GB2173455A - Reinforcement device for a trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

This device is intended for trolleys comprising a basket 1, a base 9 supporting this basket and consisting of at least two elements 10, 11 each comprising a pair of parallel wires 10a, 10b; 11a, 11b, each element 10, 11 having a support portion a fixed under the bottom 3 of the basket and at least one extension b, c effecting, under this support portion, the mounting and fastening of a lug 16 supporting a clevis 15 carrying a wheel 14 of the trolley. The present device comprises a crossbar 21 whose horizontal central portion (22, Fig. 3) is parallel to the bottom 3 of the basket between the two elements 10, 11, this crossbar extending outwards beyond each element as an extension 23, (24, Fig. 3) which is bent in relation to its central portion, is folded downwards, and has at its end an open loop 25 which is applied against the wires 10a, 10b or 11a, 11b constituting said element in order to fasten, between the two sides 26, 27 of the loop 25, a support plate 18 bolted against the support lug 16 of the clevis for the corresponding wheel. This device is intended for transport trolleys used in self-service shops. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Reinforcement device for a trolley This invention relates to a reinforcement device for a trolley, especially the type of trolley which is placed at the disposal of customers in self-service shops for transporting the products and goods selected. These trolleys are composed ofa large carrying basket situated at a certain height above a base on which the wheels are fixed, an operating handle being provided at the top of the rear end of the trolley.

For the purpose of reducing the space occupied by these trolleys when they are not in use, they are designed to be able to nest one in the other. To this end the vertical rear wall of the carrying basket is composed of a flap hinged at its top edge so as to be able to be raised to allow the engagement of the front end of the basket of another trolley. More- over, the base of these trolleys is also shaped to permit the nesting.of a number of trolleys in one another by engagement of each of them in the rear end of another trolley.

The basket constructed in this manner is supported on a support base, which in turn is provided with four wheels for the movement of the trolley, these wheels normally being carried by pivoting devises at the front of the trolley and by devises which are fixed or movable about a vertical axis at the rear of the trolley. Various types of base suitable for the purposes of the trolley may be used.In one more particularly advantageous construction, particularly of the type described in French Patent 82 20184 in the name of the Applicants, the base of the trolley is formed by two pairs of wires disposed one on each side of the side edges of the basket and suitably bent into shape, more particularly so as to form a central portion in a position close to the horizontal, this inclination being variable since it is necessary for the nesting of the trolleys. This portion is welded under the bottom face of the basket; it is extended by a front portion and a rear portion, which are respectively inclined downwards and which at their opposite ends are fastened to means carrying the trolley wheels.Because of the forces to which the trolley is subjected, and because of the shocks which it undergoes and the sometimes heavy loads which it has to bear when the basket is filled with products or goods, the wires forming the base, which are joined in pairs on each side of the basket, are generally spaced sufficiently far apart to allow one or more crossbars to extend between them in order to improve the rigidity of the base. Other constructions of a base of this kind have obviously also been considered by the Applicants, while retaining the principle of two pairs of wires welded under the basket and suitably extended to serve as a support for the fastening means of the devises for the trolley wheels.

More precisely with regard to these fastening means, a particularly-advantageous solution has already been described in French Patent 72 23501, likewise in the name of the Applicants, and is more particularly suitable for the case of a pivoting or fixed clevis, the top of which is provided with an attached part forming a vertical fastening lug whose bottom end carries a stud adapted to be engaged in an opening in the top of the wheel clevis to form the vertical axis of the latter, and the width of which corresponds to the distance existing between the two vertical wires belonging to the corresponding pair of wires in the trolley base.In particular, the fastening lug may thus be mounted between the ends of the two wires of a pair of wires forming one of the side elements of the base, this lug then being bolted to a suitable part disposed against the opposite face and in turn held between two small horizontal members welded on the ends of the vertical wires.

The present invention relates to an improvement made to trolleys of the type defined above, which consists of a device ensuring appreciable mechanical reinforcement of the base carrying the basket, while at the same time it facilitates the mounting and the fastening of the support means for the devises of the wheels of this trolley.

According to the present invention there is provided a reinforcement device for a trolley comprising a basket, a base supporting said basket and consisting of at least two elements each element being disposed under the basket near a respective one of its side edges and each comprising a pair of parallel wires, each element having a support portion fixed under the bottom of the basket and at least one extension, under the support portion for mounting and securing a lug supporting a clevis carrying a wheel of the trolley, said reinforcement device comprising a crossbar having a central horizontal portion which is disposed parallel to the bottom of the basket between the two elements of the base, the crossbar having an extension extending outwardly beyond each element and which is bent in relation to the central portion, and which is folded downwards, and which has at its end an open loop having two portions which engages the wires in order to fasten a support plate between the two portions of the loop, said support plate being adapted to be bolted to the support lug of the clevis for the corresponding wheel.

