Abstract:
A paint pump and cart having a movable carriage to enable tilting of the paint pump secured to the carriage via a pivot mechanism without tilting the remainder of cart. A latching mechanism having a spring biased pin received in one of a pair of apertures provides selective retention of the carriage in an operating or loading position and the latching mechanism is operable to release the carriage to move between the operating and loading positions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/864,306 filed Nov. 3, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In the past, airless paint pumps were often permanently and non-adjustably secured to a cart, for example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , taken from U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,504, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. In order to insert the pump suction tube or inlet conduit  13  into a paint container  25 , the cart or pump support platform  15  was tilted back, the suction tube was positioned over the paint container, and then the cart was tilted forward (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) to place a free end  26  of the suction tube  13  in the paint in container  25 . The resulting operating position is shown in a partially cutaway view in  FIG. 2 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention is an improvement over the prior art and provides a pivoting connection between the pump and the cart, allowing the pump to be moved from a pumping position to a loading position and vice versa, to provide more convenience to a user, in that the cart need not be tilted to put the suction tube into the paint container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art pump mounted on a cart, shown with the cart partially tipped back with respect to the paint container.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view, cutaway to show the suction tube positioned in the paint container for the prior art pump and cart of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a first perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention showing a paint pump mounted to a first version of a cart useful in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a second perspective view of the first embodiment of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a right side elevation view of the paint pump and cart of  FIG. 3  showing the assembly in an operating position.  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is a right side elevation view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , except with the assembly shown in a loading position.  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is a first perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention showing a paint pump mounted to a second version of a cart useful in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is a second perspective view of the second embodiment of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is a right side elevation view of the paint pump and cart of  FIG. 7  showing the assembly in an operating position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 10  is a right side elevation view similar to that of  FIG. 9 , except with the assembly shown in a loading position.  
         [0014]      FIG. 11  is a first perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing a paint pump mounted to a third version of a cart useful in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 12  is a second perspective view of the third embodiment of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 13  is a right side elevation view of the paint pump and cart of  FIG. 11  showing the assembly in an operating position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 14  is a right side elevation view similar to that of  FIG. 13 , except with the assembly shown in a loading position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 15  is a first perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention showing a paint pump mounted to a fourth version of a cart useful in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 16  is a second perspective view of the fourth embodiment of  FIG. 15 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 17  is a right side elevation view of the paint pump and cart of  FIG. 15  showing the assembly in an operating position.  
         [0021]      FIG. 18  is a right side elevation view similar to that of  FIG. 17 , except with the assembly shown in a loading position.  
         [0022]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the paint pump and cart of the present invention showing the assembly in an operating position.  
         [0023]      FIG. 20  is a right side elevation view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 19 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 21  is a left side elevation view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 19 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 19 , with the assembly in a loading position.  
         [0026]      FIG. 23  is a right side elevation view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 22 , also showing the assembly in the loading position.  
         [0027]      FIG. 24  is a rear perspective view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 22 , also showing the assembly in the loading position.  
         [0028]      FIG. 25  is a rear elevation view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 22 , with the assembly in the loading position.  
         [0029]      FIG. 26  is a fragmentary view of a portion of the pump and cart of  FIG. 25 , enlarged to show certain features of the present invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 27  is a front elevation view of the pump and cart of  FIG. 22 , with the assembly in the loading position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 28  is a fragmentary view of a portion of the pump and cart of  FIG. 27 , enlarged to show certain features of the present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 29  is an enlarged assembly view of a latch mechanism useful in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0033]      FIG. 30  is an exploded view of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 29 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 31  is a first perspective view of a housing of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 29 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 32  is a second perspective view of the housing of  FIG. 31 , rotated 90 degrees about a longitudinal axis.  
         [0036]      FIG. 33  is a top plan view of the housing of  FIG. 31 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 34  is a bottom perspective view of a handle of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 32 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 35  is an exploded view of certain parts of the assembly of the present invention to illustrate features of the latching mechanism and a pivoting mechanism.  
