Rolling containers assembly

Details Rolling containers assembly Rolling containers assembly

1999-11-04

2001-01-23

Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)

Supports: cabinet structure

Sectional-unit type

Knockdown

C312S902000, C312S237000, C312S244000, C312S249100, C312S249800, C280S047190, C280S047260, C280S047350

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176559

ABSTRACT:

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting articles, such as hand tools and similar items, between desired locations.
When working in fields such as carpentry and other similar trades, it is often necessary to work in a number of different locations on one job site. For example, during a given work day, a carpenter may be required to undertake activities in a number of different rooms in a house he or she is working on. Most tradesmen hand carry their tools in tool boxes and other similar containers from location to location. Many times, the activities undertaken require more tools than can be easily carried from one location to another in one trip.
Rolling worktables heretofore provided, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,435, are somewhat useful for allowing a worker to transport all the required tools and equipment from location to location. However, this type of rolling worktable has limited usefulness because it cannot be easily rolled up and down stairs as a result of its having a large horizontal area rollingly supported on four wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,264 discloses a two-wheeled dolley-type assembly with a frame and a set of containers. This type of device is better suited for transporting tools up and down stairs. However, this device is lacking in certain aspects. When assembled, all the containers in '264 device are secured together and cannot be separated without disassembling the device. Thus, once a worker has chosen this device for transporting his tools and other equipment, he must continue using this device until he removes the tools from the device for carriage in a standard tool box or other carrying device. Another disadvantage of this device is that it cannot be easily used for transporting large articles because the stack of containers extend nearly fully to the handle, thus leaving little of no room to safely stack large items that the user desires to rollingly transport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a superior device for transporting articles between locations. To achieve this object the present invention provides an apparatus for transporting articles. The apparatus comprises a removable storage container in which articles to be transported can be stored and a wheeled device. The wheeled device comprises a fixed storage container in which articles to be transported can be stored, one or more rotatable ground engaging wheels that rollingly support the wheeled device, structure providing a generally downwardly facing fixed ground engaging surface, a manually engageable handle member extending generally upwardly away from the fixed container, and removable container supporting structure constructed and arranged to removably support the removable storage container.
The removable storage container is removably mounted on the removable container supporting structure of the wheeled device such that the supporting structure supports the removable container above the fixed storage container and such that the removable storage container can be removed and handled separately from the fixed storage container. The handle member and the one or more ground engaging wheels of the wheeled device are constructed and arranged to enable the wheeled device to be tilted rearwardly from (a) a substantially upright position wherein the fixed ground engaging surface engages the ground so as to stably support the wheeled device in a freestanding manner to (b) a tilted rolling movement position wherein the fixed ground engaging surface is moved generally upwardly out of engagement with the ground in such a manner that the wheeled device is rollingly supported by the ground engaging wheels with the weight of the wheeled device and the removable container being supported only by the one or more ground engaging wheels and the portion of the handle member engaged by the user, thereby enabling the user to roll the apparatus to a desired location by pushing or pulling the handle member in a desired direction.
This removable container feature is particularly advantageous because it allows the user to carry the removable container from to a desired location that would be otherwise inaccessible for the entire apparatus, such as a small crawl space. Otherwise, the tools would have to removed from the apparatus and carried by hand. This aspect is particularly useful when the removable container has a handle member, such as a tool box. Also, this removability is particularly advantageous when it is desired to use the apparatus as a load carrying device. The removable container, whether it be a set of sliding drawers, a tool box, a top loading bin, or some other type of container, can be removed and the load to be carried can be disposed on the removable container supporting structure, thus allowing the apparatus to act as a regular load carrying device.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting articles, including elongated flexible such as extension cords. U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,005 discloses one such type of apparatus that provides hooks on the rear portion of the apparatus for carrying an extension cord. U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,527 to Lowery discloses another apparatus that carries spools of wire in the front and a reel that may carry an extension cord in the back. The Lowery apparatus provides stationary as opposed to sliding drawers. The apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a drawer supporting frame assembly, structure providing a generally downwardly facing, fixed ground engaging surface, one or more rotatable ground engaging wheels constructed and arranged to rollingly support the wheeled device, and a manually engageable handle member. A storage drawer is configured to receive articles to be transported, and a flexible member storage means is provided for restraining an elongated flexible member in a wound manner thereon against lateral movement. The storage drawer is selectively moveable between (1) an open position wherein the drawer extends outwardly from the frame to permit access to the interior space and (2) a closed position wherein the drawer is received within the frame so as to prevent access to the interior space. The handle member and the one or more ground engaging wheels of the wheeled device are constructed and arranged to enable the frame assembly to be tilted rearwardly from (a) a substantially upright position wherein the fixed ground engaging surface engages the ground so as to stably support the frame assembly in a freestanding manner to (b) a tilted rolling movement position wherein the fixed ground engaging surface is moved generally upwardly out of engagement with the ground in such a manner that the frame assembly is rollingly supported by the ground engaging wheels with the weight of the frame assembly being supported only by the one or more ground engaging wheels and the portion of the handle member engaged by the user, thereby enabling the user to roll the apparatus to a desired location by pushing or pulling the handle member in a desired direction.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention described below, the rolling containers assembly comprising (a) a base cabinet including wheels and a pulling handle for locomoting the rolling containers assembly; and (b) at least one additional cabinet being removably connectable on top of the base cabinet.
According to still further features in the described preferred embodiments the handle is extendible.
According to still further features in the described preferred embodiments the at least one additional cabinet is selected from the group consisting of a drawers assembly and a toolcase.
According to still further features in the described preferred embodiments the base cabinet includes a reel.
According to still further features in the described preferred embodiments the at least one additional cabinet is a modular unit.
According to still further featu

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