GB2430422A

GB2430422A - Device for coupling articles to a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2430422A
Application number: GB0618664A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Moag
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-21
Filing date: 2006-09-22
Publication date: 2007-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-22
Also published as: GB0618664D0; GB0519223D0; IE20060686A1; AU2006220408A1; GB2430422B

Abstract

A device (10) for connecting articles such as a wheeled bin (40) to a tow bar (30) of a vehicle comprises a hollow body (12) for receiving the head (34) of the tow bar (30), the body having a slot (16) for receiving the stem (32) of the tow bar (30). The device (10) further includes a pair of hook shaped arms (20) extending from the body (12) for connecting to the article (e.g. wheeled bin (40)).

Description

Tow Bar Coupling Device

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an attachment, or coupling device, for a vehicle tow bar. The invention relates particularly to a tow bar attachment which allows, for example, a refuse bin with wheels, commonly called a wheely bin, to be towed.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

People who live in residences with long lanes/driveways face the regular problem of having to walk their wheely bin to the roadside for refuse collection. It would be desirable to provide a solution to this problem which would allow a wheely bin to be towed by a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention provides a device for coupling an article to a tow bar, the device comprising a hollow body having an open end and a slot extending from the open end; and at least one coupling member for coupling the body to said article, wherein the body has a bore that is shaped and dimensioned to . receive a head portion of the tow bar, the slot being shaped and dimensioned to receive a stem portion of the tow bar.

In one embodiment the device comprises a sleeve having a bore shaped and dimensioned to accept the head of a tow bar, the sleeve having a slot for receiving the stem of the tow bar. The slot includes a slot portion or extension extending in a direction that is non- parallel, and preferably substantially perpendicular, with the slot. The arrangement is such that the stem of the tow bar may enter the slot extension upon relative rotation of the sleeve and the tow bar. The sleeve is provided with one or more arms shaped to receive part of an article to be towed, for example the handles of a wheeled bin.

The sleeve may have any cross-sectional shape provided that the head of a tow bar can be received therein and preferably rotated therein. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve comprises a tube having round or multifaceted in profile to receive the head of a ball hitch which is generally spherical or rounded.

Preferably, the slot extends from at least one end of the sleeve in a first direction, preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The slot extension may extend from any point along the slot of the body, most preferably around the midpoint of the body and continue in a second direction, most preferably perpendicular to the first direction.

There are preferably at least two arms coupled to the device, optionally by means of a hinge.

Preferably, the or each arm is shaped to define a hook.

Hence, the handles of a bin may be received securely without the requirement of catches, spring loaded mechanisms or manually activated locking.

In addition the arms are advantageously positioned to receive the bin handles so that the bin may be kept steady during towing. In a preferred embodiment, the arms are approximately 25cm apart.

More preferably the or each arm is shaped and dimensioned so that part of their structure rests against the lid of the wheel.y bin during use.

In preferred embodiments, the sleeve is free to rotate, horizontally and vertically when in use, about the head of the tow bar. This allows the bin to follow the directional change of the vehicle without putting undue load on either the wheely bin handles or wheels.

Preferably, the arms are shaped and dimensioned to keep the bin spaced from the vehicle and to give adequate clearance for the vehicle to turn.

The device may be constructed from metal, for example steel or aluminium, or plastic or composite materials.

The bin handles may be engaged with the arms by placing the handles into the catchment hooks. This engagement with the arms tilts the bin typically to around 30 degrees with respect to the ground surface, with the bin resting on its rear wheels. Gravity serves to retain the bin handles within the hooks. The risk of disengagement of the handles from the hooks is reduced by the position of the exit mouth of the catchment hooks and the need for stable alignment to negotiate this mouth.

Further advantageous aspects of the invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of a specific embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are used to indicate like parts and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tow bar coupling device embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of the tow bar coupling device of Figure 1, detailing a s]ot or cut section; Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the tow bar coupling device, fitLed to d Low bdr (with one possible embodiment of the device arms); Figure 4 shows the relative position of the tow bar attachment device, wheely bin and vehicle during use; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a tow bar coupling device; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a tow bar coupling device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown, generally indicated as 10 a tow bar attachment, or coupling, device embodying the invention. The tow bar device 10 comprises a hollow tubular or sleevelike body 12 defining a bore 13 shaped and dimensioned to accept a first, or head, portion of a tow bar. In the illustrated embodiment, the body or sleeve 12 is shaped and dimensioned to receive a head portion of a ball hitch which is generally rounded or spherical in shape (not shown in Figure 1) . The sleeve 12 has a slot or cut-out section 16 formed therein. This slot 16 comprises a first slot portion 16b which extends from, and opens onto, one open end 14 of the sleeve 12. The first slot 16b extends from the end 14 in a first direction which, in the preferred embodiment is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 12 and bore 13. The slot 16 includes a second slot portion 16a which extends from said first slot portion 16b in a second direction which is oblique or non-parallel with respect to said first direction.

Preferably, the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, or substantially transverse of the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 12.

In the preferred embodiment, the second slot portion 16a runs from an end of the first slot portion 16b distal end 14 of the sleeve 12. The first slot portion 16b preferably extends at approximately half way, or just beyond half way, along the length of the sleeve 12. The slot portions 16b, 16a are dimensioned to receive a second, or stem, portion of the tow bar, the stem portion being connected to the head portion. The stem portion is narrower than the head portion and so advantageously the width of the slot is less than the width of the head portion. To accommodate typical tow bars, the width of the slot 16 may be approximately 32mm while the width or diameter of the sleeve 12 may be approximately 50mm.

