GB2223206A

GB2223206A - Trolley with demountable wheels

Info

Publication number: GB2223206A
Application number: GB8920958A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Raynor Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-15
Filing date: 1989-09-15
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Also published as: GB8920958D0; GB8822058D0

Abstract

The trolley (10) which is suitable for carrying large rectangular containers such as a fishing box is formed from a tubular frame (11) to which a pair of wheels (12) can be removably attached, one at each side of the frame (11). The wheels (12) are secured in position, in use, by a pair of locking rods (31) which extend through side bars (17, 18) of the frame (11) to engage a recess (29) in the wheel spindle (26). A handle (13) can also be removably attached to the frame (11) to permit easy movement of the trolley (10). <IMAGE>

Description

A DEMOUNTABLE TROLLEY This invention relates to a demountable trolley particularly although not necessarily for use in the transportation of rectangular containers, e.g. a fishing box.

It is common to use a trolley or other carrying aid when transporting large containers such as a fishing box or the like. However, the problem arises with known trolleys of this kind in that it may not be possible to dismantle the trolley or to arrange for the same to fold into a compact enough form whereby it can be easily stored or transported in the boot of a vehicle, without occupying a large proportion of the space provided therein.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trolley which is capable of being readily dismantled and assembled and which when assembled forms a stable and secure structure.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided a demountable trolley comprising a body part, one or more wheels attached to said body part and a handle with which said trolley can be moved, wherein said one or more wheels and said handle are removably mounted on said body part and the trolley further comprises locking means adapted to locate in said body and engage said wheels thereby to secure such to said body part.

With this arrangement it is possible to provide a trolley which is both secure and stable and can be readily dismantled into a compact form for storage.

Preferably two wheels are provided, one mounted on each side of said body part. Each said wheel may have a spindle projecting transverely from the centre thereof and said body part may be suitably adapted to locate each said spindle thereby to mount said wheels on said body part. The adaptation of the body part may comprise a hollow tubular element secured to each side of the body part which can receive the spindle of a respective wheel.

Each spindle may have a circumferential recess provided therein which is adapted for cooperation with said locking means.

Said locking means may comprise an elongate rod having at least a lower part shaped for engagement with said wheel. Said lower part may beof T-shaped cross section, having a central locating part with two oppositely extending transverse flanges at one end thereof.

The body part may comprise a tubular frame of generally rectangular form. Thus the body part may comprise upper and lower bars linked across respective ends by side bars. A further cross bar may also be provided, which bar links the upper and lower bars substantially at the centres thereof. Each side bar may be suitably configured to receive said lower part of the locking member therethrough into engagement with said wheel thereby to secure the wheel to the body part. Each locking rod may engage said recess in each spindle and more particularly the locating part may engage the recess with the transverse flanges remaining externally of the recess whereby the spindle can rotate about a longitudinal axis but is unable to move laterally along such axis.

Said handle may comprise a further tubular rod having a gripping portion at one end thereof inclined relative to the remainder of the handle. The gripping portion may be provided with a plastics or rubber sheath for improved gripping. An end of the handle remote from the gripping portion may be suitably adapted by, for example, the provision of screw threads thereon for removable attachment to the body. The handle may be attached to the body by way of a mounting bracket secured thereto having corresponding screw threads on one end. A further retaining bracket is provided having an aperture therein through which the handle can be inserted before attachment to the body, said bracket providing lateral support for said handle in use.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of trolley according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view, to a larger scale, in section, of the wheel attachment; and Figure 3 shows a side view of the trolley of Figure 1 with the wheel omitted for clarity.

Referring now to the figures, there is shown in Figure 1 a trolley 10 for use in the transportation of a fishing box.

The trolley 10 comprises a body frame 11, two wheels 12 removably attached to the frame 11 and a towing handle 13.

The body frame 11 is of generally rectangular configuration having upper and lower bars 14, 16 linked across respective ends by two side bars 17, 18. A cross bar 19 extends between the upper bar 14 and lower bar 16 generally at the centre thereof and is substantially parallel to the two side bars 17, 18. At least the side bars 17, 18 are of hollow section having a through bore (not shown) thereto and the lower bar 16 is L-shaped having one section 21 extending parallel to the side bars 17, 18 and another section 22 extending transverely thereto. The upper 14, lower 16 and cross bars 19 have fixing holes 23 therein whereby a container such as a fishing box can be secured thereto by way of screws or other fixing devices.

Two hollow cylindrical spindle members 24 are provided at a lower end of each side bar 17, 18 and are mounted on opposite ends of the L-shaped lower bar 16 extending transversely to the side bars 17, 18. The spindle members 24 extend over only a minor proportion of the length of the lower member 16 and project outwardly beyond each respective side bar 17, 18. The cylindrical spindle members 24 are dimensioned such that a spindle 26 of a wheel 12 can be received therein. Each spindle member 24 has an opening (not shown) in an upper surface which is coaxial with the bore (not shown) of a respective side bar 17, 18.

Each wheel 12 comprises a cylindrical member 27 having an elongate cylindrical spindle 26 projecting transversely from the centre thereof. The outer circumferential surface 28 of each member 27 of each wheel 12 can be grooved or otherwise adapted if desired to provide an improved grip on a surface over which the trolley 10 is moved. The spindle 26 has a circumferential groove 29 towards one end, which groove is of generally rectangular cross section.

