AU619197B2 - A hand trolley - Google Patents

Description

Signature of Applicant (s) or Seal of company and Signlitures of its Oflicrs as prescribed by its Articles of Association.

(3)13 UG 1987 Melbourne MCALHERMAN. Farm COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRg V W% PATENTS ACT 1952-69 7 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class I t. Class Application Number: Lodged: PI 3718 13TH AUGUST, 1987 Comnplete Specification Lodged: fi 0 Accepted: Published: I @0 1 0 9 ~iority 1400 1 0 0 4*0 0 I 0 Related Art: Vpmire of Applicant: Address of Applicant: .00. 0 0 00 4 Actual Invento~r: MICHAEL HERMAN 111 MUNRO AVENUE,

AUSTRALIA

MICHAEL HERMAN NORTH SUNSHINE, VICTORIA 3020, Address for Service EDWD. WATERS SONS, 50 QUEEN STREET, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 3000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A HAND TROLLEY The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to e:- I1.

2 A HAND TROLLEY The present invention relates to hand trolleys and particularly hand trolleys adapted to pick up and carry heavy drums and the like.

There have, over the years been numerous proposals for hand trolleys having general and specific purposes.

Normally such trolleys are adapted to enable a load to be placed thereon and wheeled to and from desired locations.

Commonly such trolleys have comprised an upright frame, a 1 floor support adapted to fit under the load and a pair of wheels located more or less at the juncture between the upright frame and the floor support. Such arrangements work reasonably satisfactorily when the loads to be carried are not too large in volume or weight. In these circumstances, St r it can be difficult for one person to get the load onto the floor support and then to pivot the load and the trolley to a transport position. Also such trolleys, having a pair of wheels, are sometimes difficult to steer as desired, particularly when carrying heavy loads, as the load is more 2 or less supported by the operator while the trolley is pushed to the desired location. Australian Patent Specification Nos. 536085, 126619, 81750/82 and %46249/85 disclose hand trolleys of various designs and for various purposes. Specification Nos. 81750/82 and 536085 disclose hand trolleys of various designs whereby the need to use floor or base supports that have to be placed under the load, are avoided. Specification Nos. 126619, 46249/85 and 536085 disclose hand trolleys where a strap or chain is secured about an upper region of the load carried. All of 3 these known designs suffer from certain disadvantages and which includ, difficulty in picking up a desired load and difficulty in supporting and directing the trolley accurately when it is loaded. These deficiencies being more noticeable when particularly heavy loads are involved.

The objective therefore of the present invention is to provide a hand trolley which will enable a heavy load, such as a drum containing heavy material, to be loaded easily thereon and to thereafter be supported in a transport Is 2a position which enables the load to be moved easily in a desired direction.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hand 5 trolley comprising a main frame adapted to support a desired load in a transport position without any support means located beneath a base region of said load, fastening means being adapted to engage sai.' load and to secure said load against said main frame in a manner preventing lateral or longitudinal movement of said load relative to said main frame, a pair of spaced ground engaging wheels located adjacent one end of said main frame, and at least one further wheel mounted from said main frame spaced I t longitudinally along said main frame from said pair of 15 ground engaging wheels and laterally extending from said ~q it main frame whereby in said transport position the main frame is inclined relative to the ground and a load carried by said main frame is supported in an inclined position on said main frame with the main frame being supported solely by said pair of ground engaging wheels and said at least one I I t( further wheel. Cnvint lyro said the or ee sac l~ ogiuial aogsidmi rmefo Ii aro -3posiiOn which enables the -ad -a---mro e-a-s-y--iy desired direction.

Accordingly, the present invention provides hand trolley comprising a main frame adapted to suppo a desired load in a transport position without any sup rt means located beneath a base region of said lo movable fastening means being adapted to enga said load and to secure said load against said mai frame in a manner preventing lateral movement o said load relative to said main frame, a pair of spac ground engaging wheels located adjacent one end of sa cTmain frame, and at least one further wheel mouna from said main frame spaced from said pair of ground gaging wheels and laterally extending from said main f me whereby in said transport position the main I 15 frame a a load carried by said main frame are supported sole by said pair of runde- ng wheel-s-a-d-s-a-i--at asat one-fuhr -4--hee1. -ConAenient-y-,- said the-e-iE-ea- S said further wheel is castor mounted from said main frame.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention 20 will hereinafter be described with reference to the I l accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand trolley produced in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the trolley shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation view showing a drum in phantom outline in the process of being secured to the hand trolley; and Figure 4 is a modified embodiment showing an alternative means of supporting the castor wheel from the main frame.

SReferring now to Figure 1, there is shown a hand trolley 10 with a main frame 11 formed by a pair of generally parallel leg members 12,13 with a handle section 14 at one end and an axle assembly 15 at the other end supporting a pair of ground engaging wheels 16,17. The main frame 11 includes a pair of intermediate cross bars 18 and 19, each being preferably curved to correspond to the outer

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/f 4periphery of the drum to be supported and carried thereon.

