Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to two-wheeled hand
trucks or dollies of the type wherein a primary ~rame,
mounted on a pair of wheels, is adapted in use to assume
a generally vertical p~sition and has a generally for-
wardly disposed nose part connected to project for-
wardly from the primary frame to receive an object
to be carried by the hand truck.
Hand trucks of varying design have been pro-
posed and patented.
While these prior patents relate to various
hand-truck designs none disclose structure capable of
carrying elongate in~ormation-bearing semi-rigid strips
and indeed none of these prior patents even suggest the
concept. Further, it is evident from a study of these
priox patents that the hand trucks o the prior art may
be improved upon to a significant degree and it is to
this end that the inventive principles shown and des-
cribed herein are directed.
The hand truck of the present invention includes
a primary frame, mounted on a pair of wheels, and adapted
in use to assume a generally vertically inclined position.
It has a forwardly projecting nose part which extends
rom the lower end of the primary frame and, at its upper
end, incorporates a handle which can be grasped by the
user to propel the truck. The primary frame consists of
an open framework, with side rails connected by cross
rail~, and, in one improved form of the invention, the
side and ~ross rails are ormed with an exposedl gener-
ally T-shaped slot deined by laterally projecting opposed
~0 flan~es. Such slots are provided on the outboard sides of
the side rails, and may also be provided on the front sides
of the cross rails, to accommodate semi-rigid information-
bearing strips.
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1088120
As will be apparent from the foregoing, one of
the primary objects of the invention is to provide a hand
truck which i~ so contructed th~t it will adve~ise the
product of the party using the hand truck or identify the
hand truck user, as he may desire.
Other improvements are concerned with the axle
mounted brackets, which are carried by an axle connecting
the wheels, and mount to the lower ends o~ the side rails
in an improved manner.
Still other impxovements are concerned with the
stair climhers, which are disclosed as attached to the
axle-mounted brackets at their lower ends and to the side
rails at their upper ends.
A Still fur~her object o~ the inven~ion is to
provid2 a very simple, prackical and economical hand truck
of improved character which can bè e~ectively utilizea to
transport a wide variety of products from one place to
ano~her.
Fi~ure 1 is a fron~ elevational view o~ an impr~ed
2~ hand truck constructed in accordance with my invention;
` Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof taken
on the line ~-2 of Figure 1, ~he chain lines indicating an
alternative position of the stair climber members;
Figure 2A is a side elevational view o the in-
formational strip only;
Figure ~B is a transverse sectional view, taken
on the line 2B-2B of Figure 2;
Figure 3 is a rear elevational view thereo~;
Figure 4 is a sectional fragmentary elevational
view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 5;
Figure 5 is a considerably enlarged, sectional
fragmentary top plan view ta~en on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;
Figllre 6 is a considerably enlargea, fragmentary
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top plan view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse
s~ tional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fiyure l;
Figure 8 is an elevational view of a modified
form of strip;
Figure 9 is a still further view of a modified
*orm of strip;
Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view showing
-the strip of Figure 9 mounted in position,
Fi~ure 11 is a side elevational view illusti-ating
a modified form of stair climber for the hand truck;
Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on
the line 12-12 of Figure 11;
Figure 13 is an end elevational view taken on the
line 13-13 of Figure 11;
Figure 14 is a side elevational vie~ of the wear
-- strip only; ~
Figure 15 is a transverse sectional view taken at
the line 15-15 of Figure 14;
Figure 16 is an end ele~ational view taken at the
line 16-16 of Figure 14; and
Figure 17 is a top plan ~iew taken at the line
17~17 of Figure 14.
Reerring now more particularly to ~he accompany-
ing drawings, and in the first instance to Figures 1 through
7 thereof, t~e hand truck of the presen-t invention is shown
as comprising generally a pair of preferably rubber tixed
wheels 10, mounted on an axle 11. Brackets 12 have the
usual hubs l~a, for receiving the ends of axle 11, and ex-
3~ tend forwardly to mount to the lower ends of a primary
frame, generally designated 13, which, as shown, comprises
an open framework made up of side rail members 14 connected
by cross rail members 15. Projecting forwardly from the
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primary frame 13 is an angle-shaped nose piece 4enerally
designated 16, having a ~orwardly extending lip or apron
16' upon which the article to be transpoIted m~y~b~ 5Up-
ported in the usual manner.
As Figure 2 indicates, an alternate hub 12b is
also provided on each bracket 12 to accommodate the axle
11 when a wheel 10 of larger diameter is employed. In
addition to the members described, U-shaped stair climber
members, ~enerally designated 17, are utilized and mount
to the brackets 12, and to the side rails 1~, in a manner
which w111 be more particularly described later.
It is important to understand that carts of this
character must be constructed o light-weight material
such as al~ninum, and constructed very economically~ ~c-
cordingly, extrusions o the con~guration particularly
shown in Figures 5 and 6 are employed as side rails 14. As
Figures 5 and 6 indicate, the extruded side rails 14 are
generally U-shaped in cross section and include ront and
rear sides 14a and l~b respective:Ly, connected by a web
part 14c. A bale-shaped handle member 18, which inclines
xearwardly as shown particularly in Figure 2, has free ends
18a, which are received in the upper ends of the U-shaped
side rails 14, and may be bolted thereto as shown at 19
~igure 2B).
The outboard ~aces of the web portions 14c o~
each side xail 1~ are provided with ~-shaped slots ~Figure
6), generally designated 20t which include enlarged head
portions 20a and reduced size neck portions 20b, defined
by projecting flanges ~1 which, like slots 20, extend the
ull length of the sicle rails 14. The brackets 12 axe
provided with key portions 22 of a depth to be received
within the enlarged portions 20a of T-slots 20 and the
- slots 20 also accommodate semi-rigid strips 23 which ex-
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tend all the way from the upper ends of rails 14 down into
abutting engagement with the upper s~rface of key portions
22, the upper end of key 22 being slotted as at 22a ~o
accommodate the lower end of strip 23 and securely affix
it in position as shown in Figure 4.
In like manner, and as shown particularly in
Figure 7, the extruded tubular cross pieces 15 are proviaed
- with T-slots 24 on their front and rear faces which simi~arly
comprise enlarged portions 24a and reduced size neck por-
tions 24b, defined by overlying flanges 25. Similar semi-
rigid strips 26 are accommodated in the portions 24a o
slots 24 and extend from one end of each cross rail 15 to
the other.
It is to be understood that the strips 23 and 26
are plastic strips of about 1/16" in thickness which are
designed to bear advertising material, identifying material,
or such other informational material as the user of the
cart may desire. Preferably! they are colored strips to
contrast with the silver metal].ic color o cross rails 15
and side rails 14, and for purposes of convenience, are
~0 shown in applicant's drawings as carrying printing desi~-
nated as "advertising slogan" or "identificationn. The
plastic used may be pol~vin~lchloride or any form of a
number of known plastic which is suitable ~or the purpose.
~ he nose piece, generally designated 16, includes
rear facial portions 16a ~see Figures 1 and 5) which butt
against the side rails 14, as shown particularly in Figur~e
5, and inboard 1ange extensions 16b, which abut fitting
strip members 27. Hubs 28 are cast on nose parts 16b and
permit ~olts and nuts 29 and 30, respectively to rigidly
clamp ~he brackets 12 and nose pieces 16 securely ~o the
side rails 14. The bolts 29 extend through the key por-
tions 22 of brackets 12 at a point below the strips 23 as
shown in Figure 4.
3lZC~
At their lower ends the stair olimbers 17 are
shown as having a pair oE alternate mounting holes 17a
and 17b. With the smaller diameter wheels 10 shown, i-t
is the holes 17b which are utilized and releasable Eastener
members such as bolts 17c are employed to secure the stair
climbers securely to the brackets 12. If larger diameter
wheels are utilized, then the position o-E stair climbers
17 would be adjusted so that it would be the holes 17a-
which would be used for the attaching bolts 17c and secur-
ing the stair climber members 17 in the adjusted positionillustrated by the chain lines 17' in Figure 2.
At their upper ends the stair climbers 17 are
connected with a pair of inner and outer clip members 31
and 32 ~Figure 6), respectively,~ by way of releasable bolts
and nuts 33a and 33b, respectively. Each inboard clip 31
incluaes a U-shaped end 31a, sized to it over the flanged
free outer end of the leg part 14b of one of the side rails
14. Similarly, ~he outboard c:Lips 32 ha~e U-shaped ends
32a, configured to ~i~ over the rear flanges 21 on each
side rail 14 and bear against the strips 23 as shown in
Figure 6. The stair climber member 17, shown in Figure 2,
can be moved to the position shown in chàin lines 17', only
of course, if the nuts 33b are backed off suEEiciently to
permit the clips 31 and 32 to slide upwardly along side
rails 14.
The plastic strips 26, carried by cross rails 15,
extend the full len~th o rails 15 and may be provided with
boxès to recei~e rivets 34 (Figure 7) which secure them in
position. They may, however, also be formed as shown in
Fi~uxe 8 with elo~gate slots 35. Further, in an alterna-
tive form of the invention, an after insertion of narrower
strips 26' may be accomplishea with slots 35 similarly
accommodatin~ the rivets 34. Preferably, in this embodi-
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ment, a strong tacky adhesive will be used on the back of
the strips shown in Figure 9 to secure them in position.
In ~igure 11 a stair climber 17 is shown as
` having a wear strip, generally designated 36, applied to
its rear edge. For the sake o~ clarity, the wèar strip 36
was not shown in Figures 2 and 3, however it is of the
configuration disclosed in Figure 1~, wherein it is shown
as having a base or backer section 36a with bent-over pairs
of central tabs 37 provided on abbreviated side wall sections
38, and bent-over tabs 39 provided at one end of base section
36a, with bent-over tabs 40 and 41 provided at the other.
Figures 12 and 13 particularly illustrate the manner in
which these tabs are bent over rom the 37' position to
accommodate to the cross section o~ the stair climber 17
which is par~icularly illustra~ed also in ~hese views.
The operation o~ carts of this character is well
known and need not be particularly described. With the
embodiment shown in Figures 1 throu~h 8, the strips 23 and
26 are applied during manufacture of the cart to suit the
speci~ications of the particular customer b~ slippin~ the
strips 23 in the upper ends o~ side rails 14, prior to bolt-
ing handle 18 and strips 23 in position, and by slipping
strips ~4 into CX05S rails 15 so that the rivet openings
therein line up with like openings in the rails 15 prior to
riveting the cross rails 15 and strips 24 in position o~
side rails 14. The strips 23 are provided with openings
23' or slots 35 to accommo~ate bolts 19. The strips 26'
can, as indicatedr be ater-inserted i~ desired.
The nose piece 16, bracket 12 and side rail 14
connection, particularly illustrated in Figure S, is
extremely stout and rigid and it is, of course, ~he con-
figuration o these keyed, interitting parts which is
responsible. With the new keyed construction, the shear
stresses on the clamping bolts are relieved, Moreover,
because the brackets 12 are pieces separate from the nose
part 16, the nose part can be die cast rather than sand
cast and the nose parts 16 can be easily changed where a
di~ferent size or configuration is desired. When the user
desires to employ a diferent diameter wheel, the position
of stair climbers l7 can be adjusted by simply removing
theboits 17c while, at the same time, backing off nuts
33b. This is not possible in prior art constrùctions '
;10 wherein the stair climbers were mounted on the axle. The
application of the wear strips 36 is easily accomplished
by inserting the wear strip member, shown particularly in
.. Figure 14, over the rear edge of each stair clLmber 17, and
then bending over the tabs 37 through 41.
It is to be understood that the drawings ànd
descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as
merely illustrative of the principles of the invention,
rather than as limiting the same in any way, since i~ is
contemplated that v~rious c~hanges may be made in various
~0 elements to achieve like results without departing from
'`the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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