FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a handcart with a mobile receptacle that may be used for a variety of different purposes, in particular, transporting food and drink, for example by vendors, typically in outdoor circumstances such as on beaches, golf courses, or at other outdoor recreational or promotional venues or by persons simply engaged in outdoor activities of any description.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION There are numerous different occasions on which it is desired to transport quantities of food or beverages, generally in outdoor circumstances, for later consumption, optionally in a progressive manner. Typically, the food or drink is preferably kept either hot or cold, as the case may be. This is usually accomplished by packing the food or drink into a heat insulated box and carrying the box from one place to another. In the case of vendors, it is a common practice to fix a shoulder strap to the heat insulated box to facilitate carrying it.

In all instances of which applicant is aware, the heat insulated box must be carried by one or more persons who must support the entire weight of the box and its contents. Luggage type trolleys can be used in certain circumstances, but the usual laterally spaced narrow wheels are inappropriate to conveying such heat insulated boxes over soft surfaces such as beach sand, soft soil, and grassed areas, and narrow wheels of this nature are often even forbidden in some areas such as on golf courses.

These types of soft surfaces are, unfortunately, typical of those that may be

expected to be encountered in the circumstances in which such heat insulated boxes are used.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a handcart with a mobile receptacle that can be employed effectively irrespective of how soft or sensitive the surface over which it is to be moved may be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a handcart having a mobile receptacle and a handle assembly whereby the handcart can be manually pulled or pushed over a supporting surface, the handcart being characterised in that it has a housing attached to the handle assembly such that the housing itself is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis and is adapted to contact the surface over which the handcart is being moved, the housing further having at least one access hatch provided with a removable or openable cover, and a load supporting receptacle within the housing and mounted for rotation relative to the housing.

Further features of the invention provide for the receptacle to be mounted for rotation generally coaxially with the axis of rotation of the housing relative to the handle assembly; for the housing to be generally spherical in shape and to be provided with a plurality of access hatches at angularly and laterally spaced positions in the housing wall ; for the housing to have one or more abrasion resistant ground engaging tyres encircling same; and for the housing to be manufactured in two parts interconnected in a plane at generally right angles to the axis of rotation thereof relative to the handle assembly.

Still further features of the invention provide for the receptacle to assume the form either of an open topped receptacle in which case the axis of rotation of the receptacle relative to the housing is located above the centre of gravity of the loaded receptacle or, alternatively, a closed container for liquids in which case a suitable outlet tap arrangement is provided; for the handle assembly to include a pair of generally parallel, laterally spaced drawbars interconnected by a transverse handle at their ends remote from the housing; and for the handle assembly to include a pair of stand members, one of which is located at each axial side of the housing, whereby stable support of the housing with its axis of rotation in a generally horizontal orientation is facilitated in an inoperative condition.

In order that the above and other features of the invention may be more fully understood two variations of one particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:- Figure 1 is a schematic sectional elevation of one variation of this embodiment of the invention taken through the axis of rotation of the housing relative to the handle assembly ; Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof; Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of this embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a schematic sectional elevation similar to Figure 1 but of the second variation of this embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevation similar to Figure 2 and showing an alternative form of stand; and, Figure 6 is a detail showing the way in which the housing is assembled and illustrating one form of tyre fitted thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, a handcart, generally indicated by numeral (1) has a substantially spherical housing (2) having two integral diametrically opposed cylindrical mounting formations (3) that are received in bearings (4) carried at one end of each of two generally parallel drawbars (5). The two drawbars are interconnected at their opposite ends by a transverse handle (6) (see Figure 3) that is preferably integral with the drawbars and is conveniently made of plastics material, optionally a fibre reinforced plastics material such as glass fibre reinforced plastics or synthetic resin material.

The housing, which may be made to any size ranging generally from about 300 mm in diameter to about 1 m or more in diameter, and typically about 400 to 500 mm, is made in two substantially hemi-spherical parts, preferably also of plastics material such as glass fibre reinforced plastics or synthetic resin material.

