GB2519203A

GB2519203A - Animal and material transport apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2519203A
Application number: GB1414045.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Patrick Kenny
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-08-07
Filing date: 2014-08-07
Publication date: 2015-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2034-08-07
Also published as: IE20140197A1; GB2519203B; GB201414045D0; GB2516943A; IE86571B1; GB201314179D0

Abstract

A transport device 100 suitable for animals, materials and other products having a tub (10, Figure 1) with a base 15 three solid sides 11, 12, 13 and an opening (14, Figure 1) which gradually widens to be substantially funnel-shaped. This sits in a frame structure (20, Figure 3) which has handles 30 and two wheels 40 which can be centred under an animals' (or other loads) centre of gravity. The open end (14) may be sealed off by using a blanking plate 50. Preferably the front end of the elongate tub (10) is narrower than the rear end and the base 15 is narrower than the top of the tub. The handles 30 may be raised above the tub (10). Methods of loading an animal into the apparatus 100 are disclosed including placing the funnel shaped opening 14 on the ground and pulling the animal into the tub (10) or an animal may be placed parallel to the apparatus, with its head to the wider end (14), catching the animals inside legs and rolling the body of the animal over the edge into the apparatus 100 onto its back for transport.

Description

ANIMAL AND MATERIAL TRANSPORT APPARATUS

The present invention relates to an animal and material transport apparatus for carrying animals or other loads from one place to another, in particular to an animal and material transport apparatus for carrying small animals such as calves or sheep, dead or alive, or other loads such as solids and liquids of a certain viscosity from one place to another.

Background

The transport of small animals such as calves or sheep requires manual handling and can be slow as such small animals are either too young to move themselves or are too weak to move on their own. Moving small animals without the aid of a carrying apparatus can cause physical injury to the user due to excess weight as well as the awkwardness of the load.

Currently, one common method of moving animals is with the use of a normal garden wheelbarrow or agricultural wheelbarrow. It is generally done by tipping the barrow to its side or front, and pulling the animal, e.g. a calf, in and then standing the barrow straight again. Sometimes the animal is lifted up into the barrow which requires lifting the full weight of the animal. Due to the placement of the axle at the front of the wheelbarrow, the weight of the animal is not centred in the barrow which places excess weight on the operator during transport. Due to the height of the tub of the barrow and the tub of the barrow not fitting the animals' shape, it is very unstable for loading and carrying animals and some other loads.

Also, injury to the animal may occur due to their head and/or limbs protruding over the edge of the wheelbarrow and colliding with stationary objects.

Accordingly, there is a need for an animal and material transport apparatus that eliminates lifting the full weight of the animal or other load during loading. There also exists the need for the weight of the animal or other load to be evenly and stably distributed during transport and for the animal to be comfortable and not inclined to stand up during transport.

Statement of invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides an animal and material transport apparatus comprising: an elongate tub comprising a base, three solid side walls and a gradually widening, substantially funnel-shaped, opening; a frame for supporting the tub, one or more handles; and at least two wheels, wherein in use the wheels are centred under the centre of gravity of the animal or other load.

The animal can be loaded into the apparatus which is upright and steady.

One advantage of the invention is that the full weight of the animal or other load never has to be lifted or carried when transporting it from one location to another.

The tub is of substantially rectangular shape. Each of the three solid side walls of the tub extend upwards from the base. Two of the three solid side walls are opposite to each other.

The third solid side wall connects the two opposing side walls and forms the front end of the tub. The third solid side wall is opposite to the gradually widening, substantially funnel-shaped, opening.

The front end of the elongate tub is narrower than the rear end of the tub and the base of the tub is narrower than the top. That is the side walls are not perpendicular to the base but instead are at a slightly obtuse angle to the base.

When the wide, substantially funnel-shaped, opening end of the tub, i.e. the rear end, is lowered to the ground, the rear end of the base sits on the ground allowing access to the tub.

To load the animal, the side of the tub with the funnel-shaped opening, i.e. the wide, open end of the tub of the apparatus, is placed on the ground and the animal is pulled into the apparatus for transport. When the open funnel end of the tub is positioned on the ground the flat of the funnel, i.e. the open end of the base, sits smoothly on the ground which allows unimpeded access to the tub when loading in a set down stationary position.

The animal can also be loaded into the apparatus according to the invention by placing the animal parallel to the apparatus with its head to the wider, open end, i.e. the rear end of the tub with the wide, substantially funnel-shaped, opening, and by catching the animals inside legs and rolling the body of the animal over the edge into the apparatus onto its back. The apparatus is preferably capable of holding the animal in both a sitting position and a standing position.

When the animal is in position and ready for moving, the weight is automatically balanced due to the position of the wheels, resulting in little weight being carried by the operator while lifting and transporting. The animal is semi-immobilised by the shape of the tub and the smooth finish of the material of the tub prevents the animal from getting a grip.

The apparatus allows for the animal to be removed by pulling the animal out a little and then moving the apparatus away allowing the animal to slide out.

Therefore, in a further aspect, the invention provides a method for transporting an animal using the apparatus described herein.

The method for transporting an animal preferably comprises the following steps: (i) Placing funnel-shaped opening of the tub, i.e. the wide, open end of the tub of the apparatus, on the ground; (U) pulling the animal into the apparatus for transport.

