Serving cart

A serving cart, including a wheel mounted housing, is provided with a serving top having a series of openings therethrough for the selective projection of bottles and the like carried by an internal shelf. The shelf is power driven so as to selectively raise and lower relative to the top. A pair of leaves are hinged to opposite sides of the top and selectively overlie the top or project laterally outward therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention herein is basically concerned with a serving cart. While such 
carts are of course well known and perform a highly desirable function in 
facilitating the transporting of foods, refreshments, and the like from a 
point of preparation or storage to the area in which the goods are to be 
served, the carts heretofore known do have certain deficiencies. 
More particularly, inasmuch as the conventional serving cart will normally 
be moved from room to room, or along hallways and the like, there are 
certain limitations on the width of the cart. This in turn restricts the 
serving area provided thereon. Further, the conventional serving cart, 
having only planar support surfaces including the flat serving top and one 
or more shelves, provides little stable support for bottles and the like 
during movement of the cart from one location to another, particularly if 
the cart is to be rolled any great distance. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention proposes overcoming the above noted deficiencies. 
Accordingly, one significant feature of the present invention is to 
provide a serving cart which is uniquely adapted to receive, stabilize and 
selectively position bottles, containers, and the like in a manner whereby 
no difficulty is encountered in the carrying of such articles on the 
serving cart during the movement of the cart from one area to another. 
In conjunction with the secure retention of articles such as bottles and 
the like, the present invention proposes means whereby such articles can 
be automatically moved from an internal storage position to an exposed 
position for use. 
The above features are basically derived from a power controlled vertically 
shiftable inner shelf which incorporates pockets for the reception of the 
base portions of the various articles whereby a shifting or sliding 
thereof is precluded. In addition, the serving top of the cart is provided 
with openings aligned with the pockets whereby, upon elevating of the 
shelf, the various articles will be projected upward through the serving 
top for ready access thereto. 
The present invention also proposes means for the selective increase of the 
upper work surface of the cart. This is effected by means of a pair of 
side leaves which move from a compact storage position overlying the 
serving top to an extended position generally coplanar with the serving 
top. The leaves, in the extended position thereof, are stabilized by 
underlying sliding support bars. In the stored position, the leaves 
provide a solid support surface coextensive with and overlying the 
apertured serving top.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now specifically to the drawings, the serving cart 10 consists 
basically of a wheel supported base section 12, a serving top 14 
positioned vertically thereabove, and a housing or cabinet 16 extending 
therebetween. 
The housing 16 includes vertically extending supports or legs 18 and both 
side panels 20 and end panels 22. Access to the interior of the cart 
housing, and the storage areas therein, will normally be provided through 
the two end panels by hinge mounted doors 24. 
The base or base section 12 includes a horizontal base panel 26 with side 
and end wall sections 28 and 30 depending respectively from the sides and 
ends thereof so as to constitute support beams. These depending base wall 
sections, as illustrated, can constitute the lower ends of the side and 
end panels 20 and 22. 
The wheel mounts for the cart include front caster steering wheels 32 and 
rear fixed axle enlarged wheels 34. The caster wheels 32 each include a 
yoke 36 which mounts the wheel, and a vertically extending shaft 38 
received through a bushing 40 provided within an overlying cross beams 42. 
Each yoke 36 is preferably of wood with the offset being 1/8 inch 
horizontal to 1 inch vertical and with the wood grain running vertical. 
The cross beam 42 extends between the opposed side wall sections 28 
adjacent the forward end wall 30, and is appropriately mounted and 
positioned by spacer blocks 44 provided adjacent the inner faces of the 
opposed side wall sections 28 and extending vertically between the upper 
surface of the cross beam 42 and the overlying base panel 26. The 
provision of such caster wheels 32 at the front of the serving cart allows 
for a free swinging and steering of the cart. 
The enlarged rear wheels 34 are positioned immediately outward of the 
opposed sides of the base portion of the cart 10 toward the rear thereof. 
Each of these enlarged rear wheels 34 includes a bushing 47 which receives 
a fixed projecting shaft 48 extending through and between a pair of spaced 
blocks 50 affixed to and under the base portion or section 12 of the cart 
10 for rotation of the wheel about the shaft. 
Turning now to the upper portion of the cart 10, it will be noted that the 
serving top 14 is provided with a relatively low upstanding rim 52 
thereabout so as to provide both a finished surface and a retaining means 
for glasses and the like. In addition, a series of various size openings 
54 are provided through the serving top, these openings also being 
surrounded by rims 56 which are primarily for the same purpose as the 
aforementioned rim 52. 
The openings 54 are particularly intended so as to enable the upward 
projection therethrough of articles, primarily bottles, ice buckets, and 
the like. These articles will be carried by an internal, vertically 
adjustable, shelf 58 which can be selectively raised so as to expose the 
articles for use, and selectively lowered so as to position the articles 
in a secure stored position within the housing portion 16 of the cart 10. 
The shelf 58 includes a series of upwardly opening pockets 60 therein which 
correspond in position and general size to the overlying serving top 
openings 54. These pockets are particularly adapted to receive and 
stabilize the lower portions of the articles. In actual construction, the 
shelf 58 is in the nature of a shallow rectangular box having an 
imperforate lower panel 62 and an upper panel 64 with article receiving 
openings 66 therethrough. It is these openings 66, in conjunction with the 
imperforate lower panel 62, which define the article receiving pockets. 
The distance between the lower and upper panels 62 and 64 is such so as to 
provide for a stabilizing reception of the various articles while at the 
same time allowing for a free introduction and removal of the articles as 
desired. As will be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 4 in particular, the 
shelf 58 is rectangular and slightly smaller in overall length and width 
than the overlying serving top 14 so as to enable a reception of the shelf 
58 within the cart housing 16 and the desired vertical movement thereof, 
as well as provide storage areas at each end of the housing. 
In order to stabilize and guide the shelf 58 during the vertical movement 
thereof, as well as when oriented in the raised or lowered positions 
thereof, four vertically extending guide rods 68 are provided. These guide 
rods 68 have the upper and lower ends thereof respectively affixed to the 
undersurface of the serving top and the upper surface of the base panel 
26, with each guide rod 68 passing through one corner portion of the 
support shelf 58. If deemed desirable so as to enable a smooth guiding of 
the shelf 58 along the four corner-positioned guide rods 68, appropriate 
bushings may be utilized. 
The actual vertical shifting of the shelf 58 is to be effected 
automatically using, preferably, a battery powered motor 70 mounted on the 
under surface of the base panel 26. An appropriate speed reducer mechanism 
72 will be associated with the motor and will incorporate an output shaft 
74 for a pulley driving of an elongated control shaft 76. The control 
shaft 76 is also mounted on the lower surface of the base panel by 
appropriate journals 78. 
Affixed to each end portion of the control shaft 76 is a pair of cables 80 
which diverge upwardly through the overlying base panel 26. The diverging 
cables 80 at each end extend vertically immediately outward of the 
corresponding end of the support shelf 58 and pass over a pair of pulleys 
82 affixed to and depending from the undersurface of the serving top 14. 
The cables then extend substantially vertically downward and engage about 
a second pair of pulleys 84 affixed to the corresponding end of the 
support shelf 58. Finally, the cables extend upwardly again and are 
anchored, as at 86, to the undersurface of the serving top 14. In this 
manner, it will be appreciated that as the control shaft 76 is rotated so 
as to wind the cables 80 thereon, the support shelf, with the bottles, ice 
bucket, and the like, will be elevated so as to extend upwardly through 
the serving top. By the same token, upon a reverse rotation of the shaft, 
the cables 80 will unwind therefrom and the support shelf 58, along with 
the articles thereon, will lower by gravity. 
