초록 ▼

An adjustable hopper for aiding in the transportation of old roofing material, such as shingles, to a refuse dumpster is herein disclosed. The hopper is inwardly tapered towards a false bottom and has a manually actuating release lever for vacating the contents through said false bottom. The hopper

An adjustable hopper for aiding in the transportation of old roofing material, such as shingles, to a refuse dumpster is herein disclosed. The hopper is inwardly tapered towards a false bottom and has a manually actuating release lever for vacating the contents through said false bottom. The hopper assembly is mounted on four height-adjustable leg assemblies manipulated by a handle. The hopper and leg assemblies are mounted on a support frame with heavy-duty caster wheel assemblies at each of four corners. The support frame is constructed so as to enable the entire hopper assembly to be positioned about a conventional refuse dumpster with a minimal amount of clearance.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A dump hopper cart comprising: a hopper structure constructed out of resilient material for withstanding heavy-duty handling of removed roofing material; further comprising: an inwardly sloping hopper sump with a top portion and a bottom portion for receiving said removed roo

What is claimed is: 1. A dump hopper cart comprising: a hopper structure constructed out of resilient material for withstanding heavy-duty handling of removed roofing material; further comprising: an inwardly sloping hopper sump with a top portion and a bottom portion for receiving said removed roofing material; a releasable false bottom hingedly connected to said bottom of said inwardly sloping hopper sump for the gravitational removal of said removed roofing material; and, a hinged lid connected to said top portion of said inwardly sloping hopper sump for retaining said removed roofing material within said hopper sump, said lid having a lid handle; at least four upstanding telescopic posts, each post fixedly connected at an upper end to the exterior of said hopper structure and each post further comprising: a first hollow post slidably engaged within a second hollow post and retained therein with a coupling, adjustment holes drilled therethrough both said first hollow post and said second hollow post, said first hollow post is fixedly connected to an exterior surface of said hopper structure at an upper end and said second hollow post is fixedly connected to a wheeled support structure at a lower end; height adjustment means wherein a locking pin is inserted said adjustment holes when said adjustment holes of said first hollow post and second hollow post are aligned; and, a handle attached to said first hollow post for assisting the vertical adjustment of said telescopic post assembly; said wheeled support structure, further comprising; two horizontal support frames running parallel to an inwardly sloping long side of said hopper structure, wherein said horizontal support frames are fixedly connected on an upper surface to said bottom end of said telescopic post assembly; and, a wheel assembly comprising a wheel mount and a wheel, wherein said wheel assembly is removably attached to each end of said horizontal support frame at said wheel mount; wherein said wheeled support structure allows said hopper structure to be capable of straddling a refuse container with said false bottom positioned above an interior of said refuse container, thereby allowing said removed roofing material to be emptied therein said interior of said refuse container; and, wherein said dump hopper cart comprises a manual operating means, such that a single user can operate and manipulate said dump hopper cart without power assist means. 2. The hopper sump of claim 1, wherein said hopper sump further comprises two inwardly sloping long sides and two inwardly sloping short sides, said inwardly sloping long sides and inwardly sloping short sides slope inwards from said top portion to said bottom portion of said hopper sump, said bottom portion of said hopper sump further comprises: a hopper bottom, said hopper bottom is rectangular in shape and dissected in a middle portion with two vertically downward sloping hopper sump side walls; said releasable false bottom with a hinged connection to at least one vertically downward sloping hopper sump side wall and comprised of a plate with dimensions to cover said dissected middle portion of said hopper bottom and a catch located on the opposite of said hinged connection for retaining said false bottom in a closed position via at least one latch; and, said latch or said latches each with a hook for retaining said catch on said false bottom and a knob on its distal end, said latch or said latches each connected to an exterior surface of the opposite vertically downward sloping hopper sump wall from said hinged connection of said false bottom. 3. The telescopic post assembly of claim 1, wherein said first hollow post and said second hollow post are either cylindrical or rectangular in shape. 4. The horizontal support frame of claim 1, wherein said support frame curves outward and upward at said ends where said wheel assembly is mounted to provide said wheeled support frame with a required clearance to direct said wheeled support frame around said refuse container. 5. The dump hopper cart of claim 1, further comprising an anchoring means for securing said dump hopper cart. 6. The dump hopper cart of claim 1, further comprising a hopper extension device attached to said hopper structure via two adjustable lid supports removably attachable to said lid. 7. The dump hopper cart of claim 1, wherein each wheel assembly further comprises a caster wheel with position locking means enabling said wheel to swivel in any direction in which said wheel is pushed. 8. A method of removing roofing material utilizing a dump hopper cart, further comprising the steps of: providing said dump hopper cart, comprising: a hopper structure constructed out of resilient material for withstanding heavy-duty handling of removed roofing material; further comprising: an inwardly sloping hopper sump with a top portion and a bottom portion for receiving said removed roofing material; a releasable false bottom hingedly connected to said bottom of said inwardly sloping hopper sump for the gravitational removal of said removed roofing material; and, a hinged lid connected to said top portion of said inwardly sloping hopper sump for retaining said removed roofing material within said hopper sump, said lid having a lid handle; at least four upstanding telescopic posts, each post fixedly connected at an upper end to the exterior of said hopper structure and each post further comprising: a first hollow post slidably engaged within a second hollow post and retained therein with a coupling, adjustment holes drilled therethrough both said first hollow post and said second hollow post, said first hollow post is fixedly connected to an exterior surface of said hopper structure at an upper end and said second hollow post is fixedly connected to a wheeled support structure at a lower end; height adjustment means wherein a locking pin is inserted said adjustment holes when said adjustment holes of said first hollow post and second hollow post are aligned; and, a handle attached to said first hollow post for assisting the vertical adjustment of said telescopic post assembly; said wheeled support structure, further comprising; two horizontal support frames running parallel to an inwardly sloping long side of said hopper structure, wherein said horizontal support frames are fixedly connected on an upper surface to said bottom end of said telescopic post assembly; and, a wheel assembly comprising a wheel mount and a wheel, wherein said wheel assembly is removably attached to each end of said horizontal support frame at said wheel mount; wherein said wheeled support structure allows said hopper structure to be capable of straddling a refuse container with said false bottom positioned above an interior of said refuse container, thereby allowing said removed roofing material to be emptied therein said interior of said refuse container; and, wherein said dump hopper cart comprises a manual operating means, such that a single user can operate and manipulate said dump hopper cart without power assist means; directing said hopper structure to a job site by manually steering said wheeled support structure; vertically adjusting each of said at least four upstanding telescopic posts to a desired location by grasping said handle telescopic post assembly and raising said fixedly attached hopper structure; securing said desired location by inserting said locking pin into each of said at least four upstanding telescopic posts; placing said roofing material within said hopper structure; transporting said roofing material within said hopper structure to said refuse container by steering said wheeled support structure; releasing said roofing material by removing a latch retaining a catch on said false bottom of said hopper structure, said roofing material is introduced into said refuse container via gravity; and, lowering each of said at least four upstanding telescopic posts by removing said locking pin and manipulating each of said at least four upstanding telescopic posts with said handle downward to a desired lower position; wherein said hopper structure further comprises said hinged lid with said lid handle such that said lid, when manually opened via said lid handle, provides access thereto an interior of said hopper structure for receiving said roofing material; and, wherein a proper use of said dump hopper cart eliminates damage to property, eliminates possible injury to workers, and assists in environmental clean-up. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of anchoring said wheeled support frame in place and situating said roofing material within said hopper structure.