WO1994029157A1

WO1994029157A1 - Additional sidepiece for a wheelbarrow

Info

Publication number: WO1994029157A1
Application number: PCT/FI1994/000237
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ilkka Rikhard Luukkala
Original assignee: Ilkka Rikhard Luukkala
Priority date: 1993-06-04
Filing date: 1994-06-06
Publication date: 1994-12-22
Also published as: AU6846494A

Abstract

A wheelbarrow (3) used in gardening, in construction work, etc., which includes a separate sidepiece (1). The sidepiece is a bent metal plate shaped in accordance with the sides of the wheelbarrow. The sidepiece heightens the back edge and both sides of the wheelbarrow. The sidepiece can be connected to the sides of the wheelbarrow with quick fasteners.

Description

ADDITIONAL SIDEPIECE FOR A WHEELBARROW.

The invention relates to wheelbarrows used e.g. in gardening, in construction work etc., with which different materials like leaves, rubbish or sand are moved from one place to another.

Goods or matter can nowadays be loaded in wheelbarrows, depending on the goods, up to the level of the sides of the wheelbarrows. The factor delimiting the amount loaded is most often the backmost, i.e. the lowest edge of the wheelbarrow. Depending on the matter, it can be piled up high in the mid-section of the wheelbarrow, and the sides prevent it from running down from the wheelbarrow. However, if the loaded matter is light in comparison to its volume, e.g. leaves or rubbish, as big a load as the user could push cannot be loaded in the wheelbarrow. Due to the low sides the load remains annoyingly small, which is emphasized by the tendency of light matter to fall over the sides even when crossing over small bumps.

The problems presented above can be removed and the presented difficulties avoided with the sidepiece in accordance with the invention. The invention is characterized in what is presented later in the following claims.

The most important advantage of the invention is that the sides of the wheelbarrow can be made essentially higher, and a larger amount of light matter stays in the wheelbarrow during transport. When the sidepiece is not needed, e.g. when conveying heavy matter, it can easily be demounted. The compatibility with different manufacturers' wheelbarrows is made easier by the fact that most manufacturers use similar buckets, and the sidepiece can be built to fit on them. The invention relates also locking mechanism of the sidepiece, with which the board is connected to the wheelbarrow. The invention is described in the following with examples by referring to the attached figures, where

Figure 1 presents a sidepiece and a wheelbarrow seen from the side so that the sidepiece is not connected to the wheelbarrow.

Figure 2 presents the sidepiece and the wheelbarrow seen diagonally so that the sidepiece is connected to the wheelbarrow.

Figure 3 presents the sidepiece seen from the top according to the second embodiment,

Figure 4 presents a situation in which the sidepiece of figure 3 is connected to the wheelbarrow,

Figure 5 presents the vertical section of the back junction of the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece. Figure 6 presents the vertical section of the side junction of the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece before the junction is locked,

Figure 7 corresponds to figure 6 and presents the vertical section of the locked side junction of the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece.

Figure 8 corresponds to figure 6 and presents the vertical section of the side junction of the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece when the junction is being opened. Figure 9 displays the perspective of the sidepiece, in which have been marked the procedures needed for opening the junction between the sidepiece and the wheelbarrow.

Figure 10 presents the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece connected to its front part seen from the side,

Figure 11 presents the perspective of the wheelbarrow and the sidepiece, to which the load securing accessories have been connected,

Figure 12 corresponds to figure 3 and presents the sidepiece seen from the top according to the third embodiment. In Figure 1 the wheelbarrow 3 is seen and above them, designed in accordance with the sides of the wheelbarrow, the sidepiece 1, on the lower edge of which there is an appropriate amount of flexible quick fasteners 2 that are suited for the sides of the wheelbarrow. In the example case of Figure 1 there are five quick fasteners 2. The sidepiece 1 is a bent plate, which heightens the back edge and both sides of the wheelbarrow. In the front edge there is no sidepiece, because it would hamper tipping the load over the front edge. The sidepiece can be made of e.g. thin metal plate.

In Figure 2 the sidepiece 1 is connected to the sides of the wheelbarrow 3 by pressing the flexible quick fasteners 2 around the side of the wheelbarrow. Thus considerably more light matter, like leaves or rubbish, can be loaded in the wheelbarrow.

In Figure 3 the sidepiece has been presented according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment the quick fastener of the back edge 4 and the quick fasteners of the sides 5 are almost the length of the sides of the sidepiece 1.

In Figure 4 one can see how sidepiece 1 of Figure 3 is connected to the wheelbarrow 3. The sidepiece 1 is mounted on the wheelbarrow 3 so that the quick fastener of the back edge 4 is connected to the edge of the wheelbarrow. After this the sidepiece is pressed towards the edge of the wheelbarrow so that the quick fasteners of the sides also lock.

