Abstract:
A cart, primarily for holding tools and miscellaneous other items, comprising a base tray on casters for being wheeled about, uprights extending up from the base tray carrying side trays and a removable top tray, and pegboards at opposite sides, components thereof being sized in such manner that, in disassembly, they can be compactly packaged in the base tray.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to carts, more particularly to a cart for holding and organizing tools and miscellaneous other items. 
     The invention is especially concerned with a cart useful in the household for holding tools needed for work around the house and miscellaneous other items such as containers of fasteners (e.g. nails, screws), a can of oil, etc. It is to be understood, however, that the cart is not limited to household use; it may find use in various environments where work requiring tools and items such as mentioned are needed. Thus, among uses other than household use may be mentioned use in professional building maintenance, and use in auto repair shops, research and engineering centers and manufacturing plants. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved cart (which may also be termed a “trolley” or “caddy”) for holding tools and supplies organized and for transport thereof to whatever project where they may be needed; the provision of such a cart which may be configured to meet the user&#39;s specific tool and supply needs; the provision of such a cart with a holder for tools and/or supplies that may be readily taken off the cart for placement in proximity to work being carried out for even more convenience and readily put in place back on the cart; the provision of such a cart made up of components in such manner as to enable it to be supplied in disassembled manner for ultimate assembly, with the components such as to be compactly packaged for handling and shipping; the provision of such a cart the components of which are of relatively economical manufacture and readily assembled; and the provision of such a cart which, with minor alterations if needed, is capable of use for other than the stated tool holding and organizing purpose, such as use as a cleaning cart, as an easel and supplies organizer for artists, etc. 
     In general, a cart of this invention comprises a base which comprises a rectangular tray having a bottom, side walls and end walls with casters on the bottom thereof. Two uprights extend up from the base tray, one at each end wall, each narrower than and generally centered with respect to the respective end wall, the base tray extending out from the uprights on both sides thereof. Two side trays, one on each side of the uprights, extend from one upright to the other, being removably fastened thereto at a level between the lower and upper ends of the uprights. The uprights are formed for fastening the side trays at least at one other level. A top tray is removably mounted in place extending between the upper ends of the uprights. 
     Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of one side of a cart of this invention, the other side appearing much the same; 
     FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of one end of the cart, the other end appearing much the same; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing component parts making up the cart, some parts being omitted; 
     FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  are horizontal sections taken generally on lines  5 — 5 ,  6 — 6  and  7 — 7  of FIG. 1, FIGS. 6 and 7 being enlarged; 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical section generally on line  8 — 8  of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical section generally on line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8, broken away in the middle. 
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings, a cart C of this invention is shown to comprise a base comprising a rectangular tray  1  having a flat bottom  3 , vertical side walls each designated  5  and vertical end walls each designated  7 . This tray may be, e.g., about 25.5 inches long, 21.25 inches wide and 5.0 inches high, being made in one piece of sheet metal, e.g. 18 gauge cold rolled steel. Other parts to be subsequently mentioned are made of the same sheet metal unless otherwise characterized. The cart is adapted to be rolled on two casters  9  on the underside of the bottom of the tray  1  at the two corners of the tray at one end thereof, which may be referred to as the rear end of the tray (and the cart), and two casters  11  on the underside at the two corners at the other end, which may be referred to as its forward or front end. Each of rear casters  9  has a wheel  9 W, which may be steerable but is shown as non-steerable; each of front casters  11  has a steerable wheel  11 W and may have a locking feature  11 L of suitable well-known type. Each caster has the usual head  12  suitably secured, as by being bolted, to the bottom  3  on the underside thereof by bolts as indicated at  12 B in FIG.  5 . 
     Two uprights, each designated  13  in its entirety, extend up from the base tray  1 , one at each end wall  7  of the base tray, each narrower than and generally centered with respect to the respective end wall  7 , the base tray extending out from the uprights on both sides thereof. 
     Two side trays, each designated  15 , are mounted on the uprights  13 , one on each side of the cart, each extending from one upright to the other and removably fastened thereto at a level between the lower and upper ends of the uprights. Each side tray has a flat bottom  17 , inside and outside vertical side walls  19  and  21  and vertical end walls each designated  23 . Each side tray has a width of about 3 inches, for example, (about 0.28 times the width of the base tray  1 ), its outside wall thereby being in a vertical plane spaced inward from the vertical plane of the respective side wall  5  of the base tray, being made in one piece of sheet metal like the base tray. Each side tray  15  is preferably of slightly less length than the base tray  1  so as to be able to be placed therein for the supply of the cart in disassembly in compactly packaged manner, and may be about 3.63 inches high, for example. The uprights  13  are formed, as will be subsequently described, for fastening the side trays at least at one other level. 
     The uprights  13  also have a tray  25  removably mounted in place at the top of the cart on a header  27  extending between the upper ends of the uprights. This top tray has a flat bottom  29 , vertical side walls  31  and vertical end walls  33 , being formed in one piece of sheet metal like the other trays and of a length like the side trays  15  for fitting in the base tray  1 . It may be, for example, about 8.125 inches wide and 1.25 inch high, and provided at the center of the bottom  25  with a handle H. 
     Each upright  13  is of two-piece construction, comprising a lower member  35  extending up from the base tray  1  about half the height of the cart and an upper member  37  extending up from the lower member  35  generally for the remainder of the height of the cart. Each lower upright member  35  is constituted by a sheet metal channel, the web of which is designated  39  and the flanges of  15  which are designated  41 ; similarly each upper upright member  37  is constituted by a sheet metal channel comprising a web  43  and flanges  45 . The web  43  of upper upright member has an inturned upper end  43   a . The channels which constitute the lower and upper upright members  35  and  37  extend up from the base tray I with their open sides inward, the webs  39  of the lower members  35  engaging the insides of the end walls  7  of the base tray  1  and being bolted thereto by bolts  46 . Each of the lower and upper upright channels  35  and  37  is formed in one piece of sheet metal (preferably the same 18 gauge cold rolled steel as the trays) of such length as to fit lengthwise in the base tray. For example, each of members  35  and  37  is 20.75 inches long, member  35  is 3.125 inches wide and member  37  is 3.00 inches wide (to fit within member  35 ), each having one inch wide flanges. Each upper upright member  37  has a lower end portion  47  (e.g., about the lower three inches thereof) fitted in the upper end of the respective lower upright member  35  and removably secured therein by long bolts as indicated at  49 . These bolts also removably secure the side trays  15  in place, and additionally serve to secure a brace  51  extending between the lower ends  47  of the upper upright members  37  holding the spacing of the uprights  13 . 
     The brace  51 , which may also be referred to as a spacer or stretcher, is constituted by a sheet metal channel having a web  53  and flanges  55  (preferably formed in one piece of the same 18 gauge cold rolled steel as previously mentioned) of such length as to fit lengthwise in the base tray  1 . For example, the brace may about 25.25 inches long and about 3 inches wide for its ends to fit within the lower ends of members  37 . Brace  51  is removably secured in place with its web  53  down, and its flanges  55  (which may, for example be 1 inch flanges) extending up. 
     The inside side wall  19  of each side tray, the upper ends of flanges  41  of each lower upright member  35 , the lower ends of each upper upright member  37  are each provided with sets of two bolt holes  57  each (see FIG. 4) and the ends of flanges  55  of the brace  51  are each provided with a single bolt hole  59  (see FIG. 6) for bolts  49 , serving to removably mount the side trays  15  at an uppermost level therefor at the upper end of the lower upright member  35  of the uprights  13 . The flanges  41  of the lower members  35  of the uprights are formed for fastening the side trays  15  at least at one of a number of lower levels, by being provided below the lower of the bolt holes  57  therein additional bolt holes  63  enabling placement of the side trays  15  at any one of said levels if so desired using bolts in addition to those securing together the members  35  and  37  of the uprights  13  and the brace  51 . 
     The header  27  is constituted by a sheet metal channel having a web  65  and flanges  67  (preferably formed in one piece of the same 18 gauge cold rolled steel as other parts above mentioned) of such length as to fit endwise in the base tray  1 . For example, the header may be about 25.25 inches long, about 3 inches wide (i.e. somewhat wider than channels  37 ) with 1.25 inch flanges. It is fitted at its ends on the upper ends of the upper upright members  37 , its web  65  up and its flanges  67  lying on the outside of flanges  45  of members  37  and being removably fastened thereto as by bolts indicated at  69 . At one end of the header  27 , e.g. its rearward end, its web  65  has a tab  71  (see FIGS. 8 and 9) bent up and extending forward for reception in an opening constituted by a slot  73  in the rearward end wall  33  of the top tray  25  centered with respect to said end wall for guidance in placement of the top tray  25  on the header in centered relation. This arrangement is such as to enable the top tray  25  to be moved in rearward direction for reception of the tab  71  in the slot  73  for placement of the top tray on the flat generally horizontal web  65  of the header  27  centered in the lateral aspect with respect thereto, after which the top tray may be held against sliding off center by means of dowel pin  75  entered in registering holes at  77  in the bottom of the top tray, in the web  65  of the header  27 . The pin  75  has a head  79 . 
     Two pegboards each designated  81  are provided, one for each side of the cart, in the space bounded at the sides by the upper members  37  of the uprights  13 , at the bottom by the brace  51  and at the top by the header  27 . Each pegboard is constituted, for example, by a rectangular piece of ¼ inch Masonite having the usual perforations  83  for the usual pegboard hardware for hanging tools etc., measuring for example, 25 by 21 inches so as to fit in the base tray  1  along with other parts for supplying the cart in disassembled or knocked-down condition for the ultimate assembly thereof by the end user. One pegboard is disposed on the inside of those flanges  45  of the upper upright members  37  at one side of the cart and the other is disposed on the inside of those flanges  45  of member  37  at the other side of the cart, being held in engagement with the flanges  45  by means of tabs  85  struck up out of the web  53  of the brace  51  and tabs  87  struck down out of the web  65  of the header  27 . 
     Members indicated in their entirety by the reference numeral  89  each comprising a pair of hooks  91  and a handle  93  are secured as by rivets  95  on the outside of the webs  43  of members  37  adjacent the upper ends thereof. 
     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.