CA1064989A

CA1064989A - Wheelbarrow transport means

Info

Publication number: CA1064989A
Application number: CA287,636A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Maurice E. Lehman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-09-27
Filing date: 1977-09-27
Publication date: 1979-10-23

Abstract

WHEELBARROW TRANSPORT MEANS

Abstract -To provide an economical and practical material hauling apparatus for use with a garden tractor or the like, a wheel-barrow has its leg structure supported on a dolly which is towed by the tractor through the usual drawbar means. The dolly is provided with caster wheels. The wheelbarrow wheel is rearmost in the caravan and its handles extend forwardly. Vertical articulation between the wheelbarrow leg structure and the towing dolly is provided for.

Description

~L~6~9 A de~inite need exists or a low cost transport means ~or heavy materials around the home or ~arm. Even the smallest ~arm wagons cost a considerable amount o~ money to purchase and are not entirely suitable ~or small hauling applications. Mov-ing heavy materials ~or any substantial distance by means of a wheelbarrow in the customary manner is very dif~icult and the~e-fore not desirable or practical.
The prior art presently does not satisfy the need ~or a low cost, convenient and versatile hauling device ~or relative-ly small loads of material around the home or farm, and it isthe objective of this invention to satis~y that need. More part-icularly, the invention employs the common wheelbarrow as one o~
its components but the wheelbarrow is not manipulated manually during hauling oE the load and only during dumping or emptying o~ the load at the proper destination. Consequently, loads of material which cannot be conveniently transported under manual power in a wheelbarrow can be easily and economically transported by the invention, and without resorting to expensive additional equipment. The only additional equipment employed is a simple low-cost dolly which may be coupled behind a conventional garden tractor or like vehicle and whiah has means to connect with and support the leg structure of a wheelbarrow so that the same may be towed behind the tractor and dolly with the customary ~ront wheelbarrow wheel arranged rearmost, rather than forwardly.
The elevated and supported wheelbarrow leg structure is safely and releasably locked to the intermediate dolly during transport o~ the load and the arrangement is such that the wheel-barrow can be quickly released from the dolly for manual dumping in the usual manner.

4~
The connection between the wheelbarrow leg structure and dolly is horizontally rigid while allowing vertical hinge action between the wheelbarrow and dolly while the caravan is traveling over irregular terrain.
Caster wheels on the rear o~ the dolly are widely spaced for stability and allow t~e necessary lateral movement of the caravan during turning. Backing up of the carava~ is made easy under the invention.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, partly in broken lines;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the invention; and Figure 2 is a side elevational view o~ the invention, partly in cross section, and taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 designates a conventional garden tractor having a drawbar 11 adapted to be coupled by a pin means 12 with the forward tongue 13 of a low elevation substantially ~lat horizonkal dolly 14. The dolly 14 ~orms a key element oE the invention and comprises a rear end transverse sturdy 9upport member 15 suitably rigidly attached to the body portion of khe dolly and extending outwardly from its opposite sides and carryirlg a pair o widely spaced relatively large caster wheels 16 which are free~swiveling on vertical axes.
A pair of wheelbarrow leg receiving notches or passages 17 are formed through the dolly member 15 at its rear side and inwardly of the two caster wheels 16. A pair of spaced parallel transverse bars 18 fixed to the top of the transverse member 15 ~orm a transverse slot 19 between them and the ends of this slot ~6~g8j lead into the tops of the notches 17, Figure 2. The bottom wall of the top opening slot lg is defined by the top flat face of the member 15 between the notches or leg passages 17.
A conventional wheelbarrow 20 constitutes another com-ponent of the invention and the wheelbarrow 20 has the usual single wheel 21, lifting and transporting handles 22, and legs 23 which are rigidly co~nected by a crossbrace or bar 24.
During use, in the invention, the wheelbarrow is towed rearwardly or reversely from its customary direction of travel under manual power; that is, the wheel 21 is rearmost in the caravan and the handles 22 are forwardmost. The crossbrace 24 of the wheelbarrow leg structure is placed in the slot 19 and is supported on the top face of the member 15 which de~ines the bottom of the slot. The two depending legs 23 of the wheelbarrow extend through the notche9 17 and somewhat below the body portion of the dolly 14, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, the wheelbarrow legs are solidly supported on the dolly at a suitable elevation above the ground for ease of transportation with the dolly.
The connection between the dolly 14 and the wheelbarrow leg structure is rigid in the horizontal plane and laterally.
The engagement oE the legs 23 through the notches 17 prevent lat-eral sh:i~ting o~ the wheelbarrow relative to the dolly and the engagement of the brace 24 in the slot 19 prevents horizontal pivotlng of the wheelbarrow relative to the dolly. The dolly caster wheels 16 allow the necessary lateral movement of the car-avan. Suf~icient clearance exists between the brace 24 and the side walls of the slot 19 to allow hinge action in a ver~ical plane between the wheelbarrow and dolly during movement over irregular terrain, Figure 3.

