GB2222558A

GB2222558A - Load-handling trolley

Info

Publication number: GB2222558A
Application number: GB8919272A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Taylor; Gerald Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-27
Filing date: 1989-08-24
Publication date: 1990-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-24
Also published as: GB8820423D0; GB2222558B; GB8919272D0

Abstract

The trolley has two transversely spaced-apart wheels 12 interconnected by a frame 10 having an elevated central section 28 so that the trolley wheels can straddle a load which is lifted by a pulley block 42 connected to a winch 34 mounted on a longitudinally extending central member 22 of the frame. The lifting point of the pulley block is disposed vertically above the axis of the wheels so that the loaded trolley is substantially balanced and capable of being manually wheeled to a desired position. The rear of the frame is provided with two castor wheels 32 to restrict rearward tipping movement of the trolley and facilitate manual movement of the trolley and the front of the frame is provided with two supports 30 to restrict forward tipping movement of the trolley. <IMAGE>

Description

"A load-handling trolley This inventior relates to a load-handling trolley and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a trolley for the lifting and transportation of heavy loads in any industry, such as on construction or building sites.

On, for example, construct ion or building sites, it is usual for materials to be delivered to a convenient delivery point to which vehicular access can obtained. It is then necessary to transport these materials fro the delivery point to the location in which they are to be used and this normll involves á. considerable amount of manual labcur utilising devices such as, for example, conventional whellbarrows however1 where the materials are heavy and of an inconvenient size or shape, such as rolled steel joists or baulk of timber their transportation from a delivery point to the location on site where the are to be used creates difficulties and involves the utilisation of a considerable amount of man power in lifting and carrying these materials.These transportation problems are difficult to overcome by merely resorting to the conventional expedient of placing such joists or baulks of timber transversely across a wheelbarrow, particularly when they have to be moved through areas of restricted width such as, door openings or the like.

The object of this invention is to provide a trolley which alleviates the above difficulties and facilitates the on site lifting and transportation of heavy materials.

According to this invention, a load-handling trolley comprises at least two transversely spaced-apart ground engaging wheels, a frame inter-connecting the wheels having an elevated portion to enable the trolley to be positioned over a load with the wheels on each side thereof, and a load lifting device for lifting and suspending the load beneath the elevated portion of the frame, wherein the load suspension point is disposed in substantial vertical alignment with the ground engaging areas of the wheels so that the loaded trolley is balanced Cl substantially balanced to facilitate manual movement thereof.

Preferably, the load suspension point is disposed substantially midway between the wheels.

Preferably, also, the load-lifting device comprises a winch which may be manually or, alternatively, power-operated.

The winch is, preferably, mounted on the frame and has a winch cable extending therefrom which passes around a pulley rotatably mounted on the trolley, around a pulley block having a hook forming the load suspension point and the free end of the cable is connected to the trolley adjacent to the pulley.

Preferably, also, the frame includes a longitudinally extending member disposed centrally of the whe projection on at least one side Of the axis of rcta~;on of the wheels to form a handle by means of which the trolley can be wheeled and steered by an operative.

The lonsitudinal extending member, preferably, project- on both sides of the axis of rotation of the wheels.

Preferably, an additional load connection point is provided which is disposed centrally between the wheels of the trolley and at the opposite end of the lonEitudinally extending member to he handle.

Preferably, also, two transversely spaced-arart ground engaging supports are provided on each side of the axis of rotation of the wheels t limit tilting of the trolley about the wheels axis A castor type wheel is, preferably, mounted on each u-ne of the support on the side of the axis of rotation of the wheels adjacent to the handle to facilitate steering of the trolley during movement thereof in both the loaded and un-loaded condition.

Preferably, the height of each castor type wheel is adjustable relatively to the ground.

Preferably, also, the frame comprises two spacedapart side assemblies inter-connected at their ends by respective transversely extending cross-members to form a structure which is substantially square or rectangular in plan view he side assemblies of the frame of the trolley are, preferably, releasably connected together to enable the width of the trolley to be adjusted and/or enable the trolley to be at least partially dismantled.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a load-handling trolley with part omitted for the sake of clar i*y.

Referring now to the drawing, a trolley for the lifting and transportation of heavy loads comprises a frame indicated generally at 10 having twc transversely spaced-apart ground engaging wheeled 12.

The wheels 12 are mounted respectively on the lower ends of a substantially inverted U-shaped section 14 of box sect on indicated generally at is of the frame 10 with the a,es of rotation of the wheels 12 extending transversely of the trolley.

The ends of the upper portions of the box sections 16 are respectively releasably connected together by transversely extending cross members 18 forming a structure which is substantially rectangular in plan view.

A strengthening cross member 20 is releasably connected between the rear of the box sections 16 at a level below the top thereof and a similar strengthening cr Os member (not shc-.r. is releasably connected between the front of the box sect iOnS 20. The strengthening cross member 20 and the one cross member (not shown) are provided with alternative mounting points adjacent to the lower ends of the box sect ions 16 to form a support on which a raised load of convenient shape can be carried.

A central longitudinally extending member 22 is connected to the cross-members 18 of the frame 10 and projects beyond the rectangular structure to form a handle 24 b means of which the trolley is steered islet being manually propelled Two downwardly depending supports 26 are releasably connected tr the box section 16 from each side of an elevated portion 26 of the member 22.

