Abstract:
The trailer converter device connects to the tongue of a lawn trailer and allows a person to pull the trailer for light loads. The device has a spine to contact the tongue of a trailer at two points, a foot beneath the spine, a stem, and a handle upon the stem. The stem extends upward and forward at an angle from the spine. The stem attains a comfortable height for a homeowner to grasp the handle and to pull a trailer when the present invention connects to the tongue. The present invention can have a foot in a variety of shapes and use various means to connect to the tongue.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The lawn trailer converter relates generally to lawn equipment, and more specifically to trailers pulled behind mowers and small tractors.  
         [0002]     Proven useful on farms, tractors and implements shrank in size for use on lawns and gardens in residential areas. Tractors pull many implements around residences. The implements prepare, seed, fertilize, and water soil for lawns and gardens. Along with implements to manipulate soil and crops, tractors pull trailers. The trailers haul cargo, people, raw materials, landscaping materials, and waste.  
         [0003]     In both farm size and lawn size trailers, trailers support and contain cargo but require a tractor to move the trailer. A lawn size trailer has an axle, a frame upon the axle with a tongue, and a body upon the frame. The body contains the cargo and the tongue connects to a hitch upon the tractor, usually upon the rear. The tractor then pulls the trailer about a lawn as needed by the homeowner.  
         [0004]     Homeowners though often engage in smaller projects about a lawn. Such projects include tree pruning, rose pruning, leaf raking, and rubbish removal. These smaller projects result in lighter weight and larger volume cargo for hauling. A homeowner can readily place the material in the trailer and likely pull the loaded trailer himself. The lighter weight cargo makes using a tractor wasteful and time consuming.  
         [0005]     As fuel and equipment costs have increased, using trailers without tractors on small projects appears desirable to homeowners. At present, homeowners have a separate wheelbarrow for small projects.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0006]     Garden tractors and their implements have proliferated across the nation. Homeowners off the farms seek the utility of tractors to care for a residence, particularly the landscaping. Landscaping often includes tasks such as leaf raking, brush removal, and planting. Those tasks often involve lightweight cargo that could be handled by a wheelbarrow, trailer, or cart.  
         [0007]     Carts pulled behind lawn size tractors have served homeowners well through the years. John Deere® offers a Utility Cart (model 10S) pulled behind many of its lawn and garden tractors. The Utility Cart connects to the rear hitch with a cotter pin inserted through the tongue. Also Ohio Steel has a dump cart kit in various volumes. The dump cart connects to many lawn tractors of various brands. The dump cart has an overlaid strap with a hole aligned with a hole in the tongue. The strap and tongue then connect to a hitch upon the tractor with a cotter pin. In the present art, the tractor moves the trailer as needed by the homeowner. A homeowner has to fuel and operate a tractor to utilize a trailer, even on a lightweight task. Homeowners may expend effort and time to ready a tractor to pull a comparably small load.  
         [0008]     The present invention overcomes the need to operate a tractor to pull a trailer for small loads. The present invention has a handle for pulling a trailer manually by connecting to the tongue of a trailer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Generally, the present invention provides a handle for grasping by one or more hands that connects to an existing tongue upon a garden cart, or trailer. The present invention begins with a spine of sufficient length to contact the tongue at two points. Beneath the spine, depends a foot generally centered upon the spine. The foot contacts the ground and maintains the trailer level. Upon one end, typically away from the trailer, a stem joins the spine. The stem extends upward and forward at an angle from the spine. A handle then joins the stem opposite from the spine. A homeowner can thus grasp the handle to pull a trailer when the present invention connects to the tongue.  
         [0010]     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.  
         [0011]     The invention may also include pin and socket connection, and cotter pin and flange connection of the spine to a tongue, a foot of various shapes, and stems and handles of various shapes and configurations. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.  
         [0012]     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0013]     One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved lawn trailer converter.  
         [0014]     Another object is to provide a lawn trailer converter that can be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed to the consuming public.  
         [0015]     Another object is to provide a lawn trailer converter that allows a person to pull a trailer by hand when more expedient than by a tractor.  
         [0016]     Another object is to provide a lawn trailer converter that is simple in its use and operation.  
         [0017]     Another object is to provide a lawn trailer converter that attaches readily to existing trailer tongues.  
         [0018]     Another object is to provide a lawn trailer converter that raises the tongue off the ground to a comfortable pulling height.  
         [0019]     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the present invention proximate to a typical trailer for a lawn tractor;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  describes an end view from the handle of the present invention; and,  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  describes a sectional view of the foot of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0024]     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a lawn trailer converter that connects to the tongue of an existing cart, or trailer. As a homeowner does a project in the yard, the homeowner may move debris, soil, or plants in a trailer. For lightweight cargo going a short distance, a homeowner may move the trailer himself using the present invention. The present invention  1  converts a trailer  2  from tractor pulled to manually pulled in  FIG. 1 . A trailer  2  has two wheels upon an axle joined to a frame. A body rests upon the frame and a tongue  3  extends from the frame away from the wheels. The tongue  3  has a rectangular shape in plan and section views. The tongue  3  has a hole in the rounded end opposite the wheels. The present invention  1  slides along the tongue  3  and secures to the hole. A pin  11  from the tractor enters the hole to connect the converter  1  to the tongue  3 .  
