GB1565204A

GB1565204A - Folding trolleys

Info

Publication number: GB1565204A
Application number: GB3183675A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Saxby R N
Current assignee: Saxby R N
Priority date: 1976-10-25
Filing date: 1976-10-25
Publication date: 1980-04-16

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FOLDING TROLLEYS (71) I, ROBERT NORMAN SAXBY, a British Subject, of 6 York Avenue, Liverpool. 17. Merseyside. do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be ganted me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to folding trolleys.

Collapsible baby trolleys are known in which the back and seat fold together and are collapsed until adjacent to the wheels.

In the collapsed state such a trolley forms a moderately compact unit which does not however occupy the minimum possible space since the wheels remain erect. Such a trolley even in the collapsed state is not entirely convenient either for carrying or storing away.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trolley which collapses to occupy the minimum possible space taking up a form which is convenient both for carrying and for storing.

According to the present invention. there is provided a collapsible trolley comprising a chassis, a load supporting collapsible structure mounted thereon. which is collapsible to a condition in which it lies substantially flat on the chassis. and moveable members mounted on the chassis and bearing the wheels of the trolley, the moveable members being connected to the collapsible structure and being operatively arranged and being such that, as the structure is collapsed, the members act to turn the wheels inwardly of the chassis substantially about the point of at which the wheels make contact with the ground, and thereby cause the chassis to be lowered in relation to the ground, until the wheels leave contact with ground. Preferably the members are pivoted members, being pivoted to the chassis and act by movement around their respective pivots.

Preferably two pivotal members are provided, at least two wheels being journalled on each such member.

The trolley may comprise a seat and a back. the arrangement being such that the trolley is collapsible in a single movement so that the pivotal members bring the wheels substantiallv into the plane of the chassis and the seat and the back fold against the chassis, thus presenting in the collapsed state a substantially planar form.

Advantageously the inner surfaces of the seat and the back face each other in the collapsed state.

Preferably the folding of the back effects folding of the wheels by causing a sliding member to move along a bar of the chassis extending longitudinally between the wheels. thereby displacing struts, attached to said sliding member and to the pivotal members, to cause pivoting of the pivotal members and folding of the wheels attached thereto.

Advantageously the back is connected to one set of scissor arms which are pivoted to the chassis, and is coupled by support arms to the other set of scissor arms which are connected to the sliding member, (which can be locked to hold the trolley in the erect state), in order to effect displacement of the sliding member during the collapsing operation.

Advantageously the pivotal members which carry the wheels of the trolley, are each pivotably attached to corresponding ends of a front cross member and a rear cross member of the chassis.

Preferably each pivotal member comprises a bar with a stub fixed at each end. the distal end of each stub being rotatably attached to a corresponding end of the corresponding cross member.

Alternativelv each pivotal member may be pivotallay attached to the chassis cross members by way of respective arms and each arm may form part of a U-shaped bar pivotally attached at opposite ends thereof to respective ends of the cross members and respective ends of the pivotal member may slidably engage the chassis cross members for displacement longitudinally relative to the cross members.

The sliding member may be prevented from moving in a backward direction when the trolley is erect by means of a part conical button which is fixed within the bar and urged upwardly by a spring and whose upper portion passes through a hole in the bar and engages with a slot in the sliding member. The bar on which the sliding member moves may have a stop, which stop prevents the sliding member moving in the forward direction when the trolley is in an erect position.

Preferably the trolley is provided with a pedal part of which acts on the top of the button and when depressed pivots the button so that the slidable member engages the conical part of the button thereby enabling the slidable member to slide over the button during the collapsing process.

Advantageously the trolley is largely manufactured from light alloy and has a receptacle and a handle attached to back of the trolley for carrying goods when in the collapsed or in the erected state.

Preferably the trolley members snap together in the collapsed state as the scissor arms are pushed together.

