. Many manual handling injuries build up over a period rather than being caused by a single handling incident.

A reduction in the risk of injury from manual handling can be effected by using mechanical handling aids e.g. sack trucks, trolleys, hoists, conveyors.Lifting systems currently used in industry (eg factory/warehouse) include manual and automated forklift trucks, and pallet trolleys.

These systems normally use caster type wheels that are effective on hard smooth surfaces but are not suitable for rough or uneven terrain (e.g. the garden) Manual lifting in gardens or building/landscape gardening sites poses a challenge, in this environment common activities include the transportation of earth, soil, rubble and sand. This can be from foundation trenches to a skip (waste material) or from the back of a pickup truck to the work area (new material) Standard recycling systems throughout the UK use sacks/bags/crates/boxes for the collection of garden and domestic waste. This is a very useful and efficient system.

However, when the collection containers are filled they are normally at ground level and can be deceptively heavy when full, making it extremely difficult to move to the area where they are collected from. Especially when filled with hardcore/concrete/earth etc. Apparatus that assisted with this would be useful if it allowed the container to be filled at ground level then easily lifted off the ground and transported.

Using skips is the normal method for removing unwanted material from a garden or building site, the standard method for loading skips with loose substances at present is to fill wheelbarrows and push them up a scaffolding plank ramp and then tip to deposit the load. This is extremely dangerous due to the narrow plank used and the unstable design of the wheelbarrow, especially because a run-up' is required to transport the load up the incline.

Material is commonly required to be loaded and unloaded from car boots or pickup truck loading areas, this includes building/gardening materials both new and waste, tools, white goods. Hoists can be very useful in this situation as well as for engine/gearbox lifting and pulling stakes and small tree trunks and the like from the ground.

Frequently operations such as those mentioned above have required two people. In the commercial and industrial context costs can be reduced considerably where equipment is available to permit the use of one person alone. In domestic and small business situations there is often not a second person readily available.

Again, in domestic and many small business situations safely transporting and depositing heavy loads in the garden or similar situations poses a challenge, especially for the elderly.

The present invention provides a manual aid to transport, raise, tip/deposit heavy or cumbersome loads in such contexts as jobbing builder and small businesses including shopkeepers and gardeners and domestic gardeners and DIY enthusiasts. This manual aid has the ability to load and unload standard car boots, vans, 4x4s, trucks etc. It allows a single person to safely, easily and quickly remove tree trunks and fence posts from the ground. It can assist with the transportation of standard garden waste disposal/recycling scheme collection containers.

According to the present invention apparatus for lifting, lowering and transporting material comprises a wheeled frame, hoist means, container means, and handle means arranged for manhandling the apparatus.

According to important features of the invention:- the handle means may comprise two arms extending from the frame such that the user may walk between them, may be foldable into or detachable from the frame for ease of stowage, and may be positionable at various locations on the frame for the ease of a particular user or use; the hoist means may comprise foldable, telescopic or detachable arms adapted to carry the container means and which may also be adapted to permit the container means to be tipped and may even include a container-tipping mechanism, may further comprise winch and pulley means and which arms may be locatable at different stations; feet may be provided extending horizontally from the frame, which are advantageously detachable from the frame or foldable thereinto and may conveniently have wheels or casters mounted thereon; brake means may he provided for locking the apparatus at a particular location, and additionally in particular for locking the apparatus against rolling when the hoist is in the region of maximum elevation; and the apparatus may he adapted for ready assembly and disassemkly by a person with a modicum of DIY ability.

In addition to stabilising the apparatus whilst in use, wheels on the feet ensure that the apparatus may the more readily negotiate obstacles, particularly steps. The apparatus may also incorporate rearward stabilisers possibly fitted with wheels or casters.

By use of appropriate handles, winch means (including the gearing thereof) , and wheeled feet the apparatus is adapted to be readily operated in both hoist, tipping and transport modes by a single person. However an electric (mains or battery) motor or a small combustion engine, of the type employed for example on a domestic motor mower, may be incorporated in the apparatus to assist with hoisting, and even with transport and tipping.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a manual lifting aid, hereinafter called a trundlehumper; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of component sub-assemblies of the trundlehumper; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hoist component sub-assembly; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the winch mechanism; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the winch mechanism shewn in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the shim kit employed in the hoist sub-assembly; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hoist fork base plate shewn in Figure 2; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tipping bucket sub-assembly; Figure 9 is a side view of the extendible feet undercarriage; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the trundlehumper assisting in the removal of a tree trunk/fence post from the ground; Figure 11 illustrates three fork arrangements; Figure 12 illustrates the attachment of a fork to a hoist fork base plate; Figure 13 shows a fork strap locating plate on the underside of the hoist forks; Figure 14 illustrates a manoeuvring handle and attachment thereof to the frame; Figure 15 illustrates the braking system; Figures 16, 16a, 16b, 16c, 17 and 18 illustrate an automatic brake linear cam associated with the hoist; Figures 19 to 21 illustrate the construction and operation of the safety support leg; Figures 22a,b,c illustrate the sequence used in climbing a step; Figure 23 illustrates use of the trundlehumper in relation to a skip; and Figures 24 & 25 show the sequence used for storing the unit.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the full trundlehumper. It comprises the following principal sub- assemblies: - tipping bucket 1, illustrated further in Figure 8; main frame 2; manoeuvring handles 3; winch mechanism 4 illustrated further in Figure 4; drop down safety leg 5 illustrated further in Figures 19 to 21; LH brake mechanisms 6 illustrated further in Figure 15; primary wheels 7; secondary undercarriage 8 illustrated further in Figure 9; feet 9; and forks 10 illustrated further in Figure 11.

