Handcart for banquet tables

A handcart for banquet tables and the like. The handcart has a main support shaft supported on wheels with a handle portion at one end and a transverse cradle like member at the opposite end engageable with a cross leg brace of the table. The handcart may be operated to lift one end of the table with the handcart cradle and then support the table by a collapsible rigid table brace supported by the shaft between the handle portion and the handcart wheels. The table completely supported and balanced upon the handcart may then be moved with all legs off the ground by grasping the end of the table near the handle portion and moving it like a wheelbarrow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In the past the movement of banquet tables has necessitated a substantial 
amount of labor and time. Banquet tables of the popular type in widespread 
use have a long rather narrow table surface supported at each end by a 
pair of legs having a horizontal cross brace near the bottom. Such legs 
are usually collapsible and are adapted to be easily broken down after use 
and stored as desired or moved to different areas. 
Conventionally after use in a banquet such banquet tables are either 
collapsed and moved to a storage area or may be moved by two workers who 
must each support an end of the table and move it to the desired area. 
Either of the above operations require a substantial amount of time and 
effort. It will be readily appreciated that banquethalls, restaurants, 
clubs and the like that must set up, break up or otherwise change the 
banquet table arrangements periodically entail a great amount of time and 
labor in the aforementioned operations. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
By means of the instant invention a wheeled handcart specifically 
designated for use with banquet tables and other tables of similar 
structure has been devised. The banquet table makes it possible for one 
man to place the handcart under the cross brace of a pair of legs at one 
end of the table and support the underside of the table upon a table 
support of the cart. With the table so supported, the worker than simply 
grasps the other end of the table and moves the table to any desired area. 
In the aforementioned operation the worker may stack folding banquet chairs 
upon the table or any other type of load. This greatly facilitates the set 
up and break down of a banquet or the like as one man can efficiently set 
up or clear the table and chair arrangement with a minimum of time and 
labor. 
The handcart is of simple construction which may be easily manufactured to 
provide a stable yet inexpensive structure. It is comprised of a long 
tubular shaft having a handle portion at one end and a table leg engaging 
portion at the other end which is adapted to bear under and support the 
horizontal cross brace of the end legs at one end of the table. 
In order to provide for wheeled movement a pair of wheels are connected to 
the shaft and are supported thereunder at an intermediate portion. A rigid 
table support brace is connected to the top portion of the shaft between 
the handle portion and the wheels. The table support brace is pivotally 
connected to the shaft in order that it may collapse along the shaft when 
not in use. 
The table support is adapted to be raised when the handcart is wheeled 
under the table with the leg brace engaging portion supporting the leg 
brace and slightly lifted. When so raised, it is positioned to bear 
against the underside of the table and may be held in this position by a 
lock member. 
In the table supported position with one end of the table lifted slightly 
off the floor the table is in fully supported position by the handcart. 
The worker may then simply grasp the unsupported end of the table and lift 
it slightly off the floor in such a manner that the legs at both ends of 
the table are off the floor and the table is fully supported upon the 
wheels of the handcart. 
In the fully supported position the worker may move the table, much as a 
wheelbarrow is moved, and can maneuver the table to any desired area. The 
table may be loaded with chairs or other articles which may be employed in 
the banquet arrangement to facilitate greatly the setting up or 
dismantling of the banquethall arrangement. 
The handcart may be simply employed by a worker to support the table and 
remove the handcart after the desired use in a matter of seconds. The 
operation is rugged and efficient and can be effected without any special 
technique or training to present an adaptability for use in any type of 
situation where required to realize saving of time and labor. 
The above features are objects of this invention. Further objects will 
appear in the detailed description of the invention which follows and will 
be otherwise apparent to those skilled in the art. 
For the purpose of illustration of this invention there is shown in the 
accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment. It is to be understood that 
this is for the purpose of example only and that the invention is not 
limited thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The handcart of this invention is generally indentified by the reference 
numeral 10 in the drawing. The handcart is specifically designed for use 
with a banquet table or the like 12 which is of conventional structure as 
shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. 
The banquet table has a table surface 14 and first and second ends 16 and 
18 respectively. A pair of folding legs 20 and 22 are supported at each 
end by hinges 24 and 26. The leg pairs are identical in construction and 
are each comprised of legs 28 and 30 connected by a horizontal or 
transverse brace 32 at a point spaced above the bottom of the legs and at 
a short distance above the ground. This cross brace provides a convenient 
support for the handcart in the table lifting or jacking operation as will 
more fully appear hereinbelow. 
This handcart is comprised of a rigid elongated shaft 34 which may be of 
tubular steel for rigidity and strength or of other conventional material 
of construction. The shaft has a handle portion 36 at one end and a 
transverse table leg brace engaging or lift member 38 at the opposite end. 
