US2249123A - Foldable package carrier - Google Patents

Description

J y 15,1941. L. FLECK Em. 2, 49,123

FOLDABLE PACKAGE CARRIER Filed Jan. 9, 1941 Leon FlecK BY Gabriel .Sucllestow ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1941 OFFICE FOLDABLE PACKAGE CARRIER Leon Fleck,

Bronx, and Gabriel Suchestow,

New York, N. Y.

Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,744

3 Claims.

This invention relates to package and article carriers of the foldable type, and more particularly to a carrier which is adapted to be moved along on wheels over the ground.

In accordance with the invention we haveprovided a package carrier which includes two sticks one of which is provided with a curved handle. The two sticks have a common pivot near their upper ends which is provided with one or more hooks for suspending articles or packages therefrom. The lower ends of the two sticks are provided with wheels for moving the device over the ground. Each of the two sticks has a strut near its lower end, the free ends of the two struts being connected together by a pin. The struts serve to space the lower ends of the wheel carrying sticks and are adapted to be folded together. 'Means are provided for preventing the two struts from moving downwards out of a horizontal line. Thus a substantially isosceles triangle is formed when the two struts are substantially horizontal.

In order to fold the package carrier of the invention the two struts are moved upwardly on their pivot and the two sticks forming the carrier frame are locked together by means of a suitable catch. When the carrier is unfolded, the two wheels are substantially arranged one behind the other and are slightly offset. The one stick that is provided with the curved handle is adapted to turn about its axis through 360. Hence, it will be seen that the package carrier can be steered easily by means of the handle on one of the sticks.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved package carrier that moves on wheels and can be easily carried about in its folded state.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package carrier that can be steered by rotating its front wheel secured to a stick having a curved v handle for the manipulation thereof.

Still an object of the invention is to provide a carrier of the type disclosed which has an upper pivot point provided with at least one hook for carrying packages thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking means for locking the carrier in its folded state.

These and further objects of the invention will become more evident in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the package carrier of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the carrier of Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1 showing our improved package carrier in its folded state.

Fig. 4 is a section on enlarged scale along the line 4- of Fig. 3 showing the twostruts in folded position and theirT-shaped locking member.

Fig. 5 is a section on enlarged scale along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 illustrating the interlocking mechanism for locking the two sticks or rods when the carrier is folded.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the two connecting struts on enlarged scale illustrating the T -shaped locking member that prevents collapsing of the struts.

Fig. 8 is a View in perspective showing the T- shaped locking member of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the package carrier-of the invention comprises a stick orrod I0 having a curved handle II for manipulating the carrier. Hence, members I0, II have the shape of a walking stick. The carrier includes a second stick or rod I2 which is shorter than stick I0. Stick I0 and rod I2 are pivoted at I3. Stick I9 is provided with sleeve I4 which is integral with shaft I5 projecting through rod I2. Sleeve I4 is freely rotatable about'stick I0 and its longitudinal displacementwith regard to stick I0 is prevented by rings I6, I6 secured to stick I0. Thus it will be seen that stick I0 can freely turn about its axis through an angle of 360. Suspending member I! having two hooks I8, I8 is rotatably mounted on shaft I5 between stick ID and rod I2. The lower end of rod I2 is secured to sleeve I9 having a bifurcated extension 20. Wheel 2I which preferably has a rubber tire 22 is rotatably mounted in the two forks of extension 28. The lower end of stick I0 is rigidly secured to sleeve 23 having a bifurcated extension 29 of substantially the same shape as extension 20. Wheel 24 having a rubber tire 25 is rotatably mounted within extension 29.

A strut member 26 is pivoted at 21 on a projecting portion 28 of sleeve I9. Ring 30 is rotatably mounted on sleeve 23 and has a projecting portion 3|. Collar 39 is secured to stick I0 above ring 30 to prevent movement thereof longitudinally of stick I0. Pin 32 is rotatably mounted on projection 3!. Strut member-33 is mounted on pin 32 to oscillate thereon.

The manner of connecting struts 26 and 33 to provide for a foldable carrier is shown more particularly in Figs. 7 and 8. The free ends of struts 26 and 33 are rotatable about pivot 34 which supports a T-shaped locking member 35. Looking member 35 has a horizontal plate 36 which extends across the upper surfaces of struts 26 and 33. As will be readily seen the T-shaped locking member 35 will prevent a further collapse of struts 26 and 33 from their position of Fig. 1. On the other hand, by gripping plate 36 of locking member 35 the two struts 26 and 33 can be swung upwardly.

