US3866936A

US3866936A - Trash cart

Info

Publication number: US3866936A
Application number: US405865A
Authority: US
Inventors: James H Hedges
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-10-12
Filing date: 1973-10-12
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18

Abstract

A trash cart supported on wheels for transporting a plurality of trash contained in plastic trash bags and having a relatively large opening covered by a lid that can selectively close said opening for the loading and unloading of bags containing trash within the cart.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hedges [111 3,866,936 Feb. 18, 1975 TRASH CART [76] Inventor: James Hedges, 35709 Schley,

Westland, Mich. 48185 [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 405,865

[52] US. Cl. 280/47.26, 220/1T, 220/4 B, 220/29, 280/47.34 [51] int. Cl B62b H10 [58] Field of Search 280/47.26, 47.34; 248/129; 220/4 B, 29, l T; 296/101; D12/33 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,171,068 Masters 280/47.26 X

Rosenberry 280/47,26 Herman 280/47,26

Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-John A. Pekar [57] ABSTRACT A trash cart supported on wheels for transporting a plurality of trash contained in plastic trash bags and having a relatively large opening covered by a lid that,

can selectively close said opening for the loading and unloading of bags containing trash within the cart.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TRASH CART trash cart that is particularly suited to the transport over short distances of plastic bags containing trash and garbage.

Prior art has developed a number of containers and I vehicles for the storage and transport of trash. These include garbage cans with handles that can be lifted and carried from one spot to another over relatively short distances without extreme physical exertion. Other devices include provision of plastic bags that are disposable along with the garbage or trash that they contain.- The usual practice with these plastic bags is to stuff the trash or garbage in the bags and then secure a closure of the top of the bag by means of paper encased wire that is twisted to form a secure closure.

It has been a practice in the past to place the empty plastic bags in open disposition within a garbage can and folding over the top portions of the bag over the rim of the garbage can prior to loading the trash into the bag. After the garbage is loaded into the bag contained within the garbage can, the folded over portions of the bag are unfolded and at least partially twisted and then the bag is removed from the can and the top of the bag is twisted further and the twist tie" or paper or plastic contained wire is twisted around the neck of the bag to form a closure. Bags are then placed in a convenient storage area such as a garage or in an area near the home and then are transported on a periodic basis from that location to a garbage truck which comes usually once a week in most areas.

An alternative to the above procedure in the past has been to simply place the trash in the bag without utilizing the garbage can and again as immediately described above storing the bags in a convenient place near the home such as a garage, basement or other area near the home and then further transporting them across the lawn or residential property to the area where the trash is ultimately collected by a garbage truck.

Both of the immediately above described procedures have been found to be more sanitary, more convenient, and requiring less exertion than simply dumping the trash or garabage into a garbage can and then storing the garbage cans in a place where otherwise plastic bags would be stored and then moving the garbage cans to the point of collection by the garbage truck.

All of the above described means and methods of collecting and storage of trash from the point of disposal within the home to the point of collection by thegarbage truck periodically require the transport of either trash filled bags or garbage cans from one location to another within the curtilage of the residential home. This is an inconvenient method and one often requiring considerable exertion particularly if the distance between the point of storage of trash after placement in bags or cans and the point at which the garbage truck picks up same is considerable.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive and convenient means of both storing trash after placement within plastic bags and transport of same to the point of collection by the garbage truck. This and other objects of this invention are achieved by the provision of a box-like structure having a substantially curved superstructure in the shape of a lid that can be removed from the cart and wheels provided in order to roll the cart from one location to an other.

These and other objects of this invention can be appreciated from the following specifications and claims.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional perspective view of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional perspective view of an alternative embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional representational view of another alternative embodiment of this invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details in construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 isa three-dimensional projection of a trash cart 10. The trash cart has a body portion 12 comprising four side portions 14, 16, 18 and 20. The body 12 is preferably made of a sheet metal such as an aluminum alloy. Starboard side portion 14 is in the shape of a rectangle having the longer side thereof running along a substantial portion of the length of the cart 10.

Side portion 18 is parallel to and on the port side of the cart 12 and has substantially the same length as the side portion 14 but a considerably higher height indicated by the edge 22 between side portion 18 and front portion 16 as compared with the edge portion 24 corresponding to the height of the side portion 14 and being the edge between port portion 14 and the front portion 16.

Front and aft portions 16 and 20, respectively, are substantially congruent and are in the shape of trapezoids having a width corresponding to the substantial portion of the width of the cart 10 as exemplified by the bottomedge 26 of the front portion 16 in meeting the bottom surface of the bottom portion 28. The side portions 14, 16, 18, 20 and the bottom portion 28 are preferably made of the same material and can be joined together by welding or other appropriate securing means in forming a rigid box-like structure.

