US4596347A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rear mounted utility box with a dumping pivot for a lawn and garden tractor
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1985-06-17
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Granted: 1986-06-24
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Expires: 2005-06-17
Abstract
Abstract A rear mounted utility box with a dumping pivot for a lawn and garden tractor is disclosed. A removable housing rests on a horizontal U member of a frame. A vertical plate for attachment of the frame to a yoke is mounted on one of its faces to the U's crossbar. There is a backward extending bracket attached at generally a right angle to the plate's lower edge. A pair of struts, one each spanning from generally the free end of each U member's legs to the bracket supports and stabilizes the frame. A mounting yoke with two arms is attached to the plate's other face at the plate's upper edge. One arm is connected to the tractor's frame generally beneath the tractor's seat, and the other arm serves as a stop for the housing. There is a pivot pin and pivot seat, a lock for releasably locking the housing to the frame, and a stop to limit the pivot. When the lock is released, the housing is free to pivot through the pivot seat until limited by the stop, thereby placing the housing in a dumping mode.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis D. Hite
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:14
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D90/00; B; B62; B62D; B62D49/00; B62D49/06; B62D49/0664; B62D49/0671
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
A rear mounted utility box with a dumping pivot for a lawn and garden tractor comprising: (a) a removable housing having a front wall adapted to conform generally to a tractor's rear outline, two generally vertical side walls, a generally vertical back wall and a generally horizontal bottom wall; (b) a frame including a horizontal U member to receive said housing, said U member's legs extending backward of said U member's crossbar; a plate for attachment of said frame to a yoke, said plate mounted vertically on one of it's faces to said crossbar's exterior side; a backward extending bracket attached at generally a right angle to said plate at said plate's lower edge, said bracket extending in a plane parallel to and below said U member; a pair of struts, one each spanning from generally the free end of each said U member's legs to said bracket to support and stabilize said frame; (c) a generally V-shaped mounting yoke adapted to be attached to said plate's other face at said plate's upper edge, said yoke's one arm adapted to be attached to a tractor's frame at that portion of said tractor's frame located generally beneath said tractor's seat, said yoke's other arm extending in a predetermined slant to correspond with said housing's offset, thereby serving as a stop for said housing; (d) means to pivot said housing; (e) means to releasably lock said housing to said frame; (f) stop means to limit said pivot, whereby when said locking means is released, said housing is free to pivot through said pivot means until limited by said stop means, thereby placing said housing in a dumping mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
A rear mounted utility box with a dumping pivot for a lawn and garden tractor comprising: (a) a removable housing having a front wall adapted to conform generally to a tractor's rear outline, two generally vertical side walls, a generally vertical back wall and a generally horizontal bottom wall; (b) a frame including a horizontal U member to receive said housing, said U member's legs extending backward of said U member's crossbar; a plate for attachment of said frame to a yoke, said plate mounted vertically on one of it's faces to said crossbar's exterior side; a backward extending bracket attached at generally a right angle to said plate at said plate's lower edge, said bracket extending in a plane parallel to and below said U member; a pair of struts, one each spanning from generally the free end of each said U member's legs to said bracket to support and stabilize said frame; (c) a generally V-shaped mounting yoke adapted to be attached to said plate's other face at said plate's upper edge, said yoke's one arm adapted to be attached to a tractor's frame at that portion of said tractor's frame located generally beneath said tractor's seat, said yoke's other arm extending in a predetermined slant to correspond with said housing's offset, thereby serving as a stop for said housing; (d) means to pivot said housing; (e) means to releasably lock said housing to said frame; (f) stop means to limit said pivot, whereby when said locking means is released, said housing is free to pivot through said pivot means until limited by said stop means, thereby placing said housing in a dumping mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said housing's irregular shaped front wall dog legs in a rise vertically at generally a right angle to said horizontal bottom wall approximately one-half of said front wall's height, thereafter extending in an upward forward slant approximately the second one-fourth of said front wall's height and still thereafter extending vertically upward for the final approximately one-fourth of said front wall's height.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said back wall of said housing is removably attached to each of said side walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The utility box according to claim 3 wherein said removable attachment of said back wall to said side walls is by pin and socket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said back wall includes a latch workably connected to each said side wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The utility box according to claim 5 wherein said latch is a double pivot slide bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said side walls of said housing include handle means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said side walls is connected to said back wall of said housing by flexible chain of a predetermined length so that when said back door is opened, said chain serves as a stop means to hold said door.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said housing wall edges include lateral and longitudinal reinforcing supports along the perimeter of said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said U member of said frame is an innerfacing angle iron, said angle iron having a greater inside diameter than said housing's outside diameter so that said housing is contained within and rests on said angle iron.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The innerfacing angle irons according to claim 10 wherein said angle irons are further supported by underlying U channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
103 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said means to pivot said housing includes at least two pivot pin seats and cooperating bolts, each said seat and said bolt mounted on each said leg of said frame at each of said leg's outer side proximate said leg's free end; each said pivot seat being aligned with an outward projecting pivot pin on each said housing side wall proximate its rear of center above the intersection of each said side wall with said bottom wall, said legs of said frame of a length predetermined so that said box pivots free of said struts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
The utility box according to claim 1 wherein said means to releasably lock said housing to said frame includes two workably connected, rearward facing spring latches, each said latch pivotally mounted to the other by a rod connected to said frame proximately underneath said crossbar; each said latch aligned with an outward projecting locking pin on each said side wall of said housing generally above the intersection of each said side wall with said front wall and said bottom wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The spring latch according to claim 13 wherein each said latch includes an outer pinned hand grip.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The utility box accorrding to claim 1 wherein said stop means to limit said pivot includes two blocks, each said block located respectively on the underside of each said side wall.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The utility box according to claim 1 including, additionally, means adapted to attach to the front of said tractor's frame to counterbalance the weight of a load in said housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-23 | 1989-12-23 | 1990-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-23 | 1993-12-23 | 1994-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-23 | 1997-12-23 | 1998-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |