Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G7/00—Devices for assisting manual moving or tilting heavy loads
  • B65G7/02—Devices adapted to be interposed between loads and the ground or floor, e.g. crowbars with means for assisting conveyance of loads
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
  • B62B3/00—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor
  • B62B3/10—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor characterised by supports specially adapted to objects of definite shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
  • B62B3/00—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor
  • B62B3/10—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor characterised by supports specially adapted to objects of definite shape
  • B62B3/108—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor characterised by supports specially adapted to objects of definite shape the objects being plates, doors, panels, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
  • B62B5/00—Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
  • B62B5/0083—Wheeled supports connected to the transported object

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for transporting or moving articles which are physically large and/or unwieldy and/or heavy, such as, e.g., doors, windows, large panels, crates, tools, building materials, frame structures, building components and the like for use in structures, e.g.. buildings, vehicles, vessels, monuments and the like, or for the carrying out of a task, where the device comprises a basic component supported by two pairs of wheels.
• the object of the present invention therefore is to overcome these problems in a simple manner that is related to the prior art, and accordingly the invention is characterised in that the basic component consists of a, preferably one-piece, elongate carrying frame which at its respective ends has an elevated article rest portion provided with a friction- generating surface, e.g., a friction facing, that article-supporting, vertical members are positioned in respective end areas of the carrying frame on both longitudinal sides thereof, that each pair of wheels is so positioned on the underside of the frame that said rest portion extends from the end of the carrying frame towards, but not beyond, the adjacent pair of wheels, the distance between the two rest portions always being greater than the distance between the axes of wheel rotation of the pairs of wheels.
• a friction- generating surface e.g., a friction facing
• Fig. 1 shows the device according to the invention, seen in perspective from above.
• Fig. 2 shows a minor modification of the device shown in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention, seen from below and in perspective.
• Fig. 4 shows in section a wheel pair suspension.
• Fig. 5 shows a modified version of a pair of wheels according to the invention.
• Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through a suspension for the pair of wheels in Fig. 5.
• Fig. 7 shows how the device adjusts when the load is tilted sideways.
• Fig. 8 shows the position of the axes of rotation of the two pairs of wheels relative to the longitudinal axis of the carrying frame when a load is tilted to the side, as shown in Fig.
• Fig. 9 shows how the device, provided with a load, is able to negotiate obstacles such as, e.g., a door threshold.
• Fig. 1 the device is indicated in general by means of the reference numeral 1.
• the device basically consists of an elongate carrying frame indicated by means of the reference numeral 2, said carrying frame preferably being made in a single piece and at its respective ends having an elevated article rest portion 3 a, 3 b which has a surface having good friction, e.g., provided by a friction facing.
• Article-supporting vertical members 4, 5, 6 and 7 are positioned in respective end areas of the carrying frame 2 on both longitudinal sides thereof. These members 4, 5, 6 and 7, on the face thereof that is opposite another member, may be provided with a friction-generating surface, e.g., in the form of a friction facing, as indicated by means of the reference numerals 4' and 6 * in Fig.
• a central part of the carrying frame 2, as indicated by means of the reference numeral 8, 8', is advantageously constructed to have a hand grip, provided, e.g., in the form of an opening 9 in the said central part.
• the said elements 4, 5, 6 and 7, at an upper portion thereof, may be equipped with a fastening mechanism or fastening device, indicated respectively by means of the reference numerals 10, 11, 12, 13, e.g., for securing straps, clips, clamps, brackets or the like.
• said fastening mechanism or fastening device may have, e.g.. a mounting hole, indicated by means of the reference numerals 10', 1 1 ', 12' and 13'. although this should not be viewed as a limitation with respect to such fastening mechanisms or fastening devices.
• said fastening mechanisms or fastening devices may e.g., consist of through holes 14, 15, 16, 17 in the vertical members 18, 19, 20 and 21.
• the said fastening mechanisms 10, 1 1, 12, 13 may be placed in mounting holes equipped with friction facing in the top of the members 4, 5, 6, 7.
• fastening mechanisms or fastening devices as indicated, e.g.. by using straps, it will be possible to transport rather more awkward items, such as tool boxes, cupboards, sacks of cement, various tools or items in addition to panels and doors.
• various clips or clamps and brackets can be fastened at the top if this is appropriate.
• the carrying frame with said rest portions and the vertical members should be made in one piece, e.g., of a fibre-reinforced plastics material or cast metal, this does not however exclude the possibility that the rest portions and/or the vertical members may be parts that are attached to the carrying frame, e.g., by using adhesive, rivets or screws.
• the support structure of the device consists of identical, but invertedly positioned pairs of wheels 22 and 23. These pairs of wheels are each screwed to the carrying frame 2 by means of fixing screws 24, 25, 26, 27.
• a shock-absorbing plate 28. 29 can be used between the carrying frame 2 and a mounting plate 30 for a pair of wheels of this type.
• the wheel pair structure includes a transverse axle casing 31, preferably made having an internal rigid steel axle 32, as indicated in Fig. 3 and also in Fig. 4. At each end of the axle 32 there is provided a wheel, preferably of semi-soft plastic, indicated by means of the reference numeral 33.
• a supporting disc 34 with ball bearings 35 is embedded in the plastic wheels, and the wheels are attached to the axle 32 by means of lock nuts 36. Via a web 37 on the axle casing is attached a rotating ball 38 that is fixed in a bushing 39, thereby forming a ball joint. On the opposite side of the axle casing there is another web 40, where the free end of the web is cast having an integrated ring 41 which will be at a lower level when the inventive device is standing with all four wheels on an underlying surface, such as a floor.
• the ring 41 surrounds a flexible bushing 42 that is passed onto an inclined pivot 43 set at an angle upwards and towards the central part 8, 8' of the carrying frame 2.
• the bushing 42 between bushing discs 45 and 46 will bulge and be stabilised in a centre or neutral position, where the wheels 33 are parallel to a longitudinal centre line through the device.
• This mounting and geometry causes the wheel pair unit at the respective end areas of the carrying frame to be capable of pivoting, so that the wheels, such as the wheels indicated by means of the reference numerals 33a, 33b, and 33c, 33d, will follow a respective arc of movement, here indicated by means of the reference numerals 47 and 48 on the transfer of pressure from above in the direction of 49 in which the object of transport 50 is wheeled or in other words is to go during transport.
• the carrying frame 2 will tilt relative to the wheel pairs 51, as indicated in Fig. 7 (51a and 51b indicated on Fig. 9, see also Fig. 8 where the reference numeral 51a is related to the wheel set 33a, 33c and 51b is related to the wheel set 33b, 33d).
• the two sets 51a, 51b of wheels pairs will thus take up a common curved path of motion, whose centre of curvature is closest to the longitudinal side of the carrying frame 2 which on tilting lies lowest, as will be seen clearly by studying Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.
• the force that is exerted to tilt the frame 2 will cause the pivot 43 to be tilted slightly to the side from which the force indicated by the arrow 49 is applied.
• the wheel set will be forced to pivot owing to the support in the ball joint 38, 39.
• the stiffness of the pivot mechanism can be adjusted by tightening the said nut 44.
• the axle casing 22, 23 tilts about the web 37 which has the said ball 38, but is kept in the neutral position on account of the flexibility of the bushing 62.
• the structural geometry is achieved also because the pivot 43 is inclined, e.g., at an angle ⁇ relative to the vertical.
• the web 37 is angled at an angle ⁇ relative to the vertical.
• the angles ⁇ and ⁇ will be in the range of about 5-15° and 20-30° respectively, although these ranges of angles should by no means be seen as a limitation with respect to the present invention. It will be understood immediately that a skilled person would be able to use other ranges of angles and adjust the structure accordingly so as to obtain other pivoting properties for the wheel pairs.
• the person who, by applying force from a hand 53, pushes the article 50 and thus also the device 1, will exert a pushing force 54 in the direction of travel and a downward force 55 directed towards the rest portion 4 where a downwardly directed force PI is thus produced, whereby a torque is generated about the axle 31 belonging to the wheel pair 41b in order thereby to tilt the wheel pair 51a up with a force P2. as is shown in Fig. 9.
• the distance d2 between the rest portions 3a, 3b is always greater than the centre distance dl between the axles of the wheels 33a, 33c and 33b, 33d in the wheel pairs 51a and 51b.
• the very fact that d2 is greater than dl is an essential prerequisite of the device operating as intended.
• FIG. 5 An alternative embodiment of a wheel pair means can be seen in Figs. 5 and 6.
• an axle casing 56 having a steel axle 57.
• a first web portion 58 of the axle casing 56 is pivotally connected to an inclined pivot or shaft 59 that is secured in a base piece 60 in order, with the aid of screws 61 , 62, to be screwed on to the carrying frame, optionally via a shock-absorbing plate 29, as shown in Fig. 3.
• An elastically yielding bushing 63 which forms a bearing sleeve is placed around the pivot or shaft 59. as can be seen clearly in Fig. 6. This means that the web 58 can, on slight compression of the bushing 63, tilt slightly relative to the pivot or shaft 59.
• a washer 64 with associated lock nut 65 holds the unit consisting of the web 58 and the shaft 59 in place.
• This web has a hole 67, by means of which the web or arm 66 can be secured with a screw 68 to a flexible block 69.
• the flexible block 69 is secured to the base plate 60.
• the wheel pair including the wheels 70 (corresponding to the wheels 33) will be in a neutral position with the wheels parallel to the longitudinal centre axis of the device, and only on the application of direct pressure to one of the sides will a pivoting motion of the bogie be produced, in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the other type of wheel pair design.
• the carrying frame is thus made to tilt to one side, the shaft 59 and its outer part 59a will move towards the opposite side.
• the cushioning mechanism 69 will thus behave almost as the previously mentioned ball joint 38, 39.
• the angle that the axis through the bolt or pivot 59 forms with the vertical is indicated by means of the reference ⁇ in Fig. 6, whilst the angle which the axis through the cushioning mechanism 69 forms with the vertical is indicated by means of the reference ⁇ .
• the angles ⁇ and ⁇ in the illustrated example in the range of 10-20°, although this should by no means be viewed as a limitation with respect to the invention, since modifications within the scope of the invention will, of course, be possible.
• the present invention provides a device that is simple in structure and suitable for conveying articles of various types on a "carriage" of minimum size, but which can pivot and negotiate obstacles by tilting the device without physical connection to the article under transport.
• the present invention provides a device that has a very wide range of application, but where different special equipment could be provided for special types of articles that are to be transported.
• the sets of wheels or the wheel support is special, as both of sets of wheels can produce a pivoting motion and also take up a neutral position when a tilting movement to one transverse side or the other is not applied to the carrying frame of the device.
• the tilting principle allowing movement past obstacles is a great advantage of the present invention and thus represents a considerable advance within the field of transport or moving articles that are awkward to handle.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Handcart (AREA)
• Chain Conveyers (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19903839

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Citations (3)

• 1999
  • 1999-10-04 NO NO19994834A patent/NO310967B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-10-03 WO PCT/NO2000/000325 patent/WO2001025122A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-10-03 AU AU75630/00A patent/AU7563000A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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