WO2011092162A1

WO2011092162A1 - Dolly for tyres with tilting frame

Info

Publication number: WO2011092162A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/050990
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emanuele Mengoni
Original assignee: Euroreifen Ms S. R. L.
Priority date: 2010-02-01
Filing date: 2011-01-25
Publication date: 2011-08-04
Also published as: IT1398047B1; ITMI20100138A1

Abstract

A dolly (1) is described for tyres (5) which comprises a frame (2) with struts (3, 6, 12) identifying a housing for tyres (5), an end (32) of which is intended to support support means (4) for said tyres (5). A first pair of arms (18) integral with each other and ending with first wheels (19), and a second pair of arms (30) integral with each other and ending with second wheels (40) are rotatingly constrained at an end (181, 301) at a fulcrum (15), to said struts (6) in median position and at the part opposite to said support means (4). Said dolly (1) is tillable between a first essentially vertical position in which said first pair of arms (18) and said struts (6) are essentially parallel to and integral with each other, and a horizontal position in which said second pair of arms (30) is at a preset angular distance from said first pair of arms (18) no longer integral with and parallel to said struts (6) so that said wheels (19, 40) rest on the ground while the housing of the tyres (5) is essentially horizontal.

Description

DESCRIPTION

DOLLY FOR TYRES WITH TILTING FRAME

* * * *

The present invention relates to an improved tilting dolly for handling tyres or other heavy product to be handled.

Certain types of dollies for tyres have already been proposed, which are often used in workshops, and in particular by tyre specialists or tyre wholesalers, to easily and simultaneously move stacks of tyres.

Certainly when sets of tyres are considered, and especially when reference is made to those of lorries, coaches and tractors, both the sizes and the weight may become significant and the handling thereof involves certain difficulties.

Doilies for tyres have already been proposed consisting of a frame, extending for the most part vertically, having manoeuvring grips on the upper part, resting on a pair of wheels positioned bottomly and in contact with the ground, and support means for a stack of tyres on the lower part. The user of dollies of known type, may position a stack (set) of tyres on support means and, after having overbalanced the dolly by pulling it toward him/herself, while keeping the dolly and stack of tyres balanced - which involves a certain effort - push it until the tyres are transported in the position wanted, i.e. with the originally vertical dolly platform slightly tilted. The dolly is moved in precarious balance by taking advantage of the front base wheels.

Dollies are known in which the rotation is provided about the front wheels until a horizontal position is taken on essentially close to the ground in which further rear wheels rest on the ground.

The dollies known envisage the front handling wheels and pin positioned and rotatingly costrained to the frame close to the platform or resting area to facilitate the tilting action. However, such a configuration involves the tilting action being accompanied to lowering of the resting platform, which as said becomes close to the ground, i.e. inconvenient for the user in the case of loading and unloading operations of individual tyres.

Moreover, exclusively horizontal, man-height dollies are known, which however are not tilting.

Finally, dollies are known with motorized lifting and tilting means, It would be desirable to have a dolly for handling tyres, or cylindrical drums, having a new concept which does not have the drawbacks detailed above.

American patent US-6341788-B1 describes a dolly which is tiltable from a vertical position to a horizontal position.

American patent US-5277439-A describes a dolly with loading platform which is tiltable between a horizontal and a tilted position.

International patent WO-2006/133700-A1 describes a dolly which is tiltable from a vertical position to a horizontal position.

It is the object of the present invention to make a dolly which is tiltable between an essentially vertical position for loading/unloading stacks of tyres, and an essentially raised horizontal position for resting/picking individual aligned tyres, without the aid of pneumatic or motorized drive means.

In accordance with the invention, such an object is achieved with a dolly for tyres as described in claim 1,

These and other features of the present invention will become increasingly apparent from the following detailed description of one of its non-limiting practical embodiment examples disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective side view of a dolly for tyres in a vertical position, according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows a perspective side view opposite to the preceding one, in horizontal position;

figure 3 shows a side view from the same part in figure 1, with the dolly in horizontal position;

figure 4 shows a front view of an enlarged detail;

figure 5 shows a side view of a variant of the dolly in figures 1 -4 in which a hooking element is partially employed with a resting element;

figure 6 shows a perspective view of the dolly in figure 5;

figure 7 shows a side view of the dolly in figures 5 and 6 in horizontal position in which a hooking element is disengaged;

Figure 8 shows a side view of the dolly in figures 5 and 6 in horizontal position in which a hooking element is engaged; and figure 9 shows a side view of the dolly in figures 5 and 6 in vertical position in which a hooking element is disengaged.

