Hand trolley with winch operated lifting carriage

Abstract

A hand trolley includes a chassis formed from side frames comprising parallel frame members, wheels and a base platform provided with a load lifting carriage having a lifting surface. The carriage can be raised from a low position on the base platform to an elevated position by operating a hand cranked winch with a crank handle rotatable about an axle located proximate to a hand grip on the chassis rails and parallel to the axis of the wheels. The positioning and orientation of the crank handle allows correct ergonomic use by an operator who can grip the trolley chassis with one hand while controlling and operating the crank handle in an ergonomically sound position.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A hand trolley including a load supporting chassis including spaced side frames, a pair of support wheels located toward one end of the chassis, a base platform extending from the chassis adjacent the wheels arranged to support the chassis in a substantially upright position for loading of the trolley, and a hand grip located toward the opposite end of the chassis from the wheels, 
 the hand trolley being provided with a load lifting carriage movably mounted to the chassis and a lifting tendon extending from the carriage to a winch located proximate the hand grip on the opposite side of the chassis to the carriage, the winch having an operating handle rotatable about an axle extending substantially parallel with the axis of the pair of support wheels,    wherein the handle defines a substantially circular path during cranking such that, in at least one selected position, the handle is oriented within a plane defined between the side frames.    
   
   
       8 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the axle of the winch handle is positioned relative to the hand grip so as to facilitate an operator cranking the operating handle in one hand while holding the hand grip in the other hand.  
   
   
       9 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the tendon comprises a belt anchored at one end to the carriage and extending to the winch.  
   
   
       10 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the winch is supported on a bracket extending downwardly and rearwardly, toward the operator, from the hand grip end of the chassis.  
   
   
       11 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the chassis includes a transverse frame rail extending across the upper end of the chassis and a belt extends over a sheave in the form of a roller rotatably mounted to a bracket secured to the transverse frame rail.  
   
   
       12 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the carriage includes a lifting surface extending outwardly from the chassis substantially parallel to the base platform.  
   
   
       13 . A lift-and-tilt hand trolley comprising: 
 a load supporting chassis including a pair of spaced side frames, each of the side frames defining a hand grip;    first and second support wheels provided to respective sides of the chassis, the wheels being provided on the chassis opposite the hand grips;    a base platform extending from the chassis adjacent the wheels arranged to support the chassis in a substantially upright position for loading of the trolley;    a load lifting carriage movably mounted to the chassis; and    a winch associated with the load lifting carriage and located proximate the hand grip, the winch having a crank rotatable about an axle, wherein:    the crank includes a lever provided to the winch and an operating handle provided to the lever, and    during cranking of the winch, the lever rotates in a plane generally parallel to and between the side frames.    
   
   
       14 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the axle of the crank is positioned rearwardly of the chassis, while the load lifting carriage is positioned forwardly of the chassis.  
   
   
       15 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising an uppermost transverse frame rail positioned adjacent each said hand grip.  
   
   
       16 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 15  wherein, during cranking of the winch, the handle is positioned below the uppermost transverse frame rail along said portion of said path.  
   
   
       17 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 16  wherein, during cranking of the winch, the handle is positioned between the uppermost transverse frame rail and an additional transverse frame rail below the uppermost transverse frame rail.  
   
   
       18 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising a roller provided to said uppermost transverse frame rail, the roller guiding said lifting tendon between the winch to the load lifting carriage.  
   
   
       19 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second support wheels is supported on a single axle.  
   
   
       20 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein only the wheels support the chassis during transport, and only the wheels and the load lifting carriage support the chassis during rest when the trolley is in the upright position.  
   
   
       21 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein a plane of the load lifting carriage is positioned below a common axis of the wheels in a lowermost position.  
   
   
       22 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising a brake provided to the winch.  
   
   
       23 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the load lifting carriage includes at least one upright back portion aligned with the chassis.  
   
   
       24 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein an end of the lifting tendon is anchored in the axle so as to allow winding of the lifting tendon about the axle.  
   
   
       25 . A hand trolley comprising: 
 a load supporting chassis including a pair of transversely spaced side frames and an uppermost transverse frame rail;    at least one support wheel located toward one end of the chassis;    a base platform extending from the chassis adjacent the wheel arranged to support the chassis in a substantially upright position for loading of the trolley;    a hand grip located toward the opposite end of the chassis from the wheel,    a load lifting carriage movably mounted to the chassis; and    a winch having an operating handle rotatable about an axle extending transversely relative to the chassis wheel, wherein, in at least a selected position of the winch during cranking thereof, the handle is oriented generally below the uppermost transverse frame rail.    
   
   
       26 . A hand trolley as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the handle is positioned in a plane generally between the side frames in the selected position.