US1551928A

US1551928A - Hand truck

Info

Publication number: US1551928A
Application number: US706544A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgar J Bryan
Original assignee: ANDREW DIFANI; LEONARD DIFANI; OAKLEY K MORTON
Current assignee: ANDREW DIFANI; LEONARD DIFANI; OAKLEY K MORTON
Priority date: 1924-04-14
Filing date: 1924-04-14
Publication date: 1925-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1942-09-01

Description

Sept. 1, 1925.

E. J. BRYAN HAND TRUCK Fil ed April '14,

2 Sheets-She a 2 WITN E585 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT orr EDGAR J. BRYAN, or nrvnnsrnn,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNO'R OF ONE-SIXTH TC) LEONARD DIFANI, ONE-THIRD To ANDREW nrranr, AND onnsrxrrr T OAKLEY Monron.

ALL OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

HAND TRUCK.

Application filed April 14, 192 4. Serial Ne. 706,544,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, EDGAR J. BRYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented new and useful Hand Trucks,

' is a specification.

' proper distance apart This invention relates to hand trucks.

The object is to provide a truck having gripping jaws for engaging boxes, barrels, kegs, crates, etc, said jaws having a wide range of lateral movement to properly grip and support boxes of different sizes, and having means for adjusting said jaws to the v l where a number of such articles of the same size are to be handled, so as to avoid unnecessary movement of the jaws at each operation.

Another object is to provide a truck with gripping jaws which have a sweeping movement across the floor toward each other when an article is being picked up, inorder that the active ends of the jaws may grip the lower face of said article.

A further object is jaws which are caused to automatically enthe load when the truck frame is tilted in a rearward directiom after pressure by the foot of the operator has been imparted to a pedal mounted on th truck axle for holding the jaws to the floor. v

A final object is to provide hand-operated means for adjusting the jaws closer together or wider apart and which may be quickly and easily released to permit the jaws to separate and to release the load, th said hand-operated means and the foot pedal bee ing within easy reach of the operator behind the truck when the same is in upstanding position, as when loading.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to strict conformity with the showing thereof, but may b changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

of which the following erably constructed of to provide gripping.

' truck is lying flat similar refercorrespond ng figures In the drawings, in which ence characters designate parts throughout the several Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the gripping jaws extended to. their maximum capacity, V i F igure 2 is a similar View showingthe jaws in their innermost positions Figure 3 is a rear perspective View of the improved truck slightly tilted in a rearward direction U I Figure 4 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the same, the normal position being shown in dotted lines; Y

Figure 5 is a detail on the line 55of Figure 4; and c Figure 6 is a detail'sectional view illustrating the means for holding the jaw adjusting bar in adjustedposition.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a truck constructed in accordance with the present lnventlon and comprising a frame ofjthe usual proportions and pref. angle iron. The spaced, longitudinal side rails 1 are connected at oneend by a cross to the other or upper ends another'cross rail 2 oins'lthe rails 1, the projecting portions Upper and lower intermediate cross bars 3 are also connected to the rails 1, the sev- "eral cross members 2, 2 and 3 being preferably equally spaced apart and forming a strong and rigid structure to support the loadswhich may be carried by the truck.

Triangular brackets 4 are preferably bolted or riveted to th 'lower ends of the rails 1, said brackets having attaching portions and converging, rearwardlyextending arms terminating in bearings 5, which are spaced somewhat in rear of the frame and also spaced a short distance from the'lower cross rail 2 orfoot of the truck, so that, when the truck is stood on end, in a well known manner, th truck assumes a vertical position with the wheels and the foot rest mg on the supporting surface as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4, n

The axle 6 is rotatably mounted in the bearings 5 and is of a length to project beyond the'same, wheels 7, of ordinary con- 'struction, being loosely mounted on said sectional View taken rail 2 constituting the foot of the truck frame and adjacent of" the latter serving as handles when the upon the ground or floor,

' tures,

shaft with the hubs 8 abutting the inner ends of said bearings. 'One of the wheels, preferably the left hand one, as viewed from the rear, is held against longitudinal movement along the axle by a cotter pin 9, while the other wheels 7 is similarly held by a sleeve 10 secured to the axle by a set screw, and having upstanding arms joined to a plate constituting a foot pedal 12, which has its upper face roughened orserrated and which extends forwardly towards the rear side of the truck frame:

Sockets 13 are secured, by means of set screws 14, to the ends of the axle 6, where the latter project beyond the bearings 5, said sockets abutting against the outer faces of the bearings, to prevent any longitudinal movement of the loosely mounted axle. The outer ends of the sockets are provided with spaced ears 15 provided with alinedaper= and between said ears there is mounted the rearends 16 of gripping jaws formed of suitable, strong bar iron, the said ends being apertured for the reception of pivotal bolts17, traversing the ears and permitting the said jaws to freely swing about the axis of the bolt 17 and, through the medium of the socket 13 and set screw 14, to partake'of any rocking movement of the axle when actuated by the foot pedal 12 in a manner to be explained.

