Heavy equipment moving dolly

A dolly with a U-shaped frame which is adjustable both in length and width, has a pair of wheels and a pair of brackets on the ends of the U-shaped frame. A heavy object to be moved includes two transverse members extending between opposite legs. At least one of the transverse members has retractable arms. The heavy object is first lifted at one end by the brackets beneath one transverse member then the retractable arms are extended and the other end of the heavy object is lifted onto the pair of wheels. A removable set of auxiliary wheels assists in transporting the object to a new location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to dollys for moving heavy equipment, and 
more particularly to an improved dolly adapted to engage and lift heavy 
equipment with a minimum of effort and having provisions for transporting 
and relocating such equipment. 
It is often necessary to relocate heavy equipment, such as a piece of heavy 
machinery supported on a supporting structure, such as a workbench or 
table. This is particularly important in a confined work space area where 
several such items of heavy equipment are located, each usually of 
different longitudinal and transverse dimensions, shapes, sizes and 
weights. The usual procedure to relocate such equipment requires several 
people to lift the equipment onto a wheeled dolly, push it to its new 
location while holding it in place, and then to lift if off the dolly. It 
would be desirable to arrange the dolly so that it could be manipulated 
and operated by only a single operator who could hoist the equipment from 
the floor, transport it to a new location and then lower it to the floor 
again. 
Several arrangements have been suggested in the prior art for assisting an 
operator to lift and transport bulky heavy objects. For example, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,735,424 issued Apr. 5, 1988 to Stelter shows a U-shaped cart which 
is wheeled to the object so that the legs of the frame pass beneath the 
object with the frame lying flat on the floor. Then the object is lifted 
all at once with the frame rising in a horizontal position. This device 
requires the total weight of the object to be lifted all at one time, 
using leverage provided by the frame and wheel brackets. 
Other devices have been shown to reduce the effort of lifting a load to be 
transported by accomplishing lifting in two stages, so that one operator 
can handle the job. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,019,256 issued Oct. 29, 
1935 to Dutton, a mill roll is hoisted onto a two wheel transport dolly by 
first engaging a spindle on the far end of the roll with a permanent strap 
and tilting one end of the roll upward with the handle, and then engaging 
a spindle on the other end of the roll with a chain and hoisting that end 
of the load with the handle. This device is designed only to service mill 
rolls with spindles at each end. 
Another arrangement employing a U-shaped frame with two wheels which hoist 
the object to be lifted in two stages is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,802,809 
issued Apr. 28, 1931 to Funk. This device employs a special carrier cam 
which engages two transverse permanent projections on each of the opposed 
sides of the load. Since the device is not adjustable and requires 
predetermined locations of the transverse permanent projections, it is not 
adaptable to transport heavy objects a variety of shapes and sizes. 
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved 
dolly for lifting and transporting heavy objects which can be operated by 
a single individual. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dolly 
which lifts an object to be transported in two stages, so that a single 
operator can lift the object. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved two-wheeled 
dolly for lifting heavy objects onto the dolly, and then providing 
additional auxiliary wheels so that the object can be moved to a new 
location by a single operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly stated the invention is practiced by providing apparatus for moving 
heavy equipment disposed on a substantially rectangular supporting 
structure having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, said 
apparatus comprising first transverse support means adapted for attachment 
to one end of the supporting structure and having a pair of first support 
arms extending transversely beyond the transverse dimension of the 
supporting structure, second transverse support means adapted for 
attachment to the other end of the supporting structure and having a pair 
of second support arms arranged to be selectively extended beyond the 
transverse dimension of the supporting structure, a dolly having a 
substantially U-shaped frame with an internal length and an internal 
width, the frame comprising a pair of longitudinal beams each having first 
and second ends, and a cross member extending between the first ends of 
the longitudinal beams, the longitudinal beams and the cross member having 
means for adjusting the internal length and the internal width of the 
frame over ranges which include said respective longitudinal and 
transverse dimensions of the supporting structure, a pair of wheels, each 
rotatably mounted on a respective one of the longitudinal beams toward the 
second end thereof, a pair of receiving brackets disposed on the 
respective second ends of the longitudinal beams and dimensioned and 
arranged to receive the first transverse support arms when the second ends 
of the longitudinal beams are first tilted below a horizontal plane and 
positioned beneath the first transverse support arms, the receiving 
brackets being so located and dimensioned as to allow an operator to 
elevate one end of the supporting structure using the wheels as a fulcrum 
when the first ends of the longitudinal beams are lowered below a 
horizontal plane, said selectively extendable second support arms arranged 
to be supported on the first ends of the longitudinal beams when the beams 
are returned to a horizontal plane. 
