Cart and caddie system for storing and delivering water bottles

• US 5,846,043 A
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John J. Spath
• Original Assignee: John J. Spath
• Inventors: Spath, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brahan, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US08/914,003
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 414/340, 414/343, 414/401, 414/418, 414/419, 414/420, 414/421, 414/529, 414/530, 414/535, 414/536, 141/364, 141/391, 222/166
• US Class Current: 414/343
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/021 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/08 involving tiltably-mounted containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00097 Handling of storage containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0029 provided with holders for bottles or similar containers

Abstract

A cart and caddie system for storing and transporting standard, multi-gallon water bottles, and for inverting each bottle so that its neck is received in an open well at the top of a water dispenser to feed water therein. The wheeled cart includes a lower deck loaded by depleted bottles taken from the dispenser and an upper roller deck loaded by filled water bottles and having an outlet end. The wheeled caddie which is provided with a swiveled cradle is movable from a position adjacent the cart in which the cradle lies in registration with the outlet end of the upper deck whereby a filled bottle can then be transferred from the upper deck to the cradle and then to a position adjacent the dispenser at which the cradle can then be swung to invert the bottle to cause its neck to be received in the open well and thereby renew the water supply of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A cart and caddie system for storing and transporting standard, multi-gallon, water-filled bottles, each having a neck, and for inverting the bottle so that its neck is then received in an open well at the top of a water dispenser to feed water from the bottle into the well;

said system comprising;

A. a wheeled cart provided with an upper roller deck having an outlet end, said upper deck being loadable with a row of filled bottles each of which can successively be rolled out of the outlet end; and

B. a wheeled caddie provided with a swiveled cradle capable of accommodating a filled bottle, said caddie being movable from a position adjacent the cart at which the cradle lies in registration with the outlet end whereby a filled bottle on the upper deck can then be transferred to the cradle, to a position adjacent the dispenser at which the cradle can then be tilted to invert the bottle to cause its neck to be received in the open well of the dispenser and thereby renew its supply of water.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which said cart has a lower deck to accommodate a row of empty bottles.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which said cradle has a seat formed by a series of rollers and a back formed by a series of rollers, whereby a filled bottle in the roller deck of the cart can be rolled onto the seat of the cradle, and the bottle, when the cradle is tilted, can thereafter be rolled out of the cradle on the back rollers.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, in which said cradle of the caddie is supported above a base shelf adapted to accommodate an empty bottle removed from the dispenser.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, in which said cradle is supported above the base by a pair of extendible vertical posts whereby the height of the cradle is adjustable to match that of the upper deck of the cart.

6. A system as set forth in claim 3, in which the swiveled cradle is provided with a retractable swivel lock to normally maintain the seating the cradle in a horizontal plane, and is also provided with a swivel stop to permit the cradle to swing only in the direction of the dispenser.

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which each bottle is cylindrical and has a 5 gallon capacity, the bottle being provided with a neck sealed by a removable cap.

8. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which said cart is provided with a rectangular frame including four vertical corner posts, and a pair of removable side rails bridging the upper ends of the posts at one end of the frame with the upper ends of the posts at the other end of the frame.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8, further including a removable bar extending between the upper ends of the posts at one end of the frame.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, further including locking means at the upper ends of the posts at said one end of the frame to lock this end to the cradle when the caddie is adjacent the cart.