As will be appreciated from the drawings, the pulleys 82 and 84, as well as 
the cable anchor 86 are, in each instance, positioned closely adjacent the 
corresponding vertical guide rods 68, thus facilitating a cooperation 
between the guide rods and the means effecting the actual raising and 
lowering of the shelf 58. 
For ease of operation, it is preferred that the motor be a reversable motor 
with the control switch therefrom located at a readily accessible 
position. As will be appreciated from the drawings, it is contemplated 
that an enlarged control handle 88 be provided for moving and manipulating 
the cart. This handle will be affixed to one end of the cart with the 
control switch for the motor (not shown) preferably being located 
approximately 2 to 3 inches from the corner near the handle on top 14 to 
afford some protection against accidental activation. 
As previously indicated, another important feature of the serving cart 10 
of the present invention is the provision of means for effectively 
enlarging the upper serving surface thereof, particularly at the point of 
service, while at the same time retaining the relatively compact nature of 
the cart for movement thereof through narrow doorways and the like. The 
enlarged serving surface is achieved by the provision of a pair of full 
length leaves 90, one hingedly affixed along each side edge of the serving 
top. These leaves 90, in the stored position, are coplanar and overlie the 
serving top 14 so as to provide a solid support surface for the cart 10 
and at the same time "close" the openings 54. In use, the leaves pivot 
upwardly and outwardly to a position substantially coextensive with the 
serving top to provide a serving area which substantially increases that 
of the basic serving top 14 itself. 
The support of each leaf in its extended position is effected by a support 
bar 92. Each support bar 92 slidably mounts within a box-like track 94 
affixed to the undersurface of the serving top 14 with the corresponding 
side panel 20 of the housing 16 having an opening therein of a size 
sufficient only so as to allow for the extension and the retraction of the 
support bar. 
When fully retracted beneath the serving top 14, both support bars 92 will 
be substantially completely within the laterally confines of the serving 
top and housing. When extended, the support bars 92 will sufficiently 
underlie the respective leaves so as to provide a stable support therefor. 
Incidentally, as will be appreciated, the support bars 92 and tracks 94 
therefor are laterally offset relative to each other whereby both can be 
accommodated beneath the serving top 14. 
Appropriate projections or handles 96 can be provided on each of the 
support bars 92 so as to facilitate the manipulation and positioning 
thereof. With specific reference to the box-like tracks 94, each can be 
provided with a longitudinally extending bottom slot 98 therein having 
closed ends. The associated support bar 92 can, in turn, have a depending 
projection 96 on the inner portion thereof which extends through the 
associated slot 98. In this manner, the projection 96 will act as both a 
guide for a smooth inward and outward sliding of the support bar 92, and 
also as a means for limiting the outward movement of the support bar. A 
similar projection 96 can depend from the outer end of each of the support 
bars so as to constitute the handle means by which the support bar is 
manipulated. 
While not specifically illustrated, the hinge means mounting the leaves can 
be such so as to also allow a selective positioning of the leaves in a 
downward stored position along the opposed sides of the housing. Further, 
while a battery powered motor is preferred, line power might also be used. 
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a highly unique serving 
cart has been defined. This cart incorporates all of the conventional 
desirable features of such carts, including maneuverability, adaptability 
to pass freely through narrow spaces, doorways, hallways, and the like, 
and the provision of a full height serving top. In addition to these 
normally expected features, the serving cart of the present invention 
provides a substantially enlarged serving surface at the upper end 
thereof, means for securely retaining bottles, ice buckets, and similar 
articles or containers during the movement of the cart from one area to 
another, means for effectively storing the various articles within an 
enclosed housing, and means for automatically positioning the bottles, 
containers or the like for use at the point of serving. 
It is to be appreciated that changes and modifications may be made with 
regard to various details of construction without departing from the 
broader concepts of the invention. It is thus intended that such 
modifications and variations fall within the scope of the invention as set 
forth in the following claims.