The cross bars 18 and 19 are also conveniently located so that they are arranged just below where a strengthening rib is expected to be located on the drum 21 to be carried by the trolley. The intermediate cross bar 18 preferably supports a third wheel 22 extending rearwardly of the main frame. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the third wheel 22 is supported between a bifurcated frame 23 with the frame being pivotally mounted at 24 to the main frame to enable the 1 wheel 22 to act as a castor wheel. In the transport i0 position the pivot axis 24 is substantially vertical.

The upper cross bar 19 is at either side forwardly 000* o o o o extending curved strap portions 25 and 26. A further strap 0 00 °o a member 27 made from resilient metal is pivoted at 28 to the o I'l strap portion 26 such that the strap portions 25,26,27 and 15 e 0 the cross bar 19 define a flexible securing element to o, fasten a drum to the main frame 11. An adjusting screw 0 o mechanism 29 is provided connecting the free end of strap portion 25 to the free end of strap portion 27 in a manner o 20 enabling the encircling flexible band to be fastened tightly about a drum. A pivot connection is also provided between 0 the screw block 30 of the screw mechanism 29 and the strap member 27. As shown in Figure 2, this enables the strap o member 27 to be pivoted upwardly or downwardly to allow a drum to be placed against the main frame 11 as shown in Figure 3.

,Finally the strap member 27 includes an inwardly directed tap or stop 31 which prevents the strap member pivoting downwardly beyond the correct horizontal position 3 when the drum to be carried is initially secured to the frame 11. In addition, an outwardly directed handle element 32 is provided to enable the strap member 27 to be easily gripped and manipulated.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment for 3 mounting the wheel 22 from the main frame 11. In this embodiment a bent plate 40 is welded centrally to the cross bar 19 with a lower portion 41 having the wheel pivot axis 24 secured thereto. Tie bars 42 and 43 are welded to the 5 main frame legs 12,13 and to the lower portion 41 of the plate In use, with a heavy drum to be carried by the hand trolley positioned in an upright position (Figure the main frame 11 of the trolley is pushed against the drum 21 and the strap 27 is positioned about the top of the drum and tightened there against using the screw adjuster 29. In the position shown in Figure 3, the operator grips the handle section 14, places a foot against the third wheel 22 and its supporting structure, and pivots the frame together with the drum about the ground engaging wheels 16,17 until the third wheel 22 enages the ground. In this position the drum is supported on the main frame 11 in an inclined position on the three wheels 16,17 and 22. In this condition the drum 15 can be easily wheeled without significant effort by the operator supported on the three wheels. In addition, the castor mounting of the wheels 22 ensures ease of steering of 3the loaded hand trolley.

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Claims (2)

1. 6- T THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: Oat o t a 4 so a c 0 a a 0 00a i. A hand trolley comprising a main frame adapted to support a desired load in a transport position without any support means located beneath a base region of said load, fastening means being adapted to engage said load and to secure said load against said main frame in a manner preventing lateral orlongitudinal movement of said load relative to said main frame, a pair of spaced ground engaging wheels located adjacent one end of said main frame, and at least one further wheel mounted from said main frame spaced longitudinally along said main frame from said pair of ground engaging wheels and laterally extending from said main frame whereby in said transport position the main frame is inclined relative to the ground and a load carried by said main frame is supported in an inclined position on said main frame with the main frame being supported solely by said pair of ground engaging wheels and said at least one further wheel. 2. A hand trolley according to Claim i, wherein the or each said further wheel is castor mounted from said main frame. 3. A hand trolley according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said main frame includes an operator's hand grip region opposed to said ground engaging wheels. 4. A hand trolley according to Claim 2, wherein the load is secured to said main frame by operation of said fastening means with said main frame located adjacent an upright face of the load and the main frame and said load is moved to said transport position by pivoting the main frame and the load about an axis defined by a rotational axis of said ground engaging wheels. 400000 0 0 0 0 0004 1 4 I: i r~DIII 7 A hand trolley according to any one of Claim 2 or 4, wherein in said transport position, the or each said further wheel has a castor axis that is substantially vertical. 6. A hand trolley according to any one of Claims 1 to wherein the fastener means includes a flexible strap adapted to engage the load, the flexible strap being pivotally mounted for movement from an upper load clearing position to a lower load engaging position, and actuating means for drawing said strap against said load in said load 0. engaging position. S 4*
2. 7. A hand trolley according to Claim 6, wherein said strap includes stop means to engage with an upper surface of 0 O said load. DATED THIS 15TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 1991 MICHAEL HERMAN 000000 0 WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 04o0 THE ATRIUM 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VIC 3122 AUSTRALIA SKP:JC(8.22):JL e^ r xjU~r I i: i