GB2378680A

GB2378680A - Variable footprint dolly

Info

Publication number: GB2378680A
Application number: GB0115129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Clive Loftus; Raphael G Barbet
Original assignee: CG Paxton Ltd
Current assignee: CG Paxton Ltd
Priority date: 2001-06-21
Filing date: 2001-06-21
Publication date: 2003-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-21
Also published as: FR2826330A1; FR2826330B3; GB2378680B; GB0115129D0

Abstract

A dolly 10 provides stacking positions 40 for the bases of at least two stacks of containers 30. They dolly is in the form of a platform supported on wheels, the upper surface of the platform defining two wells. One of the wells has fixed walls 18. The other well has three fixed walls and a fourth wall that is partly open and partly defined by a short wall portion 26. The short wall portion is formed as an upstand from a pivot member and is movable between a first position (not shown) and a second position to accommodate different footprint sizes for the container stacks.

Description

1 2378680

DOLLY The present invention relates to dollies particularly, but not exclusively, for carrying stacks of containers.

A dolly is a small wheeled platform commonly used for moving stacks of containers, for instance in retail establishments, or to assist in loading and unloading delivery vehicles, particularly in retail delivery situations.

The present invention provides a dolly which provides stacking positions for the bases of at least two stacks of containers, and which has separation means operable to change the separation of the bases of the lowermost container in each stach, to accommodate different footprint sizes for the container stacks.

Accordingly, the same dolly can accommodate stacks when the footprint of the stacks in relatively small, or relatively large. This may arise, for instance, when open-topped containers with attached lids are closed (giving a relatively small footprint to the stack), or are open, with the lids hanging down beside the containers, to provide a relatively large footprint for the stack. It is to be understood that the footprint of a container, defined by the outermost extremities when viewed in plan, may be different in size and shape to the container base, being the lowermost surface of the container.

Each position is preferably defined by one or more features which engage the base of the lowermost container of the stack, to retain the stack in the corresponding position. The features may include a raised wall portion.

Preferably, each position is in the form of a well for receiving the lowermost container of a stack.

The separation means are preferably operable to provide an engaging feature at selectable alternative positions. The separation means may comprise a movable member mounted for movement relative to the rest of the dolly and

carrying at least one engaging feature, the said carried feature moving as the movable member moves. Preferably the movable member is pivotally mounted for movement. Preferably, the movable member has a retracted position at which an engaging feature is located in the region of an edge of the dolly, and an extended position at which an engaging feature is located outboard of the said edge. The movable member may carry at least two engaging features, each exposed to engage a container only in one position of the movable member.

Preferably the dolly provides a first stacking position in which the base of the lowermost container of the corresponding stack is inboard of the dolly, and a second stacking position in which the base of the lowermost container of another corresponding stack is either inboard of the dolly, or at least partially outboard, according to the state of the separation means.

The invention further provides a container and dolly system comprising at least one dolly as set out above, and a plurality of containers for stacking on the dolly and having first and second conditions in which they are stackable to form stacks having respective small and large footprints, whereby the separation means are operable to increase the separation of the bases of the lowermost containers when the footprint of at least one of the stacks is increased. The containers may have attached lids having closed and open positions which result in the two footprint sizes. The container lids may hang down the sides of the containers, when open.

An example of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dolly according to the present invention, in a first condition; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dolly in the condition of Fig. 1, supporting

two stacks of closed containers, and with part of the material of the dolly removed to reveal the pivot member; Fig. 3 corresponds with Fig. 1, showing the dolly in an alternative condition; Fig. 4 shows the dolly in the alternative condition of Fig. 3, supporting two stacks of open containers; and Figs. 5 & 6 are exploded perspective views of the dolly in the condition of Figs. 1 and 3, respectively.

Fig. 1 shows a dolly 10 in the form of a platform supported on wheels 12.

The upper surface of the platform defines two wells, generally at 14, 16. The wells 14, 16 are generally rectangular. The well 14 is defined wholly by short fixed walls 18. Three sides of the well 16 are defined by fixed walls 20. The fourth wall of the well 16 is partly open at 22, and partly defined by a short wall portion 24.

The wall portion 24 is formed as an upstand from a pivot member 26, which will be described more fully below. Fig. 1 illustrates one position to which the pivot member 26 may be moved relative to the rest of the dolly 10.

