US3810649A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article transport means
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-02-28
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Granted: 1974-05-14
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Expires: 1993-02-28
Abstract
Abstract An article transport means adapted to carry the weight of various articles such as heavy luggage cases or appliances while such articles are manually moved along a surface such as a floor or the like from one place to another. The transport means having a housing provided with a bottom and a side at the juncture of which a hinge hingedly supports a roller carriage plate which is adapted to move from a normally vertical position at the side of the housing to a horizontal position beneath the bottom of the housing so that rollers rotatably mounted on the rotor carriage plate may be carried inside the housing in a compartment therein and may alternately be pivoted about the hinge to be disposed beneath the housing so that the peripheries of the rollers may support the housing on a horizontal or other surface such as a floor; a flexible endless belt means is positioned over the rollers so that they may be operated in unison and operate quietly as well as to provide extended traction for the rollers to support the housing and to assist in static balancing thereof when manually transported by handle or other means preferably on the top of the housing.
Inventors
- 👤 J Fahey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 02:14
CPC Classifications
A; A45; A45C; A45C5/00; A45C5/14; A45C5/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
In an article transport means the combination of: a housing having a top, a bottom, and a pair of opposite sides and a pair of opposite ends: said top, bottom, sides and ends each constituting a wall portion; said housing having corner portion disposed at a juncture of a pair of said wall portions; a hinge coupled to said pair of wall portions at said corner; said housing having an opening in a first one of said wall portions thereof, said opening extending over only a portion of said first one of said wall portions; a roller carriage plate enclosing said opening in said first wall portion; an edge of said plate connected to said hinge; said hinge having a pivotal axis normally disposed in a horizontal direction; said roller carriage plate having a first side facing in the same direction as said first one of said wall portions of said housing; said roller carriage having a second side facing toward the interior of said housing; a plurality of rollers having peripheries, said rollers rotatably mounted on said second side of said roller carriage plate; said rollers having axes of rotation which are disposed substantially parallel to said second side of said roller carriage plate; whereby said roller carriage plate may be pivoted substantially 270 degrees about the axis of said hinge to dispose said first side of said plate into adjacent disposition with a second one of said wall portions of said housing, said to dispose said second side of said plate facing downwardly and to dispose said rollers and their axes of rotation horizontally so as to permit said peripheries of said rollers to portably support said housing on a surface such as a floor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
In an article transport means the combination of: a housing having a top, a bottom, and a pair of opposite sides and a pair of opposite ends: said top, bottom, sides and ends each constituting a wall portion; said housing having corner portion disposed at a juncture of a pair of said wall portions; a hinge coupled to said pair of wall portions at said corner; said housing having an opening in a first one of said wall portions thereof, said opening extending over only a portion of said first one of said wall portions; a roller carriage plate enclosing said opening in said first wall portion; an edge of said plate connected to said hinge; said hinge having a pivotal axis normally disposed in a horizontal direction; said roller carriage plate having a first side facing in the same direction as said first one of said wall portions of said housing; said roller carriage having a second side facing toward the interior of said housing; a plurality of rollers having peripheries, said rollers rotatably mounted on said second side of said roller carriage plate; said rollers having axes of rotation which are disposed substantially parallel to said second side of said roller carriage plate; whereby said roller carriage plate may be pivoted substantially 270 degrees about the axis of said hinge to dispose said first side of said plate into adjacent disposition with a second one of said wall portions of said housing, said to dispose said second side of said plate facing downwardly and to dispose said rollers and their axes of rotation horizontally so as to permit said peripheries of said rollers to portably support said housing on a surface such as a floor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: an endless belt surrounds said plurality of rollers and affords a tractive surface for engagement with a floor or other similar surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first side of said plate is substantially flush with said one of said opposite sides of said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said housing is a luggage case; and a generally box shaped compartment structure therein substantially coextensive with said opening in said one of said opposite sides of said housing; said compartment structure disposed to displace only a fraction of the interior space in said luggage case; said compartment structure disposed to enclose said rollers and said second side of said roller carriage plate so as to separate the same from the remaining space in said luggage case.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of rollers are spaced apart on said roller carriage plate so as to balance said housing when resting on said rollers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein: said rollers are provided with peripheral grooves; said endless belt having an endless protruding rib disposed in said grooves of said rollers to prevent said belt from shifting off said rollers in a direction parallel to said axes of rotation thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein: said housing is provided with a handle on said top thereof for moving said luggage case and manually transporting it while said rollers support the weight thereof on said surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-13 | 1977-11-12 | 1978-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-13 | 1981-11-12 | 1982-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-13 | 1985-11-12 | 1986-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |