IE46861B1 - A trolley for the storage and transportation of drawings and like articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley for the storage and transportation of drawings of the type having a mounting strip with suspension holes, has at least two parallel drawing suspension rails mounted on a framework (1). Each drawing suspension rail comprises a stationary suspension member formed by a tube (20) engageable with a movable suspension member formed by a bar (27 or 22). A guide means formed by further tubes (25) and guide rods (24) ensures accurate location of the bars (21 and 22) within the tubes (20).

Description

The present invention relates to a construction of a trolley and in particular to a trolley for the storage, transportation and display of drawings, paintings,tapestries and such like articles.

In the majority of drawing offices it is necessary for draughtsmen to have a considerable amount of drawings around them at any given time. These drawings are difficult to store and display. Furthermore, drawings, in general,have to be carried by hand from the drawing office filing cabinet to the draughtman's drawing board. This often leads to damage of the drawings as drawings tend to be cumbersome to handle.

Similarly,tapestries.paintings and other such articles are cumbersome to handle and are prone to damage part15 icularly when transported in a confined space, for example, in a factory or shop.

There is, therefore, a need for a trolley for the transportation, storage and display of drawings, tapestries, paintings and such like articles, hereinafter referred to as drawings.

It is presumed that all such drawings will be provided with a mounting strip along one edge of the drawings, which strip is usually provided with a number of spaced apart holes for suspension on drawing suspension rails within a filing cabinet. Such drawing suspension rails, in general, comprise parallel suspension bars divided into two sections intermediate their ends, the sections being disengagable to facilitate the loading and unloading of drawings thereon.

According to the invention there is provided a trolley for the storage, transportation and display of drawings comprising a ground engaging upstanding framework, at least two parallel spaced apart drawing suspension rails projecting outwardly from each of two opposite sides of the framework, each suspension rail comprising an elongate stationary suspension member carried by and extending transversely of a central location of the upstanding framework and a pair of movable suspension members interengageable with the stationary suspension member, the movable suspension members on both said opposite sides of the framework being interconnected, by a common guide means slidable on the upstanding framework, for alternate displacement towards and away from their associated sides relative to the central location for their disengagement from the stationary suspension member to permit the placing of drawings on or removal of drawings from the stationary suspension members. -4The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trolley 5 according to the invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the trolley of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a further perspective view of the trolley of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the top portion of the trolley of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the top portion of the trolley in a different position.

Referring to the drawings there is provided a trolley for the storage, transportation and display of drawings including a ground engaging upstanding framework, namely a rectangular framework indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The framework 1 is manufactured from hollow square sectioned tubing and comprises two vertical bars 2 joined by a lower cross-member 3, an intermediate cross-member 4 and a top cross-member 5. The vertical bars 2 are in two parts intermediate their upper ends 6, these two parts being releasably joined together by spigots 7 (Figure 2) retained by screws 8 and wing nuts 9. The upstanding framework 1 is supported on two pairs of outwardly and downwardly projecting cranked legs 12 with castors 13. Again, spigots 14, screws 15 and wing nuts 16 are used to secure the legs 12 to the framework 1.

A pair of parallel drawing suspension rails are provided on each of two opposite sides of the framework 1. Each drawing suspension rail comprises a stationary suspension member and a pair of movable suspension members. In this embodiment of the invention suspension tubes 20 transversally mounted on the top cross-member 5 form the stationary suspension members of the pair of drawing suspension rails. Movable suspension members of each drawing suspension rail are provided by suspension bars 21 and 22 which are slidable within respective suspension tubes 20. The suspension bars 21 and 22 are mounted on support members 23. The support members 23 are joined with one another at their ends by guide rods 24 parallel to the suspension rails. The guide-rods 24 are slidable within respective guide tubes 25 mounted on the top cross-member . The support members 23, guide rods 24 slidable in the guide tubes 25 form a guide framework which provides a guide means for the movable suspension members to ensure engagement between the suspension bars 21, 22 and tubes 20.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the sus5 pension bars 21 and 22 and the guide rods 24 are such that moving the guide framework in the direction of arrows A or B will disengage the suspension bars 21 or 22 from the suspension tubes 20, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

It will also be appreciated that the suspension bars 21, 22 and tubes 20 are arranged to locate in hoies in mounting strips of the drawing. A drawing is shown in interrupted lines suspended from the suspension tubes 20 in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a trolley fully loaded with drawings.

A ball catch 27 fitted to one of the guide tubes 25 engages a recess (not shown) in the corresponding guide rods 24 to retain the guide framework in a central position relative to the framework 1. A handle 28 positioned on the top cross-member 5 is provided for holding the trolley during transportation.

In use the guide framework is moved in the direction of the arrows A or B as shown in Figures 4 and 5 so that the suspension bars 21 or 22 are disengaged from the - 7 suspension tubes 20. In either of these positions drawings are fitted onto the suspension tubes 20 and the suspension bars 21 or 22 which engage the support holes in mounting strips attached to the drawings. The guide framework is moved to the central position where the ball catch 27 locates the recess in the guide rods 24. In this position the drawings are retained on the guide rails and can be transported on the trolley. Similarly, to remove the drawings the guide framework is again moved in the direction of the arrows A or B to disengage the suspension bars 21,22 and tubes 20.

It is envisaged that more than two drawing suspension rails projecting from each of two opposite sides of the framework 1 may be used.

It will be appreciated also that many other different types of construction of drawing suspension rails may be used provided they are formed from disengagable sections.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that although the guide means has been described as including a guide rod and a guide tube, any other suitable guide could have been used.

Claims (9)

1. A trolley for the storage, transportation and display of drawings comprising a ground engaging upstanding framework, at least two parallel spaced apart drawing suspension rails projecting outwardly from each of two opposite sides of the framework, each suspension rail comprising an elongated stationary suspension member carried by and extending transversely of a central location of the upstanding framework and a pair of movable suspension members interengagable with the stationary suspension member, the movable suspension members on both said opposite sides of the framework being interconnected, by a common guide means slidable on the upstanding framework,for alternate displacement towards and away from their associated sides relative to the central location for their disengagement from the stationary suspension members to permit the placing of drawings on or removal of drawings from the stationary suspension members.

2. A trolley as claimed in claim 1 in which each stationary suspension member comprises a straight suspension tube mounted on a rail support and projecting outwardly from both sides thereof, the movable suspension members being formed by a pair of opposed suspension bars slidable within the ends of the suspension tube.

3. A trolley as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the guide means comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart support members bridging opposed movable suspension

4. A trolley as claimed in claim 3 in which the guide rails are provided by a pair of parallel spaced apart 10 guide rods slidable within a pair of guide tubes mounted on the framework and parallel to the drawing suspension rails. 5. Framework.

5. A trolley as claimed in claim 4 in which a ball catch is provided on one of the guide tubes to engage 15 the corresponding guide rod when the movable suspension members are in the central location. 5 members, the support members being connected by guide rails parallel to the suspension rails, which guide rails slidably engage the framework.

6. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim in which the upstanding framework is a rectangular framework comprising a top cross-member on which the sus20 pension rails and guide means are mounted, the framework being supported on two spaced apart pairs of outwardly and downwardly projecting cranked legs with ground engaging castors. - 10

7. A trolley as claimed in claim 5 in which the top portion of the framework including the top cross-member is releasably connected to the rest of the framework and each pair of legs are releasably connected to the

8. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim in which a grip handle is provided on the upstanding framework.

9. A trolley substantially as described herein with 10 reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.