CART FOR COLLECTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF LEAVES AND REFUSE IN GENERAL ESPECIALLY FOR GARDENING

CHARIOT POUR LE RAMASSAGE ET LE TRANSPORT DE FEUILLES MORTES ET D'AUTRES DECHETS, SURTOUT DU JARDINAGE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A refuse cart for use in conjunction with a
flexible collection bag comprising a tubular frame composed
of two identical upper and lower tubular frame parts, each
frame part having two spaced-apart, parallel straight
portions lying in a common plane, each straight portion of
each frame part having a free end and being continuous at
the opposite end with an end of a loop portion which is
common to both straight portions of the respective frame
part, and each loop portion lying in a plane which is
generally transverse to the plane of said straight portions.
Quick-connection elements releasably connect the free ends
of one of the frame parts to the free ends of the other
frame part. Ground engageable wheels are carried by the one
end of the frame. A ring suitable for connection to the
open top of a flexible collection bag, is releasably
attached to the rearwardly-extending loop portion at a
location forward of the handle-forming part. The ring
extends forwardly over at least a portion of the forwardly
extending loop portion so that the latter can support the
bottom of a collection bag.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:
1. A refuse cart for use in conjunction with a
flexible collection bag comprising:
- a tubular frame composed of two identical upper
and lower tubular frame parts, each frame part having two
spaced-apart, parallel straight portions lying in a common
plane, each straight portion of each frame part having a
free end and being continuous at the opposite end with an
end of a loop portion which is common to both straight
portions of the respective frame part, and each loop portion
lying in a plane which is generally transverse to the plane
of said straight portions, said free ends of one of the
frame parts being disposed coaxially end-to-end with said
free ends of the other frame part and the relationship of
the two frame parts being such that the loop portion of the
lower frame part extends forwardly from said straight
portions to form a ground-engageable support at one end of
said frame and the loop portion of the upper frame part
extends rearwardly from said straight portions to form a
handle at the opposite end of said frame;
- quick-connection means releasably connecting
said free ends of one of said frame parts to said free ends
of said other frame part;
- ground engageable wheels carried by said one end
of said frame; and
- a ring suitable for connection to the open top
of a flexible collection bag, said ring being releasably
attached to said rearwardly-extending loop portion at a
location forward of said handle-forming part, said ring
extending forwardly over at least a portion of said
forwardly extending loop portion so that the latter can
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support the bottom of a collection bag.
2. A refuse cart as in claim 1, wherein said
means releasably connecting said free ends of said frame
parts includes: a sleeve rotatable on each of said free
ends, a radial outwardly-extending flange on each free end
for retaining the respective sleeve on the respective free
end and complementary threads on each pair of end-to-end
sleeves whereby such end-to-end sleeves can be connected and
disconnected from each other by relative rotation.
3. A refuse cart as in claim 1, wherein said ring
is provided with a transverse slit for attaching and
removing a collection bag.
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Description

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The present invention relates to a cart for
collection and transportation of leaves and refuse in
general especially for gardening, and in particular to a
refuse cart for use in conjuction with a flexible collecting
bag.
It is known that in the autumn season one of the
~ major gardening tasks is the collection of leaves which fall
i from the various plants of the garden.
The object of the present invention is to
accomplish a cart which would ease the collection and
transportation of leaves on such occasions.
Another object of the present invention is to
accomplish a cart which can be used also for the collection
of refuse in general both in the garden and outside thereof
such as in industrial plants, warehouses and other places.
Still another object of the present invention is
to accomplish a cart having extremely simple construction
and which lends itself to disassembly in pieces of small
size .
Still another object of the present invention is
to accomplish a cart taking into account the practices and
standards of the principal foreign countries so that it
would be apropriate not only for Italy ~but also for other
countries.
According to the present invention, there is
provided a refuse cart for use in conjunction with a
flexible collection bag comprising:
- a tubular frame composed of two identical upper
and lower tubular frame parts, each frame part having two
spaced-apart, parallel straight portions lying in a common
plane, each straight portion of each frame part having a
free end and being continuous at the opposite end with an
end of a loop portion which is common to both straight
portions of the respective frame part, and each loop portion
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.
. . .