         [0026]     The present invention  1  has a spine  4  of similar width to the tongue  3 . The spine  4  secures to the tongue  3  at two points: rear  4   b  and forward  4   a . At the rear  4   b  of the spine  4 , two flanges  12  extend upward from the spine  4  and have coaxial holes to receive a cotter pin. At the front  4   a  of the spine  4 , an angle bracket  10  extends upward from the spine  4  and has a hole  11   a  away from the corner of the angle bracket  10 . In use, a homeowner slides the tongue  3  through the flanges  12  into the angle bracket  10  and then places the tractor pin  11  into the hole  1  and also the hole at the end of the tongue  3 . The homeowner then installs a cotter pin  13  between the flanges  12  to secure the spine  4 . Generally midway between the securing points  6 , a foot  5  depends from the spine  4 . The foot  5  makes contact with the ground and raises the tongue  3  to level the trailer  2 . The foot  5  also brings the handle  9  to a comfortable height for a homeowner. Upon the end of the spine  4  near the angle bracket  10 , a stem  7  extends upward and forward from the spine  4 . At the end of the stem  7  opposite the spine  4 , a handle  9  joins the stem  7  forming a generally T shape. The handle  9  is perpendicular to the spine  4  and parallel to the face of the trailer body.  
         [0027]     To convert a trailer  2  for manual pulling, the present invention  1  appears in section view in  FIG. 2 . The present invention  1  begins with a spine  4 , generally rectangular in shape both lengthwise and in cross section as shown in  FIG. 1 . The spine  4  has sufficient length to span the distance from the body locking mechanism as in a dump body and the hole in the end of the tongue  3 . Generally midway upon the spine  4 , a foot  5  descends beneath the spine  4  to support the trailer  2  when using the invention  1 . The foot  5  brings the tongue  3  level with the ground surface. Opposite the foot  5 , the spine  4  has two securing points  6 . The rear securing point has a pair of mutually spaced apart and parallel flanges  12  extending up from the spine  4 . The flanges  12  have a generally rectangular shape with coaxial holes  12   a  opposite the spine  4 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a cotter pin inserts through the holes  12   a  to secure the tongue  3  upon the spine  4 . The forward securing point has an angle bracket  10 , generally L shape, with the long leg  10   b  of the bracket  10  parallel and offset above the spine  4 . The short leg  10   a  of the bracket  10  welds to the spine  4 . Generally centered on the long leg  10   b , a hole  11   a  admits the tractor pin  11  which then engages the hole in the end of the trailer tongue  3 . Using the tractor pin  11  at the front securing point  6  and the flanges  12  and pin  13  of the rear securing point  6 , the present invention  1  removably connects with a trailer tongue  3 .  
         [0028]     Upon the forward end  4   a  of the spine  4  at the forward securing point  6 , a stem  7  extends upward and forward of the spine  4 , generally at a 45° angle. The stem  7  has a rectangular cross section of slightly less width than the spine  4 . The stem  7  in conjunction with the foot  5  raises the handle  9  about twenty to twenty nine inches above the ground. The handle  9  attaches perpendicular to the end of the stem  7  away from the spine  4 . For ease of grasping, the handle  9  has a round cross section and alternatively has rubber grips applied to the handle  9 .  
         [0029]     Turning to  FIG. 3 , the present invention  1  has a foot  5  to support itself and the trailer tongue  3 . The foot  5  has a triangular shape  8  formed of bent steel bar and with sides  8   b  of equal length. A point  8   a  of the triangle shape attaches the foot  5  to the spine  4  and a side  8   b  of the triangle contacts the foot  5  with the ground. Above the foot  5 , the spine  4  connects to the tongue  3 . The spine  4  has a rectangular cross section of slightly larger width than the tongue  3 . Here in  FIG. 3 , the forward end  4   a  of the present invention  1  has the angle bracket  10  joining to the spine  4 . The short leg  10   a  of the bracket  10  welds to the spine  4  and the long leg  10   b  extends parallel to the spine  4  and rearward. At the forward end  4   a , the stem  7  joins to the center of the spine  4 . The stem  7  extends upward from the spine  4  away from the foot  5 . Opposite the stem&#39;s  7  joint to the spine  4 , a handle  9  joins perpendicular to the stem  7 . As in  FIG. 2 , the round cross section handle  9  allows a homeowner to readily grasp the present invention  1  and to pull a trailer  2  with the present invention  1  installed.  
         [0030]     Similar to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  shows a section through the foot  5  with the rear securing point in the background. The foot  5  has a generally triangular shape with one side  8   b  in ground contact and one point  8   a  joined to the spine  4 . The spine  4  has a generally hollow rectangular cross section for strength at light weight. At the spine  4 , two sides of the foot  5  come together for welding to the lower corners of the spine  4  cross section. Rearward of the foot  5 , two mutually parallel flanges  12  extend perpendicular to the spine  4  and opposite of the foot  5 . The flanges  12  are spaced apart for the tongue  3  to fit snugly between them. Once the tongue  3  contacts the spine  4 , a homeowner inserts a pin  13  through coaxial holes  12   a  in the flanges  12  above the tongue  3 . The pin  13  has a round head with a cylindrical body centered upon the head and a hole through the body opposite the head and through the diameter of the body. A cotter pin inserts into the hole to secure the pin into the flanges  12  and the tongue  3  within the flanges  12  as the second securing point.  
         [0031]     From the aforementioned description, a lawn trailer converter has been described. The lawn trailer converter is uniquely capable of temporarily attaching a pull handle to a light trailer tongue. The lawn trailer converter and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to steel, polymers, high density polyethylene HDPE, polyvinyl chloride PVC, nylon, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and composites.  
         [0032]     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.