The device 10 is shown in use in Figure 3, which also shows a typical tow bar 30 having a head portion 34 carried by a stem portion 32. The device 10 can be coupled to the tow bar 30 such that the stern 32 passes along the slot 16 and the head 34 passes into the bore along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 12. When the stern 32 of the tow bar 30 reaches the end of the slot portion 16b (or the mouth of the slot portion 16a) S relative rotation of the device 10 and the tow bar 30 by, for example, approximately 15 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 12, causes the stem 32 to move into the slot extension 16a. In this position, the tow bar 30 cannot be removed from the sleeve 12 by relative lateral movement between the tow bar 30 and sleeve 12.

The device 10 also comprises at least one and preferably at least two arms 20, which are coupled or connected to the sleeve 12 and extend therefrom, in use, in a direction substantially or generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 12.

The arms 20 are shaped, in a preferred embodiment, to form a respective hook 21. In use, as shown in Figure 4, the arms 20, and more particularly the hooks 21, extending rearwardly from the vehicle, receive, as an example, the handle(s) 42 of a wheely bin 40. Each hook 21 defines a catchment slot 25 in which the handle(s) 42 are received during use. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the catchment slot 25 is substantially T-shaped and the handle(s) 42 rest in the transverse portion 25 of the catchment slot 25. This can be advantageous in allowing a degree of lateral or back and forth movement between the handle(s) 42 and the slot 25 during use. In an alternative embodiment (Figure 5) the hooks 121 are shaped to define a catchrnent slot 125 which is substantially U-shaped. In either embodiment, relative rotation between the handles 42 and slot 25, 125 is permitted about an in- use substantially horizontal axis. The permitted relative movement between the handle(s) 42 and hooks 21 helps to accommodate situations where the bin is towed over rough or undulating ground.

In preferred embodiments, the free end 27,127 of the hook(s) 21, 121, is bent outwardly with respect to the mouth of the slot 25, 125. As can be seen from Figure 4, the bent ends 27, 127, in use, engage with the lid 44 of the bin 40 to help keep it closed. In an alternative embodiment (Figure 5), coupling the arms 20 to the sleeve 12 by a hinge 50 or other portable coupling may also give extra freedom of movement.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the handles 42 of wheely bin 40 are engaged in use by the arms 20 of the device 10. This holds the bin 40 in a tilted state with respect to its upright position. With the sleeve 12 coupled to the tow bar 30 of vehicle 60, the bin 40 may be towed by its handles 42. In a typical arrangement, this inclines the wheely bin 40 at approximately 30 degrees with respect to the ground surface, which provides good ground clearance at the wheelbase of the bin 40. The weight of the wheely bin 40, empty or full, in an inclined state causes a downward rotational force onto the arms 20. In the preferred embodiment, as may best be viewed in Eigure 2, when in use, the mouth of the slots 25,125 faces in substantially the opposite direction to the mouth defined in the sleeve 12 by slot 16. It is further preferred that, in use, the mouth of the slots 25, 125 faces upwardly.

dvantageously, in use the slot portion 16a e:tends from slot portion 16b in a direction towards the arms 20. This causes the stem 32 of the tow bar 30 to be urged into the slot portion 16a and the head 34 of the tow bar 30 to be forced against the sleeve wall. Thus the device 10 effectively can be locked to the tow bar of the vehicle by the weight of the bin 40. Part of the structure of the arms 20, not necessarily the free ends 27, 127, may be shaped and dimensioned to rest against the wheely bin lid 44 so that it can be kept closed during towing.

The wheely bin 40 is released from the tow bar attachment device 10 by lifting the bin handles 42 out of the arms 20. When the wheely bin 40 is removed, the tow bar attachment device 10 can be rotated upwards to release the stem 32 of the tow bar 30 from the slot extension l6a and to allow it to be slid back along the slot 16 of the sleeve 12.

There are other possible applications for the device 10. It could for example provide a semi-rigid connection to a vehicle to provide a locating/steadying point for other pieces of equipment while the vehicle is stationary e.g., work bench, log steady, table, vice, tent etc. Indeed other light towing applications off road may be posstble with this type of simple lightweight coupling.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, which may be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. ii

Claims

1. A device for coupling an article to a tow bar, the device comprising a hollow body having an open end and a slot extending from the open end; and at least one coupling member for coupling the body to said article, wherein the body has a bore that is shaped and dimensioned to receive a head portion of a tow bar, the slot being shaped in dimension to receive a stem portion of the tow bar.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said body is substantially sleeve-like in shape having a cross section which is generally circular in shape.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said slot includes a first slot portion extending from said open end in a first direction which is preferably substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body.

4. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said slot includes a second slot portion extending from said first slot portion in a direction which is non-parallel with, and preferably substantially perpendicular with, said first direction.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the or each coupling member comprises a respective arm shaped to define a hook.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a free end of the or each arm extends obliquely away from said hook.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein said at least one coupling member comprises two arms spaced apart longitudinally of the body.

8. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the or each hook defines a catchment slot shaped and dimensioned to receive, in particular, a handle of a wheeled bin.

9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each coupling member is hingedly coupled to the body.

10. A device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the or each coupling member is hinged to the body for pivotable movement about an axis substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body.

11. A device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein, in use, said second slot portion extends from said first slot portion in a direction generally towards said at least one coupling member.

12. A device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the or each hook defines a catchment slot having a mouth and wherein during use, said mouth faces in a direction which is generally opposite the direction in which the slot formed in the body faces.

13. A device substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

14. A device substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 5.