Easy wagon/easy cart/bicycle wheel mounting brackets system

Abstract

A specific wheel mounting bracket ( 20 ) and a versatile method of using these brackets or similar items to attach bicycle wheels ( 26 ) to various vehicle frames ( 46 ) primarily made of wood, and a general vehicle structure or frame design using the brackets. The brackets ( 20 ) are flat 10-gauge steel plates, with three bolt holes ( 30 ) and a slot ( 32 ) to receive the bicycle wheel axle ( 24 ). When bolted to a simple wooden frame ( 46 ) in pairs, they act like a bicycle fork to hold the wheel ( 26 ). They support and suspend the wheels from longitudinal members ( 22 ) of the structure or frame so that the wheels can rotate. The invention provides a standardized, simple and low-cost method for constructing a wide variety of wagons, carts, small trailers, carriages, wheelbarrows and other small vehicles with bicycle wheels and wood. It enables people who do not have complex tools, skills or materials, to construct and repair various homemade vehicles. This invention makes it possible to use discarded bicycle wheels and scrap lumber to construct carts and wagons. It will help self-sufficient farmers and other people engaged in small-scale agriculture and commerce, worldwide.

1 - 147 . (canceled)  
   
   
       148 . Identical industrially and commercially mass-produced brackets for mounting vehicle wheels having individual independent axles, comprising: 
 a) simple, versatile, uniform means for securely attaching pairs of said brackets to parallel longitudinal frame members of various different vehicles, and typically to frame members made of wood or common structural lumber,    b) simple, versatile, identical means for securely mounting all common bicycle wheels in between two separate said brackets, so that the wheels are detachable and interchangeable without removing said brackets from said vehicles and without partially dismantling the vehicle frames, and whereby, in combination with said means for securely attaching, the same identical said brackets effectively are standardized and made universal and applicable worldwide for simple versatile secure mounting of all common bicycle wheels on widely diverse small vehicles, including carts, wagons and wheelbarrows, and especially homemade vehicles without need for an industrial or commercial vehicle manufacturing operation.    
   
   
       149 . The brackets of  claim 148  wherein said means for securely attaching includes a flat surface with three or more non-collinear holes.  
   
   
       150 . The brackets of  claim 148  wherein said means for securely mounting includes a slot that is completely open at one end, having a width measuring approximately eleven millimeters.  
   
   
       151 . The brackets of  claim 148  wherein said brackets are steel approximately 3 millimeters or larger in thickness and have an overall width larger than or equal to 125 millimeters and an overall height larger than or equal to 100 millimeters.  
   
   
       152 . The brackets of  claim 148  further including, a right-angle bend parallel with one edge of the bracket, or a rolled edge or rolled edges.  
   
   
       153 . The brackets of  claim 148  wherein said brackets can securely mount and support all common bicycle wheels approximately 65 centimeters in diameter under the conditions of reasonably normal use of such vehicles.  
   
   
       154 . The brackets of  claim 153  wherein said means for securely mounting includes an open-ended slot measuring eleven millimeters wide.  
   
   
       155 . The brackets of  claim 154  wherein said brackets are flat steel plates approximately 3 millimeters or larger in thickness and have an overall width larger than or equal to 125 millimeters and an overall height larger than or equal to 100 millimeters.  
   
   
       156 . The brackets of  claim 155  wherein said brackets are sized to fit frame members made of common structural lumber and sized to support vehicles that are carts, wagons or small trailers with at least two wheels.  
   
   
       157 . A method of wheel mounting utilizing pairs of identical industrially and commercially mass-produced brackets in the construction of various vehicles that have wheels with individual independent axles, comprising the steps of: 
 a) constructing vehicle frames that include paired parallel longitudinal members with corresponding flat areas or surfaces, said members typically are made of wood and most typically are made of common structural lumber,    b) providing said brackets with identical holes and identical surfaces for simple, versatile and secure attachment in various positions on various, different flat frame members,    c) attaching mutually corresponding pairs of said brackets to said flat areas or surfaces,    d) providing said brackets with identical open-ended slots, in which and in between two separate said brackets, the axles of all common bicycle wheels could be mounted securely so that the wheels are detachable and interchangeable without removing said brackets from the vehicles and without partially dismantling said vehicle frames, and whereby, in combination with the holes and surfaces for attachment, the same identical said brackets in effect are standardized and made universal and applicable worldwide for simple versatile secure mounting of all common bicycle wheels on widely diverse small vehicles, including carts, wagons and wheelbarrows, and especially even homemade vehicles without need for a commercial or industrial vehicle manufacturing operation.    
   
   
       158 . The method of wheel mounting of  claim 157  wherein said slots measure approximately eleven millimeters wide.  
   
   
       159 . The method of wheel mounting of  claim 157  wherein said brackets are steel approximately 3 millimeters or larger in thickness with an overall width larger than or equal to 125 millimeters and an overall height larger than or equal to 100 millimeters.  
   
   
       160 . The method of wheel mounting of  claim 157  wherein said vehicle frames are constructed for carts or small trailers with at least two wheels.  
   
   
       161 . The method of wheel mounting of  claim 157  wherein said vehicle frames and said brackets can securely mount and support various common bicycle wheels approximately 65 centimeters in diameter under the conditions of reasonably normal use of such vehicles.  
   
   
       162 . The method of wheel mounting of  claim 161  wherein said vehicle frames are constructed for carts or small trailers with at least two wheels, and the frame members are constructed primarily of common structural lumber, and said slots are approximately 11 millimeters wide.  
   
   
       163 . A vehicle structure or frame having paired, industrially and commercially mass-produced brackets for mounting wheels with individual independent axles, comprising: 
 a) paired parallel longitudinal frame members, typically wooden and most typically made of common structural lumber, having corresponding parallel flat areas or surfaces,    b) a pair or pairs of said brackets, each said bracket directly attached to said flat areas or surfaces,    c) holes and surfaces on said brackets that would facilitate simple, versatile and secure attachment in various positions on various, different, flat wooden frame members,    d) open-ended slots in said brackets, in which and in between two separate identical said brackets, the axles of all common bicycle wheels can be mounted securely provided that there are proper spaces for the wheels in said vehicle structure or frame, and that enable the wheels to be detachable and interchangeable without removing said brackets from the vehicle and without partially dismantling said vehicle structure or frame, and whereby, in combination with the holes and surfaces for attachment, the same identical said brackets in effect are standardized or made universal and applicable worldwide for simple versatile secure mounting of all common bicycle wheels in the construction of widely diverse small vehicles, including carts, wagons and wheelbarrows, and especially even homemade vehicles without need for a commercial or industrial vehicle manufacturing operation.    
   
   
       164 . The vehicle structure or frame of  claim 163  wherein said vehicle structure or frame is that of a cart or trailer with at least two wheels.  
   
   
       165 . The vehicle structure or frame of  claim 163  wherein said open-ended slots measure approximately eleven millimeters wide.  
   
   
       166 . The vehicle structure or frame of  claim 163  wherein said brackets have an overall width larger than or equal to 125 millimeters and an overall height larger than or equal to 100 millimeters.  
   
   
       167 . The vehicle structure or frame of  claim 163  wherein said structure or frame and said brackets can securely mount and support various common bicycle wheels approximately 65 centimeters in diameter under the conditions of reasonably normal use of such vehicles, and wherein said vehicle structure or frame is that of a cart or small trailer with at least two wheels and said longitudinal frame members are made of common structural lumber, and said open-ended slots measure approximately eleven millimeters wide.