The invention will be further described by way of example, with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification consisting of Figures 1 to 4 and with reference to the accompanying drawing the sole Figure of which is identified as Figure 5. In these drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trolley according to the invention in the erect condition, Figure 2 is a detail view of part of a locking mechanism for the trolley, Figure 3 is an underside plan view of the trolley in its collapsed state, Figure 4 is a detail view of part of a mechanism for effecting folding of the trolley wheels; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing part of an alternative mounting of trolley wheels to chassis.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings a back member 14 of a push chair has a top transverse bar 8 to which is attached one end of a flexible material 15, the material being attached to a rear transverse bar 30 and the other end of such material being attached to a front transverse bar 7 thereby forming a back rest 6 and a seat 13 for a child. The material has apertures 9 for the legs of a seated child. The back member 14 is pivotally attached at its ends to corresponding ends of two lateral scissor arms 21.

Side arms 19 connect the back member 14 to scissor arms 20 and serve the dual purpose of providing arm rests when the trolley is erected and of communicating the forward rotation of the back member to the scissor arms 20 during the collapsing operation, the scissor arms 20 being pivotally connected to the scissor arms 21. The front and rear bars 7 and 30 interconnect the scissor arms 20 and 21, respectively. The scissor arms 20 are also pivotally attached at one end to a slidable member 16 which is longitudinally displaceable on a bar 17 which forms part of a chassis of the trolley. The slidable member is limited in its forward travel by a stop 27 mounted on the bar 17, and by a spring button 25 having a conical upper portion which passes through the bar 17 to engage into a recess 26 in the member 16 (see Figure 2).The bar 17 is firmly attached at its opposite ends to front and rear cross members 22 and 23 of the chassis. Stubs 24 of two pivotal members 12 on which wheels 11 are rotatably journalled, are pivotally attached to respective ends of the cross members 22 and 23. The front cross member is also pivotally attached at its ends to corresponding ends of the scissors arms 21.

Referring to Figure 4, the wheels 11 are held in a vertical plane when the trolley is erect by means of horizontally disposed struts 18 each pivotally attached at one end to the slidable member 16 and at the opposite end pivotally attached to a first U-shaped member 32 itself linking a second U-shaped member attached to the pivotal member 12. The strut 18 is thus able to swing in a horizontal plane when the members 16 and 12 are being displaced linearly and rotationally respectively. The folding of the wheels is effected during the collapsing operation by the displacement of the member 16 together with the struts 18.

The scissor arms 20 also have attached close to their lower end a pedal 28 which is operative to depres the button 25 into the bar 17 against the force of a spring until the conical portion is engaged by the sliding member 16 which member is then able to slide over the button by depressing the said button further into the bar 17.

In order to collapse the trolley the pedal 28 is first depressed whilst the back member 14 is moved forward. This movement is communicated to the scissor arms 20 by means of the side arms 19 and as swinging of the scissor ( rms 20 and 21 continues the sliding member 16 slides along the bar 17 at the same time displacing the struts 18 which pull the pivotal members 12 thereby causing the wheels to fold inwardly. The wheels fold substantially about their points of contact with the ground and therefore substantially without sliding. At the completion of the collapsing operation the side arms 19 are forced past the sides of the back 14 in a snap-action manner and the flat outer portion of the wheels come into contact with the underside of the seat 13, thereby presenting a very compact and substantially planar form.In the collapsed state the back and the seat of the trolley are together and are thus protected from soiling. In addition the trolley may then be carried, using the upper part of the back as a carrying handle.

Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement for attaching trolley wheels to a chassis of the trolley, in which the chassis has a greater ground clearance (when the trolley is erect and the wheels touch the ground) than is the case in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4. In the arrangement of Figure 5, respective pivotal members 112 (only one is shown) are attached at opposite sides of a chassis. The chassis comprises a central bar 117 of rectangular cross section, and slidably mounted thereon is a slidable member 116.

The central bar 117 and the slidable member 116 correspond to members 17 and 16 respectively of the trolley of Figures 1 to 4.

The pivotal member 112 comprises two sheet metal plates 150 and 152 each joined by welding to a bar 154. The pivotal member 112 is pivotally and slidably attached to the chassis at front and rear cross members 122 and 123 respectively of the chassis. A generally U-shaped bar 156 has arms 158 and 160 pivotally attached at respective ends to brackets 162 and 164 of the pivotal member 112. The U-shaped bar 156 is also pivotally attached at opposite longitudinal ends to respective extreme positions 116 and 168 on the cross members 122 and 123. Respective stubs project from brackets 170 and 172 formed on the metal plate 150 and 152. The stubs slidably engage respective slots 174 and 176 in cross members 122 and 123. Each of the metal plates 150 and 152 has a respective wheel axle sltub 178 and 180. and wheels (not shown) are mounted for rotation thereon.The radius of each wheel is arranged to be equal to the lengths of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped member 156 so that when the trolley is erected or collapsed the points of contact of each wheel with the ground do not slide over the ground. Each of the slots 174 and 176 is at least twice the length of each of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped member 156.

