US2960347A - Wheeled support for garbage can or the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1960 J. CENTA, JR

WHEELED SUPPORT FOR GARBAGE CAN OR THE LIKE Filed April 22, 1958 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH CENTA, JR.

f. 1 1 W 6 ATTORNEY WHEELED SUPPORT FOR GARBAGE CAN OR THE LIKE Joseph Centa, Jr., 5251 Case Ave., Lyndhurst, Ohio Filed Apr. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 730,080 3 Claims. (31. 280-47.26)

This invention relates to a wheeled support for a garbage or ash can.

The present invention is directed to a wheeled support which may be readily attached to a conventional garbage or ash can to make the can movable from place to place more easily and without requiring that it be lifted off the ground. The only modification of the garbage can itself that is required for mounting the present wheeled support thereon is the provision of four holes in the depending side flange on the can which extends down below the latters bottom wall. Following this, the support may be attached to the can quite readily without requiring any particular skill on the part of the assembler. Attachment of the present wheeled support to a conventional garbage can may be a do-it-yourself project well within the ability of the average unskilled homeowner.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved wheeled support for a garbage or ash can.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel wheeled support for a garbage or ash can which is simple and economical in construction and which may be readily attached to a conventional can by an unskilled person.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front view of a garbage can having the present wheeled support thereon;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the Fig. 1 assembly, taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 just below the bottom wall of the can, and showing one of the wheels of the support in section;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken centrally through the Fig. 1 assembly along the line 33 in that figure; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational view showing the contiguous depending legs of the present support and the rubber foot thereon.

Referring to Fig. 1, the wheeled support of the present invention is mounted on a conventional sheet metal garbage can having a flat horizontal bottom wall and an, almost cylindrical side 11 attached to, and completely surrounding the periphery of the bottom wall. The side 11 extends up from the bottom wall and flares laterally outward a slight amount toward the top. The side also presents a depending flange 11a which extends down below the bottom wall 10 a short distance.

The present wheeled support includes a pair of support members in the form of elongated rigid metal rods 12 and 13 which lie flush against the underside of the bottom wall 10 of the can. At one end the support rods are positioned contiguous to each other just inside the depending flange 11a on the can, as best seen in Fig. 2. From their contiguous ends the support rods diverge laterally away from each other and extend out through holes 14 and 15 drilled in the depending flange 11a on the can just below the bottom wall of the can. Thus, the support States Print rods 12, 13 together provide a generally V-shaped reinforcement for the bottom wall of the can.

A short distance outward beyond the respective openings 14 and 15, the support rods have integral downturned legs 12a and 13a, which extend vertically down below the level of the bottom edge of the can flange 11a. The vertical legs 12a, 13a are joined integrally to laterally outwardly projecting horizontal extremities 12b and 1311, respectively, which serve as the axles for the wheels of the support.

As shown in Fig. 2, each Wheel comprises a cylindrical sponge rubber ball 16 having a centrally disposed bushing 17 which rotatably receives the corresponding axle portion 12b or 13b of the support. A pair of thrust washers 18 and 19 retain the ball on the bushing. A conventional hairpin-shaped retainer 20 is received in a hole in the axle portion to retain the wheel on the axle.

The contiguous ends of the support rods 12 and 13 are connected integrally to depending contiguous legs 12c and (Fig. 1), which extend down from the bottom wall of the can flush with the inside of the depending flange 11a on the can. The depending legs 12c, 13c project down below the level of the bottom edge of flange 11a and terminate at their lower ends in forwardly protruding contiguous, horizontal extremities 12d and 13d.

A U-shaped clamping member threaded on each end, has its bight portion 21 extending across the outer face of the depending flange 11a on the can and has its oppo site legs 22, 23 extending back through openings in this flange on either side of the contiguous depending legs 12c and 130 on the support rods. These openings are spaced a short distance below the bottom wall 10 of the can to accommodate the downturned bends in the support rods. A thrust plate 24, having openings which receive the legs 22 and 23 of the U -shaped member, is positioned behind the depending legs 12c and 130 on the support rods. Nuts 25 and 26 are threaded onto the legs 22 and 23 and clamp the plate 24 tightly against the depending legs 12c and 130 on the support rods to retain the same tightly against the inside of the depending flange 11a on the can.