In an alternative embodiment, the method for transporting an animal preferably comprises the following steps: (a) placing the animal parallel to the apparatus with its head to the wider, open end, i.e. the rear end of the tub with the wide, substantially funnel-shaped, opening; (b) catching the animals inside legs and rolling the body of the animal over the edge into the apparatus onto its back for transport.

The handles are raised with respect to the tub. The handles are preferably integrally formed with the frame.

The frame is preferably shaped to act both as a supporting structure for the tub and as raised handles.

The tub and frame are each made of any suitable material, for example metal or plastic.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a blanking plate.

By blanking plate is meant a piece, e.g. sheet, of material, such as for example metal, wood or plastic, capable of being inserted into the tub to securely block the wide, substantially funnel-shaped, opening. The blanking plate is thus used to close off the rear end of the apparatus. With the placement of the blanking plate at the open end, the apparatus can be used to transport both bagged and loose forms of materials and liquids of a certain viscosity.

The load can be emptied from the apparatus by either removing the blanking plate or by tipping the load over the side of the apparatus. The blanking plate is preferably stored on the apparatus when not in use.

Preferably, the blanking plate has a hole at the top end forming a handle.

Preferably, the tub is provided with retaining ridges at each side towards the rear, i.e. open end, of the tub. The retaining ridges receive the blanking plate and hold it in position.

Additionally or alternatively, the base of tub is provided with a slot or mortise and the blanking plate is provided with a correspondingly shaped protrusion which fits into the slot or mortise to hold the blanking plate in position.

In a preferred embodiment, the tub, frame, handles and blanking plate all balance on an axle to which the at least two wheels are attached.

Brief description of drawings

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a preferred animal and material transport apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a plain view of the transport apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the transport apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the blanking plate in position and the apparatus ready for use as a normal carrying apparatus; Figure 4 shows perspective view of the transport apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the blanking plate detached; Figure 4a shows a close up of circle A on Figure 4; and Figure 4b shows a close up of circle B on Figure 4.

Detailed description

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a preferred animal and material transport apparatus, indicated generally by reference numeral 100, and comprising a substantially rectangular elongate tub 10 with a base 15, three solid side walls 11, 12, 13 extending from base 15 and a substantially funnel-shaped opening 14; a frame for supporting the tub 10, one or more handles 30; and at least two wheels 40, wherein in use wheels 40 are centred under the animal or other loads' centre of gravity. The wheels are attached to axle 21 of frame 20 on which the tub 10 sits. Handles 30 are integrally formed with frame 20 at the rear end of the tub 10 and are bent to a raised position above the tub 10.

Solid side walls 11 and 13 are opposite to each other. Solid side wall 12 connects the two opposing side walls 11 and 13 and forms the front end of the tub 10. Solid side wall 13 is opposite to the funnel-shaped opening 14.

As is clear from Figure 2, the elongated tub 10 has a gradually widening opening 15 at its rear end. That is, the front end of the elongate tub is narrower than the rear end of the tub and the base of the tub is narrower than the top.

Opening 15 receives blanking plate 50.

Referring to Figure 3 and 4, Figure 3 shows the positioning of the blanking plate 50 when in place and Figure 4 shows the apparatus without the blanking plate. As is clear from Figures 4a and 4b, two retaining ridges 60 and a slot or mortise 70 hold the blanking plate 50 in position.

In use, the open funnel end 14 of the tub 10 is positioned on the ground to allow the flat of the funnel, i.e. the edge of the base, to sit smoothly on the ground which allows unimpeded access to the tub 10 when loading in a set down stationary position.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciate that additions and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A animal and material transport apparatus comprising: an elongate tub comprising a base, three solid side walls extending from the base and a gradually widening, substantially funnel-shaped, opening; a frame for supporting the tub, one or more handles; and at least two wheels, wherein in use the wheels are centred under the animal or other loads' centre of gravity.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tub is of substantially rectangular shape.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein front end of the elongate tub is narrower than the rear end of the tub and the base of the tub is narrower than the top.
4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the three solid side walls of the tub extend upwards from the base, wherein two of the three solid side walls are opposite to each other and the third solid side wall connects the two opposing side walls and forms the front end of the tub.
5. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handles are raised above the tub of the apparatus.
6. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handles are integrally formed with the frame.
7. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a blanking plate capable of being inserted into the tub to securely block the funnel-shaped opening.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the blanking plate has a hole at the top end forming a handle.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the tub is provided with retaining ridges at each side towards the rear, i.e. open end, of the tub.
10. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the base of tub is provided with a slot or mortise and the blanking plate is provided with a correspondingly shaped protrusion which fits into the slot or mortise to hold the blanking plate in position.
11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the tub, frame and handles all balance on an axle to which the at least two wheels are attached.
12. An animal and material transport apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
13. A method for transporting an animal using the apparatus as defined any one of claims ito 12, said method comprising the following steps: (i) Placing funnel-shaped opening of the tub, i.e. the wide, open end of the tub of the apparatus, on the ground; (ii) pulling the animal into the apparatus for transport.
14. A method for transporting an animal using the apparatus as defined in any one of claims ito 12, said method comprising the following steps: (a) placing the animal parallel to the apparatus with its head to the wider, open end, i.e. the rear end of the tub with the wide, substantially funnel-shaped, opening; (b) catching the animals inside legs and rolling the body of the animal over the edge into the apparatus onto its back for transport.
15. An method for transport an animal, said method substantially as herein described.