Hand truck

Abstract

A hand truck having a frame two short and two long sides; a wheel and axel assembly attached to the frame; a lifting assembly extending between the two short sides; said lifting assembly comprising a frame center pole rail having an attached gear rack, a gear box movably attached to the center pole, said gear box including, a toothed that meshes with the gear rack, a worm gear having a drive shaft that meshes with the toothed pinion, wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the worm gear to drive the pinion along the gear rack; a lift bracket attached to the gear box comprising a receiving plate with at least one slot; and at least one removable lift platform comprising a platform plate with at least one key that is securely receivable into the slot; wherein the gearbox is drivable using a power supply supplied by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hand truck for moving heavy or bulky objects comprising:
 a frame having two short sides and two long sides; 
 a wheel and axle assembly attached to the frame; 
 a lifting assembly located at an intermediate position between the two long sides and extending between the two short sides; said lifting assembly comprising;:
 a frame center pole rail having a gear rack attached thereto; 
 a gear box movably attached to the frame center pole rail, said gear box including:
 a toothed pinion, located in the movable gear box, mounted on a shaft in the gear box and meshing with the gear rack of the frame center pole rail; 
 a worm gear that meshes with the toothed pinion, the worm gear including a drive shaft, wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the worm gear to drive the pinion along the gear rack; 
 
 
 a lift bracket comprising a receiving plate with at least one slot; and 
 at least one removable lift platform comprising a platform plate with at least one key that are is securely receivable into the at least one slot of the lift bracket receiving plate, wherein the removable lift platform further comprises a pair of lift members, with one lift member attached at a top end of the platform plate and the other lift member attached at a bottom end of the platform plate; and 
 an aperture located in the platform plate and a locking mechanism located on the lift bracket receiving plate and receivable by the aperture located in the platform plate; 
 wherein rotation of the drive shaft moves the gear box along the frame center pole rail. 
 
     
     
       2. The hand truck according to  claim 1  wherein the gearbox is drivable using a power supply supplied by a user. 
     
     
       3. The hand truck according to  claim 1  wherein the pair of lift members includes a pair of lift bumpers. 
     
     
       4. The hand truck according to  claim 1  wherein the pair of lift members includes a pair of lift cradles. 
     
     
       5. The hand truck according to  claim 4  further comprising:
 a second removable lift platform comprising a platform plate with at least one key that are securely receivable into the at least one slot of the lift bracket receiving plate, wherein the removable lift platform further comprises a pair of lift bumpers, with one lift bumper attached at a top end of the platform plate and the other lift bumper attached at a bottom end of the platform plate; whereby the hand truck can change between a pair of bumpers and a pair of cradles. 
 
     
     
       6. A hand truck for moving heavy or bulky objects comprising:
 a frame having two short sides and two long sides; 
 a wheel and axle assembly attached to the frame; 
 a lifting assembly located at an intermediate position between the two long sides and extending between the two short sides; said lifting assembly comprising;
 a frame pole rail having a gear rack attached thereto, 
 a gear box movably attached to the frame pole rail, said gear box including:
 a toothed pinion, located in the movable gear box, mounted on a shaft in the gear box and meshing with the gear rack of the frame pole rail 
 a worm gear that meshes with the toothed pinion, said worm gear including a drive shaft, wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the worm gear to drive the pinion along the gear rack; 
 
 
 a lift bracket comprising a receiving plate with at least one slot and at least one aperture; and 
 at least one removable lift platform comprising a platform plate with at least one key that are securely receivable into the at least one slot of the lift bracket receiving plate and a locking mechanism receivable by the aperture located in the platform plate; wherein the platform plate further includes a pair of lift bumpers attached at a top end and a bottom end of the platform plate; 
 wherein the gearbox is drivable using a power supply supplied by a user. 
 
