U.S. patent application number 11/299923 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for bridge apparatus.
Invention is credited to Larry P. Young, Roland O. Young.
Application Number | 20070130847 11/299923 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38137870 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070130847 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Young; Roland O. ; et
al. |
June 14, 2007 |
Bridge apparatus
Abstract
The invention comprises a bridge apparatus for connecting two
drywall carts together spaced with a front rear relation to one
another for supporting materials on the bridge, said bridge
apparatus having two identical bridge sections with the bridge
sections detachably fixed connection to one another at their one
ends and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the drywall
carts wherein said drywall carts each have plurality of wheels
mounted to the carts in a manner that the carts and bridge
apparatus roll on their wheels in a variety of different directions
as a single unit.
Inventors: |
Young; Roland O.; (Grand
Forks, ND) ; Young; Larry P.; (Grand Forks,
ND) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT E. KLEVE
1103-24TH AVE S.
GRAND FORKS
ND
58201
US
|
Family ID: |
38137870 |
Appl. No.: |
11/299923 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/143 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 2207/02 20130101;
B62B 3/108 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/143 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/34 20060101
E04B001/34 |
Claims
1. A bridge apparatus for connecting two drywall carts together
spaced with a front rear relation to one another for supporting
materials on the bridge, said bridge apparatus having two identical
and interchangable bridge sections with the bridge sections in
detachably fixed connection to one another at their one ends and
pivotally connected at the others ends to the drywall carts wherein
said drywall carts each have pair of wheels mounted to the carts in
a manner that the carts and bridge apparatus may roll on their
wheels in a variety of different directions as a single unit.
2. A bridge apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detachable
connection of the bridge member to one another is provided by a
pair of pins on one of the bridge members and a pair of eyelets on
the other bridge member and the pins may be inserted into the
eyelets when the bridge member have been raised to an angular
position adjacent to one another, one of the bridge members has a
flange which engages the other bridge member as the bridge members
are lowered on their pivotal connection to a horizontal position
with the flange locking them in fixed relation when locking them
horizontal, said bridge members have abutting inner edges when
horizontal to prevent their pivoting to an angular position below
horizontal.
3. A horizontal bridge apparatus for connecting two upstanding
drywall carts together for supporting materials on the bridge, said
bridge having several bridge sections detachably connected together
in a manner that the sections may move upward from horizontal
relation but are fixed from moving downward relative to one
another, said drywall carts each having at least one wheel so that
when connected together by the bridge sections they become a single
mobile unit where by the carts and bridge apparatus may be rolled
on a horizontal surface in various directions.
4. A bridge apparatus for connecting two drywall carts together
wherein each drywall cart has a pair of upstanding posts to serve
as front and rear posts for the apparatus, said bridge apparatus
comprising an elongated bridge frame means, said frame means having
front and rear attachment means at its front and rear ends with one
of said drywall carts front posts attached to the front attachment
means of the bridge attachment means, said other drywall cart
having rear posts with said rear posts attached to the rear
attachment means of the bridge frame means.
5. A bridge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said bridge
frame means is formed in two sections detachable connected to one
another whereby the bridge frame means may be separated for easy
storage.
6. A bridge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said bridge
frame means is formed in two identical sections detachable
connected to one another with said connection whereby each of the
sections has a pin and an eyelet to provide a means of attaching
whereby the sections will initially be elevated at a angle to one
another for insertion of the pins into the eyelets with said
sections having flange means engaging one another when the sections
are lowered after insertion with the flange means engaging one
another to provide a locked rigid relation of the two sections when
lowered into horizontal relation to one another.
7. An elongated rectangular frame formed of two elongated sections
joined together at their inner ends in a manner that they may be
attached together while positioned at an angle in length to one
another, said sections may be pivoted downward and have butting
edges which abut one another when the two sections have pivoted to
a horizontal straight-line position relative to one another, with
the abutting edges preventing the sections from traveling below
their straight-line horizontal position relative to one another,
said sections having means at their outer ends to detachably engage
a pair of drywall carts for use with the drywall carts as a unitary
structure.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to cargo carriers, more particularly
this invention relates to transporting material such as drywall
panels and the like.
[0002] It is an object of the invention to provide a novel
attachment for attaching two drywall carts together so that they
can be used as a unitary structure for transporting extra large or
bulk-like materials. It is a further object of the invention to
provide a novel transporting device having a bridge apparatus for
connecting two drywall carts together in space relation with the
bridge apparatus bridging the space between the two carts to
provide a single apparatus.
[0003] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bridge apparatus
invention with the bridge members connected together to one another
and attached at their outer ends to the pair of drywall carts.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention showing
the bridge apparatus and cart members attached to one another in a
manner similar to FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the locking apparatus for
locking the bridge members to the drywall carts.
[0007] FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the locking apparatus
taken along line 4-4 of figure three.
[0008] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view which illustrates the bridge
members having been lowered to their horizontal locked
position.
[0009] FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view which illustrated the bridge
members apart from one lowered to their horizontal locked
position.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a top view of the bridge apparatus with the frame
connected together.
[0011] FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the bridge
members being attached to one of the drywall carts.
[0012] FIG. 9 is a top view of the bridge members separated from
one another in a raised angular position about to be attached.
[0013] FIG. 10 is an enlarged top view of the bridge members with
the bridge members attached and locked in their lower horizontal
position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Referring more particularly to the drawings the bridge
apparatus 20 is illustrated. The bridge 20 is comprises two
identical rectangular connecting bridge members 21 and 22. The two
bridge members 21 and 22, are locked together at their inner
adjacent ends 23 and 23' respectively, in fixed relation to one
another when operatively installed. The bridge members, 21 and 22
at their outer ends 24 and 24' are used to connect two drywall
carts 25 and 26. One of the bridge members 21 at its outer ends has
a pair of J hooks 27 and 28, which are fixed to the outer ends 21'
of the frame 21 and a similar pair of hooks 27' and 28' fixed to
the outer ends 22' its frame 22.
[0015] The bridge member frames 21 and 22 at each outer ends 21'
and 22' also have four L shaped locking members 29, 29', 29'',
29''' which are pivotally mounted about horizontal axes 30 to the
outer ends 21' and 22' beneath the hooks of the bridge members to
pivot from a horizontal unlocked position to a vertical locked
position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0016] The locking members 29-29''', which are pivotally mounting
about the horizontal axis 30 to the frames of the bridge members,
each have a main vertical plate portion 31 and a lateral outer
flange portion 32 fixed to the vertical plate portion 31. The
drywall carts 25 and 26 each have a pair of links or loops 33, 33',
and 34, 34', respectively, which are fixed to the lateral frames
25' and 26' of the drywall carts 25 and 26 and project outward from
the frames of the carts. The hooks 27 and 28 and 27' and 28' on the
bridge members 21 and 22, respectively will be attached to the
links or loops 33, 33' and 34, 34', respectively, of the drywall
carts 25 and 26.
[0017] When assembling the bridge apparatus together and after the
hooks have been attached to the links or loops of the carts then
the locking members 29-29''' can be pivoted about their horizontal
axis upward to a locked position as shown in FIG. 4, in which
position the main plate is upright in length and in width. When in
this upright lateral position, the outer lateral flange 32 of each
locking member 29-29''' will engage horizontally beneath the outer
edge of each hook to block and lock the link in the hook. This
action connects the bridge members to its links 33, 33' and 34, 34'
on the drywall carts, to prevent its detachment of the hooks from
the links. The link connection of the bridge members to the drywall
carts enables the drywall carts to pivot relative to the bridge
member.
[0018] Both bridge members 21 and 22 are identical. The one bridge
member 21 at its one end 23 is provided with an eyelet 35 on one
side of said one end and a pin 36 at its one end at the other side
of the bridge. Similarly, the other bridge member 22 at its one end
23' is provided with an eyelet 35' on one side of the one end; and
a pin 36' at its one end on the other side of the bridge 22.