Forward and aft lid members 30 and 32, respectively, are hingeably attached to the top edge of the trapezoidal-like front and aft sections 16 and 20, respectively. These lid members 30, 32 have an upwardly extending curved top portion 34 extending from the top ledge 36 of the port side portion 18 to the top ledge surface 38 of the starboard side portion 14. Handles 38 are secured near the acme of the curved portion 34 on the exterior surface thereof near the boundary of lid portions 30, 32 indicated at the aft portion top edge 40 of the top portion 34 of the lid member 30.

Forward and aft portions 42 are secured to the forward edge 44 of the forward lid member 30 and the after edge of the after member 32 respectively.

An axle S0.is provided having downwardly extending bracket leg portions 52 and 54 respectively on the port mounted thereon. Tires 60 may be provided for a ground engaging surface of the wheels 56, 58. A forward resting post 61 is provided near the forward end of the cart and has a stopper-like portion 62 which is preferably made of rubber for providing a three point resting configuration in conjunction with the wheels 56, 58 when the cart is at rest. The post 60 may be integral with another tubular element 64 that extends forwardly and upwardly from the post 60 to form a handle tube projection element 66 to which a gripping device 68 may be secured. The gripping device 68 is preferably made of rubber and is in the shape of a cylinder enclosing the tube-like portion 68 and providing a secure gripping element for the manual raising and pulling or pushing of the cart from one location to another.

In FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view through the apparatus in FIG. 1 discloses a trash bag 70 containing trash and having a twist tie comprising plastic enclosed wire 72 twisted and knotted about the, neck 74 of the bag 70. It can be appreciated from the view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 that the bag lies entirely within thecart and that the cart is substantially lengthy to contain several bags when the lids 30, 32 are closed.

It can also be appreciated from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 that when the lids 30, 32 are in an open condition, a bag may be placed within the interior surface of the curved top section 34 to facilitate theplacing of bags during loading and unloading operations.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the cart similar to the one shown in FIG. 1 with the exception that in place of the post tubular and handle structure 60, 64, 66 a forward wheel structure 80 and a forward handle structure 82 are provided.

A toe lock device as illustrated in the wheel structure in 80 in FIG. 4 is provided-This toe lock is operable to prevent rotation of the caster structure.

The wheel structure 80 is essentially a caster structure. It comprises a wheel 84 attached to an axle 86 which is journallably mounted on a fender structure 88. The fender structure is in the shape of a ring having flat sides and rounded corners that-surround the central portion of the wheel 84. The ring'or fender structure 88 extends in a substintially horizontal direction. The fender or ring structure 88 is fixed to a bracket member 90 which is rotatably mounted to the bottom 50 of the cart structure 10.

The handle 82 is in the form of a tubular L having a vertically lower depending portion 92 fixedly attached, preferably by means of screws 94 to the forward face 21 of the'closure structure 12. The handle may have a rubber or plastic grip portion 96 attached tothe exterior forward end of the handle portion 82. Another alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. The trash cart 10 therein described is precisely identical to that described and shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with the exception that instead of the double hinged

lid

32, 34 shown in FIG. 3, there is provided a single lid 98 that is simply lifted off the box-like structure 12. The handles and exterior configuration of a single lid 98 are identical to those of the

double configuration

32, 34.

I claim:

1. In a cart for transporting trash, the improvements comprising: s

a body member having four sides and a bottom;

the bottom being substantially rectangularly shaped and each of the sides being attached at the bottom portions thereof to said bottom portion;

one pair of said sides being parallel with one another and perpendicular to another pair of said sides which are in turn perpendicular to one another;

each of said sides of said first mentioned rectangular pair being substantially rectangularly shaped, with one side having a substantially lesser height than the other of said sides of said first mentioned pair;

each of said sides of said second mentioned pair of sides being substantially congruent with respect to one another and each being in the shape of a trapezoid with the higher height of said trapezoid attaching to the one of said first mentioned pair of sides having the higher height and the lowerheight of each of said trapezoidal sides being attached to said other one of said first mentioned pair of sides having a lower height;

an axle and ground engaging wheel assembly being attached near the rear portion of each one of said first pair of rectangular sides;

a handle member being in the shape of an ell and hav- Inga forward extending portion extending forward of said cart and.a lower downwardly depending portion integral therewith and being attached near the central portion of the forward one of said second pair of trapezoidal shaped sides;

a third ground engaging member attached near the forward center portion and extending downwardly from said bottom portion;

a lid member having a substantially upwardly extending curved portion-and a substantially rectangularly shaped bottom edge engaging the top edges of said side portions; I

said bottom portions of said lid member being of substantially the same shape and dimension as the top edge peripheries of said sides;

each of said sides, said bottom and said lid being made of arelatively thin gauge of metal;