In its preferred embodiment, a set of auxiliary wheels and a handle may be 
added to facilitate transporting the heavy object. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a dolly shown generally at 1 
includes a U-shaped frame 2 having a variable internal length 1 and a 
variable internal width w. The frame comprises a pair of longitudinal 
beams 3, 4 and a cross member 5 extending between ends of the beams 3, 4 
and rigidly attached thereto. Beams 3, 4 and cross member 5 are heavy duty 
channel, I-beam or tubular construction. Beam 3 is constructed of two 
telescoping members 3a, 3b with clamping bolts 6 so as to adjust the 
length 1 of the frame. Similarly, beam 4 consists of two telescoping 
members 4a, 4b with clamping bolts 7. 
Cross member 5 consists of two larger sections 5a, 5b receiving a smaller 
member 5c of less cross-section, which is received within the ends of both 
sections 5a, 5b and clamped thereto by means of bolts 8, 9 so as to adjust 
the width w of frame 2. A pair of wheels 10 and 11 are mounted on 
longitudinal beams 3, 4 by means of axles 12, 13 and brackets 14, 15. In 
order to provide the proper leverage, the wheels 10, 11 are mounted toward 
the end of the U-shaped frame opposite the end having cross member 5. 
Disposed on the ends of longitudinal beams 3, 4 are a pair of receiving 
brackets 16, 17, which have upwardly directed semi-cylindrical 
receptacles. 
A pair of L-shaped handle members 18, 19 are adapted for attachment to the 
frame 2 by insertion into sockets 20, 21 arranged at the corners of the 
frame, and being provided with suitable pins (not shown) to permit 
swiveling in the sockets. Many conventional attachments are suitable and 
not relevant to the present invention. Handles 18, 19, therefore can be 
used to manipulate the loaded dolly. 
In order to further assist the movement and manipulation of the loaded 
dolly, a set of removable auxiliary wheels are shown generally by 
reference number 22. The set of wheels 22 is shown in greater detail in 
the cross section of FIG. 3a to comprise a channel-shaped support piece 23 
hinged to an L-shaped wheel support 24. A pair of wheels 25 are rotatably 
mounted on the end of wheel support 24. Channel 23 is adapted to fit over 
the top of the cross member portion 5c as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 
3a. The wheel support member 24 and wheels 25 are shown in the stored 
position. After the object is loaded, the wheel support 24 and wheels 25 
are pivoted into transporting position shown in FIG. 3. Because of the 
location of the angle bracket placing the wheel beneath the frame, the 
weight of the frame prevents wheels 25 from becoming disengaged, as should 
be apparent from the drawing. 
Referring again to FIG. 2 of the drawing, the load to be lifted is depicted 
as a four legged work table with a length L and a width W. The dolly frame 
2 is arranged to be adjustable over ranges of its variable internal length 
1 and its variable internal width w which include the longitudinal 
dimension L and a longitudinal width W of the object to be transported. 
The object to be lifted, includes a first transverse support bar indicated 
by reference numeral 26 attached to the support structure and having a 
pair of support arms 26a and 26b extending beyond the transverse dimension 
W of the supporting structure. A second transverse support member 27 is 
attached to the opposite end of the supporting structure. Member 27 
includes a pair of support arms 27a, 27b which are arranged to be 
selectively extended beyond the transverse dimension W of the supporting 
structure, or retracted to lie within dimension W. In FIG. 1, the support 
arms 27a, 27b are shown in a retracted or non-extended position. In FIG. 
2, arms 27a, 27b are shown in an extended position. 
