Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TECHNICAL l~IELD
The present invention relates to a bagholder, and more
particularly, to a plastic bagholder for use in conjunction with a
wheelbarrow.
BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible plastic bags have been used for a long time to
store refuse such as garbage, lawn clippings, leaves, industrial
waste, etc..
Holders have been developed to hold such bags in an open
position for filling purposes. Some of these holders are portable.
Thus for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,749,158 issued on June 7, 1988
to Buckley describes a portable utility stand adapted to support a
conventional plastic bag. It comprises a wheeled frame with an
upper opening for suppGrting a bag, four depending legs and a
platform for supporting the bag attached to the legs below the
opening. U.S. Patent No. 4,846,427 issued on July 11, 1989 to
Jones illustrates a portable cart frame for supporting bags. A
removable, collapsible rectangular frame is insertable in the
opening of a bag to hold open the entrance to the bag. That
rectangular frame is removably supported on the cart frame. U.S.
Patent No. 3,756,548 issued on September 4, 1973 to Santarelli
discloses a portable, wheeled trash bag cart. The cart has a
cylindrical body and a plurality of rods extending upwardly and
releasably fastened to the walls thereof, adapted to hold a bag in
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an open position. A cart handle connected to the body permits the
cart to be pushed.
Other patents of general background interest relating to
flexible bag holders are U.S. Patent No. 4,667,912 of DeVilbiss,
U.S. Patent No. 4,893,769 of Rotelli and U.S. Patent No. 4,842,228
of Kasper.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
flexible bag holder for use in conjunction with a conventional
wheelbarrow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a flexible bag holder for use in conjunction with a
wheelbarrow of the type having spaced arms rearwardly and upwardly
extending from a carrier body. The holder comprises a rim having
sides circumscribing a space to receive a bag in an open position.
A plurality of le.gs depend downwardly from the rim at spaced
locations about said rim. Means are located at the lower ends of
the legs to releasably engage the arms of the wheelbarrow.
In a preferred embodiment, pairs of legs are of different
lengths so as to operatively engage simultaneously the arms of the
wheelbarrow so that the rim is maintained in a horizontal
orientation. The lower ends of the leg ars preferably of inverted
"U" shape to provide a simple, releasable frictional engagement of
corresponding portions arms of the wheelbarrow when seated thereon.
The bagholder according to the present invention will
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permit significant savings in time and labour for groundskeepers,
gardeners and anyone who owns a wheelbarrow. The device enables a
bag to be loaded to capacity with leaves, paper, mulch, twigs,
grass, etc.. A single person has the mobility to clean up an area,
bag with little effort and tie the bag after filling, while at the
same time having the bagholder and bag transportable on the
wheelbarrow. The device according to the present invention further
eliminates bagging debris in a bent over position and having to
have a second person hold the bag. It is of course easy to remove
from its position on the wheelbarrow, for storage purposes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent upon reading the following detailed
description and upon referring to the drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bagholder according
to the present invention in position on a wheelbarrow (shown in
phantom);
FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is a top view of the device of FIGURE l; and
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective partial view of the
lower end of one of the legs of the device of FIGURR 1.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with
an example embodiment, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to such embodiment. On the
contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications
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and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the drawings, similar features have been given similar
reference numerals.
Turning to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a bag holder 2
for flexible bags 4 (phantom) for use in conjunction with a
wheelbarrow 6. The bag holder 2 comprises a trapezoidal rim 8 of
planar, trapezoidal configuration, circumscribing a space to
receive a bag 4 (in phantom). The planar configuration of rim 8
may vary (e.g. rectangular, square etc.) but has been selected in
the illustrated embodiment as being trapezoidal and, when viewed
from above, of a size and configuration conforming more or less to
the horizontal extrapolation of the position of wheelbarrow arms 9.
As well, the size of rim 8 is such as to not obstruct the proper
use and operation of arms 9 by a person using the wheelbarrow when
the bagholder 2 is in position as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.
A plurality of piercing members 24 being upward extensions of legs,
are spaced apart along the upper edge of the rim 8. As illustrated
in FIGURE 1 the piercing members 24 extend upwardly from the upper
edge of the rim 8.
Four legs 10 extend downwardly from the corners of the
rim 8, arranged to sit over corresponding portions of wheelbarrow
6 when holder 2 is in position. Engagement means 12 in the form of
inverted "U" shaped saddles are fitted on the lower ends 14 of the
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legs 10 to releasably engage by friction the arms 9 of the
wheelbarrow 6 as illustrated. The front pair of legs 10 are of
different lengths than the rear pair (FIGURE 2) so as to keep the
rim 8 horizontal when in position on the arms 9 of the wheelbarrow
6 which arms 9 are conventionally angled upwardly, rearwardly.
Saddles 12 are of a form and size to conform to the diameter of the
arms 9 of wheelbarrow 6 so that by exercising a small downward
force each saddle 12 will be seated on and grip a corresponding
portion of the arms 9. A pin 18 is then preferably passed through
the opposite lo~er sides 22 of saddle 12 below wheelbarrow arms 9,
to releasably lock holder 2 in position.
In operation the bag holder 2 is fitted on arms 9 of
wheelbarrow 6 by applying a small downward force on the rim 8 with
legs 10 and saddles 12 appropriately positioned over the
wheelbarrow arms. The U-shaped saddles 12 become sealed over arms
9 and releasably grip such arms. The rim 8 remains in a horizontal
plane because the forward pair of legs 10 are appropriately longer
than the rearward pair (FIGURE 2). The perimeter of rim 8 defines
a trapezoid to conform to arms 9 so that a bag suspended from rim
8 will fall between arms 9 as illustrated. Pins 18 are passed
through the apertures 20 in saddles 12. A bag 4 is then inserted
into the space between rim 8, legs 10 and arms 9 and is maintained
in open position by folding the upper end of bag 4 over the
piercing members 24. Appropriate clips or other conventional
fastener means (not illustrated) may also be used to maintain the
bag in an open position on the holder during operation.
For storage, pins 18 are removed from saddles 12, freeing
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bagholder 2 to be lifted o~f arms 9 of wheelbarrow 6, for storage,
once bag 4 has been removed from the holder.
Thus it i5 apparent that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention Barrow Bagger that fully satisfies
the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the
invention has been described in conjunction with a specific
embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
invention.
