US3048290A - Laundry machine cart - Google Patents

Description

A. H. TERRELL LAUNDRY MACHINE CART Aug. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1959 Amos H. Terrell Aug. 7, 1962 A. H. TERRELL 3,043,290

LAUNDRY MACHINE CART Filed Aug. 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Amos H- Terrell 1N VEN TOR.

3,048,290 LAUNDRY MACHINE CART Amos H. Terrell, 2977 Main St., Durango, Colo. Filed Aug. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 831,814 '5 Claims. (Cl. 214-384) This invention relates to a device for facilitating the lifting and moving of a laundry machine, for example a washer or drier.

An object of the invention is to provide a special cart for use with laundry machines that have clothing compartments arranged with the axis at an angle to the vertical and horizontal axes in order to materially facilitate the lifting, moving and setting of such machines. This type of machine poses a problem of lifting, moving and setting. The machine is very difficult to lift or move and both of these functions sometimes become necessary for maintenance, repair or even original installation. A cart in accordance with this invention solves this problem.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the cart show ing it being attached to a machine in question.

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational view showing the cart tilted to a position at which the machine is elevated.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the cart.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6---6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a partial side elevational view showing the cart in a ground supporting position.

In the accompanying drawings there is a conventional laundry machine 10 shown to illustrate the environment of the invention. This machine has a base 14 made of framework 16, together with a clothing compartment 18. Access to the compartment is obtained by opening door 3,048,290 Patented Aug. 7, 1962 inner tube or rod 48 has apertures 62 and '64'at right angles to each other so that the inner tube or rod 48 can be rotated and held fixed with reference to the outer tube.

vFurther, the inner tube and outer tube may be extended or retracted to selected positions and locked in place by means of pin 60. In order that the pin will not be lost, there is'a chain 70, cable or the like welded or otherwise secured to the outer tube and connected to pin 60.

Cross bar 76 has rubber or other type of elastomeric substance sockets 80 and 81 at the ends thereof, and it is connected to the outer ends of bar 48. Pin 82 is welded to a small chain 83 and is inserted in aperture 62, after the chain 83 is extended under door hinge 19 of the washing machine. The purpose is to keep the machine from tilting to the right, since that is the heavier side of the machine. In using the cart, the locking device is engaged with the chamber 18 by fitting the cross bar 76 into the compartment and behind the collar 17 surrounding the door opening.

Lower base supporting device 90 is made of an approximately U-shaped sub-frame 92 secured to the lower sections of cart sides 26 and 28. A front extending bar 91 is attached to the center of sub-frame 92 and has an upwardly opening U-shaped load receiving saddle 93* welded or otherwise secured thereto. This saddle is adapted to engage under the frame work 16 (FIGURES 1 and 2) to provide lifting force on the machine 10 to carry the machine on the cart for transport purposes as shown in FIGURE 2.

Since it is customary to support and anchor laundry machines on a raised concrete base or platform 21 in laundry establishments, it may be desired to use the cart to move a machine a small amount sufiicient to permit access to the rear thereof without completely moving it 20. The laundry machine has a compartment which is at an angle to the vertical and horizontal axes and poses a problem of lifting, setting or moving which is peculiar to this type of machine.

Cart 22 is made of a frame 24 having a pair of side frame members 26 and 28 together with a handle 30 connected to the upper end of both of the side frame members'. The upper sections of the side frame members are at an angle to the lower sections thereof. The lower extremities of frame members 28 and 30 are equipped with bearings 32 and 34 through which axle 36 extends. There are wheels 38 and 40 at the ends of axle 36 and this provides a rolling support for the cart.

An upper tension supporting device 42 (FIGURES l-3) is used to engage the interior of the compartment 18. The upper device 42 is made of an extensible arm 44 having an outer tube 46 and an inner tube or rod 48. The outer tube is pivotally connected by hearing 50 to a cross bar 52 extending between and attached to the upper sec tions of sides 24 and 26. Collars 54 and 56 are adjustably secured to cross bar 52 (FIGURE 5) and bearing 50 is located between the adjustable collars. Accordingly, arm 44 is capable of swinging up and down with the longitudinal axis of cross bar 52 forming the axis 0 oscillation of the arm.

Outer tube 44 has a series of apertures 58 near the outer end thereof in which pin 60'is adapted to seat. The

off the concrete base. Accordingly, an upwardly facing V-shaped load receiving member is attached to the top surface of subframe 92 and furnishes a laterally extending second saddle for engaging the framework 16 at a lower front edge 19. Saddle 95 is therefore used to support edge 19 of the washing machine otherwise precariously supported at its back lower part on the front part of the base with the front part of the machine extending forwardly therebeyond above the floor as shown in FIG- URE 7. Accordingly, after so moving the machine partially off the base by use of the cart 22 as shown in FIG- URE 2, the cart is then released therefrom and the device 42 lifted upwardly and out of the way against the frame 24. The cart 22 is pushed forwardly toward the machine, placing the load receiving saddle 93 on the floor against the front of the concrete base and under the machine so that the lower front edge .17 of the washing machine rests in saddle 95 to prevent forward tilt of the machine. It will therefore be appreciated that the supporting saddle 93 cooperates with device 42 to raise the laundry machine off the floor or base for movement thereof, while saddle 93 also cooperates with the saddle 95 to support the front of the machine by abutting against the juncture of the base and floor to form a rigid support with the cart frame 24 for the saddle 95 upon which the front edge 17 of the machine may rest as hereinabove indicated; While the washing machine is in this position a workman may get behind it and does not have to move it completely off the concrete base.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to, those skilled in the art, it is not desired to'limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

U What is claimed as new is as follows: 1. A cart for elevating and supporting loads comprising, frame means, ground supporting wheel means rotatably mounted by the frame means about a support axis fixedly spaced above the ground, base support means fixedly mounted on the frame means in spaced relation above the support axis, first and second load receiving means mounted on said base support means forwardly of the support axis for supporting vertically directed loads at spaced locations on thebase support means and retractible tension means operatively connected to said frame means for engaging and displacing a load with respect to said first load receiving means in response to rearward displacement of the frame means to support the load in raised position above the ground between said first load receiving means and the tension means, said second load receiving means supporting the load when the frame means is positioned forwardly about the support axis with said first load receiving means in engagement with the ground.

2'. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tension means includes an extensible member pivotally mounted on the frame means for vertical displacement and laterally extending engaging means connected to the member for engaging the load forwardly of the frame means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said second load receiving means extends laterally beyond the first load receiving means and is spaced closer to the frame means.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said second load receiving means extends laterally beyond the first load receiving means and is spaced closer to the frame means.

5. A carrying and supporting cart for laundry machines or the like comprising a pair of wheels, a frame, an axle to which said wheels are connected, means connecting said axle to said frame, an upper supporting device engageable with a portion of a machine, a lower supporting device, disposed above said axle and below said upper device engageable with a lower portion of the machine in fixed spaced relation thereto when both supporting devices are engaged, means connecting said upper device to said frame for pivotal displacement in a vertical plane, and means rigidly connecting said lower device to said frame, said lower device including a sub-frame, a first upwardly opening saddle connected with said sub-frame, and a second saddle connected with said sub-frame so that the machine is capable of being engaged at different positions with reference to the cart for supporting the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,640 Hendricks Aug. 2, 1927 2,250,577 Ernst July 29, 1941 2,525,437 Winzler et a1 Oct. 10, 1950 2,691,454 Demlo Oct. 12, 1954 2,808,163 Petzke et al Oct. 1, 1957 2,903,147 Davis Sept. 8, 1959

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