The slidable member 116 is attached by means of a strut 118 to a U-shaped member 132 which partially surrounds and is freelv rotatable on a central portion of the bar 154.

Compared to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the strut 118 is pivotally attached to an opposite end of the slidable member 116.

When the trolley is to be collapsed the slidable member i16 is moved in the direction of the cross member 123 and the strut 118, by way of the U-shaped member 132, pulls the pivotal member 112 so that it swings relative to the chassis, the studs attached to the brackets 170 and 172 sliding along and within the respective slots 174 and 176. At the same time the U-shaped bar 156 moves towards a horizontal position as the pivotal member 112 rotates about the points at which the brackets 162 and 164 are attached to the ends of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped bar. When the collapsing operation is complete the axle stubs 178 and 180 are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the chassis and the wheels are located substantially within that plane.The effective length (i.e. the distance between points of pivotal attachment) of the arm 158 is equal to the distance between the point of attachment to the bracket 162, and the line joining the points at which the wheels touch the ground. This has the effect that the wheels do not slide over the ground when the trolley is erected or is collapsed.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A collapsible trolley comprising a chassis, a load-supporting collapsible structure mounted thereon, which is collapsible to a condition in which it lies substantially flat on the chassis, and moveable members mounted on the chassis and bearing the wheels of the trolley, the moveable members being connected to the collapsible structure and being operatively arranged and being such that, as the structure is collapsed, the members act to turn the wheels inwardly of the chassis substantially about the point of at which the wheels make contact with the ground, and thereby cause the chassis to be lowered in relation to the ground. until the wheels leave contact with ground.

2. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 1. in which said members are pivoted to the chassis and act by movement of the members about their respective pivots.

3. A collapsible trolley as claimed in claim 2, in which two pivotal members are provided. at least two wheels being journalled on each such member.

4. A collapsible trolley as claimed in either of preceding claims 2 & 3 in which the pivotal members are each pivotally attached to corresponding ends of a front cross member and a rear cross member of the chassis.

5. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 4. in which each pivotal member comprises a bar with a stub fixed at each end, the distal end of each stub being rotatably attached to a corresponding end of the corresponding cross member.

6. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 4. in which each pivotal member is pivotally attached to the chassis cross mem

