GB2377689A

GB2377689A - Interlocking Dolly.

Info

Publication number: GB2377689A
Application number: GB0112004A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raphael Barbet; Stephen LOFTUS
Original assignee: CG Paxton Ltd
Current assignee: CG Paxton Ltd
Priority date: 2001-05-17
Filing date: 2001-05-17
Publication date: 2003-01-22
Also published as: FR2824783A1; GB0112004D0

Abstract

A rectangular dolly 10 has a platform 12 and wheels 14,16. An arrangement for connecting dollies together is provided in part by formations on the first side 18 of the dolly, these interfit with features on the second side 20 of an identical dolly. When together, a channel 24 engages a similar channel (56 Fig 2) on the other dolly, in a hooked arrangement. Surfaces 30, 32 face downwardly and rest against corresponding upwardly directed faces (60, 62 Fig 2), on the other dolly to prevent one dolly riding up, relative to the other. A manually operated latch arrangement 38 retains the dollies alongside each other.

Description

Dolly The present invention relates to dollies and particularly, but not

exclusively to dollies for use in carrying stacks of containers.

A dolly is a small wheeled platform commonly used for moving stacks of containers, for instance in retail establishments, or to assist in loading and unloading delivery vehicles, particularly in retail delivery situations.

The present invention provides a wheeled dolly having attachment formations formed to allow the dolly to be attached to another dolly having like attachment formations, to form a larger dolly, the attachment formations comprising a first attachment formation on a first side of the dolly, and a second attachment formation on a second side of the dolly, the attachment formations being formed to engage to form a pivot connection between two dollies when the first and second sides of these are brought together at an angle to each other, the pivot connection allowing the dolly sides thereafter to pivot together until alongside each other, and the attachment formations including releasable latch means operable to engage as the sides come alongside each other, thereafter to hold the dollies together until the latch means is released.

The first and second sides may carry respective interlocking members which cooperate to form the pivot connection. The interlocking members are preferably hooked. They may have a hooked shape when viewed from above in the normal orientation of the dolly, in use. The hooked members may be channels having the length of the channel oriented generally upright in the normal orientation of the dolly, in use.

The interlocking members are preferably located in corner regions of the dolly. The interlocking members may be oriented to allow engagement by abutting one corner of a first dolly against the side of another dolly, while the dollies are at an angle to each other, thereafter sliding the said corner along the said side until the interlocking Verniers engage.

The latch means is preferably manually releasable. The latch means may have a head movably mounted on one side of the dolly, and a socket formed in the other side, the head being movable to enter the socket of another dolly as the sides come alongside, thereafter preventing the sides from moving apart.

The head is preferably pivotally mounted. The head preferably has a lead surface which engages a formation on the other side as the sides come alongside, to deflect the head and then release the head to move into the socket.

The head may drop into the socket by virtue of the weight of the head.

The head may be connected to an arm which is manually operable to withdraw the head from the socket.

The latch means is preferably located away from the pivot connection.

Preferably the dolly sides have interfitting formations which include upwardly and downwardly exposed faces, the faces bearing on each other, when dollies are attached, to prevent one dolly rising relative to the other. Preferably the exposed faces are provided to prevent either attached dolly rising relative to the other.

An example of the present invention will now be described in snore detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dolly according to the invention viewed from a first side; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second dolly identical with the first dolly and viewed from the other side; Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the dollies of Figs. 1 and 2 being brought together.

Figs. 4a and 4b are partial plan views on an enlarged scale showing two adjacent corners of the dollies; Figs. 5a and 5b are partial enlarged sections viewed alongside of the dollies, at the lines 5-5 in Figs. 2 and 1 respectively and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the second side of the second dolly, indicating the position of the first side of another dolly, when the dollies are interlocked.

Fig. 1 shows a wheeled dolly 10. This is of generally rectangular shape providing a platform at 12 on which containers may be stacked, for instance, for transport. Wheels 14, 16 allow the dolly 10 to roll over the ground. In this example, the wheels 14 are fixed, and the wheels 16 are castored. Alternatively, all 4 wheels could be castored. In many situations, a dolly 10 may be used alone, supporting one or snore stacks of containers on the platform 12.

However, for some situations, it is desirable to attach snore than one dolly together, either to form a larger dolly in order to support a stack of larger containers, for instance, or to allow stacks on separate dollies to be moved securely together.

An arrangement for connecting dollies together is provided in part by formations along a first side 18 of the dolly 10. The features of the first side 18 will be described below. At this stage, it is appropriate to note that these features fit with other features on the second side 20 of a second dolly 10A (Fig. 2). The dollies to, 10A are in fact identical in this example. They are described as separate dollies in order to assist in the clarity of the following description.

The first side 18 has a wall 22 from which the various features project.

At one end of the wall 22, at a corner of the dolly 10, a short length of channel section 24 is provided. The length of the channel 24 is oriented generally upright when the dolly 10 is in the normal orientation shown in Fig. 1. The channel 24 has a generally L-shape in plan, as shown in Fig. 4b.

A square peg 26 projects from the wall 22. The upper face of the peg 26 is generally horizontal and spaced a little below the lower end of the channel 24, and a little further inboard from the corner of the dolly lo, than the channel 24. Along a middle region, the wall 22 carries a block 28 which has a first, relatively high, downwardly exposed face 30 and a second, relatively low, downwardly exposed face 32. The purpose of the faces 30, 32 will become apparent after description of the dolly 10A.

The block 28 also has a well 34 within which a head 36 of a latch arrangement (indicated generally at 38) is free to move, being mounted at a pivot 40. A lever 42 extends to the other side of the pivot 40, to allow the head 36 to be raised or lowered by manipulation of the lever 42. The lever 42 may finish in a pedal 44 for ready operation of the lever 42 by the toot of the user.

A restraining block 46 is located at the opposite end of the wall 22 to the channel 24. The block 46 has an upwardly exposed face 48, and a generally upright face 50, facing toward the channel section 24.

The second side 20 of the dolly 10 is the same as the second side 20 of the dolly 10A (Fig. 2). Likewise, the first side 18 of the second dolly 10A is the same as the first side 18 of the dolly 10 (Fig. 1). The second side of both dollies 10, 10A can therefore be described with reference only to the second dolly 10A.

The second side 20 has a wall 52 from which a block indicated generally at 54 extends along almost the whole length of the wall 52. One end of the block 54 is above the fixed wheel 14 and in the corresponding corner region of the dolly 10A. At this end, the block 54 is formed as a second channel section, the channel having a similar L-shaped profile to the channel 24 when viewed from above, as can be seen from Fig. 4a. The length of the channel 56 is again generally upright but the mouth of the channel 56 is directed in the opposite direction to the mouth of the channel 24. That is, the channel 24 opens away

frown the corner at which the channel 24 is situated, whereas the channel 56 opens toward the corner at which the channel. 6 is situated.

The lower face 58 of the block 54 is at a height slightly above the height of the upward faces of the peg 26 and the restraining block 46 of the first side 18, at least at the end of the face 58. The block 54 has a first, relatively high, upwardly directed face 60 at a height slightly below the face 30 of the block 28.

The block 54 also has a relatively low, upwardly exposed face 62 at a height a little lower than the low face 32 of the block 28.

A recess 64 is formed in the block 54 at a position along the wall 52 corresponding with the position of the head 36 along the first wall 22. The recess 64 forms a socket for receiving the head 36, as will become apparent.

Having described the first side Is of the first dolly 10, and the second side 20 of the second dolly 10A, these features can now be described in use for attaching dollies together and for releasing attached dollies.

In order to attach the dollies 10, lOA together, the second dolly lOA is rolled to an angle relative to the first dolly 10, as illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 3. The initial angle is not critical. A wide range of initial angles can be used.

This makes the first step relatively easy to achieve. in particular, it is not necessary to establish a precise relative alignment before the dollies can be interlocked. In this initial orientation, the corner 66 carrying the channel 56 can be rolled to abut the wall 22 of the dolly 10, in the region 68 between the channel 24 and the block 28, above the peg 26. The dolly 10A can then be moved to slide the channel 56 along the region 68, until the channels 24, 56 engage by virtue of their hook shapes, thus preventing the channel 56 moving past the end of the wall 22.

When the channels 24, 56 are fitted together in this way, they form a pivot connection between the corresponding corners of the dollies 10, lOA, which allows the dollies 10, lOA thereafter to pivot together (with a relative

motion indicated by the arrow 70) until the sides 18, 20 come together, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 3. As the sides come together in this way, the various features of the sides interfit. Fig. illustrates schematically the interfitting of the sides 18, 20 by illustrating an elevation of the second side 20 of the dolly 10A in solid lines, and the key engaging features of the first side l of the dolly 10, in broken lines The peg 26 moves under the block 54, near the engaged channels 24, A. This prevents the channel Its sliding down relative to the channel 24 and thus prevents the dolly 10 being lifted without the dolly 10A also rising, at least in the region of the fixed wheel 14.

The high face 60 of the block 54 moves under the high face 30 of the block 28. Thereafter, these faces prevent the channel 56 moving up, relative to the channel 24, thus preventing the dolly IDA being lifted relative to the dolly 10, without the dolly 10 also rising, at least in the region of the fixed wheel 14.

A further contribution to prevent this relative motion is provided by the low face 62 of the block 54 moving under the low face 32 of the block 28, at a position generally mid-way along the walls 22, 52.

At the corner adjacent the castored wheels 16, the end 72 of the block 54 moves into the angle between the faces 48, 50 of the restraining block 46.

Abutment between the block 54 and the upward face 48 stops the dolly 10 moving up at that corner, relative to the dolly lOA, without also lifting the dolly 10A, much in the manner described in relation to the peg 26. Abutment between the end 72 and the upright face 50 of the block 46 stops relative movement of the dollies 10, lOA along the line of the walls 22, 52, such as wood disengage the channels 24, 56.

