U.S. patent number 3,761,107 [Application Number 05/143,404] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-25 for furniture-carrying device.
Invention is credited to Paul L. Danner, Donald B. Docherty.
United States Patent |
3,761,107 |
Docherty , et al. |
September 25, 1973 |
FURNITURE-CARRYING DEVICE
Abstract
A product-carrying device composed of a pair of L-shaped
parallel members having upright leg portions and horizontal leg
portions and detachably but rigidly interconnected by a singular
cross member connected to the vertical leg portions and serving as
a manual grip for carrying the device.
Inventors: |
Docherty; Donald B. (Reynolds,
IL), Danner; Paul L. (Illinois City, IL) |
Family
ID: |
22503916 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/143,404 |
Filed: |
May 14, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/659; 16/30;
280/47.24; 280/47.27; 294/15; 414/458; 16/436 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
5/0083 (20130101); Y10T 16/498 (20150115); B62B
2202/30 (20130101); Y10T 16/191 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B62B
5/00 (20060101); B65g 007/12 (); B62b 001/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/34B,35,47.17,47.2,47.24,47.27 ;294/15,26 ;214/390
;16/29,30,111R,114R ;182/228 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hersh; Benjamin
Assistant Examiner: Paperner; Leslie J.
Claims
We claim
1. A manual furniture-carrying device comprising: a pair of upright
rigid L-shaped members disposed parallel to one another and
including coplanar upright portions adapted to be placed against
upright sides of furniture, coplanar horizontally disposed portions
extending from the lower ends of the upright portions and adapted
to engage the undersides of furniture to be carried, and upright
bracket portions integral with and projecting from the upright
portions intermediate their upper and lower ends and to opposite
sides thereof than the horizontal portions, said upright portions
having aligned rearwardly opening non-circular recesses therein
spaced from the upright portions and at the rear ends of the
bracket portions; a horizontal cross member extending between the
upright bracket portions and having opposite non-circular ends
conforming to the shape of and fitted into the recesses and
detachably but rigidly connected to the respective upright bracket
portions, said cross member further having a central gripping
section spaced from the plane of the upright portions; and said
upright and horizontal portions having means providing soft
surfaces on the sides thereof facing the furniture.
2. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the cross member is
the only connection between the L-shaped members and the distance
between the members may be varied by using different lengths of
cross members.
3. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the cross member is
the only means for interconnecting the upright members and the
cross member may be connected to the upright members at different
locations along the cross member to thereby change the distance
between the upright members in accordance with the size of
furniture to be carried.
4. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the upright portion
is between 12 and 20 inches high, the central section of the cross
section is offset rearwardly from the upright portion between 2 to
5 inches and downwardly from the top of the upright members between
3 to 6 inches.
5. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the horizontal
portions are at an acute angle to the vertical portions of between
80.degree. and 89.degree..
6. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the horizontal
portions are tapered from heels at their juncture with the vertical
portions to their tips.
7. A product-carrying device composed of a pair of L-shaped members
having upright leg portions having coplanar faces for engaging
vertical surfaces and outwardly extending leg portions extending
from the lower ends of the vertical leg portions and from one side
thereof; a pair of vertical brackets above the midportions of the
vertical portions rigid with and extending from the opposite sides
of the vertical leg portions to respective ends spaced from the
vertical portions; a rigid horizontal handle member having opposite
ends detachably but rigidly connected to the respective ends of the
brackets and for effecting rigidity of the entire device; and a
wheel attachment for each outwardly extending leg portion composed
of a horizontal base lying alongside the under side of the
respective leg portion and having a wheel dependingly supported
therefrom, bail structure rigid with the base and overlying the leg
portion, and a detachable connector means detachably
interconnecting the bail structure to the upright portion.
8. The product-carrying device as set forth in claim 7 in which the
bail structure includes a first bail member rigid with the base and
overlying the outer end of the leg portion, a second bail rigid
with the base and overlying the leg portion adjacent its juncture
with the upright leg portion, and a pair of ears rigid with the
latter bail and disposed alongside and on opposite sides of the
upright leg portion; and the detachable means is a connector
element detachably interconnecting the ears behind the respective
upright portion.