The bar iron comprising the gripping jaws is givena quarter turn just in advance of the pivotal connection, and the jaws are continued forwardly substantially to the front side of the frame, where they are angularly bent toward each other, as at 18, the terminals being preferably tapered and provided on their lower inner edges with rearwardly directed lips "19 for the purpose of engaging beneath a boxjor other package.

At a point adjacent to the angular bend 18, eachjaw is provided with an inwardly directed swiveled eye 20, to whichis con nected the outer end of a link or pull rod 21, the inner end of each rod being formed into an eye 22. The rods normally occupy an inclined position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, and the lower portions of the same travel through cut-away portions 1 formed in the side flanges of the longitudinal rails 1, at the lower ends of the same.

The eyes 22 of the links or pull rods are connected to a pivotal bolt 23, which is secured near the lower end of a longitudinally slidable bar 24 located at the longitudinal center of the frame, and having suitable bearings through the intermediate cross bars 3. The lower end of the bar 24 extends somewhat below or beyond the pivotal connection of the links 21, and is adapted at times to rest upon the upper surface of the rear flange of the lower cross bar or foot 2, as shown in Figure 1, while the upper end said dog upwardly of the said bar 24 extends above the upper, intermediate cross bar 3, and is provided at its upper terminal with a rearwardly extending One side edge of the bar 24 is provided with serrations or teeth 26 adjacent to its upper end, and where passing through the opening in the upper, intermediate cross bar 3, a suitable housing 27 being secured to the latter to guide the said bar and to provide means for pivoting a pawl or dog 28, hav ing one end shaped into a nose for engagement with the teeth 26, as clearly shown in Figure 6, and connected, at its outer end to a longitudinally disposed bar 29 slidably mounted in. the intermediate cross bars 3 in spaced relation to the longitudinal bar 24.

The lower end of the bar 29 is bent to form a foot'piece 30, extending to rear of the truck and within easy reach of the feet of the operator. I Adjacent to the upper end,

handle 25within easy reach of the operator.

where connected to the dog 28, the bar 29 is provided with a plurality of holes for the reception of a pin 31, which may thus be adjusted to regulate the compression on a coiled spring 32 surrounding the bar and hearing, at the lower end, upon the lower, intermediate cross bar '3 and at its upper end against a washer'33interposed between the pin and the end of the spring. The normal tendency of the spring is to force the bar 29 upwardly and to hold the dog 28 in engagement with the teeth 26 of the longitudinal bar 24, and it will be noted that the shape of the said teeth is such as to permit the bar 24 to be elevated by means of the handle 25, without the necessity for releasing the dog, but, in order to move the bar 24 downwardly, it is necessary to depress the foot piece 30 against the tension of the spring 32 and torock the engaging end of outof engagement. The bar 24 then drops by gravity.

Connected to the forward end of the foot pedal 12, there is a push rod 34, extending upwardly and having through a suitable aperture formed in the lower intermediate cross bar 3, the upper end of said rod normally abutting the under side of the rear flange of the. upper intermediate cross bar 3, which acts as a stop to arrest the upward movement of the rod 34 and the foot pedal 12. A coiled spring 35 surrounds the rod 34, and bears at one end against the flange of the lower cross bar 3, and at the other end against a washer 36,which is held in adjusted position on the rod by a pin 37 traversing one of a series of holes formed in the rod, the action of the spring 35 serving to normally hold the rod 34 in abut-tingrelation to the cross bar 3 at the top thereof, and to hold the foot pedal in'elevated position when no pressure is applied to the same. As a result the jaws are a sliding bearing retained in proper position for operation and prevented from dropping down when unloaded.

Handles 88 are secured to the undersides of the longitudinal frame members 1, by means of which the truck may be manipulated to run the truck up to a load to be transported and for operating the truck during such transportation, and when the truck is laid down upon the floor or ground in a horizontal position, the handles 38 serve as legs to support the rearend or the trucl r. 1

In the event there is a large number of articles or packages of uniform size to be handled by the; truck, the latter is run up to one of said articles, in the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, wherein the truck is in an upright position with the gripping jaws resting upon the floor. By depressing the foot 30, the dog 28 is released and the operator grasping the handle 25, slides the bar 24 either up or down to make the proper adjustment of the jaws. By pushing down on the handle, the links or rods 21 force the j aws apart and by a reverse movement .the jaws are brought together. This gives a rough adjustment to the jaws toapproximate the width of the packages to bemove'd, and upon releasing the foot 30 the dog 28 again looks the sliding bar 24 against {any downward movement. The operator now places his foot upon the pedal 12 and holds, the same from any movement upwardly, and at the same time rocks or tilts the frame of the truck rearwardly for thefoot pressure on .the pedal prevents the, axle 6 from rocking. This results in holding the jawsin contact with the floor, but the rearward movement of the truck causes a pull on the links 21, which, in turn, cause the jaws to be drawn inwardlytoward each other by. pivotingthe same on the bolts, 17. The lips 19 are'forced beneath the edge of the load, and the latter is caused to fall back against the truck, the result being that the heavier the load the stronger the inward pull on the jaws will be. lVhere a variety of sizes of packages or articles are to be handled, the operator must shift the position of the sliding bar 2% to adjust the jaws to each of such articles, as will be understood. When the load is to be discharged or unloaded from the truck, the operator simply depresses the foot member 30, thus releasing the dog 28 and allowing the bar 2% to slide downwardly by the weight of the load on the jaws pulling downwardly through the links 21.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, strong and durable hand truck has been provided, containing a small number of parts, andgiving a wide range of movementto the ripping or load-supporting latter may be readily adaws, so, that the justed to difierentsi ed loads. The weight of the load serves to cause the gripping ac- 1. A hand truck comprising a frame wheels thereon, an axle ping jaws having their inner ends mounted on the extended ends of the axle outside the wheels, and a pedal rigidly mountedonthe I axle for controlling the position of said aws.

for the wheels, g

A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in the frame, wheel's loosely mounted on the axle, the latter having its ends projecting beyond the wheels, sockets mounted on the extended ends of the axle, gripping jaws having their inner ends pivoted in the sockets and extending in front of the frame, and a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle for controlling the position of said jaws.

3. A hand truck comprising a frame, wheels thereon, an axle for the wheels ro-- tatably mounted on the frame, gripping jaws mounted on the extended ends of the axle, outside the wheels, a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle for controlling the po sition of said jaws, and hand-operated means connected to said jaws forward of their connection with the axle, to adjust the positions of the j aws inrelation to each other. 4. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in the frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, apedal rigidly mounted on the axle, gripping jaws connected to the ends of the axle and held from upward movement by said pedal, and means independent of said pedal and connected to said jaws in advance of their connection with the ends'of the axle, to adjust the positions of the jaws toward or from each other. i V

5. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted int-he frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle, gripping jaws con,- nected to the ends of the axle, and held from movement by said pedal, and a longitudinally movable bar mounted on the frame, means for connecting the barto the two jaws in advance of their connection with theendsof the axle. i

6. A hand truck comprising a frame, an

axlerotatably mounted in the frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, a

ed to the ends of the axle and held from movement by said pedal, alongitudinally movable bar mounted on the frame, means for connecting the bar to the two jaws in advance of their connection with the ends of the axle, a latch mechanism for holding the bar from movement, and means for controlling said latch mechanism.

7. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in the frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle, gripping jaws connected to the ends of the axle and held from movement by said pedal, and a spring-actuated push rod mounted on the frame and connected to said pedal.

8. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in the frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle, gripping jaws connected to the ends of the axle and held from movementby said pedal, a longitudinally movable bar mounted on the frame, means for connecting the bar to the two jaws in advance of their connection with the ends of the axle, a second longitudinally movable bar slldable on the frame, p'awl and ratchet connections between said bars, a spring for the second-named bar, and means for operating the same to disconnect said pawl and ratchet connections.

9. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in the frame, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, a pedal rigidly mounted on the axle, grlpping jaws connected to the ends of the axle and held from movement by said pedal, a longitudinally movable bar mounted on said frame, rods connecting said bar with the jaws in advance of their connection with said axle, and means for controlling the movement of said bar to effect the adjustment of said jaws.

