Brakeable hand truck

Claim 2

A brakeable hand truck comprising, in combination: a. a generally upright, load-supporting frame having a lifting blade projecting forwardly adjacent the bottom of said frame; b. a pair of laterally spaced wheels rotatable independently from one another mounted to the rear of said frame adjacent the bottom thereof on a single common axle attached to said frame, for movably supporting said hand truck; c. a disc coaxially fixed directly to each of said wheels so as to rotate in unison therewith; d. a pair of calipers fixedly attached to said frame respectively on each side thereof, each caliper having two spaced finger members disposed respectively on each side of a respective disc for forcibly pinching said disc therebetween; e. bearings mounting said wheels on said axle, said bearings permitting said wheels to move laterally on said axle with respect to said frame; and f. actuator means connected to said calipers for causing said finger members to pinch said respective disc.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame has a pair of laterally spaced side support members adjacent the bottom thereof for mounting said axle, said wheels being disposed laterally outwardly from said side support members and said discs being disposed between their corresponding wheels and said side support members.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each said caliper is positioned partially inwardly and partially outwardly of the outer surface of a respective side support member thereby reducing the space required between said wheels and said frame.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each said caliper is mounted on a respective one of said side support members.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said calipers are hydraulically operated, said actuator means including means for pressurizing hydraulic fluid in said calipers so as to cause said finger members to pinch said respective discs.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said actuator means comprises a master cylinder mounted on said frame and connected to said calipers by hydraulic fluid conduits, a hand-operated brake handle mounted on said frame at an upper portion of said frame, and mechanical linkage means for connecting said master cylinder with said brake handle.

Claim 8

A brakeable fulcrumed hand truck for manually moving freight comprising, in combination: a generally upright elongate frame; a rearwardly projecting grip handle attached to said frame near the top thereof for manually manipulating said hand truck; a forwardly projecting lifting blade attached to said frame adjacent the bottom thereof for supporting said material to be moved by said hand truck; a pair of laterally-spaced, rearwardly projecting side support members attached to said frame adjacent the bottom thereof; a single axle mounted on said side support members such that said axle is disposed across said frame transversely at the bottom and to the rear thereof and projects laterally outwardly from each said support member for supporting a pair of wheels; a pair of laterally spaced wheels rotatable independently from one another each mounted on said axle outwardly from a respective one of said side support members for movably supporting said hand truck, said frame being fulcrumed on said wheels about the axis of said axle; a pair of discs, each connected to one of said pair of wheels so as to rotate in unison therewith, said discs being oriented in a vertical plane perpendicular to said axle and located between their respective wheels and the closest of said side support members so as to provide a pair of braking surfaces located outwardly of each said side support member and oriented vertically so as to prevent the accumulation of moisture and dust on said braking surfaces; a pair of hydraulically-actuated calipers mounted respectively on each side of said frame, each said caliper having two spaced finger members disposed respectively on each side of a respective disc for forcibly pinching said disc therebetween by engaging said braking surfaces; a hydraulic master cylinder mounted on said frame for pressurizing said calipers; parallel hydraulic conduit means connecting said master cylinder to each of said calipers such that equal hydraulic pressure is transmitted from said master cylinder to each of said calipers for actuation thereof; and a hand-operated brake handle disposed adjacent said grip handle and connected by a mechanical linkage to said master cylinder for operating said master cylinder to produce hydraulic pressure therein and thereby actuate said calipers to forcibly engage said vertical braking surfaces, the combination of said calipers, master cylinder and mechanical linkage providing a mechanical advantage causing the force applied by said calipers to be greater than the force applied to said hand-operated brake handle.

Claim 9

A brakeable fulcrumed hand truck for manually moving freight comprising, in combination: a generally upright elongate frame; a rearwardly projecting grip handle attached to said frame near the top thereof for manually manipulating said hand truck; a forwardly projecting lifting blade attached to said frame adjacent the bottom thereof for supporting said material to be moved by said hand truck; a pair of laterally-spaced, rearwardly projecting side support members attached to said frame adjacent the bottom thereof; a single axle mounted on said side support members such that said axle is disposed across said frame transversely at the bottom and to the rear thereof and projects laterally outwardly from each said support member for supporting a pair of wheels; a pair of laterally spaced wheels rotatable independently from one another each mounted on said axle outwardly from a respective one of said side support members for movably supporting said hand truck, said frame being fulcrumed on said wheels about the axis of said axle; a pair of discs, each connected to one of said pair of wheels so as to rotate in unison therewith, said discs being oriented in a vertical plane perpendicular to said axle and located between their respective wheels and the closest of said side support members so as to provide a pair of braking surfaces located outwardly of each said side support member and oriented vertically so as to prevent the accumulation of moisture and dust on said braking surfaces; a pair of hydraulically-actuated calipers mounted respectively on each side of said frame, each said caliper having two spaced finger members disposed respectively on each side of a respective disc for forcibly pinching said disc therebetween by engaging said braking surfaces; a hydraulic master cylinder mounted on said frame for pressurizing said calipers; parallel hydraulic conduit means connecting said master cylinder to each of said calipers such that equal hydraulic pressure is transmitted from said master cylinder to each of said calipers for actuation thereof; and a hand-operated brake handle disposed adjacent said grip handle and connected by a mechanical linkage to said master cylinder for operating said master cylinder to produce hydraulic pressure therein and thereby actuate said calipers to forcibly engage said vertical braking surfaces, the combination of said calipers, master cylinder and mechanical linkage providing a mechanical advantage causing the force applied by said calipers to be greater than the force applied to said hand-operated brake handle.