GB2183564A - A shopping trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley for use in particular by customers of self-service stores has a transverse partition 12 mounted within the trolley basket 2 and joined to the side walls of the basket by means of hinge-type articulation members 15 so as to delimit with the front wall of the basket a suitably dimensioned locker 11 compartment with a lid 17 hinged on the top edge of the partition. The edge of the lid which is remote from the partition is provided with a latch 25 for securing the lid to the front wall of the trolley basket in order to effect temporary closure of the locker compartment. It is intended that customers should lock their shopping etc bags in the locker whilst shopping, the locker being opened at the check out area, with the aim of preventing shoplifting and also to protect the customers personal possessions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A carrier trolley, especially for customers of self-service stores The present invention relates to carriertrolleys placed at the disposal of customers of self-service stores. Trolleys of this type are used fortransporting selected products and objects to pay-desk checkout stands which are located at the store exit and at which such products are paid for and the trolleys are then left on the premises. A typical trolley consists of a large carrier basket located at a predetermined heightwith respect to a base frame on which wheels are fixed, a handle-bar being provided at the top rear end of the unit for directing the trolley between the display stands.

In a conventional design, the trolley basket consists of a lafticeworkstructure of rigid wires extending in two perpendicular directions on each side and at the bottom ofthe basket. As a rule, the top face of the basket is completely open, thereby enabling the userto gain free access to the interior of the basket so that the products or articles to be transported can readily be deposited therein. The open top face is preferably delimited by a peripheral metal rod in which oragainstwhich are fixed the ends ofthe vertical wires of the lattice structure forming the sides of the basket.

It is also known that, in accordance with the basic principle of sales organization in self-service stores, customers are free to walk about at will between the product display stands on which they help themselves according to requirements. Checking of the nature and quantities of goods thus selected as well as payment ofthe corresponding price are carried out at the store exit by compulsory passage of each customer's trolley in front of a pay-desk checkout stand. At this location, the customer extracts the products from the basket while the cashier operates a suitable machine in orderto computethetotal sum to be paid.

As a result ofthis system, thefts frequently occur in large-area stores of this type, in particular by reason of the fact that supervision is mainly limited to the cash registers and checkout areas. It has been found by experience thatthese thefts represent in the aggregate a not-negligible percentage of business turnover and inflict a considerable loss on the store operator.

Similarly, experience has proved that a substantial proportion of stolen goods consists of objects surreptitiously concealed by unscrupulous customers in bags or like accessories which are carried in the hand. However, for obvious reasons which are both psychological and even legal, a cashier is not normally able or entitled to request a customer to open hand-held bags at the exit of the store in order to inspecttheircontents.

It is also known that, in certain public places such as, for example, museums, assembly rooms, theatres and soon, visitors or users are required by custom and even by regulations to leave handbags and other personal effects of a similartypewith a cloakroom attendant at the entrance of the premises, such articles being naturally returned to their owners when they leave. In the case of a self-service store, however, a system ofthistypeforcentralized safekeeping of personal effects is impracticable on account of the large number of customers who frequentthe store as well as on grounds ofeconomic feasibility, togetherwith the fact that it is desirableto minimize the extent to which customers are subjected to personal constraints.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved carriertrolley having an individual locker compartment so that each customer is consequently asked at the time oftaking a trol ley for su bsequent pu rchasi ng of goods to place personal effects such as hangbags, briefcases or like accessories within the locker compartment of the trolley. The compartment is then locked automatically by the customer or by a store employee who delivers trolleys and can be subsequently opened only when the customer has completed his or her purchases and is ready to pay forthem in frontof one ofthe checkoutstands atthe store exit. An individual locker compartment adapted to each trolley therefore provides the store with a means of protection against theft by unscrupulous customers.At the same time, this device makes it possible to protect the users themselves, especially when theywalkup and down the aisles of a store and their attention is caught by products offered for sale on the display shelves, thus facilitating the task of thieves or pickpockets whose precise object isto try to make profitable use of such moments of inattention in order to grab handbags and steal loose coins, banknotes or any other forms of legal tender which they may contain. When placed within the locker compartment of the trolley prior to locking, such handbags or like accessories in fact become inaccessible u nti I the time the customer leaves the store.

In accordance with the invention, the trolley under consideration comprises a carrier basket of generally parallelepipedal shape supported by a base frame and delimited by solid walls or latticeworkwalls of rigid wires, the top face of said basket being entirely open for loading the trolley. The invention is distinguished bythefactthatsaidtrolleyhasa transverse partition mounted within the basket and joined to the side walls ofthis latter by means of hinge-type articulation members so asto delimit with the front wall of the basket a suitably dimensioned compartment provided with a lid which is supported by said transverse partition atthe upper end thereof in the vicinity of the open face of the basket and which is pivotally mounted on said partition.The edge of the lid which is remote from the partition is provided with a latch for securing said iid to the frontwall of the basket in orderto effect temporary closure of said compartment.

As a n an advantageousfeature,the latch comprises a push-rod subjected to the action of a main spring and provided with an operating head for causing the push-rod to slide within a latch body enclosing a locking catch which is continuously urged by a complementaryspring againstthesurfaceofthe push-rod. The portion of said push-rod which passes through the latch body is provided with a circular groove in which the locking catch engages in a suitable position of the push-rod and securely retains said push-rod which is opposite to the operating head and has the function of a locking-bolt projects externally of the latch body and engages in a locking recess provided in a hook carried by the hinged lid and adapted to fit overthe front wall ofthe basket.

The latch body is also provided with a keyhole in which is movably mounted a lug actuated by a key inserted in said keyhole, said lug being capable of thrusting-backthe locking catch in opposition to the complementary spring and releasing the push-rod which accordingly withdraws its locking-bolt from the locking recess under the action of the main spring.

Preferably, the hook carried by the hinged lid has a bent sheet-metal memberwhose bottom portion is applied against a rigid peripheral rod which delimits the open top face ofthe basket.

The trolley in accordance with the invention is thus provided with an automatic locking device which is fixed on the hinged lid and can readily be operated by employees who delivertrolleys or by the users themselves afterthey have placed within the trolley locker any bags such as handbags, briefcases and other personal effects or accessories which users may desire to protect or which could otherwise serve to conceal goods.

When purchases have been made, the user passes in frontofthe checkout stand and cash register at the exit of the store. The cashier or any other authorized person who possesses the key to the trolley locker will naturally ask the customer to retrieve his or her bag and the like and will accordingly release the latch. It is then possible to gain free access to the trolley locker by swinging backthe hinged lid.

As an advantageous feature, the transverse partition is designed in the same manner as the side walls ofthe basket and is formed by a latticework structure of rigid wires, the contour ofthe transverse partition being delimited by a bent tubular member.

In accordance with a particularfeature ofthe invention,thetransverse partition is provided atthe fower end thereof with a bent-back portion for attachment to the lattice wires which form the bottom wall of the basket. In addition,thetransverse partition is preferably secu red to the side walls ofthe basket in such a manner as to permit relative pivotal displacement by means of undetachable strap-hinge coupling members for connecting the benttubular member ofthe transverse partition to one ofthe wires ofthe lattice structure which forms each side wall of the basket.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the transverse partition is provided with four strap-hinge coupling members spaced in pairs on the basket in the vertical direction and at each end of said transverse partition. The strap-hinge coupling members are mounted in such a manner as to permit a slight relative displacement either in the forward or rearward direction with respect to the basket so as to permit pivotal displacement of the lid.It is in fact by virtue ofthis relative displacement that the lid can either be completely turned-back againstthe transverse partition in the non-utilization position or else, after lifting and forward displacement of the transverse partition, turned-back in such a manner as to ensure that the hook carried by said lid engages overthe front edge of the peripheral rod of the basket prior to locking of the latch in the closed position.

Other distinctive features and advantages of an improved carrier trolley as designed and constructed in accordance with the invention will become apparent from the following description of one embodimentwhich is given by waxy example and not in any sense byway of limitation, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:: Figure lisa diagrammaticview in perspective showing a carriertrolleydesigned in accordance with the invention and primarily intended for use in self-service stores; Figure2 and 3 are respectively a side view and a top view which illustrate the front portion ofthe carriertrolley and more especially the construction of a locker compartment atthe front end ofthetrolley basket, said compartment being delimited by a transverse partition and a hinged lid; Figure4 is a view with parts broken away showing a particular embodiment of a latch mechanism designed for use in a trolley in accordance with the invention.

As shown in Figure 1,thetrolleywhich isgenerally designated by the reference 1 follows standard practice in the structural design of this type of apparatus. The trolley thus consists of a large basket apparatus. The trolley thus consists of a large basket 2 supported on a base frame 3 fitted with wheels 4for moving thetrolley along the ground while being guided by means of a handle-bar 5 mounted atthe top and to the rear of the basket 2.

The trolley basket is formed by means of a latticeworkstructure of rigid wires designated respectively by the references 6 and 7 and extending in two directions at right angles to each other so asto constitute the front wall (AV), the rear wall (AR) and the side walls (L1 and L2) as well as the bottom wall (F) of said trolley basket. The top face of the basket is completely open, thus making it possible to load or unload the products or objects to be transported within the trolley basket. The contour of said top face is delimited by a rigid peripheral rod 8 in which or against which are fixed the ends ofthe vertical wires 6 of the lattice structure constituting the four side walls ofthetrolley basket. In addition, said basket is securely maintained and joined to the base frame 3 by means of lateral strengthening members 9 and cross-members 10, thus endowing the trolley basket with a satisfactory degree of rigidity.

In accordance with the invention, a carriertrolley 1 as thus constructed is provided in the vicinity of its front end (AV) with a locker compartment 11 which makes it possible in particularto place an object such as a bag S within this trolley basket compartment (as shown in Figure 2) and to lock the bag within this latter in orderto ensure that it can neither be used nor stolen while the trolley is being wheeled by a customer.

The locker compartment 11 is delimited buy a transverse partition 12 which extends in a parallel direction and at a suitable distance to the rearwith respect to the front wall (AV) of the trolley basket 2.

Said compartment is preferably formed by a latticeworkstructure of wires 13 which is similar to the structure ofthe side walls of the basket 2, the contour of said partition 12 being delimited buy a bent tubular member 14. The partition 12 is pivotally attached to the side walls L1 and L2 ofthetrolley basket by means of strap-hinge members 1 5 for connecting the peripheral tubular member 14totwo vertical wires 6 of the lattice structure of the side walls L1 and L2.Said strap-hinge coupling members 15 are preferably four in number and spaced in pairs on each vertical side of the peripheral tubular member 14 and are so arranged asto permit a slight relative displacement of the partition 12 in the forward or rearward direction with respect to the trolley basket for reasons which will be explained hereinafter. As an optional feature, the bottom portion ofthe peripheral member 14 can be provided with a hook 1 6 engaged in one of the lattice wires which constitute the bottom wall (F) ofthe trolley basket 2.

In addition, a hinged lid 17 is pivotally mounted on the partition 12 and in particular on the top portion of the peripheral tubular member 14 of said partition.

Said lid has two lateral arms 18 and 19 each terminating in a closed loop designated respectively by the references 20 and 21, said closed loop being engaged on the peripheral member 14so asto permit free pivotal displacement of the lid 17. The two lateral arms 18 and 19 are connected to each other by means of two tubes 22 and 23 braced by rigid wires 24 which are sufficiently closely spaced to prevent any possibility of gaining accesstothe interior of the locker compartment 11 when the lid 17 isturned down to reston thetop edge ofthefront wall (AV) of the trolley basket as illustrated in Figure 3without, however, preventing a clearviewofthe bag (S) or like accessory which is enclosed within said locker compartment (as shown in Figure 2).In addition, the lid 17 is adapted to carry a latch 25 described in detail below and so arranged as to be capable of cooperating with a hook-shaped member 26 carried by the tube 23. In the closed position of the locker compartment 17, said member 26 is intended to fit over that portion of the peripheral rod 8 which is located at the level of the front wall (AV) ofthetrolley basket2.

