AU2004100266A4 - Lifting trolley - Google Patents

Description

A LIFTING TROLLEY Field of Invention This invention relates to lifting trolleys, in particular but not limited to a lifting trolley for stacking objects such as brewers' kegs or stackable chairs.

Background Art The lifting, moving and stacking of loads or objects such as beer kegs, stacks of chairs, cartons etc can be a hazardous operation and injuries, particularly back strain injuries are not uncommon with workers employed in this area.

There is also a not inconsiderate amount of skill required to accurately and neatly stack heavy objects on top of one another.

Major breweries in Australia supply draught beer in 50-litre stainless steel kegs or barrels. Their particular barrels or kegs are of different heights and diameters but each keg when filled with beer weighs approximately 65 kilograms. For commercial reasons, draught beer is served cold and this required temperature is usually achieved by storing or placing the kegs in coldrooms before dispensing the beer. Such kegs often need to be stacked one on top another to increase the storage capacity of the coldroom. Coldrooms are frequently of an old design dating possibly to their original construction and are often incapable of renovation or extension due to the lack of available space. In older buildings, coldrooms especially may be inadequate to cope with the present levels of trade particularly during peak periods. It is evident that the obvious way to increase the storage capacity of the coldroom is to stack barrels or kegs two high or to construct further coldroom space. The latter solution in terms of construction or renovation is expensive and often involves lengthy negotiation with authorities and additional costs in meeting by-law requirements. Some current health and safety regulations promulgated by various authorities do not nominate any maximum weight that may be physically lifted by an individual. Nevertheless, common sense suggests that kegs weighing 65 kilograms or more are too heavy to actually be lifted physically. Even though the kegs have lifting handles which are user friendly, the shape of the kegs is such that lifting a full keg is still not an easy procedure even for a very strong person.

Instances recorded of severe back injury and pain, single and double hernias arising from manhandling the kegs highlight a significant problem that exists in the workplace. If there is no mechanical means of lifting the kegs readily available, staff must either attempt to lift the kegs themselves or recruit extra persons to assist them in stacking the kegs. Inevitably, the staff of course attempt to lift the kegs themselves resulting in strain injuries and consequential downtime. Recruiting other persons to assist with stacking is of course labour intensive and expensive in terms of extra wages. In all these cases, the distance lifted vertically is invariably in the order of 0.6 to 1.0 metres. Injury and damage caused by staff lifting kegs without assistance often results in a huge and sometimes unacceptable compensation cost. Such claims on an insurer usually result in dramatically increased premiums payable by the insured in subsequent years. It is also evident that the strength required to manhandle kegs usually precludes female labour from this task which can result in discrimination action.

In summary some of the disadvantages of prior art methods of storing kegs include stacking of kegs one keg high which assumes that the coldroom space is completely adequate for this purpose. If the coldroom space is inadequate, then further coldroom space has to be built which is an expensive and slow process but also presupposes that there is room for expansion which may not be present in older buildings. Stacking kegs two high using only one person exposes that person to constant potential back injury. Stacking kegs two high using two people at least doubles the cost of the stacking operation as two wages have to be paid.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to seek to ameliorate or alleviate some of the problems involved in stacking objects by providing an improved lifting trolley or to at least provide the public with an alternative and useable choice.

Summary of the Invention In one aspect therefore, the invention resides in a lifting trolley comprising a mobile frame for transporting stackable objects, the mobile frame having load engaging means for releasably engaging a stackable object; load elevating means for raising the engaged object to a stacking height, wherein in use, first and second stackable objects can be transported and the second stackable object stacked atop the first stackable object with the assistance of the load elevating means.

Preferably the mobile frame has castor wheels or larger to provide mobility and stability.

Preferably the design of the load engaging means is specifically adapted to the type of object to be transported for example, brewers kegs, stackable chairs or cartons.

Preferably the lifting means is a braked reel member over which industrial grade web belting is wound wherein the load engaging means can be raised or lowered by winding or releasing the reel.

Preferably the reel has braking means in the form of a disc brake arrangement to prevent the reel from turning once the object to be stacked has been raised.

Preferably the frame member is adjustable to increase or decrease the stacking height afforded by the load elevation means to facilitate stacking more than two stackable objects.

Preferably the lifting trolley actuators for operating the load engaging means and the load lifting means are ergonomically positioned to facilitate safe and simple operation.

