GB2352694A

GB2352694A - A hand trolley for carrying building materials

Info

Publication number: GB2352694A
Application number: GB0018503A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Peter Hiorns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-31
Filing date: 2000-07-27
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-27
Also published as: GB9917901D0; GB2352694B; GB0018503D0

Abstract

A trolley (20) comprises a frame (22) which is constructed from two side members (32) interconnected by cross members (32a). The frame (22) further comprises brackets (34), at a lower end, formed with coaxial apertures (36) in which an axle (40) is retained. The axle (40) has ground wheels (24) mounted on each of its ends by means of bearings. Two handles (26) enable a user to move the trolley (20) along the ground. A load support (28) protrudes from the frame (22) and comprises fork means (42) in the form of two spaced apart fork members (46) extending forwardly of the frame (22). The fork members (46) may also have ground engaging legs (58) which enable the forks to be positioned horizontally and facilitate the loading of the trolley.

Description

Trolley This invention relates to a trolley and is particularly applicable to a trolley for carrying building materials such as bricks.

Building materials such as bricks 10, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, for use on a building site, are generally transported on a palette 12 and dropped off at their required destination using a forklift truck or heavy lifting apparatus. Generally, the bricks 10 on the palette 12 are banded 14 into sections 16. The bricks 10 are usually stacked in a set pattern as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 being a view of the bricks shown in Figure 1 looking in the direction of arrow A. The pattern is such that typically two openings 18 are defined in the stack of bricks. The sections 16 are very heavy and cannot be moved easily by a building operative. Generally, the band 14 around a section 16 is removed and the bricks stacked by hand onto a suitable transport means. This process is very time consuming and the number of bricks which can be transported is relatively low.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trolley to facilitate the efficient movement of bricks.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a trolley comprising a frame having a ground wheel at a lower end, a handle to enable the user to move

the trolley along the ground and a load support comprising fork means extending forwardly of the frame.

Preferably, the fork means comprises two fork members.

In one embodiment, the fork means can be inserted into openings defined by the load.

In another embodiment, the fork means may have ground engaging means which, may position the fork substantially horizontally to enable the fork means to be loaded.

Preferably, the fork means is mounted on a transverse bar attached to the trolley.

In such a case, the fork means is preferably moveably mounted on the transverse bar such that the distance between the two fork members may be altered.

The transverse bar may also be adjustable so as to allow altering of the height of the fork means relative to the ground.

The trolley may include a backboard. The backboard is preferably mounted on the frame of the trolley.

A trolley in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the remaining accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a trolley in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a front view showing part ofthe trolley of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a side view of the trolley of Figure 4 looking in the direction of arrow B in Figure 4, Figure 5a is a side view of another embodiment of the trolley of Figure 4 looking in the direction of arrow B in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a transverse bar for mounting on the trolley ofFigure 4, Figure 7 is a plan view of the transverse bar of Figure 6, Figure 8 is an end view of the transverse bar of Figure 6 looking in the direction of arrow VIII in Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of a trolley in accordance with the invention, and Figure 10 is a side view of two different embodiments of fork members.

Looking at Figures 3,4 and 5 a trolley for moving bricks 20 comprises a frame 22 having two ground wheels 24 at a lower end as viewed in the drawings, two handles 26 at an upper end, a load support 28 mounted on the frame 22 and a backboard 30 shown in broken lines.

The frame 22 comprises two side members 32 interconnected by cross members 32a. Each side member 32 is formed with a set of spaced apart holes 33. The frame 22 further comprises brackets 34 located near the foot of the frame 22 as viewed in Figures 3,4 and 5. The brackets 34 are formed with coaxial apertures 36. The brackets 34 are interconnected by a further cross member 38. An axle 40 is retained within the coaxial apertures 36, for example, by welding.

The ground wheels 24 are mounted on the ends of the axle 40 by means of bearings (not shown).

In another embodiment, as viewed in Figure 5a. the frame 22 further comprises tubes 35 located near the foot of the frame 22. The tubes 35 protrude

transversely from the frame 22 and are formed with coaxial apertures 37. An axle 39 is retained within the coaxial apertures 37 and the ground wheels 24 mounted on the end of the axle 39 by means of bearings (not shown).