Referring to FIG. 7 of the drawing, a perspective view is shown of a work 
table 28 having four legs 29, 30, 31, 32. The first transverse member 
comprises a bridging member such as a rod 33 permanently attached to legs 
30, 31 by brackets such as 34. The ends of transverse rod 33 extend beyond 
the width of the table 28. The second transverse member comprises a tube 
35 serving as a bridging member extending between legs 29, 32 and is 
attached by brackets 36. Tube 35 houses extendable support arms 37, 38 
which are rods sliding within the tube 35. Pins, such as 39, attached to 
the rods are moveable within slots in tube 35 to enable selective movement 
of the rods 37, 38 to either extend or retract them. 
OPERATION 
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing the operation is clearly 
shown. The frame 2 is first adjusted to conform in internal width and 
length to the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the heavy 
equipment supporting structure. The extendable support arms 27a, 27b of 
the transverse support member 27 are retracted. Next the frame 2 is rolled 
on the wheels, one of which is seen at 11 to envelop the supporting 
structure. Frame 2 is positioned so that the two receiving brackets, one 
of which is seen at 17, are located beneath the two support arms of 
transverse member 26. This is accomplished by tilting the frame 2 as shown 
in FIG. 4. 
Next referring to FIG. 5, the frame 2 is tilted in the opposite direction, 
and weight placed on the end of frame 2, so that beams 3 and 4 act as a 
lever with the wheel acting as a fulcrum to raise one end of the 
supporting structure off the floor or ground. Because of the length of the 
lever arm, this is easily accomplished by one operator. Next the 
extendable support arms 27a, 27b of the transverse member 27 are extended, 
and the frame 2 is lifted to a horizontal plane by handle 19. Before 
reaching the horizontal position beams 3 and 4 intercept the arms 27a, 27b 
of transverse member 27, and lift the other legs of the supporting 
structure off the floor or ground. 
If the load is not too heavy, it can be transported in this manner as shown 
in FIG. 6, by maintaining upward force on the handles. On the other hand 
for extremely heavy loads and moving the object for a greater distance, 
the set of auxiliary wheels 22 may be added as shown in FIG. 2a and 
positioned as shown in FIG. 3. In this position the dolly is more stable 
and may be used to roll the object to a new location without requiring any 
lifting force by the operator. 
MODIFICATION 
FIG. 8 illustrates a modified form of the invention. In this case, a pair 
of longitudinal members 40, 41 and a pair of L-shaped members 42, 43 
together comprise the longitudinal beams and the cross member for a 
U-shaped frame shown generally as 44. L-shaped member 43 receives the end 
of longitudinal member 41 in a telescoped connection which is adjustable 
by means of pin 46. L-shaped member 43 also receives one end of L-shaped 
member 42 in a telescoped connection with width selected by a pin 47. 
Lastly, L-shaped member 42 receives one end of longitudinal member 40 in a 
telescoped connection with the length selected by pin 48. By means of pins 
46, 47 and 48, the length and width of frame 44 can be adjusted in a 
manner similar to frame 2 previously described. Wheels 49, 50 are further 
caused to be adjustable along the longitudinal members 40, 41 respectively 
by means of slidable channels 51, 52 with locking thumb screws 53, 54. 
Receiving brackets 55, 56 are mounted on the ends of longitudinal members 
40, 41 similarly to those previously described. 
Lastly, each of the L-shaped members 42, 43 is adapted to receive a handle 
by means of sockets indicated at 57, 58. 
Adjustability of the wheels 49, 50 along the length of the longitudinal 
beams is useful where the load is not symmetrically disposed on the object 
to be lifted. This allows the lifting of the load in two stages to be 
equally distributed in terms of effort required by the operator. 
While the terms length, width, longitudinal, and transverse have been used 
to refer to the supporting structure and the frame of the dolly, these are 
obviously convenient terms descriptive of most arrangements and are not 
intended to limit the scope of the claims. 
While there has been described what is considered to be the preferred 
embodiment of the invention, other modifications will occur to those 
skilled in the art, and it is desired to secure in the appended claims all 
such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the 
invention.