US3047305A - Device for moving mattresses and other articles - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1962 A. A.`KLEINSCHM|DT 3,047,305

DEVICE FOR MOVING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES ef Schw/df Uber/ I gw' Jig July 31, 1962 3,047,305

DEVICE FOR MOVING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES A. A. KLEINSCHMIDT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1958 3 l l l l July 31, 1962 A. A. KLElNscHMlDT 3,047,305

DEVICE Foa MOVING MAITREssEs AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June l2, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 5 g l A 7 Z 17 y 21 ZZ 57 15 30 J0 .av 30 United States Patent G 3,047,305 DEVICE FR MOVING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES Albert A. Kleinschmidt, 9 E. Main St., Dundee, il. Filed `lune 12, 1958, Ser. No. 741,645 10 Claims. (Ci. 280-36) The present invention relates to improvements in devices especially suitable for movingmattresses but also readily adaptable for moving other articles and more especially furniture items which are rather unwieldy for handling by a lone person or even by a plurality of persons.

In a household, small store and the like where a person must often rely upon his own manual eifort to move unwieldy articles such as mattresses, bed springs, chairs, davenports, rugs, and other utility or furnishing items, problems of unwieldiness and excessive weight are frequently encountered. Mattresses are especially unwieldy for one person to handle and are even awkward for two persons to handle when acting jointly. The same is true of davenports, rugs, large radio cabinets, building materials such as pieces of lumber or trim, wall board panels, and the like where a person is doing his own work and cannot count upon assistance.

However, it is not practical to have a separate moving device for every conceivable type of article to be moved, but it is desirable to be able to use the same device for handling various types of articles.

It is accordingly an important object of the present invention to provide a device of substantial versatility for moving articles of house furnishing type and other types of articles yin a manner'enabling a person to move such articles from place to place conveniently, unaided by any other person, although more than one person working together may, of course, use the device advantageously.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is especially suitable for moving an article having a long and a narrower dimension and which must sometimes be supported on its narrow dimension as well as on its longer dimension in the process of moving.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled moving device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved knock-down moving device which can be readily set up for use without any exceptional skill.

It is a further object 'of the invention to provide a new and improved device for moving mattresses and other articles and which device is readily convertible by reason of a disconnectable sectional arrangement enabling various combinations and relationships of the sections to meet various requirements.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sectional, hinged moving device which is adapted to be knocked downinto .a compact folded package unit for storage purposes.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a moving device of the general character described which is readily adapted for handling Various size articles and in which for size accommodation disconnectable panels or sections are provided by which the llength of the devicecan be increased or decreased by the number or size of the sections that may be selectively or alternatively Aused in the assembly.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

3,647,305. raten-aad July a1, 1962 FIGURE l is a perspective view of the device as it appears when handling a mattress or like article;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device in collapsed, folded condition;

, FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional detail view taken substantially on the line III- HI of `FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective assembly view of one of the side supporting bars or stakes and a receiving socket portion of the supporting base member or .panel of the device;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portions of two of the opposed supporting stakes and the connecting members therebetween;

yFIGURE 6 is an exploded assembly View of two of the disconnectable sections of the device and the readily removable connecting pins;

FIGURE 7 is a more or less schematic perspective view showing how a mattress may be loaded onto or unloaded from the device;

FlGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the device showing' it in use to move a rug;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the device in use to move an article of furniture such as a davenport; and

FIGURE l0 is a top plan View of a supplementary or auxiliary section by which the size of the device may be extended.

Referring to FIGURE l, a device embodying .the present invention includes an elongated base section 15 in the form of a horizontal panel and serving as the principal or main member of the device to which other members are arranged to be connected. As a base extension from the ibase member 15 is an elongated similar base section member 17 with the ends of the members adjoining in alignment. ySeparable hinged connection between the members 15 and 17 is eected by means of coupling struct-ure, in the present instance comprising respective hinge members 1S and 19 having usual complementary aligned hinge curls and with readily removable connecting pins 2t) extending through the aligned hinge curls. By having the coupling assemblies on the upper facesl of the aligned base panel members 15 and l17, the base panel members are adapted to `be folded in collapsed relation upon one another in face-to-face relation as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

In a preferred arrangement, the device is of generally L-shape with the base panel sections 15 and 17 providing one arm and on the end portion ofthe main base panel 15 opposite to the connection with the base panel extension member 17, a right angular upstanding supporting structure providing the other arm and comprising a iirst elongated panel section member 21 of the same width as the y base member 15 and supporting on its upper end a seco-nd upright panel section member 22. Hinged, separable coupling of the panel mem- bers 21 and 22 is effected similarly as described in connection withthe base panel members 15 and 17, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, comprising herein respective hinge sections 23. and 24 and Vreadily removable connecting pins 25 to extend through the complementary aligned hinge curls. A similar dis- .connectable hinge'coupling structure 27 is utilized to connect the lower end portion of the upright member 21 to a supporting .and spacer bar 28 carried xedly upon rthe adjacent end portion of the base panel 15 and of sufficient width to enable folded collapsed disposition ofthe panel upright members 21 and 22 upon the folded base panel member 17 as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, with the panel 21 and then the two upright panel members foldedV down upon the member 17, with all of the members lying substantially parallel in the folded relationship. Since the upright dimension of the device need not be as long as the base dimension, the two upright panel members 21 and 22 may be shorter and of substantially the same length as shown. By having the base extension member 17 a little shorter than the main base member 15, a limited space or gap is afforded between the free end of the member 17 and the supporting and spacer bar 28` to provide a storage space 29 within the collapsed device.

To facilitate movement of the device, it carries wheel means, herein in the form of transversely aligned pairs of casters 30. By preference the main base panel member has secured to its undersurface adjacent'to its opposite ends respective pairs of the casters 30, while the extension base member 17 carries on its underface adjacent to its free end a pair of the casters 30, the remaining, attached end of the extension base member in this instance relying upon the adjacent set of casters on the base member 15 for rolling support through the hinge connection between the two base members.

In order to enable the device to be up-ended for rolling support on the uprights 21 and 22, a pair of the casters 30 is carried by the outer side of the supporting and spacer bar 28, and the upper of the uprights 22 carries respective pairs of the casters adjacent to its opposite ends and attached to its outer face. The lower of the upright panel members 21 could also be supplied with such casters but that is not necessary since rolling support is afforded by the casters adjacent to the opposite ends thereof on respectively the spacer bar 28 and the upper of the members 22.

In order to enable as at as possible collapsing of the several members of the device, provision is made for receiving of the casters 30 on the base member 17 within respective clearance apertures 31 in the upper of the upright members 22 (FIGS. l and 3), and the casters 30 on the folded-under upright member 22 are received through clearance apertures 32 in the folded base mem ber 17 For convenience in handling the device both in its set up utility condition or in its collapsed condition, the several panel members are provided with suitable transverse hand hole slots 33. These slots are so disposed on the several panels as to be in registration in the collapsed condition of the panels as Vshown in FIGURES 2 and 3. In addition, the free end portion of the upright panel member 22 is provided with one of the hand hole slots 33 to provide a convenient handle 34 on the free end of the member. Adjacent to its free end, the base extension panel member 17 is also provided with one of the hand hole slots 33 to afford a handle 35. A

In the exemplary form shown, the device is dimensioned for conveniently supporting and moving a standard double bed mattress 37 shown in phantom outline in FIGURE l. For this purpose, the combined length of the base members 15 and 17 is preferably slightly greater than the total length of such a mattress and the total length of the upright members 21 and 22, together with the supporting base bar 28 is preferably slightly greater than the transverse, narrower dimension of the mattress and the mattress is adapted to be supported on edge on the base members and against the upright members.

For retaining the mattress 37 upon the device and against collapsing, removable upright supporting bars or stakes 38 are provided. These are constructed and arranged for removable attachment to the base members 15 and 17 so that not only may the base members be used as supporting dolly type wheeled carriages without the stakes, but the stakes in preferred number may be mounted in a preferred relationship on the base members and in relation to one another selectively.

