Patent ID: 6244366
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: B62B,B62D

Abstract:
A power operated vehicle, of the type guided by a walking attendant, for conveying a plurality of nestable carts, the vehicle comprising:a main body portion having a forward end and a trailing end and disposed about a longitudinal axis;a control handle fixedly connected to said main body portion toward said forward end and offset toward a side of the main body portion, said control handle being configured for one hand operation by an operator walking alongside said main body portion;a caster, rotatable about a vertical axis, operably connected to the main body portion along the longitudinal axis and adjacent the forward end of said main body portion, said caster being independently movable from said control handle;a first and a second drive wheel coaxially mounted along opposite ends of an axle, adjacent said trailing and, said axle disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, wherein said caster and said first and second drive wheels movably support the vehicle on a floor surface;a motor operably connected to said axle, the motor configured to be electrically connected to a power supply;a hitch pivotably mounted to said main body portion, said hitch pivoting at a point proximal to the axle along the longitudinal axis of said main body portion such that the hitch pivots independent of the movement of said main body portion; wherein objects connectable to said hitch are pulled by said vehicle generally from said trailing end of the main body portion.