The load support 28 protrudes from the frame 22 and comprises fork means 42 in the form of two spaced apart fork members 46 extending forwardly of the frame from a transverse mounting bar 44. Each fork member 46 has a U-shaped clip 50 at its rear end. The clips 50 enable the fork members 46 to be moveably and/or removably mounted on the transverse bar 44 such that the distance between the fork members may be altered.

The transverse bar 44 has two brackets 52 mounted thereon as shown in Figure 6, the brackets 52 being formed with apertures 54. The transverse bar is attached to the front of the frame 22 by aligning the holes 54 formed in the brackets 52 with selected openings 33 formed in the side members 32. When the holes 54. 33 are aligned, a locking pin 56 of known kind can be inserted through them.

The backboard 30 is secured to the frame 22 and the transverse bar 44 by means of clips 58, mounted on the backboard.

In use, the trolley 20 is positioned adjacent a section of bricks 16. The fork members 46 are adjusted so that they are in axial alignment with the openings 18

defined in the stack of bricks 16. The trolley 20 is then pushed forward to insert the fork members 46 into the openings 18 until the section of bricks 16 abuts

against the backboard 30. Next, the trolley is tipped backwards by an operator so 9 1 as to position the load of the bricks over the axle 40 of the trolley 20. The operator can then move the trolley 20 along the ground using the handles 26, delivering the bricks 10 to their required destination. The backboard 30 helps to prevent bricks 10 falling out of their section 16.

It should be noted that the width of the trolley 20 is such that it can be pushed through narrow passageways or along walkways on scaffolding thereby allowing the efficient transport of bricks to areas which may be inaccessible to other means of transport, for example, a motorised vehicle.

Instead of providing the two fork members 46 with a U-shaped clip 50 each fork member may be formed with an aperture 56 as shown in Figure 6. The apertures are of such shape and size that the fork members 46 may be slid onto the transverse bar 44.

In another embodiment of the invention, the fork members 46 have ground engaging legs 58 extending downwards from their free ends as shown in Figure 9. With the legs 58 in contact with the ground, the fork members 46 will be horizontal and can be used to support a load placed thereon. The fork members

46 in Figure 9 can be mounted on the transverse bar 44 by means of U-shaped clips 50 or, as shown in Figure 10. can be formed with apertures 56 for direct mounting on the bar 44.

Claims

1. A trolley comprising a frame having a ground wheel at a lower end. a handle to enable a user to move the trolley along the ground and a load support comprising fork means extending forwardly of the frame.

2. A trolley for transporting a stack of bricks in which two openings are defined. the trolley comprising a ground wheel at a lower end, a handle to enable a user to move the trolley along the ground and a load support comprising fork means extending forwardly of the frame for location in the two openings.

3. A trolley according to claim 1 or 2 in which the fork means comprises two fork members.

4. A trolley according to anyone of claims 1 or 3 in which the fork means further comprises ground engaging means.

5. A trolley according to claim 4 in which the ground engaging means are of such length so as to position the fork means substantially horizontally to enable the fork means to be loaded.

6. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims in which the frame has a transverse bar thereon.

7. A trolley according to claim 6 in which the fork means is mounted on the transverse bar.

8. A trolley according to claim 7 when appendant to claim 2 in which the fork means is moveably mounted on the transverse bar such that the distance between the two fork members may be altered.

9. A trolley according to claim 7 or 8 in which the fork is an elongate member having an aperture at one end which receives the transverse bar.

10. A trolley according to claim 9 in which the transverse bar is slidably received in the aperture.

11. A trolley according to claim 7 or 8 in which the fork is elongate having a clip at one end by means of which the fork is mounted on the transverse bar.

12. A trolley according to any one of claims 6 to 11 in which the transverse bar is adjustable so as to allow altering of the height of the fork means relative to the ground.

13. A trolley according to any one of the preceding claims in which the frame has a backboard thereon.

14. A trolley according to any preceding claim in which two ground wheels are provided on the frame of the trolley.

15. A trolley substantially as described herein with reference to figures 3 to 10.