Wheelbarrow easy dumping handle apparatus

A wheelbarrow handle accessory has a tube member that slides over the end of a wheelbarrow handle, and a hand grip assembly including a partial sleeve that normally rests upon the tube member in aligned relationship, the hand grip assembly being rotatably supported from the tube member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of this invention is hand operated apparatus such as wheelbarrows.

PRIOR ART

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The standard wheelbarrow has a wheel at the forward end to carry the load and a pair of generally parallel handles that project rearwardly to be grasped by the hands of the person using the wheelbarrow. A very difficult problem arises when it is necessary to empty a very heavy load, such as wet concrete, in a desired location. The operator when lifting the handles has to maintain a tight grip on them to prevent the load from spilling sidewise. At the same time it becomes increasingly difficult to manipulate the handles when they start to assume a more nearly vertical position, which they must do in order to empty the load.

Not only is it very difficult to empty such a heavy load from the wheelbarrow, but the person doing it may have to change the position of their hands on the wheelbarrow handle, or alternatively must twist his or her hands through as much as 180 degrees of rotation in order to empty the load. In that twisting action the person may suffer the serious injury that is known as repetitive-motion or carpel tunnel syndrome injury. Or if the person's hands are removed and then engaged in a different position on the handle of the wheelbarrow, there is a risk of spilling the load in the wrong location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention I provide a pair of accessories which are conveniently attached to the wheelbarrow handles to make the dumping operation easy for the operator. Each accessory includes a tube member or adapter that slides over an end portion of the wheelbarrow handle, and a hand grip assembly that is rotatably secured to the tube member or adapter. While the wheelbarrow is being moved from one location to another the operator holds the two hand grips in a horizontal position, supporting the wheelbarrow handles from above. Then, when the load is to be dumped, the operator simply raises the hand grips and handles and rotates the hand grips by as much as 180 degrees so that they will then assume positions underneath the wheelbarrow handles, and the load can be dumped from the front end of the wheelbarrow at exactly the desired location.

More specifically, according to the presently preferred form of my invention my accessory includes a tube member adapted to slide longitudinally onto an end of a wheelbarrow handle. The tube member has a pair of flanges formed along a portion of its length which also extend downwardly in parallel relation, and has ears that protrude outwardly from the flanges in aligned relationship. The hand grip assembly includes a partial sleeve for engaging and normally resting upon the upper half of the tube member, and a generally straight hand grip member arranged in parallel to and spaced from the partial sleeve. The partial sleeve also has parallel walls which extend downwardly below the upper half of the tube member, and which have longitudinal grooves extending inward from one of its ends. When the parts are assembled together the ears of the tube member slide into and along the grooves, and then snap into aligned openings formed at the ends of the grooves of the partial sleeve to securely and permanently lock the two parts together in relatively rotatable relationship.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, inFIG. 1the wheelbarrow handle is designated as12and the operator's hand as14.FIG. 1shows in solid lines the position of my wheelbarrow handle accessory10when the wheelbarrow is carrying a load. When a load is being transported the operator's hand grasps the hand grip34of my accessory10from above, which then supports handle12from above. The solid arrow16indicates an upward movement of the handle12when the load is to be dumped.FIG. 1also shows in dotted lines the changes in position as the load is being dumped. As indicated by dotted arrow18the accessory10is rotated down and back through an angle of as much as 180 degrees, and the operator's hand is then underneath the hand grip34. But the operator does not have to remove their hands from the hand grips while the load is being dumped.

FIG. 2shows how my novel tube member20, if it were a separate part, would slidably fit onto the wheelbarrow handle12. End stop26limits the extent to which the tube member slides over handle12. The fact is that tube member20is a separate part only when it is first produced by the injection molding die. It is then inserted into and locked to hand grip assembly30as schematically illustrated inFIG. 3. The pegs or ears24of the tube member20are inserted into the grooves40of the hand grip assembly30. The pegs24slide to the ends of grooves40and are then snappingly engaged with holes42in the hand grip member to securely lock the two parts together in rotatable relationship.

Tube member20is adapted to slide longitudinally onto the wheelbarrow handle12in a close-fitting relationship. The tube member20has a pair of flanges22formed along a portion of its length which also extend downwardly in parallel relation. A pair of ears24protruding outwardly from respective flanges22in aligned relationship.

Hand grip assembly30has a partial sleeve32for engaging the tube member20in circumdisposed relation to the upper half of the tube. An elongated generally straight hand grip member34is disposed above to the partial sleeve. It is supported by end walls36at its two ends in spaced parallel relationship to the partial sleeve32. All portions of the hand grip assembly30are preferably integrally cast as a single part.

Partial sleeve32also has downwardly extending parallel side walls38. Elongated grooves40are formed in the inner surfaces of the side walls38. When the tube member20is inserted into the partial sleeve32the pegs or ears24of the tube member are slidingly received in the grooves. The partial sleeve32also has aligned openings or holes42at the ends of grooves40which are adapted to be snappingly engaged by the ears24of the tube member when the tube is assembled to the partial sleeve.

The parallel side walls of the partial sleeve32rather tightly engage the sides of the tube member20so as at all times to maintain alignment of the hand grip assembly in a vertical plane above the tube member. The partial sleeve32acts as a first stop means to limit forward rotating movement of the hand grip assembly relative to the tube member20. The rearward end of partial sleeve member32is closed off at37by an extension of end wall36, to act as a second stop means to limit the rearward rotating movement of the hand grip assembly30relative to the tube member20. The two stop means together allow hand grip assembly30to rotate nearly 180 degrees relative to the tube member20, as shown inFIG. 1.

My product is preferably made by injection molding using fiber glass reinforced nylon material. Other types of plastic material may also be used. The grooves40in the inner surfaces of side walls38of the hand grip assembly30are preferably tapered throughout their length to ease the insertion of the tube member ears. Also, the pegs or ears24are preferably tapered on one side, so that the side or edge that initially enters the grooves40will fit more easily. When the tube member20and hand grip assembly30first come out of their respective injection molding dies they are preferably snapped together when both are still hot and hence somewhat flexible.

The method of use of my product is generally shown inFIG. 1, which shows in dotted lines the changes in position of hand grip assembly30as the load is being dumped. As indicated by dotted arrow18the accessory10is rotated down and back through an angle of as much as 180 degrees, and the operator's hand is then underneath the hand grip34. But the operator does not have to remove their hands from the hand grips while the load is being dumped. The large rotational movement of the hand grip assembly30relative to tube member20is made possible by the fact that the axis of rotation defined by pegs or ears24and holes42is essentially at the rearward end of tube member20.

My invention may also be used in ways other than as specifically illustrated. For example, suitable pivot support means may be incorporated into a standard wheelbarrow handle and my hand grip assembly modified accordingly. Also, my hand grip assembly may be supported by a supporting base other than either a wheelbarrow handle or the illustrated tube member. Further, the entire assembly as illustrated may be used for a different purpose, such as to support a flashlight that may be received within the tube member and adjusted at a desired angle.

The presently preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed in detail in order to comply with requirements of the patent laws. It will be understood, however, that other modifications and variations will be understood by persons who are skilled in the art, and that the scope of my invention is to be judged only in accordance with the appended claims.

PARTS LIST