US3936070A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carts
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-02-01
•
Granted: 1976-02-03
•
Expires: 1994-02-01
Abstract
Abstract A cart-like vehicle has a symmetric concave body portion which is pivoted on a frame on a tilt axis above the axis of the wheels so that the cart may be tilted in one longitudinal direction to serve as a personnel conveyance, or may be loaded with its carrying compartment upright and unloaded by merely tilting the body in a second longitudinal direction to a dumping position. The body portion is substantially wedge-shaped, with its tilt axis closer to the top than to the bottom, so the body may be readily pivoted in either longitudinal direction. Both of said axes lie substantially in the transverse, vertical mid-plane of the body when said body is upright. Means are provided to support a seat for using the cart as a passenger vehicle when tilted in one direction, and the cart also includes means for supporting a cover or shelves when the cart is used to convey liquids or as a free-standing serving cart. Adjustable stabilizing means are provided to stabilize the body in its various pivoted positions relative to the frame. When tilted longitudinally to a dumping position, the upper edge of one of the two converging, fore-and-aft, walls can be swung down to be adjacent to the vehicle-supporting surface. A canopy is mountable over the carrying compartment, when desired, and the cart's frame is adapted for moving the vehicle and may also be used to mount various accessories such as spraying equipment, lawn rollers and the like to further diversify the purposes for which the cart may be used.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth B. Owings
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:05
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62B; B62B1/00; B62B1/10; B62B1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
314 words
A cart-like vehicle, having a primary utility either as a conveyance for personnel or in the transport and dumping of loads, comprising: a tiltable body including pairs of opposed walls defining a concave carrying compartment, one pair being end walls which are sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the compartment bottom and being disposed generally symmetrically with respect to a transverse mid-plane bisecting said compartment; elongated main framing having portions disposed below the level of said body, at least when the latter is in an upright position, and having wheels mounted for rotation about axle means carried by a portion of said framing which is disposed subjacent a generally central portion of the length of said body, said framing further having a projecting end portion extending longitudinally of said body, and adapted for moving said vehicle; and means mounting said body upon said framing with freedom for tilting movements, with respect to said framing, from a central load-carrying position, in which the compartment concavity faces upwardly and said mid-plane extends generally vertically above said wheels, to a first, longitudinally-tilted conveyance position in which one of said end walls is approximately horizontal and the concavity faces in the direction of extension of said end portion of said framing, and to a second, longitudinally-tilted load-dumping position in which said concavity faces generally oppositely as compared with the first direction of tilt and in which dumping position the other of said end walls of said body may extend downwardly to a position where its extreme edge is closely adjacent to a surface on which said wheels ride, said mounting means further comprising structure upstanding from said main framing, and including pivot means coupled to said body in an intermediate region of body height, and defining an axis of pivotation lying substantially in said mid-plane, said axis being generally parallel with and disposed substantially vertically above, said axle means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
314 words
A cart-like vehicle, having a primary utility either as a conveyance for personnel or in the transport and dumping of loads, comprising: a tiltable body including pairs of opposed walls defining a concave carrying compartment, one pair being end walls which are sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the compartment bottom and being disposed generally symmetrically with respect to a transverse mid-plane bisecting said compartment; elongated main framing having portions disposed below the level of said body, at least when the latter is in an upright position, and having wheels mounted for rotation about axle means carried by a portion of said framing which is disposed subjacent a generally central portion of the length of said body, said framing further having a projecting end portion extending longitudinally of said body, and adapted for moving said vehicle; and means mounting said body upon said framing with freedom for tilting movements, with respect to said framing, from a central load-carrying position, in which the compartment concavity faces upwardly and said mid-plane extends generally vertically above said wheels, to a first, longitudinally-tilted conveyance position in which one of said end walls is approximately horizontal and the concavity faces in the direction of extension of said end portion of said framing, and to a second, longitudinally-tilted load-dumping position in which said concavity faces generally oppositely as compared with the first direction of tilt and in which dumping position the other of said end walls of said body may extend downwardly to a position where its extreme edge is closely adjacent to a surface on which said wheels ride, said mounting means further comprising structure upstanding from said main framing, and including pivot means coupled to said body in an intermediate region of body height, and defining an axis of pivotation lying substantially in said mid-plane, said axis being generally parallel with and disposed substantially vertically above, said axle means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, and further including readily releasable stay means for securing said body in any of said three positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A cart according to claim 2 wherein said stay means comprises an elongated telescopically-adjustable rigid member, one end of which is pivotally connected to said framing and the other end of which is pivotally connected to said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, and in which said body includes means for supporting a seat member within said concavity, said means being so configurated and disposed as to support such seat member in a generally horizontal position when said body is in said first tilted position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
197 words
A cart comprising an elongated, concave body portion forming a carrying compartment normally disposed in a first position with its concavity facing upwardly, a pair of wheels, and means associating said body portion and wheels, and including framing having means defining a first axis about which said wheels may rotate, and means defining a second axis parallel to and disposed generally vertically above said first axis, said latter means being coupled to said body portion in a region intermediate both its length and its height and providing for pivotation of said body portion, about said second axis, between a pair of opposed positions in each of which said concavity faces longitudinally, said body having two sloping end walls similar in length and in slope with relation to an upright plane containing said two axes when the concavity faces directly upwardly, and the angle between said two walls being such that in one of said opposed positions one such wall will be in a position close to the horizontal and in the other of said opposed positions, the extreme edge of the other such wall will be in close proximity to a surface on which said wheels ride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
197 words
A cart comprising an elongated, concave body portion forming a carrying compartment normally disposed in a first position with its concavity facing upwardly, a pair of wheels, and means associating said body portion and wheels, and including framing having means defining a first axis about which said wheels may rotate, and means defining a second axis parallel to and disposed generally vertically above said first axis, said latter means being coupled to said body portion in a region intermediate both its length and its height and providing for pivotation of said body portion, about said second axis, between a pair of opposed positions in each of which said concavity faces longitudinally, said body having two sloping end walls similar in length and in slope with relation to an upright plane containing said two axes when the concavity faces directly upwardly, and the angle between said two walls being such that in one of said opposed positions one such wall will be in a position close to the horizontal and in the other of said opposed positions, the extreme edge of the other such wall will be in close proximity to a surface on which said wheels ride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A cart according to claim 5 wherein the sloping walls of said pair are substantially symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the transverse vertical mid-plane of the body portion, the said pair of walls sloping upwardly and outwardly from the bottom of the carrying compartment so as to form substantially equal acute angles with said body portion mid-plane, whereby said body portion has a generally wedged-shaped configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A cart according to claim 6 which further comprises means for locking said body portion to said framing when said body portion is pivoted so that a first said opposed angularly disposed body wall is approximately horizontal and the other said opposed, angularly disposed body wall is approximately vertically disposed above said first transverse wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cart according to claim 5 which further comprises a roller rotatably mounted on said framing, spaced from said wheel axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cart according to claim 5 wherein said body portion walls are fabricated of a plurality of plies of plastic material, one of which is ridged.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cart according to claim 9 wherein there is a drain device accessible from the outside of the outer of the plies of plastic material, and adapted to drain liquid from the carrying compartment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cart according to claim 5 which further includes means adapted to mount a canopy in a generally horizontal position over said carrying compartment, in at least two of the operating positions of said compartment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
A cart comprising: a body portion including walls defining a carrying compartment which is substantially symmetrically disposed about a mid-plane bisecting said body portion, said body portion walls including a pair of walls disposed on opposite sides of said body portion mid-plane and sloping upwardly and outwardly from the bottom of said carrying compartment so as to form substantially equal acute angles with said body portion mid-plane; so as to have a generally wedge-shaped configuration; a frame; means for pivotally mounting said body portion to said frame about a horizontal pivoting axis; means for locking said body portion to said frame when said body portion is pivoted so that a first of said pair of opposed angularly disposed body walls is approximately horizontal and the other of said pair of opposed, angularly disposed body walls is approximately vertically disposed above said first angularly disposed wall; shoulders on the interiors of said body walls adjacent and perpendicular horizontal seat member within the carrying compartment; and wheel means mounted to said frame for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis located below said body portion pivoting axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
184 words
A cart comprising: a body portion including walls defining a carrying compartment which is substantially symmetrically disposed about a mid-plane bisecting said body portion, said body portion walls including a pair of walls disposed on opposite sides of said body portion mid-plane and sloping upwardly and outwardly from the bottom of said carrying compartment so as to form substantially equal acute angles with said body portion mid-plane; so as to have a generally wedge-shaped configuration; a frame; means for pivotally mounting said body portion to said frame about a horizontal pivoting axis; means for locking said body portion to said frame when said body portion is pivoted so that a first of said pair of opposed angularly disposed body walls is approximately horizontal and the other of said pair of opposed, angularly disposed body walls is approximately vertically disposed above said first angularly disposed wall; shoulders on the interiors of said body walls adjacent and perpendicular horizontal seat member within the carrying compartment; and wheel means mounted to said frame for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis located below said body portion pivoting axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1050669A
Cited
US2121224A
Cited
GB538165A
Cited
GB617051A
Cited
US2461353A
Cited
US2587881A
Cited
US2725242A
Cited
US2889152A
Cited
US3250660A
Cited
US3141681A
Cited
US3351265A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-02-02 | 1979-08-04 | 1980-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-02-02 | 1983-08-04 | 1984-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-02-02 | 1987-08-04 | 1988-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |