NZ194979A - Cycle trailer:offset drawbar - Google Patents

Description

194979 Patents Form No. 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Complete after Provisional No. 194979 dated 17 September 19 80 "A CYCLE TRAILER" I, CHRISTOPHER ALAN JOHNSON of 47 Moore Street, Rolleston, Canterbury, New Zealand, being a British subject and New Zealand citizen, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 194979 This invention relates to a trailer and more particularly relates to a trailer adapted to be towed behind a pedalled or powered cycle.

A disadvantage of some types of known cycle 5 trailer is that they are towed from either a point at the rear of the cycle or from a point immediately beneath the seat of the cycle. The positioning of a towing connection at either of these points interferes with the balance of the cycle. In some situations it 10 also affords only restricted turning movement of the cycle.

An object of the present invention is to overcome at least in part the abovementioned disadvantages and to provide a trailer adapted to be towed behind a 15 pedalled or powered cycle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cycle trailer which offers to the public a useful alternative choice.

Further objects and advantages of the present 20 invention will become apparent from the following descriptions which are given by way of example only.

According to the present invention there is provided a trailer adapted to be towed behind a pedalled or powered cycle, the trailer including 25 a wheeled frame forward of which a draw bar extends, the draw bar extends in at an acute angle from one side of a front of the frame to terminate in a connecting means adapted for engagement to a towing connection positioned near to one side of a rear axle of a cycle, the arrangement is such that a longitudinal axis of the wheeled frame is during straight travel of the cycle aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cycle.

The draw bar can be an extension of one side member of the frame which extends forward of the transversely extending front of the frame before it is bent to angle inward at the acute angle to terminate in the connection.

Further aspects of the present invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawing accompanying the provisional specification in which: Figure 1: shows a plan view of a cycle trailer according to the present invention in which only part of a cycle to which it is attached is shown; and Figure 2: shows an exploded view of the parts forming the connection between the draw bar of the trailer and the cycle.

The cycle trailer according to the present invention can be towed behind any construction of pedalled or powered cycle and only requires the attachment of a towing connection or post Cshown in Figure 2) to enable the cycle to be used to tow the trailer. In use the connection or post is left in 194979 position on the cycle.

In the drawing a rear wheel only of a cycle is shown and is generally indicated by arrow 1. The rear wheel is supported between rear forks 2.

An example of towing post is shown in detail in Figure 2 and is generally indicated by arrow 3.

The towing post 3 is attached near to a rear axle 4 of the cycle and is supported on the cycle by a plate 5. The plate 5 can, for example, be held in 10 position by a wheel nut (not shown) engaged on the rear axle 4. The plate 5 is secured against unwarranted movement by an extension 6 thereof which extends alongside a lower frame member 7 of the rear forks. The extension 6 is fixed by a bracket 15 (not shown) which extends around the frame member 7.

The plate 5 supports in a bearing 9 a post 10 which is mounted so that it can rotate in the direction around a vertical axis in the direction of the arrow 11 shown.

The towing post 10 is engageable with a yolk 12 fitted to a forward end 13 of a draw bar 14 of the trailer (only shown in Figure 1) . The yolk 12 is movable about the longitudinal axis thereof in the draw bar 14 to allow movement therebetween in a roll axis. 25 In use a clevis pin, over-centre clip or padlock can be used to join the towing post 10 and the yolk 12 together and this pin (not shown) allows limited movement in a pitch axis between the draw bar 14 and the towing pOst 10.

The draw bar 14 is connected to the trailer chassis 15 or is formed integrally therewith. The chassis and draw bar can be constructed from any suitable material, for example metal tubing and the chassis can have the configuration, in plan, shown in Figure 1. The draw bar 14 extends at an acute angle relating to a front transverse member 16 of the trailer.

The draw bar 14 can be braced by a diagonally extending brace extending between the front transverse member 16 and the point where the draw bar angles around toward the connection at the end thereof.

The trailer chassis shown in Figure 1 has an outer peripheral frame 17 within which is a central region 18 into which a trailer body (not shown) can be placed.

The trailer chassis is supported on one or more wheels, for example as shown a pair of cycle wheels 19. Alternatively it is envisaged that a single wheel (not shown) can be used and be stabilised by an outrigger wheel. The wheels can be similar to ordinary cycle wheels or may be radially spoked wheels the bearings of which are preloaded and require no servicing.

It is to be appreciated that nylon wheels can be used although a disadvantage of this construction of wheel is that it cannot be repaired and/or trued if they are distorted.

The hollow region 18 allows a trailer body preferably with a low centre of gravity to be fitted in the trailer chassis. It is to be appreciated that the trailer body fitted to the chassis 15 can be readily disengaged to allow different constructions of trailer body designed for different purposes to be used.

