One man multi-level cart

Claim 2

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs depending from said frame, means mounting the upper ends of said legs to said frame for pivotal and longitudinal sliding movement with respect to said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for said front legs having a lower end pivoted centrally to said front legs and means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for said rear legs having a lower end pivoted to said rear legs and means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end on said frame rearward of said rear legs, and selectively operable releasable means locking each of said slidable mounting means to said frame, said legs, braces and mounting means collectively permitting said legs to swing rearwardly as the cart is thrust into a vehicle, and permitting said legs to swing outwardly in opposite directions to lower the level of said cart.

Claim 3

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front and rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, releasable means for bracing said front and rear legs, means for mounting said legs and bracing means to permit said legs to swing rearwardly to thrust a cart into a vehicle and to permit said legs to swing outwardly in opposite directions for changing the level of the cart.

Claim 4

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front and rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, releasable means for bracing said front and rear legs, means for mounting said legs and bracing means to permit said legs to swing rearwardly to thrust a cart into a vehicle and to permit said legs to swing outwardly in opposite directions for changing the level of the cart.

Claim 5

A cart as in claim 1 further comprising, a tension spring interconnecting said sliding means on said front leg and front brace, respectively, to urge said leg and brace toward an erect condition.

Claim 6

A cart as in claim 1 in which said front legs are downwardly and forwardly inclined and said rear legs are downwardly and rearwardly inclined when sAid cart is in its erect condition.

Claim 7

A cart as in claim 1 further comprising, operating means at the rear of said cart and connected to said releasable means on said braces for releasing said braces from the rear of the cart, operating means mounted at the front of said cart and connected to releasable means on said front leg to release said sliding means from the front of the cart.

Claim 8

A cart as in claim 1 further comprising, wheels on lower ends of said front legs, swivel casters on said lower ends of said rear legs and a parallelogram linkage for each rear leg, said parallelogram linkage mounting said casters to said rear legs to maintain an operative orientation of said swivel casters at any level of said bed frame.

Claim 9

A multi-level cart having a horizontal frame, front and rear legs depending from said frame and means for bracing said legs in any of a plurality of angular positions with respect to said frame, casters having a vertical swivel axis on at least said rear legs characterized in that said rear legs are constituted by a parallelogram linkage having upper and lower horizontal brackets and a pair of spaced parallel rods pivoted at each end to said brackets, said casters being mounted on said lower brackets.

Claim 10

A multi-level cart having a horizontal frame, front and rear legs depending from said frame and means for bracing said legs in any of a plurality of angular positions with respect to said frame, casters having a vertical swivel axis on at least said rear legs characterized in that said rear legs are constituted by a parallelogram linkage having upper and lower horizontal brackets and a pair of spaced parallel rods pivoted at each end to said brackets, said casters being mounted on said lower brackets.

Claim 11

A cart as in claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises, a central longitudinally-extending beam mounted on said frame and having a lower laterally-projecting flange, and a slide block having an inverted T-slot embracing said flange to form said sliding means.

Claim 12

A cart as in claim 8 further comprising, a channel mounted on said beam and extending parallel to said flange, lock pins extending through said channel and a latch pivoted on said sliding means and engageable with said pins, spring means urging said latch toward said pins, and means for moving said latch away from said pins.

Claim 13

A cart as in claim 9 further comprising, a bar slidably mounted in said channel, cam surfaces on said bar, follower surfaces on said latch, and means for sliding said bar in a first direction to cam said latches out of engagement with said pins.

Claim 14

A cart as in claim 10 further comprising, spring means returning said bar in the opposite direction.

Claim 15

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for each said front leg having its lower end pivoted centrally to said front leg, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of each said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for each said rear leg having a lower end pivoted to said rear leg, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of each said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, each said brace having a roller mounted on its upper end, a longitudinally extending bar mounted on each side of said frame and engageable by said rollers, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.

Claim 16

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for each said front leg having its lower end pivoted centrally to said front leg, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of each said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for each said rear leg having a lower end pivoted to said rear leg, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of each said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, each said brace having a roller mounted on its upper end, a longitudinally extending bar mounted on each side of said frame and engageable by said rollers, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.

Claim 17

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for said front legs having lower end pivoted centrally to said front legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for said rear legs having a lower end pivoted to said rear legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, each said brace comprising: a U-shaped element having its ends connected centrally of its respective legs and having the central portion of its upper bight portion slidably mounteD on said bed frame, rollers mounted on said brace laterally of said sliding means, and longitudinal bars mounted on said bed frame overlying said rollers and engageable by said rollers, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.

Claim 18

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for said front legs having lower end pivoted centrally to said front legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for said rear legs having a lower end pivoted to said rear legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, each said brace comprising: a U-shaped element having its ends connected centrally of its respective legs and having the central portion of its upper bight portion slidably mounteD on said bed frame, rollers mounted on said brace laterally of said sliding means, and longitudinal bars mounted on said bed frame overlying said rollers and engageable by said rollers, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.

Claim 19

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for said front legs having lower end pivoted centrally to said front legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for said legs having a lower end pivoted to said rear legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, abutment means mounted on said frame forward of each said slidable means to restrict forward movement of said slidable means, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.

Claim 20

A one man cart comprising, a bed frame having auxiliary wheels on the front end of said frame, front legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rear legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a diagonal front brace for said front legs having lower end pivoted centrally to said front legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said brace on said frame forward of said front legs, a diagonal rear brace for said legs having a lower end pivoted to said rear legs, means slidably and pivotally mounting the upper end of said rear brace on said frame rearwardly of said rear legs, abutment means mounted on said frame forward of each said slidable means to restrict forward movement of said slidable means, and selectively operable releasable means locking each said slidably mounting means.