Figure 5 presents the vertical section of the back junction of the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1. In the figure one can see that the fastener 4 of the back edge of the sidepiece 1 is connected around the edge of the wheelbarrow. The sidepiece 1 turns around the back edge of the wheelbarrow slightly, so that the locking procedure presented in Figure 4 can be carried out.

Figure 6 presents the vertical section of the side junction of the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1 before the junction is locked. The fastener of the side edge 5 of the sidepiece 1 has been designed so that before the locking takes place the fastener forces the sidepiece 1 to turn and lean slightly outwards.

When the side junction of the edge of the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1 is locked, the sidepiece 1 returns to a mainly vertical position, as presented in Figure 7.

Figure 8 presents the vertical section of the side junction of the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1 when the junction is being opened. This situation is the reverse of the locking presented in Figure 6. Before the sidepiece 1 can be disconnected, its side boards must be bent to the side as presented in Figures 8 and 9. In this position the side board of the sidepiece 1 can be lifted up. The lifting movement is the reverse of the locking movement presented in Figure 4. When the sideboard have been disconnected, the locking of the back edge will also disconnect and the whole sidepiece can be removed.

Figure 10 presents the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1 connected to the opposite side, i.e. to the front part of the wheelbarrow, seen from the side. The sidepiece 1 is connected and removed the same way as shown above. However, the back edge fastener 4 of the sidepiece 1 is connected to the front edge of the wheelbarrow 3. After this the sidepiece can be pressed against the edge of the wheelbarrow 3 so that the side fasteners 5 will also lock.

The connection presented in Figure 10 enables raising the front edge of the wheelbarrow 3 instead of the back edge. It is feasible e.g. when carrying plants 6 or other high goods. In such a case at least heavy loads cannot be tipped .

Figure 11 presents the perspective of the wheelbarrow 3 and the sidepiece 1, on the edges of which fastening points 7 have been formed, to which ribbons 9, ropes or similar fastening devices can be attached to tie the load 8 put in the wheelbarrow 3. The fastening points 7 can be made by e.g. folding the edge of the sidepiece 1 and the ribbons have e.g. a hook that fits in the fold. The fastening points 7 can also be holes, like in Figure 11, and then e.g. a rope can be passed through the holes. Rubber ropes with hooks in both ends can also be passed attached to the holes on the edge of the sidepiece 1.

Figure 12 presents the third embodiment of the sidepiece 1. It consists of separate parts. In the example presented in the figure the parts of the sidepiece 1 are back part 10 and sides 11, which are joined to each other with screws 12. The advantage of such a structure is that when necessary the sidepiece can be made smaller.

For a person skilled in the art it is clear that the different embodiments of the sidepiece are not restricted to the above forms, but may vary within the scope of the claims presented hereafter.

Claims

1. A wheelbarrow (3) used in gardening, in construction work etc., c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheelbarrow includes a separate sidepiece (1), which can be connected to the edges of the wheelbarrow.

2. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sidepiece (1) is a U-shaped plate consisting of one or more parts, conforming to the shape of the wheelbarrow, preferably a thin metal plate, which raises the front or back edge and both sides of the wheelbarrow.

3. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the fastening points (7) have been formed to the sidepiece (1) , like a fold or holes, to which at least one fastening device can be attached, like a ribbon (9), a rope or an equivalent to tie the load (8) placed in the wheelbarrow (3).

4. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the height of the sidepiece (1) is highest at the front or back edge of the wheelbarrow (3), that the sides of the sidepiece become lower towards the opposite side of the wheelbarrow (3).

5. A wheelbarrow (3) according to any of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the quick fasteners (2) which fit on the edges of the wheelbarrow (3) have been attached to the bottom edge of the sidepiece (1), of which at least one is on both sides of the sidepiece and at least one between them.

6. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least a part of the quick fasteners (2) of the sidepiece (1) are flexible so that the quick fasteners lock around the edges of the wheelbarrow when the sidepiece is fastened.

7. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the quick fastener (4,5) of the sidepiece (1) is mainly an elongated groove which locks around the edge of the wheelbarrow (3).

8. A wheelbarrow (3) according to claim 5, 6 or 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the side fastener (5) of the sidepiece (1) has been designed so that in a locking situation the sides of the sidepiece turn and tilt outward and, similarly, in the opening situation the sides of the sidepiece must be tilted outward before the fasteners open.

9. A method used to heighten the sides of a wheelbarrow used in gardening, construction work etc., c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a separate sidepiece (1) is mounted on the wheelbarrow (3) so that the fastening device (4) of the sidepiece is connected to the front or back edge of the wheelbarrow, after which the sidepiece is pressed against the edges of the wheelbarrow so that the side fasteners (5) also lock.

10. A method to loosen the sidepiece (1) of the wheelbarrow (3), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sides of the sidepiece are bent to the side so that the side fasteners (5) open, after which the side part of the sidepiece can be lifted up and apart from edge of the wheelbarrow, and that then also the fastener (4) of the front or back edge of the sidepiece opens.