Thus, at this position, it will be apparent that while the walls 22, 52 are together, the dollies 10, 10A cannot slide in either direction relative to each other, in the line of the walls, nor can either dolly rise relative to the other, without carrying the other dolly with it. The two dollies 10, lOA therefore form

a secure single dolly of larger size, thus allowing a greater number of stacks of containers to be moved securely together, or allowing stacks of larger containers to be supported.

It will also be apparent that the structures described above can only be engaged satisfactorily by the pivoting motion which has been described. This form of motion is commonly used by worlds manipulating individual dollies and container stacks in order to align them next to each other and it is thus convenient to provide for this type of motion to be used to attach dollies together. Consequently, the sides 18, 20 approach each other laterally as the dollies 10, lOA are attached. The latch arrangement 38 makes use of this lateral motion and is used to releasably latch the dollies 10,:LOA, as follows.

The head 36 of the latch arrangement 38 has a lead face 74 at an angle to the horizontal and which, when the head 36 is at rest in the position shown in Fig. 1, is at the height of the upper edge 76 of the block 54. As the sides l 8, 20 come together, a cam action is therefore created between the edge 76 and the lead face 74, causing the head 36 to rise on its pivot 40, to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5a. As the sides IS, 20 continue to approach each other, the head 36 passes across the upper face of the block 54 until reaching the recess ti4, into which it falls by virtue of its weight. Having fallen into the socket fi4, the head 36 then prevents the sides 18, 20 being moved laterally away from each other, thus securing the remaining degree of freedom between the two dollies, so that they are substantially prevented from moving relative to one another, or from being released.

However, manual intervention to release the dollies, when required, is provided by the pedal 44 which remains exposed between the walls 22, 52, even when the dollies 10, lOA are attached. The pedal 44 can be depressed to raise the head 36, allowing the sides 18, 20 to be moved apart in a pivot action opposite to that indicated by the arrow 70. When the dollies lO, lOA have

swung apart in this way, the channels 24, 56 can then be disengaged by sliding the channel 56 back into the region 68 and then finally separating the dollies 10, 10A.

It is thus apparent that enjoying and disengaging the dollies are simple and rapid operations.

It will be apparent that many variations and modifications can be made to the present invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, other forms of pivot arrangement could be used, particularly according to the manufacturing techniques proposed for the products. Other latch arrangements could be used and could be releasable in various different ways, relying on weight or resilient members to bias them to the engaged position. Many variations to the particular shapes, sizes, relative sizes and forms shown in the drawings could be envisaged, while retaining the same interlocking functions.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to

those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A wheeled dolly having attachment formations formed to allow the dolly to be attached to another dolly having like attachment formations, to form a larger dolly, the attachment formations comprising a first attachment formation on a first side of the dolly, and a second attachment formation on a second side of the dolly, the attachment formations being formed to engage to form a pivot connection between two dollies when the first and second sides of these are brought together at an angle to each other, the pivot connection allowing the dolly sides thereafter to pivot together until alongside each other, and the attachment formations including releasable latch means operable to engage as the sides come alongside each other, thereafter to hold the dollies together until the latch means is released.

2. A dolly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sides carry respective interlocking members which cooperate to form the pivot connection.

3. A dolly according to claim 2, wherein the interlocking members are hooked.

4. A dolly according to claim 3, wherein the interlocking members have a hooked shape when viewed from above in the normal orientation of the dolly, in use.

5. The hooked members are channels having the length of the channel oriented generally upright in the normal orientation of the dolly, in use.

6. A dolly according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the interlocking members are located in corner regions of the dolly.

7. A dolly according to claim 6, wherein the interlocking members are oriented to allow engagement by abutting one corner of a first dolly against the

side of another dolly, while the dollies are at an angle to each other, thereafter sliding the said corner along the said side until the interlocking members engage.

8. A dolly according to any preceding claim, wherein the latch is manually releasable.

9. A dolly according to claim 8, wherein the latch means have a head movably mounted on one side of the dolly, and a socket formed in the other side, the head being movable to enter the socket of another dolly as the sides come alongside, thereafter preventing the sides from moving apart.

10. A dolly according to claim 9, wherein the head is pivotally mounted

11. A dolly according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the head has a lead surface which engages a formation on the other side as the sides come alongside to deflect the head and then release the head to move into the socket.

12. A dolly according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the head drops into the socket by virtue of the weight of the head.

13. A dolly according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the head is connected to an arm which is manually operable to withdraw the head from the socket.

14. A dolly according to any preceding claim, wherein the latch means is located away from the pivot connection.

15. A dolly according to any preceding claim, wherein the dolly sides have interfitting formations which include upwardly and downwardly exposed faces, the faces bearing on each other, when dollies are attached, to prevent one dolly rising relative to the other.

16. A dolly according to claim 15, wherein the exposed faces are provided to prevent either attached dolly rising relative to the other.

17. A dolly substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.