The leg brace engaging member is conveniently of L-shaped angle iron 
construction to serve as a cradle for the leg brace. 
In order to provide for stability in supporting the table leg brace a pair 
of upstanding stops 40 and 42 are welded to the front of the transverse 
leg brace engaging lift 38 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
In order to support the handcart 10 for wheeled movement, wheels 44 and 46 
are provided. The wheels are supported underneath the shaft to provide a 
powerful lifting moment to lift the table. The wheels are journalled in 
vertical support extensions 48 and 50 which are welded to a transverse 
wheel support rod 52 which in turn is welded to the handcart shaft at an 
intermediate portion. 
In order to support the underside 54 of the table a table engaging support 
rod or brace 56 is provided as best shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5. The rod is 
pivotally connected by pivot 58 to the handcart shaft between the wheels 
and the handle portion to provide support for the table on the opposite 
sides of the wheels. 
A table engaging pad 60 is connected to the top of the table brace to 
provide a stable support to distribute the load from the weight of the 
table and any objects placed upon it in the way of cargo. The table pad 
may be made of wood or other material to prevent damage to the underside 
of the table and where desired a soft or resilient cover may be placed on 
top of the pad. 
The table engaging brace is collapsible to a position of rest along the 
side of the handcart shaft. In the erect position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, 
a sleeve lock 62 comprised of a tubular sleeve is employed to lock the 
table brace 56 in vertical locked position. This sleeve which may be 
elliptical in cross-section fits over an upstanding support lug 64 
connected to the handcart shaft and pivot pin 58 which pivotably connects 
the table engaging brace to the support lug. The sleeve lock rides loosely 
on the handcart shaft in the table brace collapsible position shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2 and may be simply engaged and disengaged between the lock 
and unlock positions. 
USE 
The handcart is very simply employed in use. The banquet table to be moved 
may first be loaded with chairs to be cleared from the area or in the case 
of initial set up may be moved to the area as desired. It will be 
understood that other types of load may also be placed upon the table to 
provide a wide adaptability in moving capability. 
To engage the banquet table the handcart in the table brace collapsed 
position is moved by grasping the handle portion from one side of the 
table 12 between the ends 16 and 18. The handcart is then turned and moved 
as shown in FIG. 5 toward the table end 16. The workman by manipulating 
the handle portion of the handcart then turns the handcart toward the 
table end 16. The transverse angle iron cradle 38 is moved under the table 
leg cross brace 32 by raising the handle portion of the handcart. 
With the cross brace cradled and retained by the stops 40 and 42 the handle 
portion of the handcart is lowered to raise the cradle 38 causing the 
table end 16 to be raised or picked up from the floor. In this position 
with the table end still supported upon the floor the table engaging brace 
56 is moved to the vertical table supporting position shown in FIG. 5. In 
this position the table engaging pad 60 is moved into engagement with the 
under table surface 54. The brace is then locked in position by moving the 
sleeve lock over the pivot 58 and support lug. 
In the table supportive position as described, the table is completely 
supported between the table brace and the leg cradle on either side of the 
wheels and is well balanced. The workman may then simply lift the table 
end 18 to move both ends of the table off the floor as shown in FIG. 5 
where the bottom of the opposite end leg pairs are off the floor. The 
workman then moves the table by grasping the table end 18 and moving it on 
the handcart to any desired area. The movement is carried out much in the 
fashion of a wheelbarrow. 
After the table has been moved as desired the handcart is simply disengaged 
by resting the table end upon the floor. The table brace is simply 
disengaged by maintaining pressure on the handle portion and disengaging 
the sleeve lock by simply raising it and moving the brace clockwise as 
shown in FIG. 5 to the collapsed position shown in FIG. 1. The table end 
20 is then lowered by slowly relieving the pressure on the handle portion 
until the leg pair 20 is supported on the floor. The handle portion is 
then further elevated to disengage the leg brace cradle 38 from the leg 
brace and the handcart is pulled out from underneath the table to complete 
the operation. 
The handcart in the collapsed condition may be simply stored. The 
collapsible leg brace since it lies parallel to the handcart shaft 
provides a low silhouette and is easily storable. 
The handcart may be used for banquet tables or other tables of similar 
construction having a transverse leg brace and it will be appreciated that 
when speaking of banquet tables, other such tables may be used. Also, it 
will be understood that although banquet tables are predominantly of 
standard height and leg pair and leg brace construction and dimension the 
handcart may be employed for different sizes and where necessary the 
length of the cross brace and the vertical wheel support length may be 
varied or adjusted such as by telescopic adjustment or the like. 
Various changes and modifications may be made in this invention as will be 
obvious to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifcations are 
within the scope and teaching of the invention as defined by the claims 
appended hereto.