Hand truck having a folding nose piece

Details Hand truck having a folding nose piece Hand truck having a folding nose piece

1999-07-08

2001-05-22

Mar, Michael (Department: 3619)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Tiltable vehicles, stabilized by attendant or article

C403S103000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234497

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hand truck and, more specifically, to a hand truck having a folding nose piece.
Many devices have been developed over the years to aid people in the movement and transportation of items that otherwise would be too heavy or unwieldy to move. There exist a multitude of powered devices such as cranes, forklifts, hydraulic ramps, and etc. that simplify moving. A similar variety of non-powered devices also exists for people to choose from. Non-powered devices, such as pulleys, ropes, clamps, levers, and hand trucks, are commonly available to consumers. The ease of use of the contemporary hand truck makes it an ideal tool for transporting heavy objects and has led to the common use of hand trucks by tremendous numbers of people.
The wide spread utilization of hand trucks has led to many manufacturers researching improvements in the design of the modern hand truck. Today, industrial quality hand trucks are produced that have a frame made of thicker members and tougher materials to simplify transporting appliances and other items that are too large for the smaller sized hand trucks.
One disadvantage to the contemporary hand truck is that the nose piece makes it difficult to store or to transport the hand truck. This has led to difficulties with transporting hand trucks in the trunk of a car or in the back of a tightly packed moving van. While some hand trucks have been designed that have rotating nose pieces, the designs are complicated and require the manufacture of a complicated structure that increases the costs incurred by the manufacturer and passed on to the consumer.
The present invention overcomes many of the drawbacks of the contemporary art by providing a hand truck with a foldable nose piece that has a rugged, efficient, and simplified design. This allows for the inventive hand truck to be easily stored in a closet or to be easily placed inside of a tightly packed moving truck. The sturdy construction of the hand truck of the present invention allows the hand truck to be serviceable under a variety of conditions. The inventive hand truck uses a simple and durable mechanism, thereby reducing the frequency of repairs and accordingly reducing the length of time necessary to effectuate repairs once a mechanical problem develops.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the present invention is a hand truck having a folding nose piece. This hand truck includes a frame having a pair of wheels. A nose piece is rotatably attached to the frame and is rotatable between a first position, generally perpendicularly extended from the frame, and a second position, generally parallel to the frame. A lever is pivotally connected to the frame to move between a locked position and an open position. The lever engages and maintains the nose piece in the first position when the lever is in the locked position. The lever engages and maintains the nose piece in the second position when the lever is in the locked position. The nose piece is movable between the first position and the second position when the lever is in the open position.


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