GB2119723A - Moulded plastics bin - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile moulded plastics bin (10) has at the bottom (14) thereof an inverted U-shaped seat (18) in which an axle (19) is mounted. Wheels (17) are mounted at the ends of the axle to support the bottom of the bin off the ground to enable the bin to be wheeled around in a trolley fashion. The axle may be held in place by lugs (20) bridging the seat through which the axle extends. Alternatively the axle may be an interference fit in the seat (18). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Moulded plastics bins This invention relates to moulded plastics bins and is particularly although not exclusively applicable to bins formed by rotational moulding.

The invention provides a moulded plastics bin having an inverted U-shaped seat formed along the underside of the base thereof, an axle mounted in the seat and having ends projecting beyond the seat and wheels mounted on the projecting axle ends to support the bin to render the bin mobile.

The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a mobile moulded plastics bin; Figure 2 is a rear view of the bin shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a part under-plan part top view of the bin; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the bin; and Figure 5 is a section through a part of the underside of the bin.

The drawings illustrate an open topped plastics bin 10 formed by rotational moulding in a conventional manner. The container has a front wall 11 side walls 12, a rear wall 13, a base 14 and an open top 1 5.

Recesses 1 6 are formed across the lower rear corners of the side walls 12 to accommodate wheels 1 7 and permit the wheels to be generally flush with the side walls. The base 14 adjacent the rear walls 13 of the container is formed with a deep inverted U-shaped recess 1 8 extending across the base parallel to the rear wall of the container to receive and support an axle 1 9 for the wheels 1 7. The ends of the axle project into the recesses 1 6 and the wheels 1 7 are mounted on the projecting ends of the axle. The wheel hubs may rotate directly on the axle or may incorporate bearings and washers may be provided between the wheels and the recess walls or the hubs of the wheels themselves may be formed to bear on the recess walls.

The base of the container is formed with integral bridges 20 extending across the recess 18, each bridge providing a pair of webs 21 having apertures through which the axle extends to hold the axle in the recess. In an alternative construction, the axle may be formed to be an interference fit in the recess 1 9 in which case the bridges 20 may be omitted.

It will be appreciated that the load of the container and its contents bear on the length of the axle enclosed by the recess even in the case where the axle is held in the recess by the bridges so that the load is spread along the length of the axle and also spread along the base rather than imposed at particular locations on the base and the axle.

Claims

1. A moulded plastics bin having an inverted U-shaped seat formed along the underside of the base thereof, an axle mounted in the seat and having ends projecting beyond the seat and wheels mounted on the projecting axle ends to support the bin to render the bin mobile.

2. A bin as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base of the bin is formed with one or more webs extending across the U-shaped seat, the or each web having an aperture through which the axle extends to assist in holding the axle in the recess.

3. A bin as claimed in claim 2 wherein the base is formed with two pairs of webs extending across the recess at spaced locations along the recess and having apertures for retaining the axle.

4. A bin as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the axle is an interference fit in the recess to hold the axle in the recess.

5. A mobile bin substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Moulded plastics bins This invention relates to moulded plastics bins and is particularly although not exclusively applicable to bins formed by rotational moulding. The invention provides a moulded plastics bin having an inverted U-shaped seat formed along the underside of the base thereof, an axle mounted in the seat and having ends projecting beyond the seat and wheels mounted on the projecting axle ends to support the bin to render the bin mobile. The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a mobile moulded plastics bin; Figure 2 is a rear view of the bin shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a part under-plan part top view of the bin; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the bin; and Figure 5 is a section through a part of the underside of the bin. The drawings illustrate an open topped plastics bin 10 formed by rotational moulding in a conventional manner. The container has a front wall 11 side walls 12, a rear wall 13, a base 14 and an open top 1 5. Recesses 1 6 are formed across the lower rear corners of the side walls 12 to accommodate wheels 1 7 and permit the wheels to be generally flush with the side walls. The base 14 adjacent the rear walls 13 of the container is formed with a deep inverted U-shaped recess 1 8 extending across the base parallel to the rear wall of the container to receive and support an axle 1 9 for the wheels 1 7. The ends of the axle project into the recesses 1 6 and the wheels 1 7 are mounted on the projecting ends of the axle. The wheel hubs may rotate directly on the axle or may incorporate bearings and washers may be provided between the wheels and the recess walls or the hubs of the wheels themselves may be formed to bear on the recess walls. The base of the container is formed with integral bridges 20 extending across the recess 18, each bridge providing a pair of webs 21 having apertures through which the axle extends to hold the axle in the recess. In an alternative construction, the axle may be formed to be an interference fit in the recess 1 9 in which case the bridges 20 may be omitted. It will be appreciated that the load of the container and its contents bear on the length of the axle enclosed by the recess even in the case where the axle is held in the recess by the bridges so that the load is spread along the length of the axle and also spread along the base rather than imposed at particular locations on the base and the axle. Claims

1. A moulded plastics bin having an inverted U-shaped seat formed along the underside of the base thereof, an axle mounted in the seat and having ends projecting beyond the seat and wheels mounted on the projecting axle ends to support the bin to render the bin mobile.

2. A bin as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base of the bin is formed with one or more webs extending across the U-shaped seat, the or each web having an aperture through which the axle extends to assist in holding the axle in the recess.

3. A bin as claimed in claim 2 wherein the base is formed with two pairs of webs extending across the recess at spaced locations along the recess and having apertures for retaining the axle.

4. A bin as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the axle is an interference fit in the recess to hold the axle in the recess.

5. A mobile bin substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.