Preferably the lifting trolley is adapted to transport at least two or more stackable objects.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention be better understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the illustrations wherein, Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the lifting trolley according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a preferred lifting trolley 100 having a mobile frame 101 for transporting stackable objects preferably comprising a length of c-channel fitted to a bottom frame preferably having two legs 102, 103 protruding forward for the approximate length of the object to be lifted in this case, a keg, therefore the leg length would be approximately the diameter of the keg. The mobility is provided preferably by two small castor wheels 104, 105 fitted at the end of each leg and two rear larger wheels 106, 107 to facilitate easy moveability when the lifting trolley is moved forward with the object significantly raised above the ground, that is anything above 15mm above floor level wherein the object can be transported without touching the ground. The lifting trolley must rest on all four wheels before any object is raised or lowered. In the embodiment where kegs are to be transported, the keg is raised approximately off the ground and the lifting trolley can be tilted backwards for ease of operation wherein the two rear wheels 106, 107, preferably of larger diameter, alone are in contact with the ground. The central shaft is raised vertically before a keg is raised over 15mm and the trolley is moved forward on all four wheels into place.

Housed within the c-channel 108 of the frame and connected to the load elevating means 109, which raises and lowers the lifting carriage 9 comprising the load elevating means. Attached to the front of the lifting carriage 9 are two hook points, 7 wherein the high hook point is used for lifting a 50-litre keg while the lower hook point is used to lift 30-litre kegs and also for the embodiment where a chair lift attachment can be fitted. The lifting carriage is attached indirectly to the lift winder 6 by industrial webbing material 10 with preferably an 800 kilogram braking strain.

To the rear of the c-channel of the frame member and in line with the winding handle for the reel to raise or lower the lifting carriage is a stainless steel disc brake 4 which comprises the braking system and operates in conjunction with brake pads contained in a brake calibre housing. The brake is preferably always applied unless deactivated by the operator. Attached to the load elevating means through a space in the centre of the stainless steel disc is a 20mm square block 5 which has a hole 5a drilled in one end.

Hanging freely from the centre of the stainless steel disc outside the square block 5 is a flat bar that when at rest, lies down in line with the c-channel.

At the other end of the flat bar is a spring loaded handle 6 that when at rest lies against the flat bar 6a. Activating the spring loaded handle causes a pin (not visible in drawing as recessed when at rest) to protrude from the opposite end of the flat bar which by aligning with the hole fits neatly into the hole drilled into the block. Control of the spring loaded handle with pin firmly in place in the block controls the raising and lowering of the keg. At the top of the central shaft 108 is a handle 110 fitted crosswise, which when used in relocating kegs or at close to ground level is generally a means of steering the trolley. Just above the steering handle there is a spring loaded brake lever 2. When at rest the brake lever is applied and only by raising this brake control and thus deactivating the brake can a keg be raised or lowered. This is principally for the safety of the operator.

Vertical movement of the keg preferably requires two hands, one on the brake handle and the other on the spring loaded winding handle of the load elevating means. Kegs are only raised or lowered when the trolley is in the vertical position with all four wheels in contact with the floor. In the centre, just above the steering handle, there are two plastic covered fingers pointing left to right 1.

These fingers 1 are used with a restraining strap and the chair lift platform 12 for lifting stackable chairs to ensure safety and stability when moving stacks of chairs.

Advantages The advantages of the invention include the following points: The subject invention is the cheapest means of increasing the capacity of an inadequately sized coldroom by enabling kegs of beverage to be stacked.

The lifting trolley enables one person to successfully and safely stack and unstack kegs whilst eliminating personal injury, which is a common experience in the hospitality industry.

The lifting trolley enables one person to load and transport a stack of chairs within a confined space with both safety and stability.

The lifting trolley will enable female staff to engage in this type of work.

It is envisaged that the lifting trolley because of its ability to lift loads with ease will dramatically reduce accidents and injury compensation claims which will also reflect favourably in subsequent insurance premiums.

The lifting trolley doubles as a conventional trolley for kegs for relocation from dock to coldroom or from coldroom to elsewhere.

The lifting trolley can have other numerous uses which while they have not been fully described or explored in the present invention could include lifting, fitting or moving heavy dies or indeed any heavy but small machinery in a confined space.

Variations It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims (4)

1. A lifting trolley comprising a mobile frame for transporting stackable objects, the mobile frame having load engaging means for releasably engaging a stackable object; load elevating means for raising the engaged object to a stacking height, wherein in use, first and second stackable objects can be transported and the second stackable object stacked atop the first stackable object with the assistance of the load elevating means.

2. A lifting trolley according to claim 1 wherein the mobile frame has castor wheels which provide stability in the stationary position.

3. A lifting trolley according to claim 2 wherein the design of the load engaging means is specifically adapted to the type of object to be transported for example, brewers kegs, stackable chairs or cartons.

4. A lifting trolley according to claim 3 wherein the lifting means is a braked reel member over which industrial grade web belting is wound wherein the load engaging means can be raised or lowered by winding or releasing the reel. A lifting trolley according to claim 4 wherein the reel has braking means in the form of a disc brake arrangement to prevent the reel from turning once raising the object to be stacked has been raised.