In Figure 2 the trundlehumper illustrated in Figure 1 is shewn exploded. In addition to the various sub- assemblies referenced in Figure 1 the following components are shewn:- RH brake arm 11; main frame cap 12; hoist carriage sub-assembly 13; and hoist runners 14.

This Figure 2 illustrates an important feature of the invention, namely that apparatus in accordance with the invention, such as this trundlehumper, can be supplied in a box as a kit which can readily be assembled by someone with a modicum of DIY expertise.

Detail of the hoist is shewn in Figures 3 to 7. The winch sub-assembly is mounted to the main frame 2. Pulley wheels 15 thereon raise and lower the carriage sub-assembly 13 via pulley whee's 18 attached to the main frame and cords 18a, which may be wire cables. Associated with the pulley wheels 15 are a worm (20), axle (21) and wheel (22) gearbox assembly and a winch operating handle 24. The winch sub-assembly is mounted in a sub-frame comprising a back plate 16 by which the winch sub-assembly is mounted in the main frame 2, two side panels 18-1 and 18-2, a front plate 19. The back plate 16 also carries a hoist carriage brake device which is described below with reference to Figure 16. An exploded perspective view of the winch sub- assembly 4 is shewn in Figure 5. This clarifies that there is a gearbox cover 25.

The carriage sub-assembly 13 comprises a base-plate 17 mounted on a pair of support arms 29. Top and bottom lugs 30a and 3Gb respectively are attached to the support arms 29 and are mounted on the hoist runners 14 to run freely thereon via bearing shims 28. Scraper plates 27 above and below the bearing shims 28 function to prevent the ingress of dirt between the bearings 28 and the runners 14. The base plate 17 incorporates locating slots 45 for assisting in locking the fork arms 10 thereto at various locations.

The base plate 17 is formed of a casting of aluminium alloy to give a high strength to weight ratio.

The tipping bucket assembly 1 is illustrated in Figure 8. A tipping bucket 31 mounted to the fork arms 10 via a pivot bar 33 and locking bar 32. The bars are readily removable by hand though a clip, not shewn, is arranged to impede removal of the pivot bar 33. The centre of gravity of the empty bucket 31 is arranged to be behind the pivot point. A handle assembly 34 attached one each side of the bucket 31 outrides the fork arms 10 and the attachment thereof Lo the bucket 31 provides abuttal means against the fork arms 10 whereby the bucket remains level until the bucket is tipped using the tipping handle 34. The bucket 31 can then be returned to its original position and the locking bar 32 is replaced.

The arrangement of the secondary undercarriage 8 is shewn in Figure 9. Each one of the two of these comprises two relatively small wheels 35 attached to a swing bracket 37 which in turn is pivotally attached to the feet 9. The feet 9 are arranged for being kept low by the secondary undercarriage 8 being of flattened form. Thus the trundlehumper can be used to load/unload items into the car boots, vans, 4x4's and trailers as well as to discharge waste into a skip of the usual trapezoidal shape. The feet 9 will roll under the vehicle or the end of the skip while the fork arms 10 project over the boot, vehicle interior or the end of the skip, allowing pallets, sack, boxes, crates and bags to be loaded and unloaded.

Figures 10 to 13 illustrate the construction, attachment and modes of operation of the forks 10. At the base end the fork 10 has a lug 44 for engaging the base plate 17, a tapered pin 46 for engaging a pin locating slot in the base plate 17 and a handle 47 for ease of manipulation of the fork. A perforation 48 at the outer end provides a mounting for a strap, as do studs 49 along the length thereof. The forks 10 also have holes 50 for the pins 32 and 33. The perforation 48 also provides a handle to assist in manipulation of the fork 10.

The construction as between the fork 10 and the base plate 17 is such that once the lug 44 has hooked over the base plate and the pin 46 has engaged the base plate slot the fork is locked in position. By providing a series of slots 45 the forks can be located in different location along the base plate 17, for different purposes, as shewn in Figures 11. Accordingly, in addition to carrying the bucket 31 the trundlehumper can for example assist in removing tree trunks and fence posts from the ground or an engine from a vehicle. The fork 10 is attached using a strap 39 to the item 40 as shown in Figure 10.

