US2434998A

US2434998A - Folding basket carrier

Info

Publication number: US2434998A
Application number: US708148A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sylvan N Goldman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-11-06
Filing date: 1946-11-06
Publication date: 1948-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1965-01-27

Description

Jan. 27, 1948. s. N. GOLDMAN 2,434,998

FOLDING BASKET CARRIER Filed Nov. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sylvan N. Goldman Jan. 27, 1948. I s. N. GOLDMAN 2,434,998

FOLDING BASKET CARRIER Filed Nov. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' 85 v &7 m s 74 70 at 82 I Ty/vb); Goldman Jan. 27, 1948.

S. N. GOLDMAN FOLDING BASKET CARRIER Filed Ndv e, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 3 MN. MN N u NQ. M Q g Mm a SS 1 R R QM (5am. NN (IQN um j 5 ox. w MN 0 J'y/Van 1v Goldman Patented Jan. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2';4s4,99s FOLDIfiGfiE'ASKETfiAiRiER Sylvan N: Goldman, Oklahoma-City, Okla. Application Nov-enters, 1946, Serial No. 708,148 eclaims. (01. 2:20:42)

This invention" relates to carts especially" employed in grocerystores. It has'been proposed to build carts or carriers for use by customers in grocery stores for conveying purchases, 'but'sin'ce such carts must beof;apredetermined length and. width to "support thewire baskets-carried thereon a large area is required to store the carts. Due to the limited floor" surface of agreat many stores it is necessary to'either limit the number m of carriers or the business equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to construct carriers which maybe readily collapsed or reformed by the'manipuiation'of crtain"elements so that a number of carts maybe stored in the space formerly occupiedby'a singlecarrier.

Another object of the inventionis the provision of a carrier for use by'customers in'a'g'rocery or other store in which the raising'of'a Wire basket-supporting grid to' a vertical position for reception by sockets at one 'sideofthe carrier will permit folding of the'earriers'o'that the'sids thereof and the wheels may be moved into close association when the carriers are -stc'ired,"thereby reducing the storage spaceforin'e'rlyreqi -iired A further object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible or foldable sturdy carrier in which a wire basket-supporting grid is employed for retaining the side walls, in the form of metal frame-works, in an extended-position when the carrier is used as a conveyance but which grid may be tilted to a vertical-position and lowered in sockets in one sidewall of the carrier to permit folding of said carrier, the handle bar for operating the carrier being tiltably mounted so that the bar may be moved to an inoperative and vertical position when the carrier is folded.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view inelevation of acarrier constructed in accordance 'with the principles'of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front end view in elevation of the carrier.

Figure 3 is a plan view-of the'carrieru Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section'ta'ken along the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a side viewin'eleva tio'n of the car'- rier shown in folded conditionfand Wall being in Figure '7" is a rear end view elevation" of the folded earner shown menu-rec. I

' Referring "more particularly 'to' the I drawings, 10 a'nd'll designate a pair "of side walls, ch the form'of arrame-"workina e of metal. "Each wall is mounted on "a basefH supported by pairs of wheels {3 "and 14. The sidewalls are connecte'dtcgether by fro'ritj'aind rear lazy ton'gs, the tongs being designated respectively by the numeralsl'i andjIjG. v

Each sidewall includes the base: 2 in the of a flat bar to which at the lowerends are welded spaced parallel vertical'bars ZWahdZl. Each vertical bar has a tfiset upprehq 22 Which is provided with a'horizontalflange23 welded to the bridge portion Oran jinverted horizontal channel iron. "The channeliroh'pfthe; sidewall I0 is designated by the numeral 24 While "a"siri1" ilar channel iron "25 is includedin the side wall II. A curvedbi'ac'e bar "26 Vhasth'e lower end secured t the onset '22'of'th'e vs icfal bar "20 of each side wall. Th'eothe'r en'djofthe'brace bar has a horizontal flange 21 welded'tp the-in nerfnd f 'ch'ann1'bar124orf25. The'fre 'erid of thebrace baris turned upwardly as fshown at 28. IA braceZQ at the front end of: each side wall 7 has the lower end secured to the "offset 122 of 'thevertical'bar 2|. The upper end of "said brace bar has-"a horizontal lilange and "a ver- The flange-cu or tnejbraee par is Welded to the front end oithechannelfmlemer h e ifl a i efw 'p' 'th t b ve a is welded t'pthechanneltbafiZE BO ti 'dewans l 0 and I I *are substantially identical ih"construe tion.