~[)6~89 In order to releasably lock the loaded wheelbarrow to the intermediate transport dolly 14, a pivoted hasp 25 on one o~
the bars 18 is closed over the top center portion o~ the leg brace 24 and cooperates with an upstanding apertured keeper 26 on the opposing bar 18, said keeper adapted to receive a pin or other locking element for the hasp, not shown. The arrangement assures that the wheelbarrow will not separate from the dolly 14 during transportation. However, in some cases, the locking hasp may be dispensed with, if desired, or other forms of locking means may be used. Gravi~y will tend to keep the wheelbarrow leg structure ~irmly seated on the dolly.
In lieu o~ the slot 19 and passages 17 in the dolly for the wheelbarrow leg structure, suitable upstanding attaching elements on the dolly 14 may be coupled with the wheelbarrow legs 23 for the support and guidance o~ the wheelbarrow.
~n addition to the structural embodiment shown in the drawings ~or the dolly 14, the same may be ~abricated from sheet metal or may be formed in whole or in part from cast or molded materials without departing ~rom the principles o~ the invention.
The resulting caravan, depicted in Figure 1, i9 free articulating horizontally or laterally by virtue o~ the coupling pin 12, cas~ex wheel~ 16 and rear wheel 21. ~he wheelbarrow and dolly may articulate vertically due to the described clearance between the brace 24 and sides o~ the slot 19. The caravan may be drawn in a straight line, is easily turned, and is easily back-ed up. When the desired destination is reached and after release of the hasp 25, the wheelbarrow load may be dumped manually in the customary manner with convenience and,following dumping, the wheelbarrow leg structure is easily reseated on the dolly.

~64~38~

The full utility of the wheelbarrow 20 for normal manual usage is preserved and no structural modification of the wheelbarrow whatsoever is involved. The invention provides a ready means for the powered transporkation of various loads around the ~ome or farm without the need for purchasing an ex-pensive wagon. The many advantages of the invention should now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A transport device for a conventional wheel-barrow comprising a dolly having a pair of laterally spaced rear end caster wheels and a generally horizontal body portion extending forwardly of said caster wheels and adapted for coupling to a towing vehicle, a wheelbarrow having a rear leg structure and handles and a single forward ground wheel, and means on said dolly forming a rigid supporting socket for said leg structure and receiving the leg structure and supporting the same on the dolly elevated from the ground with the wheelbarrow handles extending forwardly above the dolly and said ground wheel of the wheelbarrow arranged rearmost and rolling on the ground rearwardly of the dolly, said rigid supporting socket resisting turning of the wheelbarrow leg structure in a horizontal plane and having sufficient clearance relative to the wheel structure whereby the latter can articulate somewhat in a vertical plane relative to the dolly.

2. A transport device for a conventional wheel-barrow as defined in Claim 1, wherein the wheelbarrow leg structure includes laterally spaced substantially vertical legs and a connecting transverse cross brace between said legs, said rigid supporting socket including a top opening transverse slot receiving said cross brace and vertical passages at the ends of said slot receiving said vertical legs.

3. A transport device for a conventional wheel barrow as defined in Claim 2, and a hasp device on said dolly adapted to be locked across the top of said slot for securing the cross brace therein.

4. A transport device for a conventional wheel-barrow as defined in Claim 1, and said means on the dolly forming said rigid supporting socket disposed at the rear of the dolly and above said caster wheels, said means including a transverse support member having laterally spaced rear opening notches formed vertically therethrough, and a pair of spaced parallel transverse bars on the support member between said notches and defining an upwardly opening transverse slot having open ends communicating with the notches, said wheelbarrow leg structure including a pair of vertical legs engaging in said laterally spaced notches and a cross brace connecting said legs and resting on the top of the transverse support member within said slot.

5. A transport device for a conventional wheel-barrow as defined in Claim 4, and means on the dolly to releasably lock said cross member in said slot.

6. A transport device for a conventional wheel-barrow as defined in Claim 4, and said caster wheels mounted on opposite ends of said transverse support member.

7. A transport device for a conventional wheelbarrow having a single forward ground wheel, a pair of rear propelling handles, laterally spaced depending support legs on the handles and a cross brace intercon-necting the support legs, said transport device comprising a low dolly having forward end draft means adapted to be coupled to a garden tractor or the like, a pair of widely spaced caster wheels on the rear end of the dolly of a size considerably smaller than the wheel of a conventional wheelbarrow, and receiver means on the dolly for the spaced vertical legs of a conventional wheelbarrow and a leg cross brace and adapted to support the rear of a wheelbarrow with the legs thereof elevated from the ground while the wheel of the barrow rolls on the ground in trail-ing relation to the dolly, and said receiver means constructed to resist turning of said cross brace in a horizontal plane relative to the dolly while allowing some articula-tive movement thereof in a vertical plane.