As the result of these arrangements, the reinforcing crossbar, forming a transverse support under the basket, at the same time effects, by means of its side extentions, the fastening of the plates on which the lugs of the corresponding wheel devises are bolted, each clevis being held between the two verti cally disposed ends of the pair of wires of a base element, on the one hand, and bolted against a plate secured between the two sides of the open loop of the crossbar extension, on the other hand. This results in greater simplicity of manufacture, with a substantial reduction of the cost price of the trolley, since in particular the welding to the ends of the wires of the two small horizontal members necessary for fastening-the plate is eliminated, these small members being directly replaced by the suitably shaped sides of the loop.

The reinforcing crossbar advantageously passes through the space formed in each element of the base between the two wires of the corresponding pair of wires, thus providing an additional stiffening force- for the base supporting- the basket.

In the usual way, the support elements of the base which is mounted under the basket are so arranged as to extend in directions slightly converging from the rear to-the front of the trolley. This being the case, according to an additional characteristic of the invention the extensions of the reinforcing crossbar beyond the two elements of the base. are bent substantially at right angles and folded over downwards in such a manner.as to bound, together with the pairs of wires of the base elements, two systems of a substantially triangular profile providing the base and the trolley with improved resistance to shocks-and giving the entire arrangement a certain lateral elasticity absorbed by the elastic deformation of these triangular systems Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a transport trolley for a self-service shop, provided with a reinforcement device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view in elevation showing from the side the structure of one of the elements of the support base of the- trolley shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view from above of the support base; and Figure 4 is a partial view in elevation -illus treating the mounting of a wheel of the trolley with the aid of the reinforcing device.

Figure 1 illustrates a trolley according to the invention, which in known manner comprises a carrying basket 1, the bottom of which is situated some distance above the ground, for example at a height between 35 and 45 centimetres. This basket is supported by a base mounted on four wheels, namely two wheels at the front and two wheels at the rear.

These wheels may or may not be orientable, at the choice of the user. The basket is composed of a first series of intercrossing wires 2 folded to form the sides and bottom 3 of this basket These wires 2 are in turn associated with a second series of wires 4 of the same nature, constituting side belts for stiffening the whole arrangement. These belts are disposed at different levels and provide particular resistance to shdcks resulting from the nesting of the trolleys in one another. The top belt 5 may be in the form of a welded wire or tube of rectangular profile in which the ends of the wires 2 are engaged or positioned, this belt thus preventing any risk of catching an object or causing injury with the top edge of the wires 2 of the basket of the trolley 1.

Likewise in the usual way, the trolley 1 is provided with a handle 6 enabling the user to steer it between the shelves of the shop, and, at the rear of the basket, with a pivoting door 7, the purpose of which is in particular to enable the trolleys to be nested in one another in a continuous line for storage purposes. In accordance with a conventional arrangement, the pivoting door 7 may furthermore be provided with a tipping system 8 forming a seat for carrying a child seated inside the basket 1.

The basket 1 of the trolley constructed in this manner is supported by a base 9, which in the example of embodiment illustrated in the Figure is composed in particular of two elements 10 and 11 respectively, disposed near the side edges of the basket and under the latter.

Each of the elements 10 and 11 is composed of a pair of wires 10a and 10b respectively, on the one hand, and 1 1a and 1 1b on the other hand, suitably spaced apart so as to accommodate crossbars 12 and 13 respectively, the crossbar 12 being mounted nearthe front of the base 9, while the crossbar 13 is fixed in the middle part of the base and has a central step permitting its fastening, particularly by welding, under the bottom 3 of the basket 1.

The base 9 supporting the basket 1 is mounted on wheels 14, which are four in number and are fixed two at the front and two at the rear. The two rear wheels are fixed to the ends of the elements 10 and 11 forming the base 9. Each of the rear wheels has a supporting clevis 15, which is extended bya lug 16, in accordance with an arrangement already described and claimed in French Patent 72.23501 in the name of the Applicants, the dimensions of which lugs are so determined that they can take up position exactly between the- parallel ends of the wires 10a and 10b, for example in the case of the element 10 of the base.

This lug 16, on which the clevis 15 of each wheel 14 is fixed, is secured by a system of screws and nuts or bolts 1 7 against a transverse plate 18 mounted one the other side of the lug 16 relative to the ends of the wires 10a and 10boon the one hand, and 1 lea and 11 b on the other hand, of the two elements of the base 9. The front wheels- are screwed to a flat bar 19 connected to the wires 10a, 10b, 11 a, 11 b by a folded-over portion 20 at their ends (Figure 2). This flat bar 19 is provided with square holes 1 9a visible in Figure 3, which are adapted to receive the front wheels with the aid of a rod and nuts or bolts.