One desirable manner of detachably but firmly securing the respective stakes 38 to the base members as best shown in FIGURES l and 4, comprises the provision on the lower end of each stake 38 of a reduced width limited length downwardly projecting base end tenon, tongue, stem or boss 39 engageable in a complementary mortiselike socket hole 40 provided in the respective base mem ber margin suitably spaced from the adjacent edge of the base member to afford an intervening solid area of suicient width to accommodate a latch notch 41 opening through the base member edge and of a depth to receive the shank of a latching member such as a screw 42 carried by an angle bracket 43 suitably secured to the outer face of the stake 38 immediately above the tenon stem 39. An outwardly projecting foot ange 44 on the bracket 43 carries the latch bolt or screw member 42 pendently and is preferably disposed with its lower face plane substantially aligned with seating shoulders 45 on the base end of the stake 33 at opposite sides of the depending stem extension 39. Thereby, when the stake stem extension 39 is inserted into the complementary though reasonably freely receptive socket 40, the shoulders 45 solidly engage the underlying upper face portions of the base member at each side of the socket 40 while the foot flange 44 engages the base member on the intervening marginal portion between the edge of the base member and the socket. Then, by drawing up a thumb nut 47 ou the lower end portion of the threaded shank of the latch bolt 42 to thrust against the underface of the base panel member at opposite sides of the bolt clearance slot 41 within which the bolt shank is engaged, the head of the latch bolt 42 draws the foot flange 44 into tight, stake-stabilizing engagement with the underlying upper face of the base member at the opposite sides of the clearance slot 41. The stake is thus held effectively against any substantial move ment in any direction relative to the base member. To facilitate drawing up tightening of the latch bolt 42, the head may be provided with an upstanding thumb wing 48 engageable between the thumb and forelinger of one hand while the thumb and forefinger of the other hand run the thumb nut 47 up the latch screw shank. Conversely, of course, the latch bolt may be tightened by turning the bolt through the wing head 48 while the nut 47 is held stationary. By having the shank portion of the latch bolt 42 loosely rotatably extending through the foot ange 44, and by having the dimensional relationship between the walls of the socket 40 and the opposing faces of the stem extension 39 suiiciently free, easy assembly and disassembly of the stake base with respect to the supporting base member is afforded.

By preference, provision is made for connecting the stakes 38 by opposed pairs to the respective base mem ber 15 or 17, with one of the stake members of each pair located on each opposite longitudinal margin of the base member. In a convenient arrangement for multiple utility, two longitudinally spaced pairs of the stake members 38 are arranged to be supported by the main base panel member 15,- while one pair of the stake members 38 is arranged to be supported by the extension base panel member 17. Thus, the main base member 15 supports one of the pairs of stake members 38 adjacent to one end of the base member and the other pair of stake members thereon adjacent to the opposite end while the pair of stakes 38 carried by the extension base member 17 are supported near its free end and thus suitably spaced from the nearest pair of stakes on the base panel member 15. This affords desirable support for the opposite broad faces of the mattress 37 adjacent to its opposite ends and also adjacent to its middle, retaining the mattress against buckling or'snaking but maintaining it centered on the median vertical plane of the mover device. On the other hand, where panel material shorter than a mattress and requiring only use of the main base panel member 15 is to be handled, so that the extension base panel 17 is disconnected, the two longitudinally spaced pairs of stakes 38 carried by the main panel member 15 aiord effective support for the opposite end portions or side margins, as the case may be, of the panels supported vertically therebetween on the moving device.