As shown most clearly in Figure 6, the edges (7) of the two hemispheres are each rebated in complementary manner so as to overlap and fasteners (8) such as rivets are typically passed through the overlapped edges and also optionally through the web of a squat inwardly lipped channel section (9) conveniently of extruded plastics material and that receives a steel band (10) encircling the joint and thereby adding strength to it. An elastomeric bead (11) that functions as a tyre, is held captive in the opening to the inwardly lipped channel section. It is to be noted that the two hemispheres are

preferably sealed together utilizing an appropriate sealant, typically a silicone sealant.

The housing has four access hatches (12) each fitted with a screw threaded removable cover (13), the four access hatches being located in two diametrically opposed pairs that are angularly offset relative to each other, typically by 90 degrees, and also angularly offset from the vertical plane through the joint between the hemispheres. Any one of the covers can be removed at any time to provide access to the interior of the housing.

Mounted inside the housing is, in the case of the variation illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, an open topped hemispherical receptacle (14) that is supported, by way of a pair of roller bearings (15), on its own axis and coaxial with the bearings (4), so that gravity causes the receptacle to remain in its downwardly hanging orientation at all times, even whilst the housing is being rotated during transit.

It will be understood that the handcart is pulled or pushed by way of the handle utilizing the housing itself as a wheel. As a result of the relatively large diameter of the housing, and its general configuration, it will be easily supported on any soft surface and will not damage any such surface, such as that of the fairways, or even the greens, a golf course for example.

The handle itself, when lowered into contact with the ground, provides considerable stability to the housing in an otherwise unsupported condition.

It is, however, preferred that each side of the handle has a stand (16) at the position of attachment of the drawbar to the bearing (4). Each stand is preferably orientated approximately vertically in the inoperative position so as to become somewhat forwardly inclined and thus raised, when the handle is raised in order to push or pull the handcart. In the alternative, the handle can be rotated through approximately 180 degrees so that the stands project generally upwards when the cart is being pushed or pulled.

It will therefore be understood that, in use, food and/or containers of beverage, optionally together with ice, or even dry ice, can be introduced by way of one of the hatches into the receptacle within the housing. The hatch is then closed and the handcart can be pushed or pulled over any soft or hard surface in order to transfer the goods from one place to another. In the case of a hard surface, the tyre acts as a resilient shock absorbing and abrasion resistant surface whilst an appreciable part of the outer surface of the housing can serve to support it on a very soft surface such as beach sand. During transit from one place to another the receptacle remains in its open topped condition by virtue of the action of gravity on it and its contents.

Turning now to the variation of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the open topped receptacle may be replaced by a generally spherical receptacle (17) that can be filled with a liquid, such as water or soft drink, optionally with ice in it. The spherical receptacle (17) has an access hatch (18) with a removable cover (19) at one position offset from the axis of rotation relative to the housing, and a diametrically opposite discharge tap (20) located in a recess (21) defined by a moulded plastics closure (22) for an access opening (23). The access hatch (18) and access opening (23) in the spherical receptacle are positioned diametrically opposite each other so that they can be aligned with the access hatches (12) in the housing in order to provide access for purposes of filling and discharging liquid from the spherical receptacle.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative form of stand (24) that extends at an oblique angle to the drawbars (25).

Whilst not necessarily being of widespread application, it is to be noted that with appropriate design of the hatches and covers, the housing can be rendered buoyant for traversing streams, rivers and other tracts of water.

It will be understood that numerous variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the scope hereof. In particular, the shape of the housing and the corresponding shape of the receptacle located therein, could be varied widely so long as it has a suitable axis of rotation and can be supported, optionally a way of support rings or tyres directly on the support surface for the handcart. Thus a cylindrical shape would be possible as would a cylindrical shape having truncated conical ends thereto. The access hatches and covers can be varied widely, as well.