10. A hand truck comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted on the frame, spaced wheels loosely mounted onthe axle, opposed gripping jaws hinged to the ends of the axle and adapted to partake of the rotary movement therewith, a longitudinally slidable bar mounted in the frame, latch mechanism for holding the bar against sliding, links connecting the hinged jaws to the slidable bar, and means for holding the axle against rotation when the truck frame is tilted rearwardly to cause the jaws to grip a load.

11. A hand truck comprising a frame having rearwardly extending brackets at its lower ends, an axle rotatably mounted in the brackets, wheels loosely mounted on the axle within the brackets, gripping jaws carried by the ends of the axle and extending around the outside of the frame and bent inwardly toward each other, said jaws-being hinged to swing transversely of the truck frame and mounted to partake of the axle ofiset from one end thereof and rotatably mounted thereon, wheelsloosely mounted on said axle, sockets rigidly secured to the ends of the axle, gripping aws having their rear ends mounted on pivots transversely of the axle and having their forward ends bent toward each other in advance of the truck frame, a hand-operated, longitudinally slidable bar mounted in the frame, oppositely disposed, outwardly. extending links connecting the lower end of said bar to intermediate points of the jaws, latching means for holding the bar in adjusted posi tion and adapted to be depressed by foot to permit the slidable bar to drop and the jaws to separate and release their load.

13. A hand truck having a frame, an axle rotatably mounted thereon, wheels mounted free to rotate independently of the axle, elongated gripping jaws hingedly mounted V at the ends of the axle to be held depressed vance of the truck frame to sweep the floor towards each other and engage the load.

14. A hand truck having a frame provided at its lower end with a rotatably mounted axle offset in rear thereof, wheels mounted on the axle to rotate independently thereof, gripping jaws carried by the ends of the axle and extending to the front of the truck frame and adapted to beswung up or down by relative rotary movement of the axle and to swing inwardly or outwardly, a foot pedal mounted on the axle to prevent the same from rotating and to hold the jaws to the floor when the frame is tilted rearwardly, a pivot pin and mounted for longitudinal adjustment in the frame, and links connecting the jaws to the pivot pin to pull the jaws toward each other during said tilting movement.

15. A hand truck having a frame provided at its lower end with a rotatably mounted axle offset in rear thereof, wheels mounted on the axle to rotate independently thereof, gripping jaws carried by the ends of the axle and extending to the front of the truck frame and adapted to be swung an adjustable bar having teeth and mounted on the axle to up or down by relative rotary movement of the axle and to swing inwardly or outwardly, a foot pedal mounted on the axle to prevent the same from rotating and to hold the jaws to the floor when the frame is tilted rearwardly, an adjustable bar having teeth and a pivot pin and mounted for lngitudinal adjustment in the frame, links connecting the aws to the pivot pin to pull the jaws toward each other during said tilting movement, a pivoted latch engaging the teeth to hold the bar in adjustment, and a longitudinal, spring-pressed rod mounted in the frame and connected to the latch, said rod having a foot piece to disengage said latch to permit the jaws to be adjusted to amaximum or a minimum size load.

16. A hand truck having'a frame provided at its lower end with a ,rotatably mounted axle offset in rear thereof, wheels rotate independently jaws carried by the ends of the axle and extending to the front of the truck frame and adapted to be swung up or down by relative rotary movement of the axle and to swing inwardly or outward ly, a foot pedal mounted on the axle to prevent the same from rotating and to hold the jaws to the floor when the frame is tilted rearwardly, an adjustable bar having teeth and a pivot pin and mounted for longitudinal adjustment in the frame, and links conthereof, gripping necting the jaws to the pivot pin to pull the jaws toward each other during said tilting movement, and a longitudinal, springpressed rod connected to said foot pedal and mounted in the frame to maintain the pedal in normal position.

17. A hand truck having a frame carr ing ofiset bearing brackets at the lower en an axle journaled in the bearings of said brackets, wheels loosely mounted on the axle, hinge members secured to the ends of the axle to rotate therewith, angular gripping jaws pivoted to the hinge members and we tending to the front of the frame, a foot pedal secured to the shaft and adapted when held by the foot to hold the jaws to the floor, when the frame is tilted to the rear, a spring-pressed rod mounted in the frame and connected to the pedal to normally lift the jaws when the frame is tilted, a central, longitudinal, adjustable bar mounted in the frame, links connecting the jaws to the bar above the axle to pull the active ends of the jaws inwardly to grip a. load when the pedal is held and the frame is tilted, and latching means for holding the central bar in adjusted position and adapted to be depressed to release the load.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ture.

EDGAR J. BRYAN.

affixed my signa-