While the mattress 37, or other article or articles to be moved may effectively be supported on the moving device between the stakes 3- without any connection between the upper ends of the stakes, it is desirable, especially where the mattress or other article is to be moved a substantial distance and possibly through a more or less irregular passage or up and down stairs or through doorways where the vdevice must be up-ended to wheel the same on the casters carried by the upright end panel members 21 and 22 and the spacer bar 28, to provide hold-down and latching means for at least the up ended longitudinal edge of the mattress or other article and preferably also for the free end thereof which extends up from the free end portion of the extension base panel member 17. To this end, referring to FlGURES l and 5, cross-over quick-releasable latching means are provided to extend between and connect the upper end portions of the respective pairs of stakes 38. In one desirable form, such latching means comprise respective flexible rope-like latching members 49 suitably secured at one end portion to the associated stake adjacent to the upper extremity of the stake and of a length to extend across the gap between the upper end portions of the pair of stakes and engage latchingly in a laterally opening latch slot or notch 5t) formed in the vertical edge of the opposing stake below and adjacent to the point at which the companion liexible latch member 49' is attached. On their free end portions, the ilexible latch members i9 are provided with respective handles 51 which conveniently may be in the form of a loop as shown, with suitable light-frictionalresistance means located adjacent to the loop in each instance for engagement with the surface areas adjacent to the notch 50 into which the free end portion of the latch member is engaged. In a desirable form, such friction means comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced enlargements or knots 52. related to the thickness of the engaged stake to have suticient light frictional grip on the portion of rthe stake therebetween when the length of lthe latch member between the knots is engaged within the respective notch 50, thereby retaining the free end portion of the flexible latch member against unintentional displacement. While perhaps one flexible latch member 49 between each pair of stakes would be sutiicient for most purposes, by having a pair of such latch members with one carried by each of the stake end portions and disposed to be latchingly related in crossing relation asy shown and with the retaining notch Sti in each instance disposed on the respectively opposite side of the confronting stake member, double assurance against unintentional unlatching is had since even though one of the latch members 49 may slip out of its latching notch 50, the remaining latch member will adequately hold the latching, retaining relationship.

Additional retaining means, where desired, may comprise a flexible retaining strand member 53 which may be of rope-like form to extend between the upper end portion of the upright member 2,2 at one end of the device and over the mattress or other article and down along the opposite end of the mattress and secured to the free end portion of the lbase panel extension member 17 as shown in FIGURE l. Attachment of the retaining member S3 to the upright panel member 22 may be by looping the associated end of the member 53 through the handle hole 33 or around under the adjacent casters 36,

vor as shown through the adjacent caster clearance aperthe retaining member 53 is carried over thevupper edge of the mattress 37 and may be directed diagonally thereacross to the upper or head end portions of the Stakes 38 carried by the base panel member 17 where the retaining member 53 is again looped around the stake heads in the notches 50 and Sd thereof and may be looped over and under the crossing flexible latch members 49 and then carried on down over the free end of the mattress and secured to the adjacent end portion of the extension baser panel member 17 as for example by looping the end portion of the member 53 through the adjacent caster clearance apertures 32, as shown. By looping the retaining rope-like member 53 about the head portions of the stakes 38 as described, of course, the associated flexible latch members 49 vare locked against any possibility of uninterrtional release until the loop of the retaining member 53 is unwound from the stake heads and more particularly out of the notches 54)' and 54. j

While the handles 34 and 35, as well as the hand holes 33 in the upright end members 21 and 22 and the hand holes 33 in the base members 15 and 17 are available for gaining convenient hand hold upon the device for manipulating the same, loaded or unloaded, additional handle means may be provided, such as a spaced series ofhandle loops 55 on the portion of the retaining member 53 which extends over the outer end portion of the mattress. l

Additionally, a suitable handle 57 may be provided on the outer side of the vertically disposed end spacer bar ZS. As a further aid in maintaining the supported article on the device, suitable friction facing material may be carried by the article engaging -faces of the several components of the device. For example, on the article supporting faces of the base panel members 15 and 17, frietion material in the form of a longitudinal strip 58 may be applied in a width that leaves the opposite margins of the base panel members free substantially as shown: Similar strip frictional facing material 59 may be carried by the article opposing faces of the stakes 3S. Similar frictional facing material may be carried :by the article opposing faces of the upright panel members Z1 and 22. A suitable soft rubber or rubber-like materiall of high coetiicient of friction may be used. Although such material may be supplied in strip form and adhesively secured in place, a suitable painted or sprayed on friction facin material may be employed.

In order to increase the versatility of the device, one or more auxiliary extension panel members 66 (FIG. 10)

may be provided and adapted ,to be connected as an exi tension from the free end of the base extension panel member 17or connected between the panel members 15 and 17 of the base structure, or connected between the upright end panel members 21 and 22. or between the upright panel member 21 and the spacer and supporting bar 28. Where a set of selectively usable auxiliary lengthincreasing panel members 60 is provided, they may be of graduated lengths from, for example, one-half foot sect-ion. up to three or four foot sections. On the article opposing face of the panel sections 6i), hinge plate or leaf portions 61 are secured at one end and the complementary strap or leaf portions 62 are secured at the opposite end and such hinge portions are complementary to the hingesy on the panel section components of the carrying device for interchangeable connection therewith. lFor example, the hinge portions 61 are complementary to and adapted'to be connected to the hinge portions 19 of the base panel section 17 while the hinge portions 62 are complementary to and adapted to be hingedly connected to the hinge portions 18 on the main base panel section :15; jAt the free end of the base panel extension section 17 thel yhinge portions 62 arey engageable with suitablec'omplementary hinge sections 63 by means of removable `pins such asthe pins 20, 25 or 26 hereinbefore described.

On the article opposing face of the auxiliary panel seck tions 60 suitable frictional facingmaterial 64 may be provided. Convenient longitudinally spacedand parallel hand hole slots 65 may be provided through the auxiliary panel section. At one end, a small size hole 67 may be provided whereby the panel section can conveniently be hung on a supporting bracket or nail on a wall when not in use. Where the auxiliary panel section 6% is over one foot in length, it may be provided with suitable casters 68, similar to the casters 30, on its floor opposing side.

An important advantage of the article moving device of the present invention resides in the facility with which it can be loaded or unloaded by an individual with a minimum of physical effort. This is especially important for persons who suffer some physical disability or impairment which precludes any heavy lifting.

For example, theease with which the mattress 37 can be loaded into or unloaded from the moving device is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 7. Thus, the moving device with one or more of the stakes 3S attached to only one margin of the base assembly is wheeled into position alongside a bed 69 from which the mattress 37 is to be removed or onto which the mattress is to be placed. Because the overall width of the moving device is only a little greater than the thickness of the usual mattress, the device can be moved into position in what may be a very narrow space between the bed and an adjacent wall. In any event, after the device has been placed in position with the stakes 33 carried thereby on the margin remote from the bed, the mattress can easily be slid oi of the bed until the edge of the mattress nearest the moving device tilts down onto the base members and 17 of the device. Since this action is primarily a dropping or gravity induced action, only the moderate eort to slide the mattress ott the bed is required. Then, when the adjacent longitudinal edge of the mattress has come to rest upon the base structure of the device, the remainder of the mattress can be easily tilted over into upright position against the one or more stakes 38 opposing the same.v To facilitate such final movement of the mattress into upright on-edge position on the device, a pull rope 70 may be secured at its ends to the usual side carrying handle loops of the edge of the mattress to be up ended and by pulling on such rope the mattress can be brought to its upright plane againstthe supporting stake or stakes 38 and then by looping the rope -70 over the stakes the mattress can be held in position until the stakes 38 have been attached to the opposite margin ot the base members 15 and 17 of the device and thus fully support the mattress in its upright on-edge position on the device. Of course, return of the mattress 37 to the bed after airing, cleaning or the like involves merely a reversal of the procedure just described. If at this time it is desired to have the mattress in reverse or turned over position relative to that from which it was removed from the bed, that can easily be done by placing the moving device on the opposite side of the bed and placing in down position on the bed that face of the mattress which vas up at the time the mattress was removed from the In FIGURE 8 is shown how the device can be used for moving an elongated article such as a rug 71. Assuming the rug 71 to be longer than the extended combined length of the base members 15 and 17, either one or more of the auxiliary sections 60 may be connected as extensions from the free end of the base member 17, or the end upright members 21 and 22 still connected together, but detached from the spacer bar 28 may be connected to the free end of the base member 17 as shown thus providing a multi-section base or dolly of a length suicient to support the rug 71 adequately for handling. At suitable intervals, tie-on ropes 72 may be tied around the rug 71 and to the underlying sections of the moving device. By virtue of the hinged articulated connection of the several sections, it will be apparent that in moving the rug should it be necessary to go through an angular passage or entry Way or down a stairway having periodic landings, the device may be hinged and the rug bent to clear the same through the passageway or around a bend in the stairs.