According to the invention, in the transport trolley shown in Figure 1 use is made of a reinforcing device which on the one hand enables the trolley to be given improved resistance to the shocks which it undergoes in the course of its use, and on the other hand facilitates the mounting of the means for fixing the wheels 14 to the ends of the base elements, in particular without having to attach, at least on the rear wheels of the trolley, the lengths of transverse wires for securing the support plates.

For this purpose, as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 more particularly, the base 9 of the trolley in question is associated with an additional crossbar 21 comprising a central portion 22 extending under the bottom 3 of the basket 1 and in particular passing through the space bounded between the pairs of wires 10a and 1Ob or 1 1a and 11b of the elements 10 and 11 of the base.

Beyond these elements 10 and 11, the crossbar 21 has two extensions 23 and 24 respectively, which are bent over at right angles in relation to the central portion 22 (Figure 3) and also folded over downwards in the direction of the corresponding wheels, as illustrated in particular in Figures 2 and 4.

In the example of embodiment under discussion, each of the elements 10 and 11 of the base 9 is constructed in accordance with the arrangements already envisaged in French Patent 82 20184 in the name of the Applicants, and comprises in particular three portions schematically indicated by the references a, b and c in Figure 2, the central portion a, which is fixed under the bottom 3 of the basket 1 by welding or other connection means, being extended by the portion b towards the front of the trolley and by the portion c towards the rear of the latter, the elements 10 and 11 being in addition, as shown in Figure 3, disposed under the trolley with slight convergence from the rear to the front of the latter.

As the result of these arrangements, it can be seen that the reinforcing crossbar 21 delimits by means of its lateral extensions 23 and 24, beyond the elements 10 and 11 in relation to its central portion 22, two systems of generally triangular shape which, during the operation of the trolley, not only provide better stiffening of the support base 9 of the trol!ey but also make it possible to impart to it a certain transverse elasticity, thus absorbing more effectively the shocks and vibrations which it undergoes during its use.

In the example illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, each extension of the reinforcing crossbar 21, in particular the extension 23 in these Figures, is provided at its end with an open loop 25, the sides of which are directly bounded by two portions, 26 and 27 respectively, of said extension.

These portions 26 and 27 can thus, as illustrated in Figure 4, effect the securing of the plate 18 which with the aid of the bolts 17 fastens the wheel 14 to the bottom end of the corresponding element of the base 9 by holding the lug 16 extending the clevis 15 of the wheel in question.

In the example described only the rear wheels 14 of the trolley, which are assumed to be provided with pivoting devises, are thus fastened on the ends c of the elements 10 and 11 of the base 9 by means of the open loop extensions 25 of the reinforcing crossbar 21. As an alternative it would of course be possible to provide a similar arrangement for mounting the front wheels of the trolley, by eliminating here also the lengths of transverse wires 19 and 20 attached to the ends of the wires 10 and 11 of the corresponding element at the end of the portion b of the latter.

Similarly, it is obvious that the particular shape of the base shown in the example described, comprising two side elements with a central portion fixed under the basket and two end portions extending this central portion and directed downwards, could be arranged differently, provided that the elements constituting this base comprise two pairs of wires bounding between them, at their end, a space in which the lug extending the clevis supporting the wheels of the trolley engages exactly.

Whatever the configuration given to the elements of the trolley base, it is in fact always possible to attach a crossbar under the basket and, in accordance with the invention, to extend this crossbar by an open loop which is fastened against the ends of the wires of the base elements in order to secure the plates which are to be bolted against the extension lugs of the devises of the trolley wheels.

Consequently, it is obvious that the invention is not in any way limited to the example of embodiment more particularly envisaged above; on the contrary, it embraces all variants thereof.

Claims (4)

1. A reinforcement device for a trolley comprising a basket, a base supporting said basket and consisting of at least two elements each element being disposed under the basket near a respective one of its side edges and each comprising a pair of parallel wires, each element having a support portion fixed under the bottom of the basket and at least one extension, under the support portion for mounting and securing a lug supporting a clevis carrying a wheel of the trolley, said reinforcement device comprising a crossbar having a central horizontal portion which is disposed parallel to the bottom of the basket between the two elements of the base, the crossbar having an extension extending outwardly beyond each element and which is bent in relation to the central portion, and which is folded downwards, and which has at its end an open loop having two portions which engages the wires in order to fasten a support plate between the two portions of the loop, said support plate being adapted to be bolted to the support lug of the clevis for the corresponding wheel.

2. A reinforcement device according to Claim 1, in which the crossbar passes through the space formed between the parallel wires of each element.

3. A reinforcement device according to Claim 2, wherein the extensions of the crossbar beyond the two elements of the base are bent substantially at right angles and folded over downwards in such a manner as to bound, together with the parallel wires of the base elements, two systems of a substantially triangular shape.

4. A reinforcement device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.