         [0039]      FIG. 36  is a fragmentary section view of one side of the pivoting mechanism of the present invention, taken along line XXXVI-XXXVI of  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0040]     Referring now to the Figures, and most particularly to  FIGS. 3-18 , the present invention includes a paint pump  100  mounted to a cart  102 . Pump  100  may be an airless paint spray pump with a suction tube  104 , sized and located to be received in a conventional five gallon paint container such as container  25 , shown in solid in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and outlined in phantom in  FIG. 3 . Although the suction tube  104  in  FIGS. 3-18  is shown in a shortened version, it is to be understood that tube  104  is preferably sized to reach to the bottom of container  25 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0041]     In the practice of the present invention, a latching hinge or pivot mechanism  106  is provided between the pump  100  and the cart  102 . The pump  102  is able to be released by a handle  108  to pivot back to a loading position  110 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 , and mechanically latch at that position to enable the suction tube  104  of the pump  100  to clear the height of a 5-gallon pail  25 .  
         [0042]     The pivot mechanism  106  may mechanically latch in both the loading (up) position  110  and in an operating (down) position  112 , shown respectively in  FIGS. 6 and 5 .  
         [0043]     In order to operate the latching hinge  106 , handle  108  is pulled in a first direction  114  indicated by arrow  116  to release the pump  100  from a latched condition while the pump is in the operating position  112 . The handle  108  is then moved in a second direction  118 , indicated by arrow  120 , to tilt the pump  100  from the operating position  112  to the loading position  110 , after which the handle may be released, allowing the pump  100  to return to a latched condition in the up position  110 . Once the suction tube  104  is positioned with respect to the paint container  25 , the handle  108  may be pulled, unlatching the pump, and then the handle is preferably moved in a direction opposite to that of arrow  120 , to return the pump to the down or operating position  112 , after which the handle may be moved in a direction opposite to arrow  116  to allow the pump to again become latched to the cart in the down or operating position  110 .  
         [0044]     Conventional latching and unlatching mechanisms may be used in the practice of the present invention, if desired.  
         [0045]     Other embodiments are shown in  FIGS. 7-18 , with like parts numbered in correspondence with the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-6 .  
         [0046]     A still further embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 19-36 , with like parts numbered in correspondence with the first embodiment, except incremented by 100.  
         [0047]     Referring now most particularly to  FIGS. 19-21 , a paint pump  200  and cart  202  may be seen. It is to be understood that cart  202  has a base frame  222  supporting a carriage  224  pivotably mounted on the base frame, with the pump  200  mounted on the carriage  224 . Carriage  224  and pump  200  are mounted to frame  222  to pivot about a pivot axis  226 , shown in  FIGS. 19-29  and  35  and  36 . As may be seen most clearly in  FIG. 35 , carriage  224  is preferably U-shaped, although other shapes may be used in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0048]     An assembly  230  of the pump  200  and cart  202  is shown in  FIGS. 19-21  in an operating position  212 , and is shown in  FIGS. 22-28  in a loading position  210 . As with the previously described embodiments, the operating position  212  is the position in which a suction tube  204  is received in a paint container (not shown in  FIGS. 19-21 ) for painting operation. The operating position  212  may also be used to transport or store the assembly  230 , if desired. Similar to the previously described embodiments, the loading position  210  permits the suction tube  204  to be elevated to ease the process of positioning the suction tube  204  over a lip of a paint container (typically a 5 gallon type) and inserting the tube  204  into the paint container (or reversing the process at the completion of painting, when it is desired to withdraw the suction tube  204  from the paint container).  
         [0049]     Referring now to  FIGS. 29-35 , a latch mechanism  232  may be seen. Latch mechanism  232  may include a handle  234  and a latch housing  236 . Handle  234  is preferably secured by a drive pin  238  to a dowel carrier  240  carried in housing  236 . Dowel carrier  240  preferably has a hardened steel dowel  242  pressed into an enlarged end  244  of the carrier  240 . A return spring  246  acts between the dowel carrier  240  and the latch housing  236  to urge the dowel carrier axially in a direction away from the handle  234 . Latch mechanism  232  is preferably mounted to a latch mechanism mounting plate  248 , which is secured, for example by welding, to the base frame  222  of the cart  202 , as may be seen in the various views of this embodiment.  
         [0050]     Referring now most particularly to  FIGS. 31 and 32 , latch housing  236  preferably has a pair of ramps  250 ,  252 . Each of the ramps  250 ,  252  engage one of a pair of walls or fins  254  on the underside of the handle  234 , shown in  FIG. 34 . Each of ramps  250  and  252  has an elevated stop or barrier  256  at an upper end thereof, to limit the rotational travel of handle  234  with respect to housing  236 . As may be seen most clearly from  FIG. 33 , the rotational travel range  258  is about 90 degrees. The handle  234  and the latch mechanism  232  will return to a LATCHED position (aligned with an axis  260 , shown in  FIG. 33 ) when released and the dowel  242  is aligned with one of the two apertures  262  or  264  in a pivot plate  266  (see  FIG. 35 ) because spring  246  will draw handle to that orientation, moving walls  254  along ramps  250  and  252 . The LATCHED position of the latch mechanism  232  can occur with the carriage  224  and pump  200  in either the operating position or in the loading position. The pivot plate  266  and apertures  262  and  264  may be seen in  FIG. 35 , while the location of the pivot plate  266  with respect to the carriage  224  and base frame  222  may be seen in  FIGS. 26, 28 ,  35  and  36 . A user may move the latch mechanism  232  to the UNLATCHED position (where the walls  254  of the handle  234  are aligned with an axis  261  shown in  FIG. 33 ). Once the dowel  242  is moved out of alignment with whichever one of apertures  262  or  264  it was previously received in, the dowel  242  will ride on the flat side of pivot plate  266  in the region between the apertures  262  and  264 , holding the latch mechanism in the UNLATCHED position while the carriage  224  and pump  200  is moved between the operating and loading positions. Once the dowel  242  is aligned with the other of the apertures  262  or  264 , spring  246  will urge the dowel  242  into that other aperture, and the handle  234  will rotate back to the LATCHED position, with the walls  254  driven by the ramps  250  and  252  until the walls  254  of the handle  234  are back in alignment with axis  260  in the housing  236 .  
         [0051]     Referring now most particularly to  FIG. 36 , a section view showing details of a pivot mechanism  270  may be seen. A threaded insert  272  is located in an extension  274  branching off of the U-shaped carriage  224  and receives a shoulder bolt  276  passing through an aperture  278  in a bushing received in the latch mechanism mounting plate  248  (see  FIGS. 35 and 36 ).  
         [0052]     The invention may thus be seen to be a pivoting connection between a paint pump and a cart on which the pump is mounted, with the pivoting connection permitting the pump to be moved between a down or operating position and an up or loading position.  
         [0053]     Optionally, the pivoting connection of the present invention is able to be latched, either manually or automatically, in either of the operating and loading positions. A handle may be included in the practice of the present invention to assist in the latching and unlatching and moving of the pump between the two positions. The handle may be in the form of an elongated member as shown, or other configuration, such as a knob, to permit a user to move the latching mechanism from the LATCHED to the UNLATCHED position.  
         [0054]     In the practice of the present invention with certain embodiments, the handle may be moved in a “PULL” direction to unlatch the pump from the cart. The handle may additionally or alternately be moved in a “TILT” direction to move the pump between the up and down (or down and up) positions. Preferably moving or allowing the handle to retract in a direction opposite to the “PULL” direction will relatch the pump to the cart.  
         [0055]     In the practice of the present invention with the last described embodiment, the latch mechanism may be actuated by rotating the handle from a LATCHED position to an UNLATCHED position, allowing the carriage to be rotated with respect to the base frame. Once the handle is moved to the UNLATCHED position and the carriage (and pump) is slightly rotated or pivoted, the handle may be released, and the latch mechanism will return to the LATCHED position once one of the apertures in the pivot plate aligns with the latch pin.  
         [0056]     The invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof in the above description, as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.