In FIGURE 9 is shown hovvA a rather bulky and generally unwieldy article of furniture such as davenport 73 is adapted to be carried for movement by the moving device of the present invention. For this purpose, the upright panel section 22 of the device may be detached from the lower upright panel section 21 and attached to one of the auxiliary panel sections 6i) of suitable length which in turn is connected to the free end portion of the base extension panel section 17. The base panel sections 15 and 17 and the extension section 60 are maneuvered into position under the davenport and such maneuver requires only minor effort to tilt the davenport 73` rearwardly, for example to raise the bottom thereof sufficiently to clear the moving device section or some other equally simple and easy procedure. Then the section 22 is swung up along one side of the davenport while the section 21 stands upright along the opposite side of the davenport. If desired, means such as a rope 74 may be secured between the now opposite end sections 21 and 22 in order to hold the davenport down on the rolling sections. If it is necessary to up-end the davenport to get it through a doorway or a narrow angular passageway, that can readily be done and the rollers or casters 30 on the panel section 22 utilized -to roll the assembly.

Since the casters 30 or 63, as the case may be are on the usual swivels, it will be apparent that the device, irrespective of the article supported can be rolled in any direction, or can be rolled in any direction in maneuvering the device into position relative to an article to be supported.

When the device is to be put away or stored, it is readily collapsed into the folded condition shown in FIGURES Z and 3 wherein it provides a compact package which can be placed in a small storage space. Any loose ropes can be accommodated in the storage space 29 within the folded unit. By using headed pins to connect the several connecting and hinge sections, easy manual removal or replacement of the pins can be elected with respect to the hinge sections.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination in a mattress mover, an elongated wheeled base panel structure for supporting a mattress on can be shifted to be wheeled on end on the dew'ce, separable stakes mounted in longitudinally separated relation on the respective margins of said base panel structure to engage the respective opposite faces of the mattress, flexible latch members carried by the upper end portions of the stakes and separably connecting said upper end portions over the upper edge of the mattress on the device to retain the mattress against escape, and a tlexible retaining member connected to said upstanding end panel structure and to the upper end portions of the stakes, locking said flexible latches against opening, and anchored to the end portion of the base panel structure opposite to said upstanding end panel structure.

2. In an article moving unit, a horizontal wheeled elongated panel member, an upright panel member hingedly attached to one end portion of the horizontal panel member and foldable onto the horizontal panel member when it is desired to collapse the unit for storage purposes and arranged to be swung up from folded rela-A tion to the horizontal panel member for article moving purposes, and a plurality of upright supporting members removably attachable to the longitudinal margins of said horizontal panel member for retainingly engaging the sides of an article in upright position on said horizontal panel member and between said upright members and with the swung-up upright panel member opposing an end of the article, said horizontal member having roller means on its lower face and said swung-up panel meinber having roller means on its outer face so that the unit with an article supported thereby can be rollably moved either on said horizontal Vmember or on said swung-up panel member.

3. An article moving unit as defined/in claim 2 including an elongated exible member including means to connect it to the upper end portion ofsaid upright panel member and to the opposite end portion of the horizontal panel member and engageable with the end opposite the upright panel member and the top of an article supported by the unit and coacting with'the upright supporting members to retain the article against escape from the unit.

4. An article moving unit as defined in claim 3 Wherein said elongated flexible member has handle loops thereon engageable for assisting in manipulating the unit with an article supported thereby.

5. ln an article moving unit, a horizontal wheeled panel member, an upright panel member hingedly attached to one end portion of the horizontal panel member and foldable onto the horizontal panel member when it is desired to collapse the unit for storage purposes and arranged to be swung up from folded relation to the horizontal panel member for article moving purposes, a plurality of upright supporting members removably attachable to the margins of said horizontal panel member for gripping an article in upright position therebetween on said horizontal panel member and between said upright members and Iwith the upright panel member opposing the article, and means connected to the upper end portion of said upright members and .said upright panel member for securing the article against escape from between said upright panel member and said upright members, said upright panel member having wheels on its outer face and said horizontal wheeled panel member having wheels on its lower face so that the unit with `an article supported thereby can be rollably moved either on said horizontal wheeled panel member or on said uprightpanel member.

6. An article moving unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said means connected to the upper end portion of the upright members comprise liexible latch elements permanently attached to the upper end portions of certain of the uprightmembers `and interlock means on the upper end portions of others of the upright members and on the ilexible latch elements releasably interengageable for retaining the latch elements.

