Abstract:
A combination ramp and cart device includes a main frame and a pair of wheel support frames mounted thereon. In a ramp configuration the wheel support frames extend upwardly from the main frame and support respective front and back ends of ramp frames, which are removably mounted on the main frame. In a cart configuration the wheel support frames depend downwardly from the main frame and a pair of legs are mounted on the main frame to support same. In a cart configuration of the device, the main frame also mounts a trailer hitch frame. In another aspect of the invention, a hitch-mounted ramp device includes a hitch frame adapted for mounting on a vehicle and a pair of ramps adapted for mounting on the hitch frame.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/469,256, filed May 9, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to utility trailers and, in particular, to multi-use lawn cart which may be configured as necessary as a utility trailer, equipment service ramp, work surface and lawn cart. 
   Various equipment for use in the yard or with a lawn tractor are known in the art. Lawn carts have been used to aid in manually transporting lawn debris and lawn tools such as rakes, shovels and hoses. Typically, a lawn cart includes an open bin or bed with three sides mounted to a frame supported by two rear wheels and front legs with a handle extending forward. The user lifts the front end of the cart off of the front support legs, pivoting the cart onto the rear wheels to push or pull the cart about the yard. 
   Another useful yard tool is a trailer that may be hitched to a lawn tractor and pulled by the tractor about the yard. The lawn tractor minimizes the work and strain of moving the trailer loaded with tools, hoses, or lawn debris such as grass clippings or leaves. 
   Maintenance of the lawn tractor, particularly the underside including the blade and mowing deck is often difficult. Prior art jacks have been proposed to lift the front end of the lawn tractor off the ground to provide access to the underside. These jacks often do not provide adequate clearance under the lawn tractor and may be unstable. 
   Temporary outdoor work tables may be constructed using a pair of saw horses with a plywood top. If the top is not affixed to the saw horses, it may shift or fall off or may be blown off by the wind. 
   All of this equipment requires space to store when not in use, may be costly to buy, and is essentially used for a specialized purpose. There is a need for a multipurpose, multi-use tool that combines the separate functions of these pieces of equipment. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the practice of one aspect of the present invention, a multi-use lawn cart includes a lawn cart for hauling lawn tools, hoses and debris for example, a removable lawn tractor hitch attached to the multi-use lawn cart for use as a utility trailer, a stable work surface, and a utility ramp/equipment stand with removable ramps to provide easy and stable access to the underside of a lawn vehicle. A utility ramp/equipment stand may also be configured for use with a trailer hitch of a vehicle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings constitute a part of this invention and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective, exploded view of the multi-use lawn cart with removable lawn equipment ramps and frame configured for use as a stand-alone equipment servicing ramp. 
       FIG. 2  is an upper perspective view of the multi-use lawn cart of  FIG. 1  with the ramps and frame engaging the multi-use lawn cart frame. 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the multi-use lawn cart of  FIG. 2  shown in use as an equipment service ramp. 
       FIG. 4  is a multi-use lawn cart of  FIG. 3  with the equipment ramps removed to provide access to the underside of the lawn equipment. 
       FIG. 5  is an upper perspective view of the multi-use lawn cart configured for use as a lawn cart/trailer. 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of FIG.  5 . 
       FIG. 7  is an upper perspective view of a utility ramp configured for use with a trailer hitch and supported by a vehicle. 
       FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the utility ramp of  FIG. 7  shown attached to a vehicle. 
       FIG. 9  is the utility ramp of  FIG. 8  with the equipment ramps removed to provide access to the underside of the lawn equipment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   I. Introduction 
   As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
   II. Equipment Ramp 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of the present invention configured as an equipment ramp is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Multi-use lawn cart  10  includes a generally rectangularly-shaped frame  12 , a pair of legs  14  connected together with a cross member  16  and a pair of wheel support frames  18  which are secured to the frame  12  and frame cross member  20  by ramp support members  22 . A pair of ramp support bars  24  extend between the inner  26  and outer  28  rails of wheel support frames  18 . A pair of stop bars  30  are secured to the pair of inner  26  and outer  28  rails of wheel support frames  18 . Axles  32  extending from wheels  34  are secured to the surface of cross member  16 . 
   A removable ramp frame  40  is designed to releasably engage the ramp support bars  24 . Ramp frame  40  is a generally rectangular frame including a rear frame member  42 , a front frame member  43 , a pair of spaced-apart ramps  44  and a pair of brackets  46  which are sized to engage the ramp support bars  24 . Ramps  44  include inner  48  and outer rails  49  which extend between the front  43  and rear  42  frame members, and a center rail member  50  which is generally centered between rails  48  and  49  and extends between rear frame member  42  and bracket  46 . Rails  48  and  49  may be constructed of one and one-half inch angle iron. The width of ramp frame  40  is sized to fit between the side frame member of frame  12  with the outwardly facing flanges of rails  49  fitting over the side frame members of frame  12 . When the brackets  46  of ramp frame  40  engage ramp support bars  24 , the outside rails  49  of ramp frame  40  engage the upper and inside surfaces of the side members of frame  12 . Ramp frame  40  may also include a handle  52  secured to the front frame member  43  which may be grasped by a user to lift the ramp frame  40 . 
