Patent ID: 8196516
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. A transport carriage that comprises: a frame having a longitudinal axis, an upper surface, a lower surface, a front end and a rear end wherein the frame defines a center portion that rigidly secures a load; a first pair of wheels which are secured to a first rigid member that is pivotally mounted to the frame such that the first pair of wheels, which comprise a first wheel and a second wheel, are located on a first opposing side of the frame toward the front end wherein the first rigid member has a pivot point in the middle as to allow for upward vertical motion of the first wheel and for simultaneous reciprocating downward vertical motion of the second wheel; a second pair of wheels which are secured to a second rigid member that is pivotally mounted to the frame such that the second pair of wheels, which comprise a third wheel and a fourth wheel, are located on a second opposing side of the frame toward the front end wherein the second rigid member has a pivot point in the middle as to allow for upward vertical motion of the third wheel and for simultaneous reciprocating downward vertical motion of the fourth wheel; a third pair of wheels which are secured to a third rigid member that is pivotally mounted to the frame such that the third pair of wheels, which comprise a fifth wheel and a six wheel, are located on the first opposing side of the frame toward the rear end wherein the third rigid member has a pivot point in the middle as to allow for upward vertical motion of the fifth wheel and for simultaneous reciprocating downward vertical motion of the sixth wheel; and a fourth pair of wheels which are secured to a fourth rigid member that is pivotally mounted to the frame such that the fourth pair of wheels, which comprise a seventh wheel and an eighth wheel, are located on the second opposing side of the frame toward the rear end wherein the fourth rigid member has a pivot point in the middle as to allow for upward vertical motion of the seventh wheel and for simultaneous reciprocating downward vertical motion of the eighth wheel wherein the first pair of wheels is transversely mounted on the frame relative the second pair of wheels and wherein the third pair of wheels is transversely mounted on the frame relative to the fourth pair of wheels so that the first, second, fifth and sixth wheels are positioned in tandem with the separation between adjacent wheels being the same and the third, fourth, seventh and eighth wheels are positioned in tandem with the separation between adjacent wheels being the same and wherein all the wheels have the same diameter such that, as the transport carriages is driven, the vertical travel of all the wheels together averages to zero so that the frame moves along a smooth linear horizontal path.