LAWN AND GARDEN CART WITH PIVOTABLE TOW BAR AND CONTAINER

• US 20110049825A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio Steel Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ohio Steel Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: MARTINI, THOMAS P., PODROSKY, MICHAEL, MONTAG, PATRICK
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/47.131
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/04 with a tipping movement of load-transporting element dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/24 using the weight of the load

Abstract

A towable cart. At least one axle is coupled to a frame. A bottom of a container is also attached to the frame. Each of a pair of wheels are rotatably attached to the axle. A tow bar has first and second ends, the first end of the tow bar being pivotably coupled to one of the frame and the axle. An arm has first and second opposing ends, the first end of the arm being attached to the container and the second end of the arm being selectably secured to the tow bar. The container is fixed in a loading condition when the arm is secured to the tow bar, the container and the frame further being pivotable to an unloading condition when the arm is not secured to the tow bar.

Claims

1. A towable cart, comprising:

a frame;

at least one axle coupled to the frame;

a container having a bottom, a front wall, an opposing rear wall, and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls, the bottom of the container being attached to the frame;

a pair of wheels, each wheel being rotatably attached to the axle;

a tow bar having first and second ends, the first end of the tow bar being pivotably coupled to one of the axle and the frame; and

an arm having first and second opposing ends, the first end of the arm being attached to the container and the second end of the arm extending into and being selectably secured to the tow bar,

the container being fixed in a loading condition with the bottom generally parallel to the tow bar when the arm is secured to the tow bar, the container and the frame further being pivotable to an unloading condition when the arm is not secured to the tow bar.

2. The towable cart of claim 1, further including:

a bracket intermediate the first end of the tow bar and one of the axle and the frame, the bracket being rotatably attached to the first end of the tow bar and pivotably coupled to one of the axle and the frame,

the tow bar being movable on a first and a second axis.

3. The towable cart of claim 2 wherein the bracket further includes a pair of spaced-apart tabs, the tabs being pivotably coupled to the axle.

4. The towable cart of claim 3, further including a support spacer, the support spacer being intermediate the tabs of the bracket.

5. The towable cart of claim 1, further comprising a hitch attached to the second end of the tow bar.

6. The towable cart of claim 1 wherein the hitch is one of a ball hitch, a drawbar hitch, a sleeve hitch, or a three-point hitch.

7. The towable cart of claim 1, further comprising a latch to releasably secure the arm to the tow bar.

8. The towable cart of claim 7, further including a notched portion extending from the second end of the arm, the latch further comprising:

a slidable member to selectably engage the notched portion;

a biasing element to urge the slidable member into engagement with the notched portion; and

a lever pivotably coupled to the tow bar and slidably coupled to the slidable member,

wherein the lever, when actuated, urges the slidable member away from the notched portion, releasing the arm from the tow bar.

9. The cart of claim 1 wherein the frame is generally V-shaped.

10. The cart of claim 1 wherein the wheels include:

a rim; and

a tire coupled to the rim.

11. The cart of claim 1 wherein the wheels are formed from a unitary piece of material.

12. The cart of claim 1 comprising a pair of axles, one of the pair of wheels being rotatably coupled to each axle.

13. The cart of claim 1 wherein the axle is an elongate axle, the wheels being rotatably coupled to opposing ends of the axle.

14. The cart of claim 1 wherein the tow bar has one of a rectangular shape, a U-shape, a closed rectangular box shape, or a generally circular shape.

15. A towable cart, comprising:

a frame;

at least one axle coupled to the frame;

a container having a bottom, a front wall, an opposing rear wall, and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls, the bottom of the container being attached to the frame;

a pair of wheels, each wheel being rotatably attached to the axle;

a tow bar having first and second ends;

a bracket intermediate the first end of the tow bar and one of the axle and the frame, the bracket being rotatably attached to the first end of the tow bar and pivotably coupled to one of the axle and the frame;

an arm having first and second opposing ends, the first end of the arm being attached to the container, the second end of the arm having a notched portion; and

a latch to selectably secure the second end of the arm to the tow bar, the notched portion of the latch extending into the tow bar when secured thereto,

the container being fixed in a loading condition with the bottom generally parallel to the tow bar when the arm is secured to the tow bar, the container and the frame further being pivotable to an unloading condition when the arm is not secured to the tow bar, and

the tow bar being movable on a first and a second axis.

16. The towable cart of claim 15, wherein the latch further comprises:

a slidable member to selectably engage the notched portion;

a biasing element to urge the slidable member into engagement with the notched portion; and

a lever pivotably coupled to the tow bar and slidably coupled to the slidable member,

wherein the lever, when actuated, urges the slidable member away from the notched portion, releasing the arm from the tow bar.

17. The towable cart of claim 15 wherein the bracket further includes a pair of spaced-apart tabs, the tabs being pivotably coupled to the axle.

18. The towable cart of claim 17, further including a support spacer, the support spacer being intermediate the tabs of the bracket.

20. A towable cart, comprising:

a frame;

at least one axle coupled to the first end of the frame;

a container having a bottom, a front wall, an opposing rear wall, and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls, the bottom of the container being attached to the frame;

a pair of wheels, each wheel being rotatably attached to the axle;

a tow bar having first and second ends;

a bracket intermediate the first end of the tow bar and one of the axle and the frame, the bracket being rotatably attached to the first end of the tow bar and pivotably coupled to one of the axle and the frame;

a hitch attached to the second end of the tow bar;

an arm having first and second opposing ends, the first end of the arm being attached to the container, the second end of the arm having a notched portion; and

a latch to selectably secure the second end of the arm to the tow bar, the notched portion of the latch extending into the tow bar when secured thereto,

the container being fixed in a loading condition with the bottom generally parallel to the tow bar when the arm is secured to the tow bar, the container and the frame further being pivotable to an unloading condition when the arm is not secured to the tow bar, and

the tow bar being movable on a first and a second axis.

19. The towable cart of claim 20, further comprising a hitch attached to the second end of the tow bar.