Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a utility cart specifically designed for the support and transport of large planar items. The cart essentially features a platform with a defined perimeter and top and bottom sides. The platform supports a centrally positioned, vertically adjustable post having a cap attached to the distal end of the post for positioning and supporting the planar items being transported. Cart mobility is provided by a plurality of wheels attached to the bottom side of the platform.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention described herein relates to a utility cart designed and constructed to support and transport planar items, and in particular, large planar items that could not, or only with great difficulty, be transported by hand. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The prior art is replete with carts and transport devices described as useful for the transport of large planar items. Typical and perhaps most relevant is the apparatus described by Dromgool et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,258, which issued May 23, 2006. This document describes an apparatus for lifting and moving objects wherein the apparatus includes a mobile base, a telescoping post, an object handling cradle and a cradle adjusting means. In particular, the telescoping post is attached to the mobile base. The post is vertically disposed and height adjustable. The cradle adjusting means is pivotally attached to the top of the post and allows the attached cradle to be rotatable in a horizontal plane. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Notwithstanding the similar purpose and features of the apparatus described by Dromgool et al., and the multitude of others described in the prior art, there remains a need for a relatively simple, inexpensive cart for the support and transport of materials, especially large planar items. The cart described and claimed herein features a platform having a perimeter with top and bottom sides. Attached to and extending perpendicularly from the top surface of the platform is a post, adjustable for height. Attached to the top or distal end of the adjustable post is a cap to provide a pivot point on which large planar items are positioned, balanced and supported. A plurality of wheels attached to the bottom surface of the platform provides mobility for the cart and enables the load, balanced on the cap on the distal end of the post, to be transported. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a slightly elevated perspective view of the disclosed utility cart. 
         FIG. 1A  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of the post isolated in  FIG. 1  depicting a transverse pin securing a predetermined height for the post. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the cart from the bottom. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cart from the bottom with the inner post extended. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view showing all of the elements of the cart. And, 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cart taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The disclosed cart  10  and its features can be fully appreciated by referring to the drawing.  FIG. 1 , a slightly elevated perspective view, is a depiction of all the essential elements of the disclosed cart  10 . In its essence, the cart  10  comprises a wheeled  25  platform  12  supporting a centrally positioned, adjustable post  18  and  20  having a cap  22  for the pivotal support of large planar items. Once supported on the cap  22  of the cart, the planar items can be easily transported by simply grasping the supported item and pushing or pulling in the desired direction. 
     The platform  12  element of the cart  10  has a top side  16 , bottom side  17  and a perimeter  14 . In the current embodiment of the cart, the perimeter is fitted with a form-hugging, bumper  30 , which is preferably resilient to minimize damage to the platform  12  and to articles accidentally encountered while using the cart. 
     Positioned centrally and attached to the platform  12  is the adjustable post  18  and  20 . To facilitate adjustability, post  18  envelopes the inner post  20 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , it is apparent that the outer post features a plurality of height adjustment holes  23 . By referring to  FIG. 1A , it is readily apparent that the height adjustment for posts  18  and  20  is effected by vertically extending inner post  20  to the desired height, aligning the diametric holes  23  in post  18  and inserting height adjustment pin  15  through the aligned holes. The proximal end of inner post  20  can then rest on pin  15  and be free to rotate as needed. The rotation of inner post  20  permits the rotation of attached cap  22 , which, in turn, enhances the maneuverability of the cart  10  and its planar load. The height adjustment pin  15  is secured by inserting a split pin locking means  13  through hole  11  in the distal end of the adjustment pin  15 . The methods and means of height adjustment are conventional and a variety of other methods and means could be employed to effect the same or similar purposes. 
     Currently, the post  18  is secured to the platform  12  by attaching threaded flange  34  to the central top side or surface  16  of the platform  12  with conventional fasteners  35  and mating a threaded proximal end  33  of post  18  with the threaded flange  34 . The exploded view of  FIG. 4  illustrates how the threaded flange  34  is centrally positioned and attached to the top side  16  of the platform  12  with a plurality of conventional fasteners  35 . The threaded proximal end  33  of post  18  encounters and threadably mates with the threaded flange  34  and is thereby secured to the platform  12 . 
     While continuing to refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , it is easy to appreciate the placement and attachment of the wheeled  25  elements of the cart  10 . Clearly, a plurality of wheels  25  is an essential feature of the claimed cart  10 . Currently, the purposes of the cart  10  are best served by attaching conventional wheeled castors  25  to the bottom side  17  of the platform  12 . Preferably, the wheeled castors are equipped with a locking mechanism  26  that prevents or at least discourages any axial rotation. 
     The cap  22  element of the cart  10  is positioned and attached to the distal end of inner post  20 . Cap  22  is essentially a cushioned dome  22  supported by a cap housing  27 , which features a threaded extension  29 . The threaded extension  29  inserts into the inner distal end of inner post  20  and mates with internal threads  28  in the distal end  19  of inner post  20 . This mating and attachment is readily apparent from the cross-sectional view provided by  FIG. 5 . The threading between the threaded extension  29  and internal threads  28  in post  20  not only permit attachment of the cap  22  to inner post  20 , but it also permits fine height adjustment that is simply not afforded by the interaction of the height adjustment pin  15  and the plurality of adjustment holes  23 . 
     Currently, the cart  10  is fabricated from conventional and readily obtained materials. The platform  12  is preferably constructed from a combination of wood, plastic and laminates and the wheels  25 , are purchased from a variety of vendors. The bumper  30  is a treaded tire purchased in diameters to fit the circular perimeter  14  of the platform  12 . The inner and outer posts  20  and  18  are tooled and fabricated from easily purchased steel tubing. 
     The cushioned dome of the cap  22  is preferably resilient and textured to increase the resistance or friction between the cap and the planar item being conveyed. A suede or chamois skin currently works well and can be replaced easily when it becomes worn or smooth and loses its adherent properties. 
     While the foregoing is a detailed and complete description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosed utility cart, it should be apparent that numerous variations and modifications can be made and employed to implement the overall purpose of the disclosed cart without deviating or departing from the spirit of the invention, which is fairly defined by the appended claims.