Picnic table dolly and method therefor

• US 6,575,481 B1
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey L. Davis
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey L. Davis
• Inventors: Davis, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, BRIDGET D
• Application Number:
  US09/306,814
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 280/638, 280/35, 280/42, 280/43.1, 280/47.131, 280/47.17, 280/47.19, 280/47.29, 280/47.3, 280/47.315, 280/47.32, 280/78, 280/79.7, 521/221, 521/43, 135/85, 135/912, 248/298.1, 248/288.1
• US Class Current: 280/47.17
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/30 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2203/10 comprising lifting means
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0083 Wheeled supports connected to the transported object
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/06 Hand moving equipment, e.g. handle bars for cycles B62K11/14, B62K21/12

Abstract

A picnic table moving system having a wheeled attachment connected to a first end of a picnic table and a pair of handles attachable to a second end of a picnic table. The picnic table moving system has a wheeled attachment which attaches to the crossbar and upper support bar of a picnic table to position the wheel underneath the first end of the table. A jacking system may be incorporated into the attachment to lift the table onto the wheel. Handles provided at the other end lock onto the crossbar or similar surface of the picnic table to provide leverage and stability when lifting the table onto the wheel and when rolling the table around on the wheel during transportation of the table.

Claims

1. A wheeled attachment for a picnic table having a crossbar, said wheeled attachment comprising:

a single central elongated body having a lower first cross arm and an upper second cross arm, and said elongated body further having a wheel rotatably attached at a terminal lower end of said body;

said first arm having brackets mounted at opposite ends for selectively receiving and securing the crossbar of the picnic table;

said second arm having brackets mounted at opposite ends and cooperating with said first arm for selectively receiving an upper portion of said picnic table to fixedly secure the table relative to the elongated body;

whereby said picnic table may be securely lifted onto said wheeled attachment for rolling the picnic on said wheel to a new location.

2. The wheeled attachment according to claim 1, wherein said first arm is selectively rotatably connected to said elongated body about a center point of said first arm.

3. The wheeled attachment according to claim 1, wherein said elongated body includes a telescopic body section intermediate said wheel and said first arm to lift said picnic table above said wheel.

4. The wheeled attachment according to claim 1, wherein said bracket is L-shaped.

5. The wheeled attachment according to claim 1, wherein said bracket is U-shaped.

6. A wheeled attachment for a picnic table having a crossbar, said wheeled attachment comprising:

a single central elongated body having a lower first cross arm and an upper second cross arm, and said elongated body further having a wheel rotatably attached at a terminal lower end of said body;

said first arm having brackets mounted at opposite ends for selectively receiving and securing the crossbar of the picnic table;

said second arm having brackets mounted at opposite ends and cooperating with said first arm for selectively receiving an upper portion of said picnic table to fixedly secure the table relative to the elongated body; and

at least one handle unit attachable to a second end of the picnic table for lifting the picnic table onto said wheeled attachment unit and for directing movement of said table in a desired direction;

whereby said picnic table may be securely lifted onto said wheeled attachment for rolling the picnic on said wheel to a new location.

7. The picnic table moving system according to claim 6, wherein said handle unit further comprises:

a grip at a first end of said handle unit and a bracket at a second end of said handle unit, and and elongated post extending between said grip and said bracket.

8. The picnic table moving system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a case for storing the picnic table moving system;

said case comprising mating case halves for surrounding the picnic table moving system and a resilient receiving surface within said case to non-slidingly receive said picnic table moving system.

9. The picnic table moving system according to claim 7, wherein said bracket is substantially the shape of the crossbar of the picnic table.

10. The picnic table moving system according to claim 7, wherein said elongated post of said handle is telescopic.

11. The picnic table moving system according to claim 7, wherein said elongated post of said handle includes first and second telescoping sections having a locking means for fixing the position of said first telescoping section relative to said second telescoping section.

12. The picnic table moving system according to claim 7, wherein said bracket has a first and second adjustment means for adjusting the size of the bracket relative to a size of the crossbar.

13. The picnic table moving system according to claim 12, wherein said wheeled attachment further comprises:

an elongated body having a wheel rotatably attached at a lower end of said body;

a first arm connected to said body selectively attachable to the picnic table for connecting said wheeled attachment to the crossbar of the table;

whereby said picnic table may be lifted onto said wheeled attachment for rolling the picnic table on said wheel.

14. The picnic table moving system according to claim 13, wherein said wheeled attachment first arm is selectively rotatably connected to said elongated body about a center point of said first arm.

15. The picnic table moving system according to claim 13, wherein said wheeled attachment elongated body includes a telescopic body section intermediate said wheel and said first arm to lift said picnic table above said wheel.

16. The picnic table moving system according to claim 13, said wheeled attachment further comprising a second arm connected to said elongated body at an upper end of said body for attaching said upper end of said body to a second area of said picnic table to fix the wheeled attachment relative to the picnic table.

17. The picnic table moving system according to claim 16, wherein:

said first arm has two opposite ends and a center section intermediate said two opposite ends, said first arm center section being selectively rotatably connected to said elongated body;

said first arm further having a crossbar engaging bracket at each of said two first arm opposite ends;

said second arm having two opposite ends and a center section intermediate said two opposite ends, said second arm center section being selectively rotatably connected to said elongated body;

said second arm further having a bracket at each of said two second arm opposite ends for engaging an upper support bar of said picnic table.

18. A picnic table moving system for a picnic table having a crossbar comprising:

a wheeled attachment unit attachable to a first end of the picnic table for transporting the picnic table; and

a pair of handle units attachable to a second end of the picnic table for lifting the picnic table onto said wheeled attachment unit and for directing movement of said table in a desired direction;

each of said pair of handles having a grip section and a bracket section extending from said grip for receiving the cross bar of the picnic table therein;

said bracket section having generally a u-shape comprising a first, second and third flange face;

said first upward flange face connected to said grip by a first 90 degree bend;

said second top flange face connected to said first upward flange face by a second 90 degree bend;

said third downward flange face connected to said second top flange face by a third 90 degree bend, wherein said third face is substantially shorter than said first flange face.