A guide 3'2 having'aveitical "groove"33"- is secured to each ofjthefofisets 2-2 tweetersarths 20 and-2|. The laa'y tongs [5 't'thefront of the carrier include diagonally arrari gedl-inks 35 "and 36 which h'ave oppositely disposed offset portions 31 pivoted on a pin or bolt 38. The link ss frias its lower end' pivoted on a b olt'carried Joy the lower portion of' one of'thebars or-legs 2 The other link '36 is'pivoted on-a bblt dflcarried by the other bar 2| at the front of: the'carrier. Each of the links '35 and 36 has a pi n 4| at the upper end thereof riding in one of the grooves '33-in the guides 32. The lower endof eachgr'oove 33 is clo sed to forina stop for limiting the dow'n- *ward movement of the pm when the carrier is in an operative position, as shown in Figure On the other hand, the pins ride to the upper ends of the grooves when thecarrier'is folded (Fig. 6).

The lazy tongs 'I'B'atthe rear of the carrier is identical in construction with the lazy tongs l5 at the front and therefore the same reference numerals are applied to similar elements of both lazy tongs.

The lower ends of the links 35 of both tongs are connected together by brace bars 42 and gusset plates 43 at the ends of said bars 42. The upper ends of the links 35 are connected together by bars 44 and gusset plates 45. The lower ends of the links 36 and the upper ends of the links are connected together in the same manner as are the links 35.

Gusset plates 49 are welded to the lower ends of the vertical bars 20 and 2| of each of the side walls of the carrier. The plates are also secured to the base bars I2 thereby fixing the vertical bars rigidly in position.

Bumpers 50 which may be in the form of rub- I ber or wooden rollers 5| are carried by axles 52. A bracket 53 connected to each front vertical bar 2| has a bearing for the upper end of the axle 52. A member 54 braces the bracket 53. The lower end of each vertical bar 2| has a horizontal flange 55 extending forwardly of the carrier and said flanges have bearings for the lower ends of the axles 52. The bumpers, thus supported, project forwardly of the carrier.

A grid generally designated by the numeral 69 is composed of longitudinal parallel bars 61 and B2 and transverse bars as shown in Figure 3. The transverse bars 63 having one end inturned to provide depending lips 64-a.

The channel bar 25 has spaced slots or sockets 65 (Fig. 4) for receiving the lips li4-a. The channel bar 24 has a plurality of spaced openings or slots 65 to receive the free ends 6'! of all of the

bars

63 and 64 at that side of the grid where the channel bar 24 is located. The free ends 5'! of the bars 63 and B4 are adjacent the outer flange of the channel bar 24 and cooperate with the lips 64-11 for retaining the side walls of the carrier in spaced relation and said carrier in operative running condition.

A handle bar 10 of cylindrical form has a longitudinal slot ill-a and a pair of depending spaced flanges 1| pivoted on apin 12 carried by a bar 13 which has a curved free end 14 located within the hollow bar 10. The bar 13 is secured at right angles to a vertical bracket 15 having a horizontal arm 16 secured to the inner flange of the channel bar 24.

A bar H has a notch 18 which receives a pin '19 carried by a pair of flanges 89 depending from and formed integrally with the hollow handle bar it. The upper end of the bar is semicircular as shown at 8|, and is disposed in the handle bar 19. A pin 82 is mounted in the upper end of the bar and disposed within the handle bar with the ends of the pin in engagement with the inner wall of the hollow handle bar at diametrically opposite points.

A bracket 83 is secured to the bar H at right angles thereto. A horizontal arm 84 of the bracket is securedto the inner flange of the channel member 25 (Figure 2).

Guards 85 to hold the wire baskets 86 on the rack or grid 66 are hingedly mounted on pins 8'! carried by the upturned flanges 28 and 3| at the upper ends of the respective braces 26 and 29 (Figure 1) associated with the pairs of vertical bars and 2|. Each guard consists of a. flat strap of metal which has the free end bent inwardly as shown at 83, in Figure 1, and the bent ends are hingedly mounted on the pins 81.

Each front wheel I4 is mounted on an axle. 90

carried by a bracket 9| which is swivelled on the flange 55 (Figs. 1 and 2). Each rear wheel I3 is mounted on an axle 92 carried by a uard plate 93 and a brace bar 94, (Figs. 6 and 7).

The operation of my device is as follows:

The carrier is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive as ready for use by a customer in any type of store or business place with the handle bar 19 and grid in operative positions for retaining the side walls or frames in spaced parallel relation so that the baskets 86 may be supported on the grid. The guards 85 are placed in a horizontal plane above the grid .to maintain the baskets on the carrier.

When not in use, the carriers are folded and placed in storage. In order to fold the carrier, the

baskets 86 are removed and stacked within each other. The portion of the grid adjacent the channel iron 25 is raised as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, with the walls of the slots or sockets 66 in the channel iron 24 acting as sliding pivots for the free ends 6'! of the

transverse bars

63 and 64 of the grid 6!]. When the grid has been elevated to a vertical position, the free portions 61 of the transverse bars Will have been lowered to the utmost and the longitudinal bar 62 of the rid will rest upon the-top of the inverted channel iron 24.

The release of the grid will permit the side frames or walls to be moved toward each other in parallel relation due to the action of the lazy tongs l5 and 16. As the side frames are forced toward each other the pins 4| will ride upwardly in the slots 33 of the guides 32 carried by the respective uprights or vertical bars 20 and 2|. During this operation, the hollow handle bar will slide on the curved upper edge 8! of the bar Tl (Fig. 5), while the pin 19 is moving out of the slot 18 in the depending flanges rigid with the hollow bar 10. At the same time the flanges H on the other end of the bar Ill are pivoting on the pin 72. As the handle '10 moves toward the right in Figure 5, the pin 82 guides the handle bar downwardly to the position shown in Figures 6 and 7, while the bar 11 rides through the slot Ill-a, whence the carrier will be collapsed completely and ready for storage.

When restoring the carrier to its normal operative condition, the steps just enumerated are reversed. In other words, the side frames are pulled apart and guided in parallel relation by the lazy tongs l5 and Hi. The pins 4| riding downwardly in the slot 33 of the guides 32 will reach the lower closed ends of said slots and will limit the outward movement of the side frames. The handle bar slides automatically into position.

The grid 60 is lifted and moved to a horizontal position and the lips 64-a on one end of each of the transverse bars 63 are seated in the sockets 65 formed in the channel bar 25. Thus the pins 4| carried by the upper ends or the links forming the lazy tongs cooperate with the grid and the

channel irons

24 and 25 for maintaining the carrier in working condition.

The pin 19 is in engagement with the walls of the notches l9 and the handle bar 10 is restrained from sliding movement when the carrier has been assembled.

When the carrier has been folded the guards B5 are moved from the horizontal positions shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, to the vertical positions shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Although a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is disclosed herein, it is to be understood that Various modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, lazy tongs connecting the side frames together so that said frames may be moved toward or away from each other in parallel relation, a basket supporting grid removably mounted on the tops of the frames, cooperating means on the grid and frames for aiding in retaining the frames in spaced relation, a hollow handle bar, a bracket secured to each frame and extending upwardly therefrom, means pivotally connecting one end of the hollow bar on one end of one bracket and means slidably connecting the other end of the hollow bar with the other bracket.

2. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, lazy tongs connecting the side frames together so that said frames may be moved toward or away from each other in parallel relation, a basket supporting grid formed of lonitudinal bars and transverse bars connected to the longitudinal bars with the free ends of the transverse barsprojecting beyond the longitudinal bars, the upper edge of each side frame having sockets therein to receive the adjacent ends of the transverse bars.

3. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, lazy tongs connecting the side frames together so that said frames may be moved toward or away from each other in parallel relation, a basket supporting grid formed of longitudinal bars and transverse bars connected to the longitudinal bars with the free ends of the transverse bars projecting beyond the longitudinal bars, a lip depending from one end of certain transverse bars, the upper edge of one side frame having sockets to receive the lips, the upper edge of the other side frame having sockets to receive the other ends of the transverse bars, a handle bar and cooperating means on the bar and frames for slidably and tiltably mounting the bar on the frame.

4. A foldable Wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, lazy tongs connecting the side frames together so that said frames may be moved toward or away from each other in parallel relation, a basket supporting grid formed of longitudinal bars and transverse bars connected to the longitudinal bars with the free ends of the transverse bars projecting beyond the longitudinal bars, a lip depending from one end of certain transverse bars, the upper edge of one side frame having sockets to receive the lips, the upper edge of the other side frame having sockets to receive the other ends of the transverse bars, said grid being tiltable to a vertical position when the carrier is folded so that the last-mentioned ends of the transverse bars will move through the associated sockets until a longitudinal bar rests on the top of a side frame.

5. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, pairs of lazy tongs connecting the side frames together, each frame having an inverted channel bar at the top thereof, said channel bars provided with spaced slots, at basket-supportin grid including transverse bars, a lip on an end of certain transverse bars received by the slots in one channel bar, the other ends of the transverse bars being received by the slots in the other channel bar, said grid being tiltable before the carrier is folded so that the last-mentioned ends of the transverse bars will slide through the associated slots and retain the grid in a vertical position, a handle bar, and cooperating means on the bar and channel bars for slidably and tiltably mounting the handle bar on the channel bars.

6. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, pairs of lazy tongs connecting the side frames together, each frame having an inverted channel bar at the top thereof, said channel bars provided with spaced slots, a basket supporting grid including transverse bars, a lip on an end of certain transverse bars received by the slots in one channel bar, the other ends of the transverse bars being received by the slots in the other channel b-ar, said grid being tiltable before the carrier is folded so that the last-mentioned ends of the transverse bars will slide through the associated slots and retain the grid in a vertical position, a bracket secured to an end of each channel bar, a handle bar having one end hingedly mounted on one bracket, and means on the other bracket for slidably connecting the other end of the handle bar on said bracket.

7. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, lazy tongs connecting the side frames together so that said frames may be moved toward or away from each other in parallel relation, a basket supporting grid removably mounted on the tops of the frames, cooperating means on the grid and frames for aiding in retaining the frames in spaced relation, guards for supporting baskets on the grid when located in a horizontal plane, said guards being movable into vertical planes when the carrier is folded, a handle bar and cooperating means on the bar and frames for slidably and tiltably mounting the bar on the frame.

8. A foldable wheeled carrier comprising a pair of spaced side frames, pairs of lazy tongs connecting the side frames together, each frame having an inverted channel bar at the top thereof, a basket-supporting grid carried by the channel bars and aiding in retaining the frames in an operative position, one side edge of the grid being hingedly and slidably mounted on one channel bar so that the grid may be moved from a horizontal to a vertical position, cooperating means on the other channel bar for retaining the grid in a horizontal position, and a tiltable handle bar connected to the channel bars.

SYLVAN N. GOLDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,234,797 Parmenter July 21, 1917 2,020,766 Brown Nov, 12, 1935 2,089,436 Schwabe Aug. 10, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,472 Great Britain Sept. 4, 1930