In this condition of the dolly 10, the wall portion 24, together with the walls 20, define a well 16 which is the same size as the well 14. These wells 14, 16 can be used to support two stacks of containers, as indicated by Fig. 2.

The containers 30 shown in Fig. 2 are open topped containers having lid portions 32 hingedly connected to the top of the containers, generally at 34 to allow the lid portions 32 to hinge to the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be readily apparent that each of the containers 30 in Fig. 2 is able to support another container of the same design stacked on the closed lid portions 32, thereby forming two stacks of containers 30 on the dolly 10. Additional containers are illustrated in Fig. 2 in broken lines 3 3, each stacked on a respective one of the containers 30.

The containers 30 will be the lowermost containers of such stacks. They

are received in the wells 14, 16 with a close fit against the walls 18, 20 and the wall portion 24. In addition, the upper rims of the containers 30 are shown in abutment at 36. This abutment further assists in retaining the containers 30 against horizontal movement relative to the dolly 10. This contributes to the safety of stacks formed on the containers 30, particularly when these stacks are being moved by rolling the dolly 10.

When the containers 30 are in the closed condition illustrated in Fig. 2, they have a relatively small footprint. That is, the projection of the extreme dimensions of the container onto the horizontal surface below is relatively small, being substantially that of the upper rim 38. Consequently, by virtue of the relatively small footprint, the bases of the two containers 3 0 can he accommodated relatively closely together, in the positions shown in Fig. 2. The bases are separated only by the thickness of the wall separating the wells 14,16.

However, the containers 30 have an alternative condition, to be described below, in which their footprint is relatively large. This is accommodated by the dolly 10 having a second condition, illustrated in Fig. 3. In this condition, the pivot member 26 has been swung to an extended position in which it projects beyond the edge of the main body of the dolly 10, to place an alternative wall portion 24A at a position outboard of the dolly 10. The pivot arrangement provided to allow this to occur will be described below, in relation to Figs. 5 and A. Turning now to Fig. 4, attention is first drawn to the containers 30.

These are now in their alternative condition, in which the lid portions 32 are hanging down the outside of the container 30, from the rim 38. The footprint of the containers 30 is now defined by the outermost extremity of the lid portions 32, rather than by the rim 38, and is thus larger than the footprint of closed containers as shown in Fig. 2. Two stacks of containers 30 with open lid portions 32 could therefore not be accommodated on the dolly 10 when the dolly is in the condition illustrated in Fig. 2, because adjacent lid portions 32 of the adjacent containers 30 would foul each other, the lid portions 32 of the first

container stacked onto the dolly 10 preventing the second container from being stacked thereon.

However, by virtue of the pivot member 26 moving partly outboard of the dolly 10, the base of the container 30 in the well 16 can move away from the base of the container 30 in the well 14, until restrained by the wall portion 24A and by abutment between the lid portions 32 (shown in this example with a slight separation at 42, for clarity). Consequently, the open containers can be as secure on the dolly 10 as the closed containers are when the dolly 10 is in the first condition illustrated in Fig. 2 The containers 30, when opened, can therefore be used to form stacks of nested containers, by virtue of the inwardly sloping container walls 44, which allow the base 40 of a container to be introduced into the open upper mouth of another like container, to nest wholly or partially therein, allowing empty containers to be stacked more compactly than full, closed containers. It will be apparent from comparison of Figs. 2 and 4 that the required additional separation of the bases 40 is not great, but is important to ensure secure location of the containers 30, when open, on the dolly 10, in the wells 14,16.

The remaining drawings illustrate the manner in which the pivot member 26 is able to move between the two conditions.

Fig. 5 illustrates the pivot member 28 separated from the body of the dolly 10. When exposed in this manner, it is evident that the pivot member 26 includes a web portion 46 which interconnects the wall portion 24 and the wall portion 24A. The web 46 is generally planar, with the portions 24,24A extending generally perpendicular from the web 46. Two circular pivot lugs 48 project laterally from the web 46, in the region of the wall portion 24.

The pivot member 28 is located within a well 50, which is open to the top and end of the dolly 10, and has a floor 52 across which a wall 54 extends to define an inner space 56 and an outer space 58. Side walls 60 of the well 50 have sockets 62 to receive the lugs 48. Interconnection of the lugs 58 in the

sockets 62 provides a pivot connection between the pivot member 26 and the main body of the dolly 10. In the retracted position (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), the wall portion 24A extends down from the web 46, into the inner space 56, while the wall portion 24 extends up from the web 46 to provide restraint for a container in the well 16.

