GB2275659A - Trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley device comprises a bar 10 which is made of a rigid material to the ends of which first and second cup members 11, 11' are attached. A shaft 12 extends through the bar 10 on the ends of which a pair of wheels 13, 13' are mounted. A first clipping member 21 is attached to a side wall of the bar 10. A first pair of tubular members 14, 14' are inserted into the first and the second cup members 11, 11'. A second pair of tubular members 15, 15' which are slidable into the first pair of tubular members 14, 14' have securing devices 30 for positioning the second pair of tubular members 15, 15' with respect to the first pair of tubular members 14, 14'. A handle 16 is disposed between ends of the second pair of tubular members. A second clipping member 22 is slidably mounted on the first tubular or second tubular members and has one or more anchoring devices 24 for positioning the second clipping member 22 with respect to the first tubular member. The second clipping member also includes an actuating device 25 for releasing the securing devices 30. <IMAGE>

Description

TROLLEY The present invention relates to a trolley, and more particularly, to a trolley with a fastening device for securing luggage or the like.

To a traveller, the most embarrassing situation is carrying a heavy trunk and rushing from one place to another. Because of the limitation on the structure of the trunk, it is not easy to mount wheels or castors thereon for rolling on the ground. Without a strong supporting frame, when wheels are provide they are easily deformed and damaged by the heavy weight of the trunk.

To solve the difficulty that the traveller may meet, lots of trolleys have been introduced to the market.

These trolleys generally comprises a shaft member with two wheels rotatably mounted thereon. A pair of parallel supporting tubes, attached to the shaft member provide a loading area for holding a trunk. At the ends of the supporting tubes, there is a handle for holding. In some trolleys, a supporting plate is attached in the lower end portion of the supporting tubes for supporting the trunk.

These supporting tubes are usually made in a telescoping manner for easy storage when not in use. This makes the structure simple and convenient.

No doubt, such a trolley makes the trunk easier to handle, but there is no fastening device provided on the trolley for securing the trunk. The traveller has to use a rope or the like to secure the trunk on the trolley. This constitutes another difficulty for the traveller, since the rope may not be easy to tighten and may even break, during use, especially when the trunk is heavy. In light of this problem, it is not very convenient to use this kind of trolley for carrying a trunk.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel trolley with a fastening device for releasably securing the trunk to the trolley.

In order to achieve the object set forth, the trolley according to the invention comprises a bar member which is made of a rigid material. A first and a second cup members are separately attached to the ends of the bar member. A shaft member extends through the bar member with a pair of wheels respectively mounted on the ends of the shaft member. A first clipping member is attached to a side wall of the bar member. A first pair of tubular members are inserted separately into the first and the second cup members of the bar member to define a loading area. A second pair of tubular members are slidably engaging the first pair of tubular members. As the second pair of tubular members are pulled out from the first tubular members, a securing device for positioning the second pair of tubular members with respect to the first pair of tubular members locks into place.Besides, a handle member is disposed between the free ends of the second pair of tubular members and the user can hold the trolley easily.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, rference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trolley according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the trolley depicted in Figure 1 showing an overview of the fastening device; Figure 2A is an enlarged sectional view of an anchoring device of the fastening device illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 3 is a front view of the trolley depicted in Figure 1 showing the fastening device; and Figure 3A is an enlarged part sectional view of an actuating device for releasing the securing device of the second pair of tubular members.

Referring to Figure 1, a trolley 1 according to the invention comprises a bar member 10 which is made of a rigid material. First and second cup members 11,11' are directly formed on the ends 101,102 of the bar member 10.

A shaft member 12 extends through the bar member 10 and a pair of wheels 13,13' are respectively installed on the ends 121,122 of the shaft member 12. A first pair of tubular members 14,14' are separately inserted into the first and the second cup members 11,11' of the bar member.

A second pair of tubular members 15,15' each comprising a pair of telescoping members are slidably disposed in the first pair of tubular members 14,14'. The second tubular members 15,15' have a securing device 30 for positioning the second pair of tubular members 15,15' with respect to the first pair of tubular members 14,14'. A handle member 16 is disposed between the free ends of the second pair of tubular members 15,15'.

Referring to Figure 2, which shows a side elevational view of the trolley (shown in Figure 1) which incorporates a fastening device including a first clipping member 21 attached to a side wall 103 of the bar member 10 and a second clipping member 22 is slidably sleeved onto the first tubular member 14,14'. The first and the second clipping members 21,22 define a fastening space 23 therebetween. Since the second clipping member 22 is movable along the first tubular members 14,14', luggage of different sizes can be easily secured by the first and second clipping devices 21,22.

The fastening device further includes anchoring device 24 for securing the second clipping member 22 to a suitable position with respect to the first pair of tubular members 14,14' or second pair of tubular members 15,15'.

The anchoring device 24 includes a lever member 241 pivoted on the supporting member 221 of the second clipping member 22. The lever member 241 further includes a boss member 242 which may enter into a hole 141 on the first tubular member 14. A coil spring 243 is disposed between the lever member 241 and the first tubular member 14 to provide a biasing force to the boss member 242. This is shown in Figure 2A.

A coil spring 40 is disposed between an upper surface 142 of the first pair of tubular members 14 and a ceiling of the anchoring device 24. When the boss member 242 is positioned in the hole 141, the coil spring 40 is in a compressed state. When the boss member 242 is released from the hole 141, the elastic force of the coil spring 40 will move the anchoring device 24 upwardly to prevent the boss member 242 entering the hole 242 again.

Referring to Figures 3 and 3A, the second clipping member 22 further includes an actuating device 25. The actuating device 25 comprises an actuating member 251 slidably disposed inside the second clipping member 22.

The actuating member 251 further includes an inclined surface 253 or 253' on each of its free ends 252,252'. A supporting member 254 is attached to the bottom of the second clipping member 22. Coil springs 255,255' are disposed between the actuating member 251 and the supporting member 254. The actuating device 25 further includes an actuating handle 256 which is located outside the second clipping member 22 and connected to the actuating member 251 through a pair of rod members 257,257'.

The securing device 30 is disposed inside the second tubular members 15,15'. The securing device 30 includes a housing 31 which is fixed inside the lower end portions 151, of the second tubular members 15,15'. A round -headed pin member 32 having a round head portion 321 is disposed inside the housing 31. A spring member 33 is disposed between the housing 31 and the pin member 32. In the normal situation, i.e. the second pair of tubular members 15,15' are stored inside the first tubular members 14,14', the pin member 32 will be restrained against outward movement by the interior walls of the first tubular members 14,14'.As the second tubular members 15,15' are pulled out from the first tubular members 14,14' to their full extended positions, the pin member 32 of the securing device 30 will penetrate the holes 141, of the first tubular members 14,14' to lock the second pair of tubular members 15,15' with respect to the first pair of tubular members 14,14'.

Referring to Figure 2, if a user would like to use this trolley to move luggage 50, the luggage 50 can be secured by the first clipping member 21 to the under side 51 of the luggage. Then the second clipping member 22 can be easily moved from its location by releasing the anchoring devices 24. By doing so, the upper side 52 of the luggage 50 can be engaged by the second clipping device 22.

As the second clipping device 22 moves down, the upper side 52 of the luggage 50 will be secured as the anchoring device 24 returns to its locked position. A number of holes similar to 141 may be provided on the tubular members 14,14',15 and 15' in order to enable the second clipping device to be selectively locked into a plurality of different positions.

The first clipping member 21 according to the invention comprises a base member 211 and a hook member 212 attached thereto. The hook member 212 can be easily adapted to different shapes to meet different requirements.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, many other variations and modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A trolley device with a fastening device for securing luggage or the like, comprising: a bar member made of rigid material, rotatably supporting a pair of wheels; a first pair of tubular members which are supported by said bar member; A second pair of tubular members which are slidably sleeved into said first pair of tubular members and having a securing device for positioning said second pair of tubular members with respect to the first pair of tubular members; a first clipping member which is attached to said bar member; a second clipping member slidably engaging the tubular members having an anchoring device for positioning said clipping member with respect to said tubular members; and a handle member which is disposed between ends of said second pair of tubular members.

2. A trolley device as recited in claim 1, wherein said anchoring device including a lever member pivoted on a supporting member of the second clipping member, said lever member further including a boss member insertable into a hole of said first tubular member, a coil spring disposed between said lever member and said first tubular member to provide a biasing force to said boss member.

3. A trolley device as recited in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said second slipping member is provided with an actuating device for releasing the securing device, said actuating device comprising an actuating member slidably disposed inside said second clipping member, the actuating member further including an inclined surface in its free ends, a supporting member attached to the bottom of said second clipping member, a coil spring disposed between the actuating member and supporting member, an actuating handle located outside said second clipping member and connected to said actuating member by a rod member.

4. A trolley device as recited in any preceding claim, wherein said securing device includes a housing fixed inside the lower end portion of said second tubular member, a round-pin member having a round head portion disposed inside said housing, a spring member disposed between said housing and said pin member.

5. A trolley device as recited in any preceding claim wherein the first tubular members are supported by the bar member by means of cup members attached adjacent ends of the bar member.

6. A trolley device as recited in any preceding claim wherein the wheels are supported on ends of a shaft member extending through said bar member.

7. A trolley device substantially as hereinbefore described.