With reference to the above-listed figures, it is noted how a dolly 1, for tyres 5, has a frame 2 comprising a first pair of struts 3, preferably essentially straight and consisting of metal tube, essentially parallel, each of which having an upper end 31 which can be used as a handle, and a lower end 32 intended to support support means 4 for tyres 5, Said support means 4 may consist for example of two straight bars or better shaped to support tyres 5.

A second pair of struts 6, parallel to each other, and also parallel to the struts 3, are rigidly connected by means of a cross member 7 which joins the upper ends 61 thereof and a cross member 8 which joins the lower ends 62 thereof. At the upper end or handle 31, each strut 3 is rotatingly connected by means of a bracket 9 equipped with a tubular element 99 in which the strut 3 is free to rotate at the upper end 61 thereof.

Similarly, at the lower end 32, each strut 3 is rotatingly connected to the strut 6 by means of a bracket 10 and a tubular element 100 at the lower end 62 thereof.

This type of rotating coupling between the struts 3 and 6 permits the nearing (narrowing) and separating (widening) of the bars 4, to facilitate loading the tyres. The frame 2, consisting of the struts 3, of the struts 6, of the cross members 7 and 8, and bottomly ending with support means 4, consists in fact of a housing or concave compartment for the tyres 5, stacked one on top of the other, when wanted.

A bar 14 is orthogonally connected to each strut 3, preferably a short distance from the upper end 31, which is usable as a handle and can be equipped with grip made with preferred material.

Advantageously, further reinforcing struts 12 are provided, parallel to each other, when wanted, and also parallel to the struts 3 and 6, which are rigidly connected to the struts 3 by means of brackets 120, so that any rotation of the struts 3 induced by means of the handles 31 or 14, involves lifting the struts 12 and hence the tyres 5 resting thereon thus encouraging the unloading from the dolly 1.

Provided on each strut 6, in median position and on the opposite part with respect to the one where the strut 3 is, are rotating engaging means or hinges 15 (in the embodiment shown, a simple plate with hole rotatingly accommodating a pivot pin) on which an end 181 is bolted of an arm 18 which at the other end 182 provides a wheel 19 rotatingly connected to said arm 18. In addition to being bolted in the hinge 15, the arm 18 is intended to rigidly support spacing means 20, preferably consisting of rigid "L" shaped elements, connected a short distance from the end 181 of the arm 18. When the strut 6, rotating about an axis parallel to the cross members 7 and 8 by means of the rotating engaging means 15, is brought from a first vertical position (figure 1) to a second horizontal position (figures 2 and 3) in which the end 62 of the strut 6 is separated from the end 182 of the arm 18, said spacing means 20 will rest on resting means 21, provided on the strut 6 precisely at the point in which said spacing means 20 would encounter the strut 6, and the strut 6 itself may, by means of said spacing means 20, be brought to a preset distance (angular) from the free end 182 of the arm 18.

On the other hand blocking means 25 of the arm 18 are also provided, in position essentially parallel and adhering to the strut 6 when the dolly 1 is in vertical position (figure 1): the blocking means 25 will comprise a hook 251, rotatingly connected to the arm 18, and a slot 252 in which said hook 251 may be engaged to keep the arm 18 blocked parallel to the strut 6. In disengaging itself from the slot 252, said hook 251 may, under its own weight, rotate about a pin 253 integral with said arm 18, until the point in which it meets a pin constraint 254, it also integral with said arm 18, which is provided to have the hook 251 take on the wanted position should the arm 18 take on an inclination such that the hook 251, due to the effect of its own weight, is uncoupled from the slot 252 and hence from the strut 6. Hence, the hook 251 provides an overbalance of its weight on the head (heavy head, for example with at least 80% of the weight so as to rotate about the pin 253 according to the inclination of the arm 18). It is noted that the wheels 19 are mounted at the two ends of one same axle 27 constrained to the arms 18 at the ends 182, which will be rigidly connected by a push deck or platform 28, preferably consisting of a "U" shaped profile,

By means of an upper end 301 thereof, a second pair of arms 30 is also rotatingly connected to the rotating engaging means 15; each arm 30 is intended to support preferably a swivel wheel 40 at the free end 302 thereof. The arms 30 are rigidly connected to each other by a cross member 32.

