GB2116489A

GB2116489A - Trolley

Info

Publication number: GB2116489A
Application number: GB08305151A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jane Jackson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-03-16
Filing date: 1983-02-24
Publication date: 1983-09-28
Also published as: GB2116489B; GB8305151D0

Abstract

A trolley, intended primarily as a shopping trolley, has at least two receptacles (1, 2) for goods arranged one above the other, the base (15) of at least the top receptacle being displaceable so as to enable a user to place goods in the bottom receptacle via the top one and, after putting the said base back in position, to place goods in the top receptacle. The receptacles, in the form of wire baskets, are supported-on, or suspended from, a wheeled frame (5). When filled, each receptacle may be closed by a lid (17, 18) and, for example, transferred to the boot of a car. When not in use, the receptacles and the frame fold flat so that they take up little space when stowed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Trolley This invention relates to a trolley, particularly though not exclusively to a shopping trolley of the kind widely used by shoppers as a "shopping bag on wheels". It is an aim of the present invention to provide such a trolley which is more convenient to use and better adapted for different conditions under which it may be required to be used, than existing such trolleys.

According to the present invention, a trolley comprises a first substantially rigid receptacle for goods and a second such receptacle, the trolley having means for rolling it along a floor, said receptacles being arranged or adapted to be mounted one above the other and to be secured together directly or via a frame, at least a portion of the base of at least one said receptacle being displaceable or removable and the arrangement being such that a user can first place goods in the bottom receptacle via the receptacle thereabove when at least a portion of the base of the latter is displaced or removed and thereafter place goods in said latter receptacle after placing the said base, or portion thereof, of the said latter receptacle in position.

The means for rolling the trolley along a floor are preferably the conventional pair of wheels, which may be mounted on a common shaft and are arranged on either side of the trolley, the wheels preferably being mounted on a said frame, the latter being adapted for supporting, or for suspension therefrom of, said receptacles.

Alternatively, however, the frame may be dispensed with, in which case the wheels would be mounted on the lowermost receptacle and the receptacles secured together by clips or other suitable conventional means.

Where a frame is provided as aforesaid, and the lowermost said receptacle sits on a portion of said frame, a second said receptacle may be arranged to sit on said lowermost receptacle and means, e.g. mating male and female members at the top of said lowermost receptacle and at the bottom of a receptacle arranged thereabove, may be provided for relatively positioning said receptacles.

Preferably, however, whilst said lowermost receptacle sits on a portion of said frame, a said second receptacle above said lowermost receptacle is detachably hooked to, so Qs to be suspended from said frame.

Any convenient number of said receptacles of any convenient shape, e.g. of rectangular or square cross-section, may be arranged one above the other, the receptacles preferably being in the form of wire baskets of such cross-section and of any desired length, width and depth, suitable for the purpose for which the trolley is intended.

Whilst the trolley according to the present invention is primarily intended as a personal shopping trolley, in which context a preferred form thereof will hereinafter be described, it will be appreciated that such a trolley may also have other personal as well as commercial and industrial applications. Thus, it may serve a useful purpose for picnics, whilst the commercial and industrial applications may include the conveyance of articles to and from industrial stores and of laundry and other linen in hospitals and hotels. Indeed it may also take the place of existing trolleys and baskets commonly provided by supermarkets for the convenience of their customers and the discouragement of shop-lifting.

With a view to facilitating the stowage of the receptacles when not in use, such receptacles of rectangular or square cross-section may be tapered so as to be nestable or they may be adapted to be folded about their vertical edges when their bases are out of their normal position.

One form of trolley embodying the invention and in the form of a personal shopping trolley will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trolley showing the base of the uppermost of two receptacles partly displaced from its normal position; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a foldable said receptacle with its base raised out of its normal position; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a said foldable receptacle shown partly folded and again with its base displaced from its normal position.

Referring to Figure 1 the trolley comprises a first substantially rigid receptacle 1 in the form of a wire basket of rectangular cross-section and a second such receptacle 2. Means for rolling the trolley along a floor are provided in the form of a pair of wheels 3, 4 mounted on a frame 5 on a portion 6 of which the basket 1 is supported and from a transverse bar 7 of which the basket 2 is suspended by means of hooks (not shown).

The frame 5 is of tubular construction and adapted to be contracted and extended telescopically in the direction of the doubleheaded arrow 8, conventional securing means, such as set screws or pins for insertion in a desired pair of holes in relatively telescopically slidable members 9, 10 of the frame (not shown) being provided for fixing the said members 9, 10 in any desired relative position for the purpose of providing the frame 5 with the desired height. The portion 6 of the frame 5 is hinged to the rest of the frame so that it can be folded up in the direction of the arrow 11 whereby the frame takes up less space when stowed. The portion 4 also comprises a support bar 12 to cause the trolley to stand upright when in use.