A short loop 27 of rubber or the like snugly receives the contiguous horizontal extremities 12d and 13d. This loop serves as a foot and constitutes the third support point for the garbage can, the other support points being provided by the wheels.

To assemble the present wheeled support on the can, the openings 14, 15 and the two openings for the legs 22, 23 of the clamping device are drilled in the depending flange 11a on the can. With the can inverted, each support rod, with its wheel already in place thereon, is inserted from outside the can through the opening 14 or 15. The inner ends of the support rods are positioned contiguous to each other, as shown in Fig. 2, with their vertical legs 12c and 13c abutting against the inside of the flange 11a on the can. Then, the clamp arrangement 2126 is applied to this flange and to these vertical legs of the support rods to secure the parts in this position, and the rubber foot 27 is placed on the extremities of the contiguous ends of the support rods.

With the wheeled support attached to the can, the can may be conveniently rolled across the ground by lifting up on the single handle 28, which is located toward the upper end of the can directly above the foot 27. The foot 27 is lifted ofi the ground and the can rolls along on the wheels 16.

In addition to its economical construction and the simplicity of its assembly on the garbage can, the present invention has the additional advantage that the support physically reinforces the bottom wall of the can. Also, the sponge rubber construction of the wheels makes the can easy to roll over the ground, as well as deadening shock and noise when the can is rolled across an uneven surface, such as a gravel driveway.

It is to be understood that while there has been described herein and illustratedin the accompanying drawing a specific presently preferred embodiment of this invention, various modifications, omissions and refinements: which depart from the disclosed embodiment may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, a different type of wheel may be used, a dilferent type of clamp for securing the contiguous ends of the support rods to the flange of the can may be used, and a different type of foot member may be used, or the foot member may be dispensed with entirely.

I claim:

1. A wheeled support for a garbage can having a. bottom wall and a depending side flange which extends down from said bottom wall, said support comprising a pair of elongated rods having horizontal portions dimensioned to underlie and abut the bottom wall of the can, said support rods at one end of their horizontal portions having integral down-turned legs constructed and arranged to extend contiguous to one another, said downturned legs at their lower ends being joined integrally to forwardly projecting horizontal extremities, said horizontal portions of the support rods away from said one end diverging laterally from each other to project through said flange on opposite sides of the can, said horizontal portions at their diverging ends having integral downturned legs which terminate in horizontal segments projecting laterally outward away from each other, and wheels rotatably mounted on said horizontal segments and comprising substantially spherical members of sponge rubber, and a sleeve through each of said spherical members and constituting a bearing for the corresponding horizontal segment.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein there is provided a rubber foot which receives said horizontal extremities on the support rods.

3. In combination with a garbage can which has a bottom wall and a side flange extending down below said bottom wall, a wheeled support for said garbage can comprising a pair of elongated rods having horizontal portions which underlie the bottom wall of the can, said rods at one end of their horizontal portions having integral downturned legs which extend contiguous to each other at the inner side of said flange, said downturned legs at their lower ends being joined integrally to forwardly projecting horizontal extremities which are spaced below the bottom edge of said flange on the can and which project forward beyond the outside of the can, fastening means connecting said downturned legs to the flange, a foot member on said extremities below the bottom edge of the flange, said horizontal portions away from said one end diverging laterally away from each other and pro jecting through said flange on opposite sides of the can, said horizontal portions outside the can having integral downturned legs which terminate in horizontal segments disposed below the level of the bottom edge of the flange and which project laterally away from each other, and wheels mounted rotatably on said horizontal segments and comprising substantially spherical members of sponge rubber, and a sleeve through each of said spherical members and constituting a bearing for the corresponding horizontal segment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 962,148 Jackson June 21, 1910 1,421,110 Thuesen et a1. June 27, 1922 1,544,356 Spaeth June 30, 1925 1,777,698 Lofstrand Oct. 7, 1930 2,242,915 Koski May 20, 1941 2,366,229 Aitelli Ian. 2, 1945 2,529,314 Schmid Nov. 7, 1950 2,572,486 Isaac Oct, 23, 1951

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