A slot 33 having essentially rectangular section is provided on one of the two arms 30, arranged approximately in median position, at the part opposite to the push deck or platform 28.

Each arm 30 is rotatingly constrained to the hinge 15, and is movable between a first vertical dolly position (figure 1) in which said arm is resting forced by weight on the platform 28, and a second horizontal dolly position (figures 2 and 3) in which said arm 30 forms an angle of approximately 90° with the arm 18 and is held in position by the constraining means 34 arranged at the free end part of the spacing means 20, in the example a simple containing spacer for the arm 30 and complementary thereto. In particular, it is noted that if all the pairs of wheels 19 and 40 are rested on the ground, i.e. if the arms 30 are resting on the constraining means 34, the frame 2 may move in tilting manner by bringing the resting means 21 to set down on the spacing means 20 i.e. the housing of the tyres 5 shall essentially be horizontal. To be able to ensure this last position is kept, integrally with the strut 6 corresponding to the side of the dolly 1 on which the arm 30 is equipped with said slot 33, by the same part of the resting means 21, a support 36 is provided intended to rotatingly support a blocking hook 35. Said blocking hook 35 may be engaged with the slot 33, and to disengage it therefrom, a disengaging shaft 37 is provided, an end 371 of which is constrained to the blocking hook 35, while the other free end 372 may be arranged immediately close to the cross member 7 and be easy to operate by the user.

Vice versa, starting from the position of horizontal dolly, it is sufficient to invert the sequence of operations described above, i.e. release the hook 35 and lift the dolly until it is brought into vertical position where the hook 251 is automatically - due to the matters of the centre of gravity as explained above - engaged in the slot 252 while blocking the arms 18 integrally with the strut 6.

Advantageously, in a variant of the dolly 1 described above, shown in figures from 5 to 9, a hollow and essentially parallelepiped shaped box element 321, missing one of its two largest faces, integral with the strut 6, at the hinge 15, may be provided to replace the spacing means 20 and the resting means 21, and also the blocking means 25 of the arm 18.

The outer surface of the only of the largest faces of the box element 321 is rigidly connected and parallel to the strut 6 and thus has a housing cavity 320 on the part opposite to the strut 6, for the free end 322 of a plate 323 whose other end 324 is connected to said arm 18. The angle between the strut 6 and the plate 323 may have a amplitude for example of 45° or in any event preferably smaller than the one of a right angle. In this embodiment each end of a push deck or platform 328, similarly to the platform 28, again with a "U" shaped profile, is connected to each plate 323 in median position, for example by means of bolts.

Furthermore, it is noted with respect to the strut 6, that the coupling of the hook 35 and of the slot 33 of the arm 30 is replaced, in completely equivalent manner, by a resting cross member 325, rigidly connected to the ends 322 of the plates 323, essentially parallel to the cross members 7 and 8, and by a hooking element 335, parallel to the resting cross member 325, whose ends are hinged to the box elements 321, so that said hooking element 335 may rotate on an axis parallel to the resting cross member 325.

As shown in detail in figures from 7 to 9, the profile of the hooking element 335 describes a first, very open "V" shaped section, having at the vertex, for example, an angle slightly less than 90°, an end of which is precisely rotatingly hinged to the box elements 321, whose other end is jointed to a straight section consisting of a convexity together with the "V" shaped section. In fact the hooking element 335 has a concave surface consisting of the "V" shaped section and a convex surface consisting of the joining of the latter section with the straight one.

The hooking element 335, equally to the blocking hook 35 from the first embodiment, is connected to an end 371 of a shaft 37 which is operated by means of the other end 372 thereof.

The dolly 1 described above is very flexible to use. For example the user may load a certain umber (set) of tyres 5 already vertically stacked on the essentially vertical dolly 1 as shown in figure 1; then, to move them, he/she pulls the dolly 1 toward him/herself using the bars or handles 14 while placing a foot on the platform 28. Thereby the arms 30, free to rotate, acting as rotating pin on the engaging means 15, due to the effect of the weight thereof, separate the wheels 40 from the struts 6 until the position is reached in figure 2 in which the arms 30 are engaged with the constraining means 34, thus preventing the dolly 1 from reaching an inclination greater than the one wanted or preparing the dolly essentially in horizontal position as shown in figure 2. The platform 28 plays an important role, because in addition to acting as pushing element for the user, when the dolly is vertical, it permits to keep a certain angle between the arms 18 (vertical) and the arms 30, the wheels 40 being slightly raised in this position. Said angle is preferably between 15° and 60°, more generally is to be such that at the beginning of the tilting motion, starting from vertical position, the wheels 40 touch the ground and, while running on the ground, tend to open the angle between the arms 30 and 18. If there were no platform 28, with the dolly in vertical position, the angle between the arms 30 and 18 would be so small (also less than 10°, it depends on the sizes of the wheels) that a first tilting movement of the dolly would not open said angle between the arms 30 and 18 thus not permitting the correct tilting of the dolly in accordance with the object of the invention.

Thus initially the struts 3, 6, 12, i.e. the housing of the tyres 5, rotate about the hub of the wheels 19, then, once the hook 251 is released forced by weight, they begin rotating with respect to the fulcrum 15 common to the arms 18 and 30. If there were no blocking means 25 the first rotating step would not be very controllable with consequential risks for the user.

In the embodiment which provides the hooking element 335, the user who brings the dolly 1 from the vertical position to the horizontal position, to the place of the pair consisting of the slot 33 and of the hook 35, will take advantage of the coupling offered by the hooking element 335 with the resting cross member 325 to block the dolly 1 in horizontal position. The coupling occurs automatically as the dolly 1, when it is in horizontal position, brings the hooking element 335 to embrace the resting cross member 325 thus remaining coupled thereto. With particular reference to figures 7 and 8, it is noted that the conformation of the hooking element 335, and in particular the concave part thereof, once in contact with the resting cross member 325, due to the effect of small movements caused by using the dolly, allows the latter to recover the existing clearance between the hooking element 335 and the resting cross member 325 thus resulting in the perfected hooking of the element 335 and the improved coupling. I.e. the natural movement of the various components of the dolly 1 during use involves the improvement of an initially imperfect coupling between the hooking element 335 and the resting cross member 325 as the hooking element 335 tends again to increasingly better embrace the resting cross member 325.

The resting cross member 325 also blocks the opening movement of the angle between the arms 18 and 30, the arms 30 resting on said cross member 325.

Wanting to uncouple the hooking element 335 from the resting cross member 325, the user may pull the shaft 37, which leads to releasing the element 335. The spacing means 20 and the resting means 21 are replaced in this embodiment by resting the end 322 of the plate 323 on the box element 321 which occurs within the cavity 320 constituted by the latter,

Hence, as said the progressive tilting process from the vertical position envisages the following steps:

contact by the wheels 40 with the ground and consequential running on the ground with initial increase of the angle between the arms 30 and 18, the latter still being rigidly constrained to the struts 6 by means of the existing engagement of the hook 251 with the slot 252; the arms 18 rotate in the direction opposite to the arms 30 due to the effect of the existing constraint with the struts 6, i.e. they follow the tilting motion of the housing of the tyres 5 supported by the bars 4; disengaging the hook 251 from the slot 252 due to the weight of the head of the hook 251 : the arms 18 reach an inclination with respect to the ground such that the arm between the centre of gravity of the hook and the fulcrum 253 thereof is such as to disengage the hook 251 from the slot 252; hence the arms 18 begin rotating about the fulcrum 15 independently from the struts 6;

reaching the position of horizontal dolly, with the stabilization at approximately 90° of the angle between the arms 18 and 30 by means of the spacing means 20 which are constrained to the struts 6 by means of the rests 21, or by means of the plate 323 resting on the box elements 321, and holding the arms 30 in position by means of the constraining means 34; the further hook 35, or the hooking element 335, blocks the handling means so that the wheels 19 and 40 touch ground and the housing of the tyres is horizontal at man height.

Thus the user will have brought the dolly 1 to tilt without running the slightest risk of being crushed thereby and by its load of tyres 5.

The dolly 1 in horizontal handling position may be manoeuvred, by means of the ends 31 of the uprights 3, and with extreme ease due as much to the fact that the wheels 40 are of swivel type as to the fact that the dolly 1 distributes the weight of its load on all four wheels 19 and 40. Naturally, as when the dolly 1 is in handling position, it has essentially horizontal struts 6, the tyres 5 previously loaded on the dolly 1 are all at the same height from the ground and hence are all equally convenient for the user to use. The design of the arms 18, 30 with respect to the struts 6 indeed permits to take on a horizontal position with the tyres 5 at man height, i.e. the user should not have to bend over to fit or remove tyres from vehicles raised by common lifting components found in workshops.