   When ramp frame  40  is in place and engaged with the ramp support bar  24 , the ramp frame  40  presents an inclined plane relative to frame  12 . Ramps  44  are spaced to allow alignment with the front  60  or rear  62  tires of a lawn tractor  64 , for example (See FIG.  3 ). The lawn tractor  64  may be driven up ramps  44  until the front tires  60  roll over stop bars  30  and come to rest against axles  32  and the rear tires  64  rest on top of the end  13  of frame  12 . In this position, the front end of the lawn tractor  64  is supported by legs  14  and ramp support members  22 , while the rear end wheels  62  anchor the end  13  of frame  12 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , while lawn tractor  64  is in the incline position as shown, removable ramp frame  40  may be disengaged from wheel support frame  18  leaving lawn tractor  64  in an inclined position and allow easy access to the underside of the lawn tractor  64  such as the mowing deck  66 . Multi-use lawn cart  10  provides a stable work stand to maintain lawn tractor  64 . In this position, the user has easy access to the blade of the lawn tractor  64  for sharpening or to clean under the mowing deck  66 , for example. When maintenance is completed, the ramp frame  40  may be put back in place and the lawn tractor  64  backed down the ramp for use. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the frame  12 , legs  14  and cross members  13 ,  16  and  20  may be made of one and one-half inch square steel tubing or other suitable structural material. The inner  26  and outer rails  28  of the wheel support frames may be made using one and one-half inch angle iron. The ramp support member  22  may be made of one inch round steel tubing, for example. All components are welded together to provide a rigid structure. Fasteners may also be used to assemble the various components of multi-use lawn cart  10 . 
   The ramp assembly  40  is constructed of one and one-half inch square steel tubing and the front frame member  43  may be constructed of one-inch round steel stock. Brackets  46  may be constructed of one-fourth inch plate steel. Center rail  50  may be positioned and aligned in an inverted “V” and welded in place between rear frame member  42  and bracket  46 . 
   All steel parts and welds are properly treated with a rust resistant paint or other coating. 
   III. Lawn Cart and Trailer 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , multi-use lawn cart  10  is shown in a lawn cart, work table configuration. The frame  12  is inverted (compared to  FIGS. 1-4 ) to rest on wheels  34  and supported by removable front legs  70  which are secured at their upper ends by mechanical fasteners  81  (e.g., bolts, nuts and washers) extending through the front leg upper ends and through side brackets  80 . Front legs  70  can be one and one-fourth inch square steel tubing. A plywood or other top  74  may be placed over frame  12  to provide a work surface. Optional sides  76  including side posts  78  adapted to fit within side brackets  80  may also be used to create a lawn cart suitable for hauling lawn debris or for other purposes. The other optional side and the front and rear sides are not shown. 
   Side brackets  80  may be welded to frame  12 . Work surface  74  may also include a support frame  75  constructed of two-by-four lumber or other suitable material to add strength to the top  74 . 
   A trailer hitch frame  82  may be inserted into the side members of frame  12  and secured therein by mechanical fasteners  81  (e.g., bolts, nuts and washers) to allow the multi-use lawn cart  10  to be fastened to a lawn tractor (not shown). When attached to a lawn tractor, legs  70  may be removed and placed in the cart  10 . 
   With the trailer hitch frame  82  removed, a user may grasp the cross member  13  and pivot the cart  10  on wheels  34  to easily move the cart  10  for use as a manual lawn cart. 
   IV. Receiver Hitch Utility Ramp 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , a trailer hitch mounted utility ramp  100  is shown. Hitch mounted utility ramp  100  includes a hitch frame  102 , a pair of removable ramps  104  and a pair of forward wheel stops  106 . 
   Hitch frame  102  includes a tongue  108  for engaging the hitch  110  of a vehicle  112 . Tongue  108  is secured to a generally rectangularly-shaped frame  114 , wheel support frames  116 , braces  118  and wheel stops  120 . Hitch frame members  108 ,  114 ,  116  and  118  are preferably constructed of square steel tubing. 
   Ramps  104  includes inner  122 , outer  124  and center  126  rails secured to front  128  and rear  130  frame members. A C-shaped bracket  132  is sized to fit over the rear frame member  134  of wheel support frame  116  and generally align ramps  104  with wheel support frames  116 . 
   With the ramps  104  in place engaging wheel support frame  116 , a lawn tractor  64  may be driven up the ramps  104  over wheel stops  120  until the front wheels  60  encounter forward wheel stops  106 . In this position, the front wheels  60  of tractor  64  are resting between forward wheel stops  106  and wheel stops  120 . Wheel stops  120  prevent the tractor from inadvertently rolling down the ramp  104  or off of wheel support frames  118 . 
   With tractor  64  in the inclined position and front wheels  60  engaging the wheel stops  106  and  120 , the ramps  104  may be disengaged from wheel support frames  118  to allow easy access to the underside of tractor  64  while providing a stable platform. The user may perform maintenance and/or repair to the underside components of lawn tractor  64 . When the work on tractor  64  is completed, ramps  104  may be replaced and the lawn tractor  64  backed off the ramps  104 . 
   It will be appreciated that various other configurations and embodiments may fall within the scope of the present invention. While certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.