The lower ends of the front of each of the box sect ions 16 extend downwardly to form ground engaging supports 3O to limit forward tilting of the trolley about the axis of the wheels 12. The rear of each of the box sections 16 has an adjustable height castor type wheel 32 mounted thereon to limit rearward tilting of the trolley about the axis of the wheels 12 and facilitate steering thereof.

A manually-operated winch 34 is mounted on the member 22 adjacent to the handle 24. The winch cable 36 extends around pulleys 38 and 40 rotatably mounted on the member 22 and then passes around a pulley block 42 having a hook 4 forming a load attachment point before being secured to a pin 46 on the member 22.

The load attachment point formed by the hook 44 is disposed vertically above the axis of rotation of the wheels 12 so that the loaded trolley is substantially balanced to facilitate manual movement thereof.

An additional hook 48 forming an alternative load attachment point is connected to the end of the member 22 remote from the handle 24.

In operation, when a load such as, for example, one of a stack of rolled steel joists (not shown! has to be moved on a construction site from a delivery or storage point to the location where it is to be used, a sling (not shown) is passed around the particular joist in the stack.

The trolley is wheeled into a position adjacent to the stack and the end of the sling (not shown) are connected to the hook 48. The operative is able to exert a downward force on the handle 24 of the member 22 of the trolley, which acts as a lever pivoting about the wheels 12, to lift the joist and draw it from the stack by appropriate movement of the trolley.

Once the particular joist to be transported by the trolley is in a convenient position, the sling is disconnected from the hook 48 and re-connected to the hook 44 after the 'trolley has been wheeled into a position in which the joist is between the wheels 12 and extends longitudinally beneath the member 22.

The winch 34 is then operated to raise the hock 44 and suspend 1 the joist clear of the ground beneath the trolley. At this time the trolley is resting on the wheels 12 and the castor type wheels 32. The positioning of the hook 44, which forms the load suspension point, above the wheels 12 results in the load being carried substantially by the wheels 12 and facilitates steering of the trelley as only a small part of the load is imposed on the caster type wheels 32 which car. thus, if required, be lifted lea: cf the ground as the trolley is wheeled analog.The lo@ation of the joist between the whells 12 of the trolley and extending lor.gitudinally thereof enables openings of restricted width to be easily negotiated provided of course they are suffisiently wide for the wheel s 1 2 of the trolley to pass therethrough.

The manual effort required to lift the load ie minimised by the design of the trolley making. it necessary to only lift the load a short distance clear of the ground and it can be further reduced by replacing the manually-operated winch 34 with a power-operated winch.

The width of the trolley can changed to accommodate different working conditions such as, for example, where narrow openings have to be traversed by either providing cross members 18 and 20 and supports 26 of different lengths or by providing adjustable length telescopic members and supports.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated the trolley is capable of being wholly or partially releasably connected together to enable the trolley to be wholly or partially dismantled for ease of transportation of the trolley, for example, between different construction sites where it is to be used, or even enabling the trolley to be carried as part of load-handling equipment on a vehicle or in the boot of motor car.

Although, the trolley has been described, in relation to the h-nd'ing of heavy elongate loads such as rolled steel joists, on for example a construction site, it will be appreciated that it could be used in any industrial or other application for the transportation of a multiplicity of types of loads depending upon the types of load attachment devices used, without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

What we claim is

1. A load-handling trolley comprising at least two transversely spaced-apart ground engaging wheels, a frame inter-connecting the wheels having an elevated portion to enable the trolley to be positioned over a load with the wheels on each side thereof, and a load lifting device for lifting and suspending the load beneath the elevated portion of the frame1 wherein the load suspension point is disposed in substantial vertical alignment with the ground engaging areas of the wheels so that the loaded trolley is balanced or substantially balanced to facilitate manual movement thereof.

2. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 1, wherein the load suspension point is disposed substantially midway between the wheels.

3. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the load-lifting device comprises a winch which is manually operated.

4. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the winch is power-operated.

5. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the winch is mounted on the frame and has a winch cable extending therefrom which passes around a pulley rotatably mounted on the trolley, around a pulley block having a hook forming the load suspension point and the free end of the cable is connected to the trolley adjacent to the pulley.

6. A load handling trolley according to any one of the preceding claims1 wherein the frame includes a longitudinally extending member disposed centrally of the wheels and projecting on at least one side of the axis of rotation of the wheels to form a handle by means of which the trolley can be wheeled and steered by an operative.

7. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 6, wherein the longitudinal extending member projects on both sides of the axis of rotation of the wheels.

8. A load-handling trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an additional load connection point is provided which is disposed centrally between the wheels of the trolley and at the opposite end of the longitudinally extending member to the handle.

9. A load-handling trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two transversely spaced-apart ground engaging supports are provided on each side of the axis of rotation of the wheels to limit tilting of the trolley about the wheels axis.

10. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 9, wherein a castor type wheel is mounted on each one of the supports on the side of the axis of rotation of the wheels adjacent to the handle to facilitate steering of the trolley during movement thereof in both the loaded and un-loaded condition.

11. A load- handling trolley according to Claim 10, wherein the height of each castor type wheel is adjustable relatively to the ground.

12. A load-handling trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame comprises two spacedapart side assemblies inter-connected at their ends by respective transversely extending cross-members to form a structure which is substantially square or rectangular in plan view.

13. A load-handling trolley according to Claim 12, wherein the side assemblies of the frame of the trolley are releasably connected together to enable the width of the trolley to be adjusted and/or enable the trolley to be at least partially dismantled.

14. A load-handling trolley constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawing.