DEVICES FOR HANDLING HEAVY OR CUMBERSOME OBJECTS

DISPOSITIF POUR LA MANUTENTION D'OBJETS LOURDS OU ENCOMBRANTS

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A device for use in moving cumbersome objects, such as cookers and
the like, comprises a frame of adjustable length to be placed below the object,
the frame having rolling elements at its ends, the element(s) at one end being
on a sub-frame which is pivoted to the main frame and has a stowable handle
for guiding the frame when rolling, the handle when stowed keeping the sub-
frame aligned with the main frame. The sub-frame also has a brake for its
rolling element(s).

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A device for facilitating manual moving of heavy or cumbersome
objects, which device comprises a main frame with ground-contacting rolling
elements at its ends, there being at one end of the main frame a swivelling
sub-frame having deformable flanges supporting a spindle for a rolling element
and means to deform the flanges to brake the element, and the sub-frame
further having mounted on it a stowable steering handle which when stowed
holds the sub-frame against swivelling from a straight travel setting.
2. A device according to claim 1, the steering handle having parallel
limbs slidable in the sub-frame between a stowed position in which the handle
lies against the main frame to prevent swivelling of the sub-frame and a
pulled-out position in which the handle can swivel the sub-frame.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, the spindle carrying a
single roller which has a length slightly less than the spacing of deformable
flanges or a stack of thinner rollers of the same total length.

Description

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This invention relates to devices suitable for facilitating the
handling of heavy or cumbersome objects, for example household equipment, such
as cookers, washing machines and refrigerators, or office equipment, such as
safes and filing cabinets, which equipment is normally static but which may
be moved occasionally.
- The devices of this invention are utilisable either as temporary
supports for the objects or as permanent mounts.
In our Patent No. 954,549 there is described and claimed such a
- device which comprises a frame provided with ground-contacting rolling elements
so that the device is mobile, there being at least at one position on the
frame a plurality of such rolling elements which are rotatively and axially
free on a common spindle, and an arrangement operable to brake the rolling
elements at that position by gripping the rolling elements axially between
flanges on the frame. The braking in the arrangement shown resiliently
deforms towards one another flanges on the frame, which flanges have mounted
in them a spindle for the rolling elements and which flanges when so deformed
grip the rolling elements to prevent their rotation.
This invention comprises improvements in or relating to devices -~
such as that described in Patent No. 954,549 wherein the spindle is supported
` 20 in spaced deformable flanges of a sub-frame which is mounted to swivel on the
main frame to allow steering of the device by means of a stowable handle which,
when stowed, holds the sub-frame in a straight travel setting.
Further, instead of the braked stack of rollers as shown in Patent
No. 954,549, embodiments of this invention may be provided with a single
roller of a length slightly less than the spacing of the flanges which bear
on the ends of the roller when resiliently deformed.
One embodiment of device of this invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is an underplan of the device,
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and
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Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
The device as shown comprises a main frame of channel-section metal
made in two parts 10, 11 telescopicalIy interconnected by bolt 12 on one
piece extending through a longitudinal slot 13 in the other piece, a wing nut ~
- 14 on the bolt 12 allowing the parts 10, 11 to be clamped together in their -
~ adjusted length
- The frame part 10 at its outer and widened end is fitted with rolling
elements 15 which are freely rotatable on a spindle 16 extending between edge
flanges of the frame part 10.
. 10 The frame part 11 is similarly widened at its outer end and supports
a sub-frame 17 by means of a swivel pivot 18, the sub-frame 17 being spaced
from the part 11 by a nylon or other low-friction washer 18a
The sub-frame 17 is substantially square in plan and has along a
pair of opposite edges narrow depending flanges 17a and on the other pair of
edges deeper depending flanges 17b. ~ ~-
~ The flanges 17b support a bolt 24 which extends freely through holes
r~' in the flanges. The bolt carries a freely-rotatable roller 19 the overall
. length of which is only slightly less than the spacing of the flanges 17b. A
cranked lever 20 is pivoted on one end of the bolt, the lever having an end
formed as a cam 20a bearing on the adjacent flange 17b, and having its other
end formed as an operating arm 20b. As the lever 20 is swung from the full-
line position (as shown in Figure 1) to the dot-and-dash position in which
-~ the arm 20b extends transversely across the end of the main frame, the cam
20a bears on the adjacent flange 17b so drawing a nut 24a on the remote end
of the bolt against the other flange 17b and resiliently forcing the flanges
17b towards one another so as to grip the Toller 19 to prevent its rotation.
The narrow flanges 17a of the sub-frame have slidably mounted in
them the limbs 21 of a stout wire, U-shaped, stowable handle, the grip 22 of
which is~ pivQted ~n the free ends of the limbs. With handle pulled out (as ~
` 30 shown in Pigure 1), the handle can be used to effect swivelling of the -
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634
sub-frame 17 so facilitating manoeuVring of the load carried by a pair of
the devices. With the handle stowed as shown in dot-and^dash lines, the limbs '
21 lie within the channel of part 11 and against its edge flanges so prevent-
ing swivelling of the sub-frame and holding it in a straight travel setting.
Also the grip 22 may overlie the arm 20b when the lever 20 is in the roller-
braking position, thereby to prevent inadvertent release of the brake.
- The frame parts may have upturned flanges 23 at their extreme outer
; ends to assist location of the load. -
Also, if desired, the single roller 19 can be replaced by a stack
.~ 10 of thinner rollers having a total axial dimension equal to the axial length
of the roller 19. ~`
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