Two locking members 31 are also provided, each locking member 31 comprising an elongate rod having a Tshaped cross section with a generally rectangular central part 32 and two oppositely projecting transverse flanges 33 at one end of the central part 32.

The handle 13 comprises a thin rod having an inclined gripping portion 34 at one end. The gripping portion 34 can be formed from a moulded plastics, rubber sheath or otherwise. The opposite end 36 of the handle 13 to the gripping portion 34 is screw threaded on the exterior surface in order that the handle 13 can be removably secured to the body part 11.

In use the trolley 10 is assembled from the constituent parts as follows: Firstly the wheels 12 are attached to respective sides of the body frame 11 by insertion of the spindle 26 of each wheel 12 into one of the spindle members 24 on the body frame 11. In order to lock the wheels 12 against lateral movement out of the spindle members 24 a locking rod 31 is inserted into the bore of each hollow side bar 17, 18. The locking rods 31 are inserted to a degree sufficient to engage the central portion 32 at their lower ends with the grooves 29 in the wheel spindles 26 via the opening in each spindle member 24.

In this position it can be seen that the wheel spindle 26 is not able to move laterally out of the spindle member 24. Thus each wheel 12 is simply and conveniently mounted for rotation within the respective spindle member 24 about the longitudinal axis thereof.

The handle 13 is fixed to the body frame 11 by way of attachment to an angled bracket 37 as is shown more clearly in Figure 3, mounted on the cross bar 19 of the body. The free end 38 of the bracket 37 is correspondingly screw threaded to engage the screw threaded end of the handle 13. The handle 13 is further retained by way of a ring shaped retaining member 39 mounted on the cross bar 19 at a position spaced from the angled bracket 37, the retaining member 39 acting to prevent any unnecessary flexing or stress on the handle 13 when the trolley 10 is in use. With the trolley 10 assembled as described above, the fishing box (not shown) can be mounted thereon. Dismantling of the trolley 10 is the reverse of the above procedure and thus it will be appreciated that both assembly and dismantling of the trolley 10 can be performed quickly and efficiently with relative ease since there is no requirement for the use of screws, nuts or bolts or the like. Furthermore, the possibility also exists of convenient storage and/or transportation in a car boot or the like in a dismantled form for subsequent assembly upon reaching the destination.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Thus for example whilst the locking members 31 are described as being of T-shaped cross section it is possible for these to be of any suitable cross section for example a U-shaped cross section or the like.

Claims

1. A demountable trolley comprising a body part, one or more wheels attached to said body part and a handle with which said trolley can be moved, wherein said one or more wheels and said handle are removably mounted on said body part and the trolley further comprises locking means adapted to locate in said body and engage said wheels thereby to secure such to said body part.

2. A demountable trolley according to claim 1, wherein two wheels are provided, one mounted on each side of the body part.

3. A demountable trolley according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each said wheel comprises a spindle projecting transversely from the centre thereof and the body part is adapted to locate each said spindle thereby to mount said wheels on the body part.

4. A demountable trolley according to claim 3, wherein said adaptation of the body part comprises a hollow tubular element secured to each side of the body part to receive the spindle of a respective wheel.

5. A demountable trolley according to claim 3 'or claim 4, wherein said spindle is provided with a circumferential recess therein which is adapted for cooperation with said locking means.

6. A demountable trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said locking means comprises an elongate rod having at least a lower part shaped for engagement with said wheel.

7. A demountable trolley according to claim 6, wherein said lower part is of T-shaped cross section, having a central locating part with two oppositely extending transverse flanges at one end thereof.

8. A demountable trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said body part comprises a tubular frame of generally rectangular form having upper and lower bars linked across respective ends by side bars.

9. A demountable trolley according to claim 8, wherein said body part comprises a further cross bar linking the upper and lower bars substantially at the centres thereof.

10. A demountable trolley according to claim 8 when dependant on claim 6 or claim 9, wherein each said side bar is suitably configured to receive said lower part of said locking member therethrough into engagement with said wheel thereby to secure the wheel to the body part.

11. A demountable trolley according to claim lq when dependant on claim 5, wherein said locating part of said locking member engages the recess in said spindle and said transverse flanges remain externally of said recess whereby the spindle can rotate about a longitudinal axis but is unable to move laterally along such axis.

12. A demountable trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said handle comprises a tubular rod having one end adapted for removable attachment to said body part.

13. A demountable trolley according to claim 12, wherein said adaptation of said one end of the handle comprises the provision of screw threads on the exterior thereof.

14. A demountable trolley according to any one of claim 12 or claim 13, wherein another end of said handle remote from said one end is provided with a gripping portion inclined relative to the remainder of the handle.

15. A demountable trolley according to claim 14, wherein said gripping portion has a plastics sheath thereon for improved gripping.

16. A demountable trolley according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein a mounting bracket is provided on said body part to which said one end of the handle can be removably attached.

17. A demountable trolley according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein a further retaining bracket is provided mounted on said body part, said retaining bracket having an aperture therein through which the handle is inserted before attachment to the body, thereby to provide lateral support for the handle in use.

18. A demountable trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.