Dolly

• US 7,059,617 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pinckney Molded Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pinckney Molded Plastics, Inc.
• Inventors: Verna, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/082,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 280/79.11, 280/79.2, 280/79.3, 280/47.34, 280/47.35, 280/651, 16/29, 16/30, 16/31.R, 16/42.T
• US Class Current: 280/79.3
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2206/02 adjustable in length or width
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0083 Wheeled supports connected to the transported object

Abstract

A dolly for transport of a rectangular member, such as a basket. The dolly is formed from corner members made of plastic material and having essentially hollow interiors to maintain a lightweight assembly. The corner members are interconnected by standard tubular members. The corner members are made of an upper and lower half element each having a channel therein so that when connected form a pathway for receiving the tubular members. The upper half element has an exposed surface for receiving a corner portion of the rectangular member to minimize shifting and other movement of the rectangular member.

Claims

1. A dolly having assembled members interconnected by tubular members to form a frame for receiving a rectangular member therein, the assembled member comprising:

an upper and a lower element connectable to form the assembled member, the upper and lower elements forming an essentially hollow cavity therein, said assembled member having a plurality of side access apertures for receiving an end of the tubular members into said cavity, said side access apertures open to a common through channel in said cavity for receiving portions of the tubular members therein, at least one of the upper and lower elements having a first integrally formed projection extending into the channel at a predetermined location for defining a first stop means for limiting travel of the end of a first tubular member into the channel.

2. The dolly of claim 1, wherein the upper element has an exposed surface for receiving a portion of the rectangular member and an interior surface, said exposed surface having at least one raised wall for defining edges of the dolly.

3. The dolly of claim 2, wherein the exposed surface of the upper element is grooved to correspond with a corner bottom portion of the rectangular member.

4. The dolly of claim 2, wherein the exposed surface of the upper element has a raised lip traversing the width of a center portion of the upper element for receiving portions of two rectangular members thereon.

5. The dolly of claim 1, further comprising a caster wheel rotatably connectable to each lower element, the lower element has an exposed lower surface having at least one aperture therein for receiving a connecting means of the caster wheel and an interior surface.

6. The dolly of claim 5, wherein the caster wheel has a hub rotatably connected to a yoke, said yoke having a center post for disposition in the at least one aperture in the lower element.

7. The dolly of claim 6, wherein the at least one aperture in the lower element extends into an integral dowel formed on the interior surface of said lower element.

8. The dolly of claim 7, wherein the upper element has an exposed surface for receiving a portion of the rectangular member, said exposed surface of the upper element has raised walls for defining corner edges of the dolly, said exposed surface of the upper element has apertures therein for receiving bolts to connect the upper and lower elements, said apertures in the upper element extend into integral dowels formed on the interior surface of the upper element.

9. The dolly of claim 8, wherein the apertures for receiving bolts are located in recessed portions in the exposed surface of the upper element for positioning exposed portions of the bolt below other portions of the exposed surface of the upper element.

10. The dolly of claim 7, wherein the hollow interior has reinforcement dowels for receiving bolts to secure the member together and the upper element has an exposed surface for receiving a portion of the rectangular member and the exposed surface has a groove therein to correspond with a corner bottom portion of the rectangular member and a ramp leading to the groove for easily sliding the rectangular member onto the dolly, wherein the exposed surface of the upper element has a recessed portion around the apertures for receiving the bolts to connect the upper and lower elements.

11. The dolly of claim 10, wherein the exposed surface of the upper element has a ramp leading to the groove and the groove has an L-shaped configuration.

12. The dolly of claim 1, wherein the hollow cavity has reinforcement dowels for receiving bolts to secure the assembled member together.

13. The dolly of claim 12, wherein the upper element has an exposed surface for receiving a portion of the rectangular member and the exposed surface has a groove therein to correspond with a corner bottom portion of the rectangular member and a ramp leading to the groove for easily sliding the rectangular member onto the dolly.

14. The dolly of claim 13, wherein the apertures for receiving the bolts to connect the upper and lower elements are positioned in recessed portions of the exposed surface of the upper element.

15. The dolly of claim 1, wherein the channel further comprises a second projection extending into the channel at a predetermined location for defining a second stop means for limiting the travel of an end of a second tubular member into the channel.

16. The dolly of claim 1, wherein the side access apertures comprise a first side access aperture for receiving an end of the first tubular member and a second side access aperture for receiving an end of a second tubular member, the first and second side access apertures open to the common through channel.

17. The dolly of claim 16 further comprising a second projection extending into the channel at a predetermined location for defining a second stop means, wherein the first stop means limits travel of the end of the first tubular member into the channel and the second stop means limits travel of the end of the second tubular member into the channel.

18. A dolly having assembled members interconnected by tubular members to form a frame for receiving a rectangular member therein, each assembled member comprising:

an upper and lower element connectable to form the assembled member, the upper and lower members forming an essentially hollow cavity therein, said assembled member having side access apertures for receiving an end of the tubular member into said cavity, said side access apertures open to a through channel in said cavity for receiving portions of the tubular members therein and wherein the channel has stop means for limiting the travel of the end of the tubular member, said stop means includes a projection extending into the channel from an interior surface of the lower element and an exposed surface of the upper element has apertures therein for receiving bolts to connect the upper and lower elements, said apertures in the upper element extend into integral dowels formed on an interior surface of the upper element, wherein the dowels extend into the hollow cavity outside of the periphery of the channel.