Figure 4 illustrates in greater detail one practical form of construction of the latch 25 which is given by way of example. This latch mainly comprises an axial push-rod 27 provided with an extension in the direction of the rear wall (AR) ofthe trolley basket 2 in the form of a T-shaped operating head 28, an oppositely-acting spring 29 being mounted around the central portion of said operating head. Said spring 29 is applied at one end against the head 28 and at the other end against a bearing surface 30 of a latch body 31 provided with an axial bore 32 in which the corresponding portion of the push-rod 27 is capable of sliding freely.At the end remote from the head 28 and directed towards the front wall (AV), the push-rod 27 has a projecting portion 33 forming a locking-bolt which, in the closed position ofthe lid 17, is capable of penetrating into a hole 34 having the function of a locking-recess and formed in the oppositely-facing front portion of the hook-shaped member 26. Engagement ofthe locking-bolt in said recess takes place after it has been caused to pass across the opposite space delimited between two vertical wires 6 ofthe lattice structure which constitutes the front wall (AV) ofthe trolley basket beneath the top peripheral rod 8 of this latter.

In order to render the locking-bolt 33 motionless within the locking recess 34 while locking the axial rod 27 in the corresponding position, a locking catch 35 is placed transversely within a cavity 36 formed in the latch body 31. In the vicinity of the rod 27, said locking catch 35 has a tapered portion 37 which is capable of coming into abutting contact with a portion of reduced cross-section or annular groove 38 which is machined in said rod with an adjacent chamfered portion 39.

The locking catch 35 also has a lateral extension 40 provided on the one side with a housing 41 which serves as a bearing recess for a small complementary spring 42, the opposite end of said spring being applied against a bearing face 43 formed in the latch body 31. An actuating lug 44 is rigidly fixed to a cylindrical turret 45 which is pivotally mounted within an opening 46 forming a keyhole. The lug 44 is actuated by a key (not shown in the drawings). Depending on its position within the lock, said lug produces action on the extension 40 of the locking catch 35so asto thrust-backthis latter in opposition to the spring 42, thus freeing the tapered portion 37from the annular groove 38.In this situation, the axial rod 27 which has been released from the locking catch is capable of sliding freely within its axial bore 32 under the action of the spring 29, whereupon the locking-bolt 33 moves out ofthe locking recess 34 of the hook-shaped member 26, thus permitting pivotal displacementofthe lid 17 and making it possibleto gain access to the locker compartment 11.

Conversely, when a bag S or other accessory of the sametype has been placed within the locker compartment 1 1 and the userthen desiresto close this latter, the lid is swung down so as to rest on the trolley basket, with the resultthatthe hook-shaped member 26 engages over the peripheral rod 8. In this position, a thrust exerted on the head 28 of the latch 25 has the effect of compressing the spring 29 and moving the tapered portion 37 of the catch 35 in front of the chamfered portion 39, then opposite to the annulargroove38 in which said tapered portion engages underthe action of the spring 42. In this position, the locking-bolt 33 is securely maintained in position within the recess 34 and locks the compartment lid 17.

As can readily be understood from Figure 3, the design concept of the strap-hinge coupling members 15 mounted between the edges of the partition 12 and the side walls (Li) and (L2) ofthetrolley basket2 is such that the partition 12 is capable of undergoing a slight relative displacement in the forward or rearward direction with respect to the trolley basket.

This relative displacement takes place in pivotal motion aboutthewire memberofthe bottom wall (F) on which the bent-back portion 16 shown in Figure 2 is engaged. In the position in which the partition is displaced towards the rear wall (AR), the width of the locker compartment 11 is sufficient to ensure thatthe compartment lid 17 can be swung down againstthe partition,thus leaving the compartment in a fully open position. In orderto close the locker, the lid 17 is first lifted and then broughtto the position illustrated in Figure 2. During this movement, the hook-shaped portion 26 passes over the front edge ofthe peripheral rod 80fthefrontwall (AV)without any difficulty. The partition is then advanced towards said front wall (AV).Once the lid has reached the fully closed position, the hook-shaped portion 26 then fits overthe peripheral rod 8 and permits locking ofthe compartment lid in the manner which has been indicated earlier.

There is thus provided an improved trolley in which a compartment arranged by means of very simple elements serves asian individual lockerfor each user. Locking ofthis compartment can be performed bythe useror any authorized person whenever usertakes a trolleyforthe purpose of making purchases in the store. However, opening of the same locker compartment can normally take place only at the time of passing ofthetrolley in front of the checkout stand and cash register located atthe exit end of the store. Unlocking of the compartment is performed by a store employee who possesses the key which is essential for this operation.

As will be readily apparent, the invention is not limited solelyto the example of construction which has been more especially described with reference to the accompanying drawings but extends on the contrary to all alternative forms of construction. In particular,theprincipleofan individual trolley locker could readily be adapted to other types of carriage or like devices designed for a number of different purposes. Similarly, a useful alternative could consist in using full sheet metal forthe construction of both the transverse partition and the side walls of the trolley. The locker formed between sheet metal elements of this type could thus constitute a lockable luggage compartment or the like.

Claims (8)

1. Acarriertrolleyfor use in particular by customers of self-service stores, comprising a carrier basket of generally parallelepipedal shape supported by a base frame and delimited by solid walls or latticeworkwalls of rigid wires, the top face of said basket being entirely open for loading the trolley, atransverse partition mounted within the trolley basket and joined to the side walls of said basket by means of hinge-type articulation members so asto delimit with the front wall of the basket a suitably dimensioned compartment provided with a lid which is supported by said transverse partition at the upper end thereof in the vicinity ofthe open face ofthe trolley basket and which is pivotally mounted on said partition, characterized in thatthe compartment lid is pivotally mounted on the partition along one of its edges, the opposite edge of said lid being provided with a latch adapted to co-operate with the front wall ofthe trolley basket in orderto effect temporary closure of said compartment, said latch being closed atwill bya trolley userin orderto enclose an objectwithin said compartment and being subsequently opened solely by means of a special device and preferably at the moment of presentation of the trolley at the store exit in front ofthe pay-desk checkout stand.

2. Acarriertrolleyinaccordancewithclaim 1, characterized in thatthe latch comprises a push-rod subjectedtotheaction of a mainspring and provided with an operating head for causing the push-rod to slide within a latch body enclosing a locking catch which is continuously urged by a complementary spring againstthe surface of the push-rod, that portionofsaidpush-rodwhich passesthroughthe latch body being provided with a circular groove in which the locking catch engages in a suitable position ofthe push-rod and securely retains said push-rod so that the end of said push-rod which is opposite to the operating head and has thefunction of a locking-bolt projects externally ofthe latch body and engages in a locking recess provided in a hook carried bythe hinged lid and adapted to fit overthe front wall ofthe trolley basket.

3. A carriertrolley in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the latch body is provided with a keyhole in which is movably mounted a lug actuated buy a key inserted in said keyhole, said lug being capable ofthrusting-backthe locking catch in opposition to the complementary spring and releasing the push-rod which accordingly withdraws its locking-bolt from the locking recess underthe action ofthe main spring.

4. A carriertrolley in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the hook is carried bythe hinged lid and the bottom portion of said hook is applied against a rigid peripheral rod which delimits the open top face of the trolley basket.

5. A carriertrolley in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transverse partition is designed in the same manner as the side walls ofthe trolley basket and isformed buy a lattice-work structure of rigid wires, the contour of the transverse partition being delimited bya bent tubular member.

6. A carriertrolley in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transverse partition is provided atthe lower end thereof with a bent-back portion for attachment to the lattice wires which form the bottom wall ofthe trolley basket.

7. A carriertrolley in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the partition is pivotally attached to the side walls of the trolley basket by means of undetachable strap-hinge coupling members for connecting the bent tubular member of the transverse partition to one ofthe wires of the lattice structure which forms each side wall of the trolley basket.

8. A carrier trolley in accordance with claim 7, characterized in thatthe transverse partition is provided with four strap-hinge coupling members spaced in pairs on the trolley basket in the vertical direction and at each end of said transverse partition, said strap-hinge coupling members being mounted in such a manner as to permit a slight relative displacement of the partition either in the forward or rearward direction with respect to the trolley basket so asto permit pivotal displacement of the lid.