     
     
       7. A hand truck for moving heavy or bulky objects comprising:
 a frame having two short sides and two long sides; 
 a wheel and axle assembly attached to the frame; 
 a lifting assembly located at an intermediate position between the two long sides and extending between the two short sides; said lifting assembly comprising;
 a frame center pole rail having a gear rack attached thereto, 
 a gear box movably attached to the frame center pole rail, said gear box including:
 a toothed pinion, located in the movable gear box, mounted on a shaft in the gear box and meshing with the gear rack of the frame pole rail, 
 a worm gear that meshes with the toothed pinion, said worm gear including a drive shaft, wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the worm gear to drive the pinion along the gear rack; 
 
 a lift bracket comprising a receiving plate with at least one slot and at least one aperture; and 
 at least one removable lift platform comprising a platform plate with at least one key that are securely receivable into the at least one slot of the lift bracket receiving plate and a locking mechanism receivable by the aperture located in the platform plate, wherein the removable lift platform further includes a pair of lift cradles attached at a top end and a bottom end of a platform plate; 
 wherein the gearbox is drivable using a power supply supplied by a user. 
 
 
     
     
       8. A hand truck, comprising:
 a frame having a first end and a second end;   a wheel and axle assembly attached to the first end of the frame;   a gear rack supported by the frame and extending between the first and second ends of the frame, the gear rack including a plurality of gear teeth spaced along a length of the gear rack;   a gear box movably attached to the gear rack, said gear box including a worm gear mechanically associated with the gear teeth of the gear rack so that rotation of the worm gear relative to the gear teeth causes the gear box to move along a length of the gear rack;   an attachment coupled to the worm gear and adapted to receive a portable, removably attachable motor to rotate the worm gear; and   a lifting platform coupled to the gear box and moveable along the length of the gear rack with the gear box;   wherein the hand truck does not include a drive motor attached to it; and   wherein the worm gear is positioned on a first side of the gear rack and the lifting platform is positioned on a second side of the gear rack.   
     
     
       9. The hand truck of claim 8, and further comprising a drive shaft, wherein said portable removably attachable motor is a power drill and said drive shaft is adapted to receive a drill chuck to power said lifting assembly to move said lifting platform. 
     
     
       10. The hand truck of claim 9, wherein the power drill is a cordless drill. 
     
     
       11. The hand truck of claim 9, wherein said drive shaft is arranged to rotate the worm gear to lift said lifting assembly. 
     
     
       12. A system including the hand truck of claim 8, wherein said lifting platform is a first lifting platform having a horizontal platform plate and the system further comprising a second lifting platform attachable in place of said first lifting platform, said second lifting platform having at least one cradle adapted for receiving a cylindrical object in said cradle. 
     
     
       13. A hand truck, comprising:
 a frame having a first end and a second end;   a wheel and axle assembly attached to the first end of the frame;   a lifting platform moveable along a length of the frame; and   a lifting assembly arranged to move said lifting platform along the frame;   wherein the hand truck does not include a drive motor attached to it;   wherein the lifting assembly includes an attachment;   wherein said attachment is adapted to receive a portable removably attachable motor attached thereto to power said lifting assembly to move said lifting platform; and   wherein a rotatable throttle control handle is attached to the frame and controls the portable removably attachable motor by a throttle control cable affixed to the portable removably attachable motor.   
     
     
       14. A hand truck system, comprising:
 a hand truck having:
 a frame having a first end and a second end; 
 a wheel and axle assembly attached to the first end of the frame; 
 a lift bracket moveable along a length of the frame; 
 a lifting assembly arranged to move the lift bracket along the frame; and 
 a first lifting platform attachable to the lift bracket and having a horizontal platform plate; and 
 a second lifting platform attachable to the lift bracket in place of said first lifting platform, said second lifting platform having at least one cradle adapted for receiving a cylindrical object in said cradle; 
 wherein the lifting assembly includes a gear rack and a gear box; 
 wherein said gear rack extends between the first and second ends of the frame; 
 wherein rotation of the worm gear around an axis of rotation causes the gear box to move along a length of the gear rack; 
 wherein the first lifting platform is coupled to the gear box and moveable along the length of the gear rack with the gear box; and 
 wherein the gear box is positioned on a first side of the gear rack and the first lifting platform is positioned on a second side of the gear rack. 
   
     
     
       15. The hand truck system of claim 14, and further comprising a strap to securely hold objects in place on said hand truck. 
     
     
       16. The hand truck system of claim 14, wherein the cylindrical object is a water heater. 
     
     
       17. The hand truck system of claim 14, wherein the first and second lifting platforms each have a projection arranged to be received within a slot of the lift bracket.