For the purposes of illustration only, the wall portion 24 and the upper half of the web 46 are shaded in Figs.2 and 5.

When no container is located in the well 16, the pivot member 26 can be manually manipulated to turn about the axis provided by the lugs 48, raising the wall portion 24A from the inner space 55 and turning the pivot member 26 thorough an angle of about 180 until the web 46 is upside down (as compared to Figs. 1,2 and 5). The pivot member 26 then occupies the position illustrated in Figs. 3,4 and 6, with the wall portion 24 extending down from the web 46 into the outer space 58, the web 46 projecting outboard of the dolly 10, and the wall portion 24A extending up from the web 46 at an outboard position, as illustrated in Figs. 3,4 and 6.

Figs. 4 and 6 show shading of the same parts of the pivot member 26 as are shaded in Figs. 2 and 5, to assist the reader in understanding that the pivot member 26 has turned over by rotation of 180 about the lugs 48. The pivot member 26 is now in a position to support an open container, as described above in relation to Fig. 4.

It is apparent from Figs. 5 and 6 that the outer space 58 provides a cavity for use as a handle, at least when the pivot member 26 is in the inboard position of Fig. 5.

It is thus apparent from the above description that by providing for a

relatively small adjustment in the relative positions of the container bases, the dolly 10 is able to provide secure stacks of containers when open or closed, improving the safety and versatility of the dolly 10 and of the delivery

operation. In use, for instance in the retail environment, the dolly and containers would usually form part of a system incorporating a relatively large number of containers and a relatively small number of dollies.

Many variations and modifications may be made to the apparatus described above, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the dimensions and relative dimensions of the components may be varied, particularly in view of the container design with which the dolly is intended to be used. The pivot member 26 has been described as having two positions, corresponding to the use of the dolly with two stacks of closed containers or two stacks of open containers. An intermediate position would allow the dolly to be used with a stack of closed containers in one well, and a stack of open containers in the other. The pivot member could be replaced by a member mounted to slide between two positions, in which case, the same wall portion could be used to restrain containers in both positions of the slide member. Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to

those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Clamns 1. A dolly which provides stacking positions for the bases of at

least two stacks of containers, and which has separation means operable to change the separation of the bases of the lowermost container in each stack to accommodate different footprint sizes for the container stacks.
2. A dolly according to claim 1, wherein each position is defined by one or more features which engage the base of the lowermost container of the stack, to retain the stack in the corresponding position.
3. A dolly according to claim 2, wherein the features include a raised wall portion.
4. A dolly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each position is in the form of a well for receiving the lowermost container of a stack.
5. A dolly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the separation means are operable to provide an engaging feature at selectable alternative positions.
6. A dolly according to claim 5, wherein the separation means comprises a movable member mounted for movement relative to the rest of the dolly and carrying at least one engaging feature, the said carried feature moving as the movable member moves.
7. dolly according to claim 6, wherein the movable member is pivotally mounted for movement.
8. A dolly according to claims 6 or 7, wherein the movable member has a retracted position at which an engaging feature is located in the region of an edge of the dolly, and an extended position at which an engaging feature is located outboard of the said edge.
9. A dolly according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the movable member carries at least two engaging features, each exposed to engage a container only in one position of the movable member.
10. A dolly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the dolly provides a first stacking position in which the base of the lowermost container of the corresponding stack is inboard of the dolly, and a second stacking position in which the base of the lowermost container of another corresponding stack is either inboard of the dolly, or at least partially outboard, according to the state of the separation means.
11. A container and dolly system comprising at least one dolly according to any of the preceding claims, and a plurality of containers for stacking on the dolly and having first and second conditions in which they are stackable to form stacks having respective small and large footprints, whereby the separation means are operable to increase the separation of the cases of the lowermost containers when the footprint of at least one of the stacks is increased.
12. A container and dolly system according to claim 11, wherein the containers have attached lids having closed and open positions which result in the two footprint sizes.
13. A container and dolly system according to claim 12, wherein the container lids hang down the sides of the containers, when open.
14. A dolly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the drawings.
15. A container and dolly system substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the drawings.
16. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same

invention as any of the preceding claims.