At the same time however, the dolly according to the present invention is capable of taking on a vertical position useful for loading/unloading a stack of tyres.

Hence the user is capable for example of removing the four tyres from an automobile and resting them on the dolly 1 in horizontal position, moving the horizontal dolly toward the depot, and storing the four tyres perfectly stacked by simply placing the dolly in vertical position and possibly separating the bars 4.

As mentioned, the state of the art provides exclusively vertical, exclusively horizontal or tilting dollies, by simply pivoting on the front wheels so that in horizontal position, the resting surface of the tyres is close to the ground, certainly not at man height.

Similarly, the dolly 1 for tyres could be used for handling cylindrical type elements such as beer drums or the like, and in any event any heavy object of any shape to be moved and tilted, the housing being modifiable based on the object to be tilted (it could be a simple surface).

Another use of the dolly 1 for tyres could be to transport ambulance stretchers, if the patient is immobilized, it is sufficient for one dolly user alone to position the stretcher so that it rests parallel to and on the struts 6, while possibly securing it with some safety belts, and then bringing the dolly from the loading position to the resting position and then to the moving one; he/she may easily conduct the patient, arranged in horizontal position, wherever required.

Claims

1. A dolly (1) for tyres (5) which comprises a frame (2) with struts (3, 6, 12) identifying a housing for tyres (5), an end (32) of which is intended to support support means (4) for said tyres (5), said struts (6) being in median position and at the part opposite to said support means (4), are rotatingly constrained to an end (181, 301) at a fulcrum (15), a first pair of arms (18) integral with each other, and ending with first wheels (19), and a second pair of arms (30) integral with each other, and ending with second wheels (40), said dolly (1) being tiltable between a first essentially vertical position wherein said first pair of arms (18) and said struts (6) are essentially parallel to and integral with each other, and a horizontal position wherein said second pair of arms (30) is at a preset angular distance from said first pair of arms (18) no longer integral with and parallel to said struts (6) so that said wheels (19, 40) rest on the ground while the housing of the tyres (5) is essentially horizontal, is characterized in that said first pair of arms (18) comprises resting means (21, 323, 325) and in that said second pair of arms (30) comprises constraining means (34, 321, 335) adapted to be reciprocally engaged with said resting means (21, 323, 325) to stably keep the dolly (1) in horizontal position.

2. A dolly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first pair of arms (18) provides spacing means (20) adapted to be coupled with resting means (21) integral with at least a strut (6) and which comprise constraining means (34) adapted to simultaneously hold said second pair of arms (30) thus blocking the rotating opening movement of the angle between the arms (18, 30) adapted to separate the wheels (19) of said second pair of arms (30) from the wheels (40) of the first pair of arms (18).

3. A dolly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a resting cross member (325) rigidly connected at a free end (322) of resting means (323) adapted to be coupled with constraining means (321) which rotatingly support a hooking element (335) comprising at least a concave portion which, with the dolly (1) in horizontal position, is adapted to be coupled with said resting cross member (325).

4. A dolly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said resting cross member (325) is rigidly connected by means of plates (323) to said first pair of arms (18) rotatingly supported by a box element (321) integral with the struts (6), said box element (321) also rotatingly supporting said second pair of arms (30).

5. A dolly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises reciprocal blocking means (25) in vertical position on at least one of said struts (6) and on the corresponding first arm (18).

6. A dolly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said blocking means (25) comprise a hook (251), on said at least one of said arms (18), rotatingly fixed to said arm (18), intended to be reciprocally engaged with said slot (252), said hook (251), having such a heavy head wherein, as the dolly (1) is rotated about the wheels (40) from the vertical position toward the horizontal position it is released from said slot (252) thus permitting the rotation of the arms (18) with respect to the struts (6).

7. A dolly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, on at least a strut (6), a blocking hook (35) for said struts (6) intended to be reciprocally engaged with a slot (33) provided on the corresponding arm (30) thus blocking the rotating movement thereof adapted to near the wheels (19) of said second pair of arms (30) to the wheels (40) of the first pair of arms (18), so that the dolly (1) is stably in horizontal position,

8. A dolly (1) according to claims 3 and 7, characterized in that it comprises a disengaging shaft (37) for said hook (35, 335), which can be operated by means of a free end (372) thereof.