GB2108058A - Hand trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A load bearing platform comprises two laterally spaced rows of spaced apertures (27) so that flanges 33 on two forks (28) can be removably inserted in said apertures to project outwardly from the load bearing platform so that the trolley can acquire and transport a load supported on the forks and the position of the forks can be adjusted to suit any particular load. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hand trolley The present invention relates to a hand trolley.

It is becoming increasingly common to transport building bricks in packages. In this way, the bricks do not have to be individually handled on site to get them to the bricklayer. To enable the brick packages to be lifted it is common practice to leave gaps in the bricks at appropriate locations to receive forks of a hand trolley. However, it is found that different manufacturers adopt different practices in leaving the said gaps and this can cause problems where the gaps are at varying heights.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a hand trolley having a load bearing platform connected to a handle means, characterised in that said load bearing platform comprises two laterally spaced rows of spaced apertures, each of said apertures in a row being longitudinally spaced from adjacent apertures in the same row and each aperture in a row having an aperture of corresponding height in the other row, and said trolley also comprises at least two forks arranged to be removably inserted in said apertures in such a manner as to project outwardly from the load bearing platform so that the trolley can acquire and transport a load supported on the forks.

The height of the forks can readily be changed by removing them from one aperture of a row and inserting them in another aperture of the same row.

Further, although it is necessary to have two rows of apertures to provide mountings sufficient for said forks to support a load, there is no reason why the hand trolley of the present invention cannot contain additional rows of apertures.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a hand trolley in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hand trolley of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a load bearing platform of the hand trolley of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an underneath view of the load bearing platform of Figure 3 showing an axle and wheel means; Figure 5a is an end elevation of a fork used with the hand trolley of Figure 1; Figure 5b is a front elevation of the fork of Figure 5a; and Figure Sc is a side elevation of the fork of Figure 5a.

In Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a hand trolley comprising a flat, load bearing platform 10 formed essentially of a pair of spaced, parallel, laterally extending tubes 12 and a plurality of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending tubes 14.

A pair of flanges 16 extend rearwardly of the platform 1 0 and provide a mounting for two pairs of wheels 1 8 on an axle 20.

As can best be seen in Figure 4, each outer wheel 18 of a pair is mounted on the axle 20 outwardly of a respective flange 1 6. Further, adjacent each outer wheel 1 8 there is provided a pair of spring clips 21. As can be seen in Figure 2, each spring clip 21 comprises one leg with an arcuate portion arranged to grip a side of the axle 20, and one leg which is straight and which extends right through an aperture in the axle 20. Thus, each outer wheel 1 8 has a clip 21 mounted on each side of it. The outer clip 21 retains the outer wheel 18 in place on the axle 20.

Further, as can best be seen in Figure 4, each flange 16 has a circular bush 22 welded into an aperture adjacent the end of the flanges 1 6 remote from the platform 1 8. The bushes 22 receive the axle 20. As shown in Figure 4, the inboard clips 21 pass through the bushes 22 as well as the axle 20. Thus, the inboard clip 21 ensures that the axle 20 cannot rotate relative to each bush 22 and prevents an outer wheel 1 8 moving into contact with a flange 1 6. Each inner wheel 18 of a pair is retained in place by the inner end of a respective bush 22 and the adjacent ends of a sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 is mounted about the axle 20 between the inner wheels 1 8 of the pair of wheels.

Two of the longitudinal tubes 14 are extended beyond the platform 10 into a handle means 24.

The handle means 24 comprises a cross brace 25 for greater rigidity.

Further, a pair of spaced plates 26 are mounted such as by welding on respective adjacent pairs of longitudinal tubes 14. Each of the plates 26 comprises a longitudinal row of spaced apertures 27 in the form of laterally extending slots.

There is also provided a pair of forks 28 each comprising a first tubular member 30 and a second plate member 32 welded to the tubular member 30. The plate member 32 comprises an outwardly extending flange disposed at about 900 to the tubular member 30.

The construction of the forks 28 can be seen in detail in Figure 5.

In use, a pair of the fork members 28 are inserted in corresponding slots 27 of respective plates 26, as shown in Figure 1. This is done by inserting a flange 33 in a slot 27 and then rotating the fork member 28 until the tubular member 30 rests against the plate 26 under the infiuence of gravity.

It is envisaged that the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 would be used for transporting packaged bricks as described above. The fork members 28 mounted in respective plates 26 are aligned and enter appropriately spaced gaps in the brick packages.

However, different manufacturers typically dispose these gaps in the brick packages at different heights. The fork member 28 can be readily removed from one slot 27 of a row and inserted in another slot 27 in the manner described above to enable the hand trolley to be used with different types of brick packages.

Under the weight of the bricks the fork members 28 would be more firmly mounted in place since the flanges 33 would bear against the backs of the plates 24. Also, it should be understood that if the spacing of slots 27 shown in the drawing was not suitable in any situation, then the plates 26 could be removed in their entirety and replaced by other plates with alternative aperture spacing.

Also, the forks 28 could be replaced by forks in which the flanges 33 were not at right angles to the remainder of the forks. For example, the forks could comprise a right angled triangular plate when viewed from the side having mounted on its hypotenuse a further plate integrally formed with an upright flange. Such forks could be inserted in respective lowermost slots 27 such that the outer end of the forks could be adjacent ground level.

Then a heavy rollable object such as a roller door could be rolled onto the forks and the hand trolley simultaneously rotated to its transport position to enable it to move the said rollable object to another location. It foilows that the tubes 30 could be replaced by any equivalent member providing such equivalent member performs substantially the same function of engaging against the plates 26 under load. Further, the tubes 12 and 14 could be replaced by flat bars.

Other modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

1. A hand trolley having a load bearing platform connected to a handle means, characterised in that said load bearing platform comprises two laterally spaced rows of spaced apertures, each of said apertures in a row being longitudinally spaced from adjacent apertures in the same row and each aperture in a row having an aperture of corresponding height in the other row, and said trolley also comprises at least two forks arranged.

to be removably inserted in said apertures in such a manner as to project outwardly from the load bearing platform so that the trolley can acquire and transport a load supported on the forks.

2. A hand trolley according to claim 1, characterised in that each fork comprises an elongated load carrying portion arranged to abut against portions of the load bearing platform adjacent said apertures when under load, and an outwardly extending flange portion arranged to be removably inserted into said apertures and to engage behind the load bearing platform adjacent said apertures.

3. A hand trolley according to claim 2, characterised in that each fork comprises an elongated load carrying portion which comprises a tubular member and an outwardly extending flange located adjacent an end of said tubular member.

4. A hand trolley according to claim 3, characterised in that each fork comprises a plate member bonded to the tubular member and the outwardly extending flange is integrally formed with the plate member.

5. A hand trolley according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the outwardly extending member of each fork is disposed at about 90 to the elongated load carrying portion of each fork.

6. A hand trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each row of apertures is contained in a plate mounted on the load bearing platform.

7. A hand trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the load bearing platform comprises a plurality of laterally extending tubular members interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally extending tubular members.

8. A hand trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least a pair of apertured flanges extend rearwardly of the load bearing platform and said flanges have an axle extending therethrough, which axle provides a mounting for at least two wheels.

9. A hand trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the drawings.