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; lying in a plane which is generally transverse to the plane
,! of said straight poritons, said free ends of one of the
frame parts being disposed coaxially end-to-end with said
I free ends of the other frame part and the relationship of
! 5 the two frame parts being such that the loop portion of the
lower frame part extends forwardly from said straight
portions to form a ground-engageable support at one end of
}; said frame and the loop portion of the upper frame part
extends rearwardly from said straight portions to form a
handle at the opposite end of said frame;
- quick-connection means releasably connecting
said free ends of one of said frame parts to said free ends
of said other frame part;
, - ground engageable wheels carried by said one end
of said frame; and
- a ring suitable for connection to the open top
of a flexible collection bag, said ring being releasably
attached to said rearwardly-extending loop portion at a
location forward of said handle-forming part, said ring
20 - extending forwardly over at least a portion of said
forwardly extending loop portion so that the latter can
support the bottom of a collection bag.
Preferably the means releasaply connecting the
free ends of the frame parts includes: a sleeve rotatable
on each of said free ends, a radial outwardly-extending
flange on each free end for retaining the respective sleeve
on the respective free end and complementary threads on each
pair of end-to-end sleeves whereby such end-to-end sleeves
can be connected and disconnected from each other by
relative rotation.
; This is a cart adaptable to many uses and simple
in structure which can be disassembled in several parts
easy to transport and store in particular if as preferred
the parts of the bearing structure are made in such a manner

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9 as to be exactly the same even as to dimensions.
It is also preferable to provide that the ring for
attachment of the bag be cut with a transversal split
capable of allowing it a change in perimeter, expansion and
restriction even limited. In this manner it can be easily
and automatically adapted to differing widths of the
, collection bag as are often found both in Italy and abroad.
Once the dimensions of the ring have been determined for
larger bags the ring will be capable of accepting smaller
bags with simpIe and limited bending.
the characteristics of the present invention will
be made even clearer by the following detailed description
of a practical embodiment thereof illustrated as an example
in the annexed drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a cart in
accordance with the invention with a bag applied,
Fig. 2 shows a front view of said cart from the

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side opposite the controlling side,
~ . 3 shows a right side view of said cart with
i res~ect to Fig. 2 with one wheel removed for
drafting convenience,
Fig. 4 shows the enlarged detail of a joint area
between the two parts of the bearing structure.
The cart shown in the drawings comprises a
tubular bearing structure l formed of two identic-
al superimposed parts 2 and 3 of which the upper
lO part 2 has a horizontal portion 4 designed to act
as the control handle, two portions mounted paral-
lel 5, and two intermediate connecting portions 6,
t and the lower one 3 has a horizontal portion 7
designed to act as the countering element resting
on the ground, two rising portions 8, and two
intermediate connecting portions 9.
To the lower part 3 of the bearing structure l
is fixed separably by means of clamps lO (Figs. 2
and 3) the common shaft ll of a pair of wheels 12
20 designed for moving the cart.
The two structural parts 2 and 3 are separably
joined together by means of a pair of couplings 13
which hold together integrally the rising portions
5 and 8 of the two parts, holding them in
alignment with each other. As shown in detail in
Fig. 4 each coupling 13 is formed of a male sleeve
14 and a female sleeve 15 mounted in a turning
manner on the facing ends of the aforesaid rising
portions 5 and 8 and screwed together. End beads
16 and 17 on the rising portions 5 and 8 retain

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axially the respective sleeves 14 and 15, pre-
venting re~spectively lowering of the former and
rising of the latter and hence holding in position
the coupling 13 which in turn holds together the
two structural parts 2 and 3.
On the portions of the union 6 of the upper part
, 2 of the bearing structure l is superimposed and
i fixed separably by means of clamps 18 (Figs. l and
3) an approximately square ring l9 suitable for
attachment of the open top duly rolled up of a
flexible collection bag for leaves and refuse in
general (Fig. l). A transverse slit 21 is cut in
one side of the ring 19 (Fig. 2) to allow a
change, however small, in its curcumference.
A square basket 22 is preferably rested on the
portions 7 and 9 of the lower part 3 of the
bearing structure 1 to support the bottom of the
collection bag 20 as it is filled.

Representative Drawing