GB2204536A - A convertible hand truck - Google Patents

Abstract

The truck (1) comprises an elongate main frame (2) having a handle (5) at its upper end and a load-supporting nose portion (10), a load-supporting sub-frame (20) pivoted to the main frame (2) about a first axis (12) and support means (30) pivoted to the main frame (2) about a second axis (13) parallel to the first axis (12). In use the sub-frame (20) and support means (30) can be pivoted against the main frame (2) into transport positions or into positions in which the support means (30) supports the main frame (2) in an inclined position and the sub-frame (20) in a load-carrying position. The sub frame 20 may carry a flexible bag e.g. for refuse, or a plastic washing basket. Holders for garden tools may be provided on the main frame. <IMAGE>

Description

A hand truck This invention relates to a hand truck and in particular to a multi-purpose hand truck capable of supporting and/or transporting a variety of different articles.

Multi-purpose hand trucks are already known. For example US-A-3,008,463 discloses a combined barbecue grill and hand truck comprising a main frame having wheels at its lower end and a handle at its upper end and a support frame pivoted to the main frame and provided with a firebox pivoted to its upper end. The support frame is pivotable between a storage position against the main frame and a support position in which the firebox interengages with the main frame to retain the latter supported by the main frame and the support frame in an erected horizontal position. A sub-frame incorporating a grill is also pivoted to the main frame and is positionable, when the firebox is supported in its erected horizontal position, so that the grill overlies the firebox.When used as a mobile transporter, the support frame and the sub-frame are pivoted against the main frame and the firebox operates as a load-supporting nose portion.

The present invention seeks to provide an alternative form of multi-purpose hand truck which is relatively simple and cheap to produce.

According to the present invention a hand truck comprises an elongate main frame having a handle at its upper end and a load-supporting nose portion and wheels at its lower end, a load-supporting sub-frame pivotally connected to the main frame, between the upper and lower ends of the latter, for pivotal movement about a first axis perpendicular to the elongate direction of the main frame between a transport position against the main frame and a load-supporting operative position in which it is-posi tioned at an acute angle to the main frame, and support means pivotally connected to the main frame between said first axis and the lower end of the main frame for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to the first axis between a transport position against the main frame and a support position for supporting the main frame at said acute angle relative to the ground and for detachably interengaging with the sub-frame when the latter is in its operative position, the interengagement of the sub-frame and the support means retaining the support means in its support position and the sub-frame in its operative position.

Preferably the sub-frame includes a loop for supporting containers, e.g. refuse bags, above ground when the sub-frame is in its operative position. In addition to being able to carry flexible bags, typically with the aid of clips or pegs detachably fixing the bags to the rigid support loop, the loop may also support rigid or semi-rigid containers, for example plastics clothes containers. The loop is convenently arranged to be positioned directly above a portion of the main frame between the second axis and the wheels when the hand truck is supported on horizontal ground with the sub-frame in its operative position. Preferably, the main frame comprises spaced apart sides which define a space therebetween for the reception of a container, e.g. a flexible bag, carried by the loop when the sub-frame is in its operative position.

Conveniently the support means is disposed substantially perpendicular to the ground when in its support position.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of a hand truck according to the invention in a substantially vertical position ready for transporting loads, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hand truck shown in Figure 1 but in an inclined, stationary, load-supporting position, Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the hand truck shown in Figure 1 in its inclined, stationary, loadsupporting position, Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the hand truck shown in Figure 1 in a non-operative position during movement between its inclined, stationary, load-supporting position and its transport condition, Figure 5 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, showing how parts of the hand truck interengage when the hand truck is in its inclined, stationary, load-supporting position, Figure 6 is a front view of another embodiment of a hand truck according to the invention in a substantially vertical position, Figure 7 is a schematic side view of the hand truck shown in Figure 6 in an inclined, stationary, loadsupporting position, Figure 8 is a front view of a further embodiment of a hand truck according to the invention in a substantially vertical position, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the hand truck shown in Figure 8 but in an inclined, stationary, load-supporting position.

Figures 1 to 5 show a multi-purpose hand truck, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, including an elongate, generally rectangular and substantially flat main frame 2 having spaced apart parallel sides 3 and 4 connected at their top ends by a cross member 5 providing a handle, at their bottom ends by a cross member 6 and, between their ends, by a further cross member 7. To the cross member 7 there is fixed an axle 8 carrying a pair of wheels 9 and a toe plate 10 providing a forwardly projecting load-supporting nose portion. One or more stops 11 may be provided at the rear of the plate 10.

A substantially flat sub-frame 20 is pivotally connected to the sides 3 and 4 of the main frame 2 for pivotal movement about an axis 12 generally perpendicular to the elongate direction of the main frame 2. The subframe 20 comprises spaced apart parallel sides 21 and 22 and connecting cross-pieces 23, 24 and 25. The sides 3 and 4 and the cross-pieces 24 and 25 define the periphery of a rigid, substantially rectangular support loop 26.

A support leg 30 is pivotally connected between its ends to the cross member 7 for pivotal movement about an axis 13 parallel to the axis 12. The lower end of the leg 30 is provided with a ground-engaging support plate 31 and the upper end of the leg has a channel-shaped member 32 fixed, e.g. welded, thereto.

In use, the hand truck can be employed either as a mobile transporter (with sub-frame 20 and support leg 30 flat against the main frame 2 as shown in Figure 1) or as a stand for supporting or carrying articles in a stationary load-supporting position (as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5).

When the truck 1 is positioned on flat, horizontal ground in its stationary load-supporting position, the support leg 30 is arranged substantially vertically with the crosspiece 24 of the sub-frame 20 received in the channel-shaped member 32. The sub-frame 20 is thus supported substantially horizontally in an operative position with the main frame 2 inclined at an acute angle alpha both to the ground and the sub-frame 20. In the embodiment shown, the angle alpha is approximately 450, but this angle is not critical and in other embodiments may typically be from 300 to 600, The detachable interengagement of the cross-piece in the channel-shaped member 32 retains the leg 30 in its vertical support position and also retains the sub-frame 20 in its operative position.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, when the truck 1 is in its stationary, load-supporting position the rectangular loop 26 is arranged in a position to support or carry rigid, semi-rigid or flexible containers above ground. In Figure 3, by way of example only, there are shown two alternative containers that may be supported by the loop 26. Thus reference numeral 40 represents a plastics clothes basket and reference numeral 41 represents a flexible bag or container, e.g. a refuse bag or sack, which may be detachably attached to the loop 26, e.g. by means of clips or pegs (not shown). It will be appreciated that the loop 26 is positioned in a stable position between parallel vertical planes containing the support leg 30 and the axle 6, respectively. Furthermore the open construction of the main frame 2, and in particular the spacing apart of the sides 3, and 4, ensures that a deep container, e.g. a flexible bag, carried by the loop 26 is minimally obstructed by the main frame beneath the loop 26. Although not shown, it is also possible for the hand truck 1 to support or carry other articles when in its stationary, loadsupporting position. For example a rectangular firebox could be supported by the frame to convert the truck into a barbecue. Alternatively, other objects, such as camping gas cylinders, can be supported beneath the loop 26 on the plate 10 and by the sides 3 and 4 of the main frame 2.

The hand truck 1 is converted into a mobile transporter (as shown in Figure 1) by pivoting the sub-frame 20 upwardly about the axis 12 to disengage the cross-piece 24 from the channel-shaped member 32 and then pivoting the support leg 30 about the axis 13 so that it is brought into a transport position against the main frame 2 (see Figure 5). The sub-frame is finally pivoted downwards into a transport position against the main frame 2, the overlying sub-frame 20 retaining the support leg 30 in its transport position. In its transport condition, the hand truck 1 can be used as a conventional mobile, load-carrying transporter with the sub-frame 20 and leg 30, in their transport positions, serving to supplement the support framework provided by the main frame 2.When in use as a mobile transporter, the main frame 2 is normally inclined at an angle, typically from about 35-750, to the ground depending on the particular user.

Although not shown, the main frame 2 may be extendable to enable adjustment of the position of the cross member 5.

Typically this would be achieved by the provision of telescopic sides 3 and 4.

Other embodiments of hand truck according to the invention are shown in Figures 6 to 9 and, where possible, the same reference numerals have been used to parts the same as or similar to corresponding parts of the hand truck 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5.

In Figures 6 and 7 a hand truck 40 is shown. The main differences in the hand trucks 1 and 40 are the differently designed sub-f rames 20 and support legs 30. In particular, in hand truck 40, no cross-piece 23 is provided on the subframe 20 and the support leg 30 has strengthening struts 41.

In Figures 8 and 9 a hand truck 50 is shown. As can readily be seen from the drawings the sub-frame 20 is substantially similar to that of the hand truck 40 shown in Figures 6 and 7. However the support "leg" of hand truck 50 comprises a pair of legs 51 and 52 pivotally mounted to the cross member 7 and a ground engaging foot plate 53 connecting the lower ends of the legs 51 and 52. The upper ends of the legs 51 and 52 cooperate with the cross piece 24 to retain the sub-frame 20 in an operative position. In addition, the hand truck 50 is provided with tool carrying means in the form of a cross piece 54 mounted on an upper part of the main frame 2 and a lower support 55, e.g. in the form of a container, on a lower part of the side 3 of the main frame 2. As shown, the cross piece 54 has a turned up side extension 58 extending outwardly of the side 3 and is also provided with carrying means 59, e.g. hooks or the like, for carrying tool parts 56. These tool parts 56 can be connected to long handles 57 supported at the side of the hand truck by the lower support 55 and the side extension 58. Instead of tool parts 56, full hand tools, e.g. hand forks, trowels etc., can be carried by the crosspiece 54.

Claims (7)

1. A hand truck -comprising an elongate main frame having a handle at its upper end and a load-supporting nose portion and wheels at its lower end, a load-supporting subframe pivotally connected to the main frame, between the upper and lower ends of the latter, for pivotal movement about a first axis perpendicular to the elongate direction of the main frame between a transport position against the main frame and a load-supporting operative position in which it is positioned at an acute angle to the main frame, and support means pivotally connected to the main frame between said first axis and the lower end of the main frame for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to the first axis between a transport position against the main frame and a support position for supporting the main frame at said acute angle relative to the ground and for detachably interengaging with the sub-frame when the latter is in its operative position, the interengagement of the sub-frame and the support means retaining the support means in its support position and the sub-frame in its operative position.

2. A hand truck according to claim 1, in which the sub-frame includes a loop for supporting containers, e.g.

refuse bags, above ground when the sub-frame is in its operative position.

3. A hand truck according to claim 2, in which the loop is arranged to be positioned directly above a portion of the main frame between the second axis and the wheels when the hand truck is supported on horizontal ground with the sub-frame in its operative position.

4. A hand truck according to claim 2 or 3, in which the main frame comprises spaced apart sides which define a space therebetween for the reception of a container, e.g. a flexible bag, carried by the loop when the sub-frame is in its operative position.

5. A hand truck according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support means is disposed substantially perpendicular to the ground when in its support position.

6. A hand truck according to any one of the preceding claims, having tool supporting means.

7. A hand truck constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, 6 and 7 or 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.