Cart Transporting Apparatus

• US 20150203140A1
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dane Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dane Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Holtan, Paul D., Dvorak, Andrew L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,994,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/02 Bolt or shackle-type couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/04 Hook or hook-and-hasp couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/363 Hitch guiding or catching elements, e.g. V-shaped plates partially surrounding a coupling member for guiding the other coupling member
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/20 Catches; Locking or releasing an articulation
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2207/00 Joining hand-propelled vehicles or sledges together
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/00 Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor convertible from one-axled to two-axled vehicle B62B1/002
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/001 Steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/002 characterised by a rectangular shape, involving sidewalls or racks
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/008 having more than two axes
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/14 characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/00 Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts B62B3/1404 , B62B9/00 take precedence; wheels, axles, or axle bearings for vehicles B60B; castors for vehicles, castors in general B60B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0033 Electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0079 Towing by connecting to another vehicle

Abstract

A cart transporting apparatus including a hitch assembly and a cart coupling assembly. The hitch assembly may include an elongated body, at least one catch member, and a hitch stop. The hitch stop may be, for example, a rotating hitch stop or a sliding hitch stop. The rotating hitch stop may include at least three flanges configured to abut a cart and may further include a detent mechanism. The cart coupling assembly may include at least a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be pivotally coupled to the second portion. The first portion may include first and second engagement members. The second portion may include third and fourth engagement members.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting carts comprising:

a machine body;

a steering control arranged on the body;

a steering pedestal pivotally arranged with respect to the body;

at least one caster;

a hitch positioned on the body opposite said steering pedestal and adapted to engage a cart; and

a selection mechanism adapted to be selectively coupleable between the body and the steering pedestal providing for a caster mode and a steering mode respectively, wherein in steering mode, the steering pedestal is operably coupled to the caster such that a change in the pivotal direction of the steering pedestal relative to the machine body causes a substantially corresponding change in the pivotal direction of the at least one caster relative to the machine body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection mechanism includes a pivoting selector pivotally positionable between a body engaging position and a pedestal engaging position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the body engaging position provides the caster mode and the pedestal engaging position provides the steering mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the body further comprises a fixing element, the fixing element being engageable the pivoting selector in a body engaging position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fixing element comprises a turn center plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the turn center plate further comprises a centering notch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pivoting selector includes a body engagement feature adapted to engage the fixing element.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the body engagement feature includes a stepped feature adapted to engage the centering notch.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pivoting selector comprises a guide bar.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pivoting selector further comprises a pedal fixedly connected to the pivoting selector, wherein depressing the pedal positions the pivoting selector in the pedestal engaging position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a tiller.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tiller includes a control interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the steering pedestal comprises a caster having a caster wheel and a caster yoke.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the steering pedestal is operably coupled to the caster by way of a tiller yoke.

15. An apparatus for transporting carts comprising:

a machine body;

a steering control arranged on the body;

a steering pedestal pivotally arranged with respect to the body;

a hitch positioned on the body opposite said steering pedestal and adapted to engage a cart;

a means for selectively coupling between a steerable mode and a caster mode, wherein;

the steerable mode includes coupling the steering control to the steering pedestal while allowing the each of the steering control and steering pedestal to rotate freely with respect to the body; and

the caster mode includes coupling the steering control to the body to prevent rotation of the steering control while freeing the steering pedestal allowing free rotation of the steering pedestal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for selectively coupling is pivotally positioned on the steering control and the steering pedestal is rotatably connected to the steering control.

17. A method of using a dual mode utility machine comprising:

depressing a first lever thereby engaging a pivoting selector into a steering pedestal engaging position and controlling the direction of the machine by rotatably manipulating a tiller operationally connected to a caster by way of a tiller yoke; and

depressing a second lever thereby disengaging the pivoting selector from a steering pedestal engaging position to a body engaging position and controlling the direction of the machine by pushing and/or pulling a machine from side to side via a fixed tiller.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pivoting selector includes a guide bar pivotally positioned on a yoke plate and adapted to selectively engage the steering pedestal or the body of the utility machine.