Powered cart for moving heavy objects

• US 5,885,048 A
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Kenneth Barth
• Original Assignee: James Kenneth Barth
• Inventors: Barth, James Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US08/947,010
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 414/458, 414/459, 414/460, 414/461, 414/495, 414/498, 414/539, 414/540, 414/812, 414/608, 187/237, 187/244, 254/2 R, 254/2 C, 254/93 R, 254/93 VA
• US Class Current: 414/495
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/0612 power operated

Abstract

A powered cart for moving heavy objects. The cart has a container portion that is elevated and lowered under power with a floor of the container portion capable of being lowered onto a surface supporting the cart. The floor has an inclined edge that provides a ramp for loading items onto the cart. The cart is propelled by a steerable wheel and the wheel is provided with a braking system. A removable gate is provided for securing the open side of the chassis and is provided with an automatic latch mechanism that locks the gate in position when the container portion is elevated off the supporting surface.

Claims

1. A moving cart comprising:

a chassis and a container;

said container having a floor plate with a flat bottom and side edges, one of said side edges being tapered and defining a container opening, and restraining side walls extended upwardly from said floor plate along the remainder of the side edges and an openable gate extended upwardly from said floor plate along the side edge of said opening;

said chassis including at least a pair of wheels movably mounted on a front side of said container and a power unit mounted on a rear side of said container, said power unit including a first component rigidly secured to the container the entire portion of which extends above the flat bottom of the floor plate, and a second component that is vertically slidable relative to said first component between first and second positions, a power mechanism that vertically moves the second component relative to the first component, and a steerable power driven wheel mounted on the second component whereby the steerable wheel extends below the flat bottom of the floor plate in the first position and is above the bottom of the floor plate in the second position;

said wheels on the front side of the container mounted for cooperative vertical sliding movement between first and second positions and a power mechanism that vertically moves the front wheels whereby in a first position the wheels are extended below the bottom of the floor plate and in a second position are above the bottom of the floor plate;

and at least one power source and manually operated controls connected to said power source for manually operating the movement of said front wheels and said movement of said first component, and for drivably operating said steerable wheel, all cooperatively arranged to provide for the steps of lowering the container with the bottom of the floor plate lying flat and supported on a cart support surface, a load slidably moved up the tapered edge onto the floor plate, and with the gate secured, enabling the cart and load to be raised for full support by the wheels and for controlled movement of the cart along the cart support surface.

2. A moving cart as defined in claim 1 wherein braking mechanism is provided for at least one of the front and rear wheels.

3. A moving cart as defined in claim 2 wherein the power source is self contained on the cart.

4. A moving cart as defined in claim 3 wherein the power driven wheel has a stabilizer wheel mounted laterally on each side of the power driven wheel.

5. A moving cart as defined in claim 4 wherein a handle on a pivotable arm is provided on the second component and connected to the steerable wheel, said braking mechanism provided on the steerable wheel and said controls provided in said handle whereby an operator controls steering of the steerable wheel and braking thereof through manipulation of the controls on the handle and pivotable manipulation of the arm.

6. A moving cart as defined in claim 5 wherein the raising and lowering of the front wheels is produced by hydraulic motors, said power unit including a hydraulic pump and hydraulic lines between said hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motors to provide power on demand to the hydraulic motors.

7. A moving cart as defined in claim 1 wherein the side walls other than the gate are provided with a reinforcing channel defining an inner cavity, said hydraulic lines extending from the power unit to the front wheels through the inner cavity of the reinforcing channel.

8. A moving cart as defined in claim 1 wherein the floor plate is a plate of T1 steel and includes a low profile reinforcing bar extended normal to the tapered edge of the floor plate allowing loads supported on rollers to be loaded on the floor plate with the rollers straddling the bar.

9. A moving cart as defined in claim 8 wherein a strip of steel not T1 steel is bolted to the edges of the floor plate and the side walls are welded to the strip.