Work holders – With ground traversing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-07-24
Watson, Robert C. (Department: 3728)
Work holders
With ground traversing means
C269S904000, C269S905000, C269S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264184
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to dolly apparatuses, and more particularly, to a device for transporting and installing a door.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
In the construction of a residence or business office, the fitting and hanging of doors is a difficult and awkward task. The door must, of course, be made to fit the door opening with reasonably close tolerances so that the door can be readily swung open or closed and, when closed, be reasonably snug around all edges. After fitting the door to the opening, hinges must be attached to one edge of the door and to a corresponding door jamb so the door will operate in a desirable manner. All fitting operations and hinge placements require that the door be held firmly on edge, and, unless some type of mechanical jig or vise is employed, it requires two workers to do the job. Accordingly, there has been a need for a mechanical device to hold the door in a suitable position for those operations so that one man may work alone.
Several devices are known to fulfill such purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,503,388; 2,967,627; 3,643,935; 3,861,662; 4,050,671; and 4,278,244 are illustrative examples. However, these devices, for the most part, include levering means and lifting jack mechanisms, and therefore, are somewhat complicated. Furthermore, all of these devices are rather large and are not collapsible.
Several other patents are also known to describe devices for carrying and installing a conventional door panel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,662 issued to Morse on Jan. 21, 1975 describes a combined door carrier and hanging device adapted to support a door panel vertically with the hinged edge of the door in a upper, horizontal position to permit a person to prepare the door for hanging. U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,141 issued to Willis on May 24, 1988 describes a collapsible hand cart for carrying a door standing on edge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,309 issued to Bodell on Jul. 6, 1993 describes a cleat for supporting sheet goods during alignment and fastening to underlying support structures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,405 issued to Miller on Oct. 5, 1993 describes a drywall support device for temporary support of drywall, such as ceiling installation, during installation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,090 issued to Bross on Feb. 22, 1994 describes a door dolly apparatus.
However, none of the above inventions describe a combined door carrier and hanging device having only one vise mechanism for selectively gripping a door inserted therebetween. Additionally, none of the above inventions describe a combined door carrier and hanging device having an longitudinal slot formed therein for receiving one entire side of a door panel therebetween. Moreover, none of the above inventions describe a combined door carrier and hanging device having a longitudinal slot formed in an elongated carrier structure with a vise formed at one end only of the elongated carrier structure for enabling a conventional door panel to be selectively gripped by a substantial length of the longitudinal slot.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a combined door carrier and hanging device for transporting and hanging a door panel in an expeditious manner. The combined door carrier and hanging device is generally defined by an elongated carrier structure having a first end and a second end, and includes a wheel supporting chassis to which a pair of beams are mounted and spaced apart to define an elongated slot. The chassis further supports a plurality of floor engaging foot members at the second end, a vise mechanism at the second end, and an axle having a plurality of floor engaging wheels at the first end. More specifically, the elongated slot is adapted to closely receive a door panel across its thickness, wherein one of the pair of beams is rigidly attached the chassis at the first end, but is free to flex at the second end to facilitate clamping of a door panel in the slot. The vise mechanism is attached to the chassis at the second end, which vise when operated compresses the second end of one beam moving the beam toward the other beam, thereby narrowing the slot and hence clamping upon a panel placed therein.
The plurality of floor engaging foot members are mounted on the chassis of the elongated carrier structure at the first end for maintaining the first end in a spaced relation to the floor when at rest in a substantially horizontal orientation. The axle is positioned at the second end supporting the floor engaging wheels, which are dimensioned relative to the foot members in order to maintain the elongated carrier structure horizontal or in a substantially parallel relation with the floor.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a combined door carrier and hanging device defined by an elongated body having a single vise mechanism at one end thereof for holding a door in the device, thereby simplifying insertion, transportation and removal of the door.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combined door carrier and hanging device having a longitudinal slot formed between a pair of beams for receiving an entire side a conventional door panel.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a combined door carrier and hanging device defined by an elongated body having a longitudinal slot formed therein, the longitudinal slot being adjustable at one end to facilitate insertion and retention of a door panel therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined door carrier and hanging device having a cushioned layer in the slot for protecting a door panel from scuffing when placed on the base member.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 310894 (1990-09-01), Smith
patent: 3090635 (1963-05-01), Masterson, Jr.
patent: 3845969 (1974-11-01), Nadeau
patent: 3861662 (1975-01-01), Morse
patent: 3871054 (1975-03-01), Schaefer
patent: 4043536 (1977-08-01), Almond
patent: 4241930 (1980-12-01), Bell et al.
patent: 4270741 (1981-06-01), Hurst
patent: 4278244 (1981-07-01), Carter
patent: 4746141 (1988-05-01), Willis
patent: 4793624 (1988-12-01), Mace
patent: 5048806 (1991-09-01), Deutsch
patent: 5288090 (1994-02-01), Bross
patent: 2002301 (1979-02-01), None
Armstrong David
Armstrong Michael
Litman Richard C.
Watson Robert C.
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