The means for interlocking the two sticks l and 12 when the carrier is in its folded position is shown more particularly in Figs. and 6. For this purpose a portion of sleeve 23 is cut out and shaped to form a hinge 40. Hinge 40 supports pin 4!. U-shaped locking member or stirrup 42 is secured to pin 4|. Sleeve IQ of rod l2'is provided with a cut-out hook-shaped portion '43 which is adapted to interlock with stirrup 42.

The operation of our improved package carrier will now be evident. In its unfolded state, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the carrier can be pulled along over the ground and can be steered by rotating handle ll. T-shaped locking member 35 prevents the further collapse of struts 26 and 33. Packages and articles to be carried can be suspended from hooks l8, IS. The carrier will be pushed in front of the operator so that the person using our improved package carrier willalways be able to see the packages or articles suspended from hooks l8, l8. 1

When the carrier is not used for carrying packages or articles, it is folded as shown in Fig. 3. At first, plate =36 of locking member- 35 is gripped and lifted until the struts 26 and 33 assume the position of Fig. 3. Now stirrup 42 is engaged with hook 43 to lock the carrier. By locking sleeves and 23 any 'displacementbf pivots 21 and 32- isprevented. In its folded state our improvedpackage carrier can be easily carried about and takes up a minimum of space.

It will be appreciated that,'when thecarrier is in its unfolded state, the two wheels 2|, 24 are substantially arranged one behind the other, although the wheels are slightly offset, as may be observed from Fig. 2. It is possible to arrange rod 12 in'the position of .Fig, 2, or else rodl2 may be arranged on the right hand side of stick l0. W'hen'the package carrier is mounted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wheel 24 will be arranged to the right of wheel 21. This embodimentof the invention is particularly adapted to be operatedby the right hand of the person. Whenv wheel 24 is arranged to the left of wheel 2|, the carrier is particularly adapted to 'be steered by the left hand of the operator. Thus our improved package carrier can be adaptedfor use for righthanded and left handed persons.

Various changes and modifications maybe made to the details of construction of the invenend, a sleeve freely rotatable about said stick,

means for preventing longitudinal displacement ofsaid :sleeve in said stick, a shaft rotatably connected with said sleeve and piercing said rod to provide a common pivot, for said stick and said rod, a suspending member having at least one hook being secured to said shaft for suspendingpackages therefrom, a wheel rotatably mounted at the lower end of said stick, a strut rotatably mounted on said rod near its lower end, a ring rotatable on said stick and having pivoted thereon a second strut the free ends of said struts being pivoted to each other by a pin, a T-shap'ed locking'member on said pin for preventing collapse ofsaid struts, and a catch on said stick vfor 'disengageably securing said s'tlck and-said rod in a position where they are in one plane, whereby the carrier can be folded and unfolded by swinging said struts upwards and downwards on said common pivot.

2. A package carrier including a 'rod and a stick formed Witha handle at its upper end, a wheelrotatably mounted at the lower end of each of said stick and said-rod, a sleeve freely rotatable on the upper 'portionof said stick and secured against longitudinal displacement, said rod and "said stick being rotatable about a shaft piercingsaid rod, said shaft being rotatable on said sleeve, a suspendingmember on said shaft, means .for holding the lower ends of said stick andsaid rod in a-predetermined distance, a hinge journalling a hor-izon'ta'l shaft therein, said hinge being struck-out from the lowerend of said stick, a hook-shaped member being struck out from said rod opposite 'sai'd hinge, an oscillatable stirrup on said horizontal shaft forengagement with said hook-shaped member tolock said carrier in its folded position.

3. a package carrier having a substantially straight rod and a substantially straight stick, a sleeve freely rotatable about-said stick, means for preventing movement of said sleeve longitudinally of said-stick, as'haft extending from said sleeve substantially at right angles with respect to said stick and projecting through said rod, said shaft being rotatable about said stick, whereby said stick is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and said stickand said rod are Totatable about an axis passing through both said stick and said rod.

LEON FLECK. GABRIEL SUCHESTOW.

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