said cart operable to rotate about the axis of said wheel and axle assemblies in an upwardly pitching direction responsive to the manual lifting of said cart at the aforementioned handle;

said cart operable to be wheeled on said wheel and axle assemblies for translation with respect to the ground responsive to a pulling on said handle in a direction forward of said cart and operable to be pushed in a backward direction by translation with respect to the ground by rolling on said aforementioned wheel and axle assemblies responsive to a pushing in a backward direction by said handle;

said cart operable to rotate with respect to the ground responsive to a force applied by manual means on said handle in a direction at an angle to the forward or backward direction with respect to said cart by rolling on said wheel and axle assemblies in response to said force;

said lid operable to be manually lifted for loading and de-loading of trash within the body of said trash cart;

whereby trash may be stored within said cart and also transported to a place of dumping or collection by de-loading said cart at the point. of collection or dumping.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ground engaging member at the forward central portion of said bottom is a downwardly depending stand member having a yieldable rubber stopper placed on the bottom thereof.

3. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein said lid has handles attached near the upper central portion thereof and can be lifted off completely from the body of said trash cart.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lid member comprises two sections, each of said sections being hinged on the upper edge of said trapezoidal sides and operable to be opened in a forward and backward direction with respect to said cart, one of said lids opening in a forward direction and the other in a backward direction;

when said lid sections are completely opened, the interior portions of said lids being operable to carry additional trash or other loads and in addition to that that can be carried within the interior of the sides of the body of said trash cart.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ground engaging member below the central forward portion of the bottom of the body of said trash cart comprises a wheel in a caster structure operable to rotate in a plane parallel to the bottom of said body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body including the bottom sides and lid member are made of aluminum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lid member has two handle members attached thereto on the top central surface thereof near the central portion of said body midway between the wheel and axle assemblies at the rear portions of the bottom of said trash cart and the forward ground engaging member near the bottom central portion of said trash cart.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said caster is operable to rotate 360 about an axis perpendicular to the ground;

and means inhibiting the rotation of said caster comprising a toe lock for parking on a grade.

Claims

1. In a cart for transporting trash, the improvements comprising: a body member having four sides and a bottom; the bottom being substantially rectangularly shaped and each of the sides being attached at the bottom portions thereof to said bottom portion; one pair of said sides being parallel with one another and perpendicular to another pair of said sides which are in turn perpendicular to one another; each of said sides of said first mentioned rectangular pair being substantially rectangularly shaped, with one side having a substantially lesser height than the other of said sides of said first mentioned pair; each of said sides of said second mentioned pair of sides being substantially congruent with respect to one another and each being in the shape of a trapezoid with the higher height of said trapezoid attaching to the one of said first mentioned pair of sides having the higher height and the lower height of each of said trapezoidal sides being attached to said other one of said first mentioned pair of sides having a lower height; an axle and ground engaging wheel assembly being attached near the rear portion of each one of said first pair of rectangular sides; a handle member being in the shape of an ell and having a forward extending portion extending forward of said cart and a lower downwardly depending portion integral therewith and being attached near the central portion of the forward one of said second pair of trapezoidal shaped sides; a third ground engaging member attached near the forward center portion and extending downwardly from said bottom portion; a lid member having a substantially upwardly extending curved portion and a substantially rectangularly shaped bottom edge engaging the top edges of said side portions; said bottom portions of said lid member being of substantially the same shape and dimension as the top edge peripheries of said sides; each of said sides, said bottom and said lid being made of a relatively thin gauge of metal; said cart operable to rotate about the axis of said wheel and axle assemblies in an upwardly pitching direction responsive to the manual lifting of said cart at the aforementioned handle; said cart operable to be wheeled on said wheel and axle assemblies for translation with respect to the ground responsive to a pulling on said handle in a direction forward of said cart and operable to be pushed in a backward direction by translation with respect to the ground by rolling on said aforementioned wheel and axle assemblies responsive to a pushing in a backward direction by said handle; said cart operable to rotate with respect to the ground responsive to a force applied by manual means on said handle in a direction at an angle to the forward or backward direction with respect to said cart by rolling on said wheel and axle assemblies in response to said force; said lid operable to be manually lifted for loading and de-loading of trash within the body of said trash cart; whereby trash may be stored within said cart and also transported to a place of dumping or collection by de-loading said cart at the point of collection or dumping.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lid member comprises two sections, each of said sections being hinged on the upper edge of said trapezoidal sides and operable to be opened in a forward and backward direction with respect to said cart, one of said lids opening in a forward direction and the other in a backward direction; when said lid sections are completely opened, the interior portions of said lids being operable to carry additional trash or other loads and in addition to that that can be carried within the interior of the sides of the body of said trash cart.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said caster is operable to rotate 360* about an axis perpendicular to the ground; and means inhibiting the rotation of said caster comprising a tOe lock for parking on a grade.