The construction, attachment and operation of the handles 3 is illustrated in Figures 14 and 15. Each handle comprises an arm 54 and a strut 52 integral therewith. Both the arm 54 and the strut 52 are attachable to the main frame 2 at a variety of heights 53 therealong as shewn in Figure 14.

The trundlehumper has two independent brake systems.

These are shewri in Figure 15 and comprise progressive brake levers 56, locking clips 55, brake pad 57, brake arm 58, brake cable and locating boss 59. The right and left hand side braking systems give good manoeuvrability and reliability. The brake levers 56, when compressed, pull the brake arms 58 causing the brake pads 57 to bind on the rear tyres 7. The systems are progressive but can be locked using the locking latch 55.

An additional safety brake facility is illustrated in Figure 16, 16a, l6b, and 16c. It is arranged to apply the wheel brakes when the load is above a certain height on the frame and comprises a linear cam body 60, a tension return spring 61, release lever 62, and a brake cable 63. The linear cam applies the right and left hand brakes using a brake cable that splits into two; this occurs when the top lug 30a travels up the runner and activates the cam body 60. The cam can be overridden using the handle 62.

The trundlehumper is provided with a ratchet device for preventing unwanted falling of the hoist carriage 13.

This is illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 and comprises a release handle 64, a main pivot 65, a tension spring 66, a pawl 67 with a nylon cover 68, and a spring mounting pin 69. The ratchet device is mounted on an upper lug 30 of the hoist carriage and operates by the pawl engaging one of a series of cut-outs 71 formed in the side of the main frame 2.

If both cords fail then the ratchet will lock onto the nearest cut out 71, stopping the load dropping rapidly which might cause personal injury. It is released to allow the load to be lowered by raising the load slightly to free the pawl.

A swinging leg device for preventing the trundlehumper from toppling backwards is illustrated in Figures 19 to 21.

It comprises attachment brackets 73 attached to the main frame 2, leg bars 74, a brace bar 75, footplate 76 on each leg bar 74 and carrying a roller wheel 77 and a restraining cord 78. The leg is restricted by the cord to 30 from vertical to stop the leg passing the point of support. The rollers 77 allow the leg to be pushed backwards to climb steps or small walls.

Step climbing with the trundlehumper is illustrated in Figures 23a, b and c. the 3 steps involved with step climbing. The user lifts on handles 3 about the front wheels and pulls the rear wheels on to the step. He then pushes down on the handles 3 to elevate the front end of the trundlehumper then pulling it in direction 83.

Figure 23 illustrates the use of the trundlehumper to convey waste to a skip and tip the waste thereinto. As can be seen, the feet 9 project under a sloping end of the skip so that the pivot 33 is above the skip void.

Storage is illustrated in Figures 24 and 25. The handles 3, the bucket assembly 1 and the fork arms 10 can be detached from the main frame 2 and the feet and the feet 9 pivoted and locked upwards against the frame 2 by relocation of a pin 85. Brake locking clips 56 can be applied to immobilise the trundlehumper.

The trundlehumper illustrated can measure 1.7m in height, 0.35m in breadth and, with the feet extended, im in length. At its upper rim therefore the bucket 31 can measure 0.7m long, 0.35m broad and 0.35m deep. The frame is advantageously formed of pressed steel with cut outs to reduce weight and provide ratchet surfaces. The handles 3, feet 9, fork arms 10, plate 17 and the carriages 17 can be moulded from aluminium alloy. The whole apparatus is readily suited for supply in a kit of parts.

In alternative constructions a motor may be employed, a runner device may be included in the tipping bucket assembly 1 whereby the bucket 31 may be drawn forward with respect to the fork arms 10 before being tipped. Removal of the bucket permits the fork arms 10 to be used to support items such as sacks of sand and cement which would not necessarily fit into the bucket 31.

Claims

CLAIMS: - 1. Apparatus for lifting, lowering and transporting material and

comprising a wheeled frame, hoist means, container means, and handle means arranged for manhandling the apparatus.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the handle means comprises two arms extending from the frame such that the user may walk between them.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and wherein the handles are foldable into or detachable from the frame for ease of stowage.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and wherein the handles are positionable at various locations on the frame.
5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the hoist means comprises foldable, telescopic or detachable arms adapted to carry the container means.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the hoist means is adapted to permit the container means to be tipped.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the hoist includes a container tipping mechanism.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the hoist comprises winch and pulley means.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the hoist comprises arms locatable at a variety of locations.
10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having feet extending horizontally from the frame.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and wherein the feet are foldable into the frame.
12. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 10 and 11 and wherein the feet have wheels or castors.
13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having brake means for locking the apparatus at a particuJar location.
14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and wherein the brake means are manually operable.
15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 and wherein the brake means are operable automatically when the hoist is at maximum height.
16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a ratchet device for locking the hoist in the raised configuration.
17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having rearward stabiliser means.
18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and wherein the rearward stabiliser means incorporate casters.
19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a motorised hoist.
20. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a motor for driving the wheels thereof.
21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and adapted for ready assembly and disassembly by a person with a modicum of DIY ability.
22. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.