Additionally or alternatively to the abovementioned hooks for suspending the basket 2 from the cross-bar 7 of the frame 5, the bottom of the basket 2 is provided with male members in the form of dowel pins such as 13 for mating with female members in the form of eyes such as 14 at the top of the basket 1 , for the purpose of relatively positioning the baskets.

The base 1 5 of the basket 2 (and for interchangeability of the baskets preferably also the base of the basket 1 ) is hinged at 1 6 to a side of the basket so as to be pivotable into and out of position.

Each basket has a lid 17, 18 which is hinged at 19, 20 respectively to a side of the respective basket so as to be pivotable for covering and uncovering the basket concerned.

Clips of any conventional construction (not shown) are provided for securing at least the basket 1 to the frame 5 and for releasing the basket(s) from the frame when the former is/are to be separated from the frame.

The baskets 1, 2 are also provided with handles 21, 22 and the sides of the baskets are hinged at 23, 24, 25 and 26 so that, when the base of an empty basket is pivoted out of its normal position into that shown in Figure 2, the basket may be collapsed or folded flat. In Figure 3 it is shown in a semi-collapsed position (in which its cross-section is in the form of a parallelogram).

In use, the base 1 5 of the basket 2 is pivoted into its upright position (Figure 2) and goods are placed in the basket 1 through the basket 2, until the former is full or it is desired to segregate goods of one description from other goods. The base 1 5 is then pivoted into its horizontal position and goods are loaded into the basket 2. Alternatively, and more especially if segregation of goods as aforesaid is not required and goods which are too large to be accommodated in the basket 1 (e.g.

long articles such as curtain rails) are to be accommodated in the trolley, the base 1 5 of the basket 2 may be left in its upright position, so that the baskets 1, 2 together effectively constitute a single, relatively deep receptacle.

The basket 2 is then covered by its lid 1 8 and removed, whereafter the lid 1 7 can be applied to the basket 1 and the latter removed from the frame 5 which may then be folded as aforesaid.

The baskets 1, 2 may then conveniently be carried or transferred to the interior of a car and, if necessary, the trolley can be reassembled with additional empty baskets for the purpose of undertaking further shopping.

It will be appreciated that the trolley according to the invention may comprise more than two baskets or other receptacles generally of the kind hereinbefore described.

Claims

1. A trolley comprising a first substantially rigid receptacle for goods and a second such receptacle, the trolley having means for rolling it along a floor, said receptacles being arranged or adapted to be mounted one above the other, and to be secured together directly or via a frame, at least a portion of the base of at least one said receptacle being displaceable or removable and the arrangement being such that a user can first place goods in the bottom receptacle via the receptacle thereabove when at least a portion of the base ot the latter is displaced or removed and thereafter place goods in said latter receptacle after placing the said base, or portion thereof of the said latter receptacle in position.

2. A trolley according to Claim 1, wherein the means for rolling it along a floor are a pair of wheels mounted on a said frame which is adapted for supporting, or for suspension therefrom of said receptacles.

3. A trolley according to Claim 2, wherein said frame is longitudinally contractible and extendible, means being provided for maintaining said frame in any desired contracted or extended condition.

4. A trolley according to Claim 3, wherein said frame is of tubular construction and adapted to be contracted and extended telescopically.

5. A trolley according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the lowermost said receptacle sits on a portion of said frame and a said second receptacle above said lowermost receptacle is detachably hooked to, so as to be suspended from, said frame.

6. A trolley according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the lowermost receptacle sits on a portion of said frame and a said second receptacle sits on said lowermost receptacle, means being provided for relatively positioning said receptacles.

7. A trolley according to Claim 6, wherein said positioning means comprise mating male and female members at the top and bottom of each said receptacle.

8. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base of at least an upper said receptacle is hinged to a side thereof so as to be pivotable into and out of position.

9. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said receptacles are of rectangular or square cross-section and adapted to be folded about their vertical edges when their bases are out of their normal position.

1 0. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said receptacle has a lid which is hingedly pivotable for covering and uncovering said receptacle.

11. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said receptacle is in the form of a wire basket.

12. A trolley constructed, arranged and adapted for use substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 1 or Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 3 June 1983.

Superseded claims 1.

New or amended claims:

1. A trolley comprising a first substantially rigid receptacle for goods and a second such receptacle separable from said first receptacle, the trolley having means for rolling it along a floor, said receptacles being arranged or adapted to be mounted one above the other, and to be secured together directly or via a frame, at least a portion of the base of at least one said receptacle being displaceable or removable and the arrangement being such that a user can first place goods in the bottom receptacle via the receptacle thereabove when at least a portion of the base of the latter is displaced or removed and thereafter place goods in said latter receptacle after placing the said base, or portion thereof, of the said latter receptacle in position.