Ballbarrow
Encyclopedia
The Ballbarrow was a type of wheelbarrow
designed by James Dyson
and released in 1974 in the UK. It featured a moulded plastic hopper
on a steel frame and a spherical plastic wheel. This benefited all-terrain use as the ball did not dig into the ground like a conventional wheel and steering was much easier. The original design featured a galvanised steel hopper, which was so robust that many are still in use today. Later, the design was changed to a plastic hopper. The plastic hopper was considered easier to clean than galvanized steel alternatives; however, it was less robust, less suitable for mixing cement in and tended to age quickly in the sheds and garages it was typically stored in.
The Ballbarrow won the Building Design Innovation Award in 1977. Dyson continued with the ball-wheel concept in his design for the Trolleyball boat launcher in 1978, and the DC15 vacuum cleaner in 2005.
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow is a small hand-propelled vehicle, usually with just one wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles to the rear, or by a sail to push the ancient wheelbarrow by wind. The term "wheelbarrow" is made of two words: "wheel" and "barrow." "Barrow" is a...
designed by James Dyson
James Dyson
Sir James Dyson is a British industrial designer and founder of the Dyson company.He is best known as the inventor of the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, which works on the principle of cyclonic separation. His net worth in 2011 was said to be £1.45 billion.-Early life:Dyson was born in...
and released in 1974 in the UK. It featured a moulded plastic hopper
Hopper
Hopper may refer to:-Mechanical parts:* A general term for a chute with additional width and depth for temporary storage* Hopper , a large container used for dust collection* Part of a combine harvester...
on a steel frame and a spherical plastic wheel. This benefited all-terrain use as the ball did not dig into the ground like a conventional wheel and steering was much easier. The original design featured a galvanised steel hopper, which was so robust that many are still in use today. Later, the design was changed to a plastic hopper. The plastic hopper was considered easier to clean than galvanized steel alternatives; however, it was less robust, less suitable for mixing cement in and tended to age quickly in the sheds and garages it was typically stored in.
The Ballbarrow won the Building Design Innovation Award in 1977. Dyson continued with the ball-wheel concept in his design for the Trolleyball boat launcher in 1978, and the DC15 vacuum cleaner in 2005.