[0019] When attaching the one ends of the bridge members to one
another, the bridge members will be raised up at their one ends to
an angular position as shown in FIG. 5. The pair of pins, 36 and
36', will be received in the eyelets 35 and 35' while in their
raised angular position. After the pins have been positioned in the
eyelets, the bridge members may be lowered to a horizontal position
with the pins remaining in the eyelets until the bridge members
reach a horizontal relation to one another as shown in FIGS. 6 and
7. A pair of flanges 37 and 37' are fixed to the bridge members 21
and 22, respectively. After the pins 36 and 36' have been engaged
into the eyelets, 35 and 35' as the bridge members 21 and 22 are
lowered to horizontal, the flanges 37 and 37' will engage the walls
38 and 38' of the bridge members 21 and 22. This prevents
disengagement of the bridge members 21 and 22 from one another
laterally of their length as they approach horizontal. When the two
bridge members reach horizontal as shown in FIG. 6, they will be
locked together in fixed relation to one another against axial
movement as well as any further movement below horizontal.
Operation:
[0020] When operating the apparatus the four locking members
29-29''' will be in their locked straight-line position relative to
one another. The locking members 29-29''' prevent the bridge
members 21 and 22 from accidentally becoming unlocked or disengaged
from the links of the drywall carts 25 and 26. It is desirable that
the bridge members can pivot relative to the drywall carts.
[0021] When the bridge apparatus 20, when operatively positioned,
the bridge is connected to the two drywall carts 25 and 26 as a
single apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0022] When used as a single apparatus it provides a means for
carrying larger objects, such as a stack of drywall panels, lumber,
tubing, etc. A stack of drywall panels is illustrated in phantom
lines and designated by number 40. The bridge members 21 and 22 at
their inner ends have raised members 42 and 43. The upper surface
of the beams 25' and 26' on the drywall carts 25 and 26, and the
upper surfaces of the raised members of the bridge apparatus 42 and
43 are horizontal with one another so that portions of the bottom
of the stack of drywall panels 40 will be lying horizontal on the
upper surfaces of the beams 25' and 26' and ridges 2 the apparatus
as it is moved from place to place. Thus the drywall panels 40 are
laid horizontally on the bridge apparatus 20 with their remote ends
41 and 41' resting on the horizontal beams 25' and 26' of the carts
with the middle of the stack of drywall panels 40 resting on the
raised members 42 and 43 of the bridge apparatus 20.
[0023] The space 45 and 45' between the bridge members 21 and 22
and the stacked drywall panels 40 is to allow access for loading
with the forklifts forks to be introduced beneath the stack of
drywall panels 40.
[0024] The drywall carts 25 and 26 each have four wheels 44 which
are swivel mounted on the drywall carts 25 and 26 to provide
mobility and are already described in previous U.S. Pat. No.
6,032,966. In the past the drywall carts 25 and 26 have been used
individually rather than in tandem. The bridge apparatus 20
provides an entirely new and different operation which was
previously unavailable to the drywall carts themselves. The bridge
apparatus 20 at their outer end connections allow the drywall carts
25 and 26 to articulate slightly and independently from one another
to accommodate minor irregularities in the floor surface.
[0025] Thus it will be seen that a novel drywall carrier has been
provided for transporting large quantities of drywall panels and
other materials easily by utilizing two smaller drywall carriers
and connecting a bridge between them. Further, the bridge apparatus
can be easily and quickly disassembled thus enabling the two
drywall carriers to be used independently when transporting objects
of lesser quantity, or in other words, when transporting, by
comparison, relatively few drywall panels.
[0026] It will be obvious that various changes and departures may
be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and
scope thereof; and accordingly, it is not intended that the
invention be limited to that specifically described in the
specification or as illustrated in the drawings but only as set
forth in the appended claims wherein:
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