7. An article supporting unit `as defined in claim 5 wherein said means connected to the upper end portion of said 'upright members comprise -a plurality of iiexible latch elements and an elongated flexible securing member attached to the upper end portion of the upright panel member and extending Iacross the upper side of an article supported by the unit and coacting with said latch elements to retain them in latching position, said elongated flexible member extending in retaining relation along the end of the article remote from said upright panel and being attached to the opposite end portion of the horizontal panel from its attachment 'to said upright panel.

8. In 'an .article moving unit, a horizontalV wheeled elongated panel member, an upright panel member releasably hingedly attached to one end portion of the horizontal panel member Iand foldable onto the horizontal panel member when it is desired to collapse the unit for storage purposes and arranged to be swung up from folded relation to the horizontal panel member for article moving purposes, a plurality of upright supporting members removably attachable to the longitudinal margins of said horizontal panel member for retainingly engaging the sides of an article in upright position on said horizontal panel member and between saidr upright members and with the swung-up upright panel member opposing an end of the article, said horizontal member having roller means on its lower face and said swung-up panel member having roller means on its outer face so that the unit with an article supported thereby can be rollably moved either on said horizontal member or on said swung-up panel member, and hinge means on the opposite end portion of said horizontal member Ito which said upright panel member is releasably lhin'gedly attachable vafter' it has been released `from said 'one end portion of the horizontal ypanel member whereby said upright panel member is adapted to become a horizontal extension of said horizontal member.

9. In an article moving unit a horizontal wheeled elongated panel member, a tixedly disposed upwardly projecting spacer bar on one end portion of said horizontal member, a first upright panel member hingedly attached at one end to said spacer bar, a second upright panel member hingedly attached to the opposite end of said first upright panel member, said second panel member being foldable onto the inside face of the rst panel member and the thus folded first and second panel members being foldable onto the horizontal panel member and said spacer bar providing a space between the horizontal panel member and the first panel member whereby all of the panel members when folded together are substantially parallel to one another for eiiicient collapsed storage purposes but from which folded together relationship the first and second panels are readily swung up into aligned upright position relative to the horizontal member', and a plurality of upright supporting members removably attaohalble to the longitudinal margins of said horizontal panel member for retainingly engaging the sides of ian larticle in upright position on said horizontal panel member and between said upright members and with the aligned swung-up upstanding panel members opposing an end of the article, said horizontal member having roller means on its lower face and said second panel member and said spacer bar having roller means on their outer faces so that the unit with an Iarticle supported thereby can be rollably moved either on said horizontal member or on said second panel member Iand said spacer bar.

l0. In an article moving unit, a horizontal wheeled elongated panel member, an upright panel member hingedly attached -to 4one end portion of the horizontal panel member and .toldable onto the horizontal panel member when it is desired to collapse the unit for storage purposes and arranged to be swung up yfrom folded relation to the horizontal panel member for article moving purposes, a plurality of upright supporting members removably rattaclhable to the [longitudinal margins of said horizontal panel member for retainingly engaging the sides of an article in upright position on said horizontal panel member and between said upright members and with the swung-up upright panel member opposing fan end of the article, said horizontal member having roller means on its Ilower face and said swung-up panel member having roller means on its outer face so that theunit with an article supported thereby can be rollably moved either on said horizontal member or on said swung-up panel member, said horizontal member and said upright supporting members having on the article-opposing faces thereof frictional material to prevent slipping of the article supported thereby, and means acting on said upright supporting members to hold them against the article.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Qther references on following page) 11 UNITED STATES PATENTS Torgerson June 8, 1920 Grazer Oct. 18, 1921 Wilson Jan. 6, 1925 Treuan July 5, 1927 `Riddle Aug. 23, 1927 Mohler Nov. 15, 1927 Hollowell Jan. 28, 1930 Romine Aug. 12, 1930 Breeden Sept. 15, 1931 12 Iellineck Jan. 19, 1932 Koehler Aug. 9, 1932 Chase Nov. 22, 1932 Daniels Oct. 3, 1939 Ackerman etal Nov. 6, 1945 Schulein Apr. 22, 1947 Carter May 10, 1949 Faircloth et al Dec. 14, 1954 Lessard May 24, 1955 Owen Aug. 26, 1958

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