PAINT CART

A paint cart having a base having wheels and a lifting mechanism to hold and raise a bucket of paint thereon off the floor. The paint cart may include a top platform attached to the base for holding tools and other materials and a hydraulic cylinder which prevents the lifting mechanism from lowering too abruptly.

The present invention was not developed with the use of any Federal Funds, but was developed independently by the inventors.

BACKGROUND

Paint carts are useful for receiving and supporting heavy (sixty pounds or more) payloads, such as a bucket of paint for transport.

Accordingly, it would be useful to provide such a paint cart to eliminate the inconvenience and manual labor required to transport large paint buckets

SUMMARY

The invention relates to a preferred embodiment of a paint cart having a base having wheels and a lifting mechanism to hold and raise a bucket of paint thereon off the floor. The paint cart may include a top platform attached to the base for holding tools and other materials.

In one form of the invention the lifting mechanism includes a pair of linkages and a connected bucket lift mechanism. One of the linkages may include a user foot control for raising and lowering the bucket lift mechanism. In one form of the invention the the connected bucket lift mechanism is pivotably attached to a vertical member of the base, the one linkage is pivotally attached to the base, and another linkage is pivotably attached to the one linkage and the first connected bucket lift mechanism.

In another form of the invention, the paint cart may include an hydraulic cylinder which prevents the lifting mechanism from lowering too abruptly. The hydraulic cylinder is pivotably attached to the base and the connected bucket lift mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIGS.1through4there is shown a preferred embodiment of a paint cart10in accordance with the present invention.

The paint cart10is intended to be used to transport 60-pound 5-gallon buckets of paint100underneath the cart. The paint cart is not limited to carrying paint, but may be used to lift and transport any suitably sized bucket containing any material. This avoids the need to lift the paint buckets100for the purpose of transporting.

The paint cart10comprises a base12. A handle14. Extends upwardly from the rear of the base12for facilitating movement of the cart10. Wheels20are provided to permit the cart10to be moveable. A top horizontal planar surface or deck16extends above the base12and is supported by vertical supports18disposed at each corner of the. The deck16is configured to hold paint related tools and materials or other materials thereon.

The paint cart10provides a lifting mechanism30for lifting the payload paint bucket100and will now be described in more detail below. The lifting mechanism30comprises a first lifting member32(FIG.4A), a first linkage member34(FIG.4B), and a second linkage member36(FIG.4C).

As best seen inFIG.4A, the first lifting member32is formed into a U-shape having a transverse member48forming the bight and a pair of legs52that extend therefrom. The first lifting member is sized to accept and hold the bucket100within the space formed by the transverse member48and pair of extending legs52as shown. The first lifting member32is pivotably connected at the ends of the transverse member48to rear vertical supports18of the paint cart10. The legs52have an inwardly inclined face54to facilitate accepting the bucket100between the legs52.

As best seen inFIG.4B, the first linkage member34comprises a transverse member40and a lateral bar42is disposed on each end thereof and extends laterally therefrom. One end of the lateral bar42is pivotably attached to the base12. A manual foot control member38extends from the transverse member40and is designed for a user to cause the lifting mechanism30to raise and lower.

As best seen inFIG.4C, the second linkage member36comprises a transverse bar44and a lateral bar46is disposed on each end thereof. One end of the lateral bar46is pivotably attached to the transverse legs52of the first lifting member32. The other end of each lateral bar46is pivotably attached to the lateral bars42of the first linkage member34at a pivot point.

A pair of hydraulic cylinders40have one end thereof attached to the base12and an other end attached to the first lifting member32and serve as a shock absorber as described below. The hydraulic cylinders serve as dampers that prevent the bucket from crashing to the floor when the lifting mechanism is released abruptly.

In use, a user depresses the manual foot control member38which pivots the first linkage member34rearwardly. The movement of the first linkage member34rearwardly rotates the second linkage member36, raising the first lifting member32upwardly which holds the paint bucket100off the floor so the paint bucket may be moved via the paint cart10. SeeFIGS.3A-3C.

FIG.3Ashows the paint bucket100resting on the floor and the lifting mechanism30is in a lower position. InFIG.3Bthe user depresses the foot control38which rotates the lifting mechanism30upwardly so that the first linkage member34engages the rim of the bucket100. Further depressing the foot control38continues to rotate the lifting mechanism30upwardly so that the first linkage member34lifts the bucket100in an upper position in which the bucket100is lifted off the floor as best seen inFIG.3C. The lifting mechanism30may be locked in this upper position if desired through a locking mechanism60for ease of movement.

To lower the bucket100from the upper to lower position, the user releases pressure on the foot control38which causes the lifting mechanism30to rotate in the opposite direction to lower the bucket. The hydraulic cylinders40prevent the bucket100from lowering the paint bucket too abruptly and prevents it from crashing to the floor and splashing.