The trailer body can be a glass reinforced plastics container located in the chassis frame 17 and held downward therein by rubber straps positioned at the front and rear of the container. The container may be box shaped and sealed against the ingress of weather and can, for example resemble a large pannier bag. The body can be lockable and include integral mudguards and a hinged lid.

Alternatively a child's seat can be fitted to the chassis frame 17 in which case safety straps are preferably included so that a child can be strapped in. The container body can include a roll cage and/ or shield for protecting the child from debris thrown up by the cycles wheels.

Alternatively the chassis frame 15 can support a tray on which a box of groceries or a suitcase can be positioned and tied down. The tray can support a pet cage which is fully shielded from the wheels of the cycle.

In use the present invention is connectable to a cycle and normally the towing post 3 is fitted and remains in position on the cycle 1 so that whenever the trailer is to be used it can readily be attached 194979 e thereto by engaging a pin, padlock or the like between the yolk 12 and the towing post 10.

The construction of towing post 12 and connection described herein allow for free movement in three 5 planes and this allows the cycle towing the trailer to be ridden over irregular terrain and. to more easily turn corners. The cycle can also be laid down. For example in an accident situation the cycle can roll over without effecting the stability of the trailer. 10 The towing post 12 and draw bar configuration enable the cycle to turn relative to the axis of movement of the trailer and cycle from a turn of about 50 degrees to the position shown dotted at A in Figure 1 until the rear wheel 1 is in contact with the draw bar 14. 15 The movement in the other direction is virtually unlimited in the direction of arrow 20.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the towing point on the cycle is more favourably placed so that it does not interfere greatly with 20 the balance of the cycle especially when turning.

The connection between the trailer and cycle also does not interfere with the use of a rear carrier on the cycle. As a longer draw bar is used this adds to stability of the trailer although the overall length of 25 the cycle and trailer unit is not unduly increased.

It is to be appreciated that as required the towing connection can be on either a left or right hand side of the cycle. The example described herein is described with reference to the fitting thereof on the left hand side (from the rear) of the cycle.

It is to be appreciated that although the trailer is attached assymetrically to the cycle it tows centrally behind the cycle on straight line travel of the cycle. Therefore any moment exerted by the off centre attachment point is minimal.

Thus by this invention there is provided a cycle trailer adapted for connection to a pedalled or powered cycle.

A particular example of the present invention has been described herein by way of example and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications thereto can take place without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (14)

194379 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A trailer adapted to be towed behind a pedalled or powered cycle, the trailer including a wheeled frame forward of which a draw bar extends, the draw 5 bar extends in at an acute angle from one side of a front of the frame to terminate in a connecting means adapted for engagement to a towing connection positioned near to one side of a rear axle of a cycle, the arrangement is such that a longitudinal axis of 10 the wheeled frame is during straight travel of the cycle aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cycle.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the draw bar is a member formed as an extension to a side member of the frame, which member extends forwardly 15 of a transversely extending front of the frame before it is bent at an acute angle inwards to terminate in the connection.

3. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the draw bar is formed integrally with a chassis 20 thereof which supports a pair of wheels.

4. A trailer as claimed in claim 3 wherein the draw bar and chassis are constructed from metal tubing.

5. A trailer as claimed in claim 4 wherein the chassis and draw bar are protected by a protective 25 coating material.

6. A combination trailer/cycle unit wherein a towing post is attached near to a rear axle of a cycle and is supported thereon by a plate held in position NEVVZ^ALAWj^y J a wheel nut engaged on the rear axle so that a - 9 - 2 7 _ PATENT OFFICE 4 . 194379 trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims can be connected thereto.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6 wherein the plate is additionally secured by a bracket to an extension thereof 5 which extends alongside a lower frame member of the rear forks.

8. A unit as claimed in cladm 6 or claim 7 wherein the plate supports a bearing in which the post is mounted so that the post can rotate around a vertical axis thereof. 10

9. A unit as claimed in claim 8 wherein the post is engageable with a yoke fitted to a forward end of the draw bar, the yoke is movable about a longitudinal axis thereof.

10. A unit as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 15 wherein a chassis thereof supports a main wheel stabilised by an outrigger wheel.

11. A unit as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10 wherein the frame has a region there within in which a trailer body is mounted. 20

12. A unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the trailer body is a shaped glass reinforced plastics container located in the region.

13. A unit as claimed in claim 12 wherein the region supports a wire mesh tray on which articles can be carried. 25

14. A trailer adapted to be towed behind a pedalled or powered cycle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing accompanying the provisional specification. &Z.PATIE:.ji c^lcS ' CHRISTOPHER ALAN JOHNSON ■—■ By His Attorneys, I 2 7 APR 1984 ' RECEIVED - 10 - BALDWIN, SON & CAREY. per :