9. A manual furniture-carrying device comprising: a pair of upright
rigid L-shaped members disposed parallel to one another and
including coplanar upright portions adapted to be placed against
upright sides of furniture and coplanar horizontally disposed
portions extending from the lower ends of the upright portions and
adapted to engage the undersides of furniture to be carried; a
horizontal cross member extending between the upright portion and
having opposite ends detachably but rigidly connected to the
respective upright portions and having a central gripping section
spaced from the plane of the upright portions; said upright and
horizontal portions having means providing soft surfaces on the
sides thereof facing the furniture; and caster wheel attachment
detachably mounted on the lower ends of said L-shaped members, each
attachment comprising a base plate underlying a horizontal portion
at the tip thereof; a second bail rigid with the plate and
overlying the horizontal portion at the juncture of the horizontal
and vertical portion, said second bail having a horizontal portion
disposed closely adjacent the front surface of the vertical
portion, and further having rigid rearwardly projecting upright
side portions extending alongside and on opposite sides of the
vertical portion and rearwardly thereof, and a detachable element
extending between the side portions rearwardly of and closely
adjacent the back side of the vertical portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has heretofore been known to provide a singular furniture-or
product-carrying device that has a portion engaging the vertical
side of the product to be carried and a portion that underlies the
product to be carried. For example, U. S. Pat. No. 218,865 shows a
device utilizing such features. Also, it has heretofore been known
to provide furniture-carrying devices that utilize wheels so that
once the device is placed under the furniture, the weight of the
furniture can be supported on the wheels.
When carrying bulky furniture such as television sets, washing
machines, dryers, pianos and other types of bulky furniture, the
problem is not so much the weight of the product as much as the
ability to grip the product easily and particularly when picking up
the product. Thus, when carrying a large television set by two men,
the problem is not the weight of the set as much as the ability to
grip the set for carrying.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above in mind, it is the primary object of the present
invention to provide a product- or furniture-carrying device that
is a single rigid device composed of a pair of L-shaped members
having a vertical leg portion that bears against the vertical side
of the product and a lower horizontally extending leg portion that
bears against the under side of the product. The two L-shaped
members are rigidly joined by a singular cross member that is
supported on the vertical leg portions in rearward spaced relation
from the facing side of the members so that the cross member may be
gripped and carried.
More specifically, it is the object of the present invention to
provide the cross member of the above-described type that is
detachably but rigidly connected to the pair of L-shaped members.
Thus, the two L-shaped members may be spaced apart at desired
distances by using different lengths of cross members. For example,
it may be desirable to have a comparatively narrow device for
carrying the ends of a piano as compared to that desired to carry
washing machines. Consequently, in one form of the invention, it is
necessary only to interchange longer or shorter cross members in
accordance with the spacing desired to be had between the L-shaped
members. In a second form of the invention, the cross member or
handle has a series of openings through which bolts extend and
connect to the L-shaped members. In this way, a single cross member
may be utilized to provide a device having various spacings between
the L-shaped members merely by adjusting the effective length of
the cross piece between the members.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide
with the above carrying device a pair of detachable wheel
assemblies. Each wheel assembly is composed of a base member that
lies adjacent the underside of the horizontal leg portions of the
L-shaped member and has a pair of bail members rigid with the plate
and that overlie the horizontal leg portions, with one of the bail
members lying closely adjacent the vertical leg portions and having
brackets or ears extending to the rear side of the vertical
portions. A detachable element or bolt extends between the ears and
when inserted and attached thereto holds the base plate on the
horizontal portion. The base plate carries a depending swivel-type
or castor-type wheel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the furniture-carrying device
with one wheel attachment shown mounted on an L-shaped member and
one wheel attachment shown detached from the other member.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the device without the wheel
attachments.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the attachment.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4--4
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the lower portion of
the L-shaped member and with the wheel attachment mounted
thereon.
FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the device showing a modified
form thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The furniture- or product-carrying device is composed of a pair of
upright rigid L-shaped members 10, 11 disposed parallel to one
another and having upright portions 12, 13 and generally horizontal
portions 14, 15 that project forwardly from the lower ends of the
vertical portions 12, 13. The vertical portions 12, 13 are U-shaped
channels providing forward flanges or coplanar portions 16, 17
bearing against a vertical side of the furniture or product to be
carried. The portions 14, 15 have upper surfaces that are coplanar
to one another but which are at a slight acute angle a to the
portions 16, 17. In the preferred form, the acute angle a is
substantially 85.degree. although a slightly lesser or greater
angle will operate to substantially some advantage. A preferred
range is between 80.degree. and 89.degree.. The acute angle is
desired so that the weight of the product to be carried will be
utilized to draw the vertical side of the product against the
vertical portions 12, 13 and to operate to retain the engagement
between the portions and the vertical side of the product.
The height of the vertical portions 12, 13 is 16 inches and again a
range of 12-20 inches would be desirable in order that the device
be light enough and yet manually controllable enough for a single
person operating from a side of a rather heavy product to be
carried. The horizontal portions 14, 15, besides having the acute
angle a, also are tapered from a relatively thick heel portion to a
relatively narrow forward or front tip portion. By so tapering the
portions 14, 15, they may easily be inserted under a low-lying
piece of furniture.
Bonded to the horizontal portions 14, 15 on all sides thereof and
to the front faces and sides of the vertical portions 12, 13 is a
layer of elastomer material 18. The layer 18 serves the purpose of
preventing scratching or damaging of the product that is being
carried as well as a frictional surface which aids in retaining the
product on the device.
A pair of rigid brackets 19, 20 are welded to the rear surfaces of
the vertical flanges 17, 18 and extend rearwardly therefrom. The
ears or brackets 19, 20 have U-shaped recesses or notches 21, 22
cut out of their rear ends. A cross piece or handle 23 extends
between and connects to the brackets 19, 20. The handle 23 has
U-shaped ends 24, 25 that seat in the recessed notches 21, 22. A
tapped opening is provided in each of the brackets 19, 20 that
receives bolts 26 that extend through the respective ends 24, 25.
Thus, the cross piece or handle 23 is rigidly but detachably
connected to the respective brackets 19, 20. For good balance, it
is desired to have the central part of cross piece 23 offset
rearwardly 2 to 5 inches from the upright portions and downwardly 3
to 6 inches from the top of the upright portions.
Wheel attachments 30 are each composed of a base or plate 31 that
underlies the respective horizontal portions 14, 15. Fixed to the
plate 31 is a castor 32 that carries the wheel 33. Rigid with the
plate is a first or tip bail 34 that extends over the tip of the
horizontal portion 14 or 15 and a second bail 35 that fits over the
portions 14, 15 adjacent the heel end or closely adjacent the
respective vertical portions 12 or 13. The bail 35 has a portion
that fits against both the horizontal portion 14 or 15 and the
vertical portion 12 or 13. The bail 35 also has a pair of
rearwardly projecting brackets 36, 37 that extends to rear ends
behind or rearwardly of the respective vertical portions 12, 13. A
bolt 38 that is detachable from the ears or brackets 36, 37 extends
between the ears and behind the vertical portions 12, 13 and serves
as means for retaining the wheel device on the L-shaped member.
When mounting the wheel devices on the L-shaped members 10, 11, the
bails 34, 35 are slid over the horizontal portions 14 or 15 and
until the cros piece of the second bail engages the vertical member
13 or 14. The bolt 38 is then inserted and the wheel device is
retained on the respective member.
Referring now to FIG. 6, there is provided a handle or cross piece
40 that has opposite ends 41, 42 that are U-shaped in cross section
and may be received in the notches 21, 22. The ends 41, 42 have a
series of longitudinally spaced openings 43, 44 respectively that
receive the bolts at 26. Therefore, as is clearly apparent from
viewing FIG. 6, the spacing between the members 10, 11 may be
adjusted by inserting the bolts 26 into the desired openings 43, 44
and tightening the bolts in the tapped openings in the brackets 19,
20.
* * * * *