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. collapsing operation the side arms 19 are forced past the sides of the back 14 in a snap-action manner and the flat outer portion of the wheels come into contact with the underside of the seat 13, thereby presenting a very compact and substantially planar form. In the collapsed state the back and the seat of the trolley are together and are thus protected from soiling. In addition the trolley may then be carried, using the upper part of the back as a carrying handle. Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement for attaching trolley wheels to a chassis of the trolley, in which the chassis has a greater ground clearance (when the trolley is erect and the wheels touch the ground) than is the case in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4. In the arrangement of Figure 5, respective pivotal members 112 (only one is shown) are attached at opposite sides of a chassis. The chassis comprises a central bar 117 of rectangular cross section, and slidably mounted thereon is a slidable member 116. The central bar 117 and the slidable member 116 correspond to members 17 and 16 respectively of the trolley of Figures 1 to 4. The pivotal member 112 comprises two sheet metal plates 150 and 152 each joined by welding to a bar 154. The pivotal member 112 is pivotally and slidably attached to the chassis at front and rear cross members 122 and 123 respectively of the chassis. A generally U-shaped bar 156 has arms 158 and 160 pivotally attached at respective ends to brackets 162 and 164 of the pivotal member 112. The U-shaped bar 156 is also pivotally attached at opposite longitudinal ends to respective extreme positions 116 and 168 on the cross members 122 and 123. Respective stubs project from brackets 170 and 172 formed on the metal plate 150 and 152. The stubs slidably engage respective slots 174 and 176 in cross members 122 and 123. Each of the metal plates 150 and 152 has a respective wheel axle sltub 178 and 180. and wheels (not shown) are mounted for rotation thereon.The radius of each wheel is arranged to be equal to the lengths of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped member 156 so that when the trolley is erected or collapsed the points of contact of each wheel with the ground do not slide over the ground. Each of the slots 174 and 176 is at least twice the length of each of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped member 156. The slidable member 116 is attached by means of a strut 118 to a U-shaped member 132 which partially surrounds and is freelv rotatable on a central portion of the bar 154. Compared to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the strut 118 is pivotally attached to an opposite end of the slidable member 116. When the trolley is to be collapsed the slidable member i16 is moved in the direction of the cross member 123 and the strut 118, by way of the U-shaped member 132, pulls the pivotal member 112 so that it swings relative to the chassis, the studs attached to the brackets 170 and 172 sliding along and within the respective slots 174 and 176. At the same time the U-shaped bar 156 moves towards a horizontal position as the pivotal member 112 rotates about the points at which the brackets 162 and 164 are attached to the ends of the arms 158 and 160 of the U-shaped bar. When the collapsing operation is complete the axle stubs 178 and 180 are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the chassis and the wheels are located substantially within that plane.The effective length (i.e. the distance between points of pivotal attachment) of the arm 158 is equal to the distance between the point of attachment to the bracket 162, and the line joining the points at which the wheels touch the ground. This has the effect that the wheels do not slide over the ground when the trolley is erected or is collapsed. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A collapsible trolley comprising a chassis, a load-supporting collapsible structure mounted thereon, which is collapsible to a condition in which it lies substantially flat on the chassis, and moveable members mounted on the chassis and bearing the wheels of the trolley, the moveable members being connected to the collapsible structure and being operatively arranged and being such that, as the structure is collapsed, the members act to turn the wheels inwardly of the chassis substantially about the point of at which the wheels make contact with the ground, and thereby cause the chassis to be lowered in relation to the ground. until the wheels leave contact with ground.

bers by way of respective arms.

7. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 6, in which each arm forms part of a U-shaped bar pivotally attached at opposite ends thereof to respective ends of the cross members.

8. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 7 in which the distal end of each arm is pivotally attached to the pivotal member.

9. A collapsible trolley as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, in which respective ends of the pivotal member slidably engage the chassis cross members for displacement longitudinally relative to the cross members.

10. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 9, in which respective studs on the pivotal member slidably engage respective slots in the cross members.

11. A collapsible trolley as claimed in any preceding claims 2 to 10, further comprising a seat and a back, the arrangement being such that the trolley is collapsible in a single movement so that the pivotal members bring the wheels substantially into the plane of the chassis and the seat and the back fold against the chassis, thus presenting in the collapsed state a substantially planar form.

12. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 11, in which the inner surfaces of the seat and the back face each other in the collapsed state.

13. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, in which the folding of the back effects folding of the wheels by causing a sliding member to move along a bar of the chassis extending longitudinally between the wheels, thereby displacing struts, attached to said sliding member and to the pivotal members, to cause pivoting of the pivotal members and folding of the wheels attached thereto.

14. A collapsible trolley as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 13, in which the back is connected to one set of scissor arms which are pivoted to the chassis, and is coupled by support arms to the other set of scissor arms which are connected to the sliding member, (which can be locked to hold the trolley in the erect state), in order to effect displacement of the sliding member during the collapsing operation.

15. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, in which the sliding member may be prevented from moving in a backward direction when the trolley is erect by means of apart conical button which is fixed within the bar and urged upwardly by a spring and whose upper portion passes through a hole in the bar and engages with a slot in the sliding member.

16. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 15, in which the bar on which the sliding member moves has a stop, which stop prevents the sliding member moving in the forward direction when the trolley is in an erect position.

17. A collapsible trolley as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, in which a pedal is operative to act on the top of the button and when depressed pivots the button so that the slidable member engages the conical part of the button thereby enabling the slidable member to slide over the button during the collapsing process.

18. A collapsible trolley as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 17 which is manufactured using light alloy and has a receptable and a handle attached to the back of the trolley for carrying goods when in the collapsed or in the erected state.

19. A collapsible trolley as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 18, in which the trolley members are arranged to snap together when the trolley is in the collapsed state.

20. A collapsible trolley constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the provisional specification.

21. A collapsible trolley constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing.