Folding table caddie

A caddie for stacking, storing and transporting folding leg tables. The dollies are on casters and are simply constructed with a base and riser member. Locking bars extending from the risers of each dolly engage the edges of the first table to be stacked on the caddie. The dollies fold flat for storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a cart for storing and transporting folding leg 
tables. More particularly, this invention relates to a cart or caddie for 
storing and tranporting folding leg tables which when the caddie is not in 
use, can be disassembled and folded so as to occupy a minimum of space. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Folding leg tables are normally moved and sometimes stored on large four 
wheel carts. The platforms of these carts are substantial in order to 
support and balance a stack of horizontally disposed tables. When the cart 
is not in use, it occupies considerable space. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a mobile table caddie for storage of a 
number of uprightly stacked folding leg tables, and when the caddie is not 
in use, it is folded as to occupy a minimum of space. The caddie includes 
a pair of dollies, each dolly having a rectangular horizontally disposed 
base with narrow ends and longer longitudinal sides. A pair of rollers, 
preferrably in the form of casters, are used to support the base, one 
caster being located at each end of the base. A riser is pivotally mounted 
adjacent to one end of the base, and a stabilizer bar is connected between 
the top portion of the riser and the base, outwardly from the riser so as 
to be at an angle from the vertical. Preferrably, this angle is 
approximately 15.degree. from the vertical. A locking arm is detachably 
connected to the upper end of the riser when the caddie is in its use 
position. Each of the pair of dollies are arranged spaced from each other 
with the longitudinal sides of their bases being parallel to receive the 
tables to be stored. The locking arm on one dolly extends towards the 
locking arm on the other dolly. Each of the locking arms has a hook at its 
free end to engage the edge of first table to be stacked. This first table 
is supported on the bases of the two dollies and rests against the risers 
or stabilizing bars. Once the first table has been supported on the two 
dolly bases and is locked into position by the hooks on the locking arms 
extending from the dollies, the structure is very stable so that the 
additional tables can be easily leaned against the first table to be 
stored in a substantially vertical position. The additional tables 
increase the stability of the caddies. 
In addition to the riser being pivotally connected to the base, the 
stabilizer bar is pivotally connected between the riser and the base with 
one end being detachably connected as by a screw and thumb nut. When it is 
desired to store the caddie, the thumb nut is removed to free one end of 
the stabilizing bar so that the bar and the riser can be pivoted to a 
position where the riser rests on the top of the base. 
In a preferred form of the embodiment, the base includes a number of spaced 
supports for supporting the bottom edges of the tables relative to the 
base. These supports can take the form of wire cleats with their ends 
being engaged in spaced holes on the base for easy assembly and 
disassembly if desired. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a clip is used to temporarily 
engage the free ends of the locking arms to retain the dollies in a 
upright position until the first table is placed on the caddie. 
Another preferred embodiment of the invention involves the use of channel 
members for the base and riser. The flat surface of a channel is faced 
upward to form the rectangular table supporting base with the channel legs 
pointing downward to form the longitudinal sides of the base. Likewise, a 
channel is used for the riser with the channel legs extending over the 
base. Preferably, the locking arms are tubular and are pivotally connected 
to the riser by a horizontally disposed sleeve which accepts one end of 
the locking arm. This permits the locking arm to be pivoted so as to 
engage a hook at the other end of the locking arm with the edge of the 
first table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile table caddie 10 is shown as including a 
pair spaced apart dollies 12 which support a number of folding leg tables 
14 which are stacked on the dollies in a substantially vertical or 
slightly inclined position. The first of these tables to be stacked is 
shown in phantom at 14'. 
Each of the dollies 12 include a horizontally disposed base 16 preferably 
fabricated from a channel shaped member for maximum strength and rigidity. 
The flat surface of the channel faces upward to present the table 
supporting surface 18 with the legs of the channel pointing downward 
constituting the longitudinal sides 20 of the base. A pair of casters 22 
are located adjacent the opposite ends 24 of the base to support the base 
for rolling movement. 
Edge supports 26 are used to support the bottom edge of tables. These 
supports 26 are shown as having been formed as a wire cleat having legs 28 
which are inserted into aligned holes 30 in the table supporting surface 
18 of base 16. 
A vertical riser 32 is constructed from a channel shaped member with the 
channel legs 34 extending over the table supporting surface 18 and the 
flat surface 36 of the channel facing rearwardly. Riser 32 is pivotally 
mounted to the base 16 by angle brackets 38 which are permanently fixed to 
the riser channel legs 34 and pivotally mounted to the longitudinal 
channel leg sides 20 of base 16 by a pin or pins 40. 
The stabilizer bar 42 joins the base 16 and the riser 32 to hold the riser 
in its vertical position. Preferably the stabilizer bar is pivotally 
connected at one end and detachably connected at its other end. Also 
preferrably, the bar is pivotally connected adjacent the top of the riser 
by a pin 44 passing through the riser channel leg 34. The connection of 
the other end to the base is made outwardly from the riser a distance so 
that the angle of the stabilizer bar is approximately 15.degree. from the 
vertical. This provides an optimum angle for stacking the tables. This 
connection to the base 16 is made through the longitudinal base side 20 by 
a stud 46 and wing nut 48. The bar 42 is provided with an aperture 50 
through which the stud 46 projects. The aperture 50 can also be replaced 
by a slot into which the stud 46 is slid for assembly. By providing the 
pivotal connection 44 to the riser, the bar 42 can be pivoted at the same 
time the riser is pivoted to the storage position shown in FIG. 3. 
A locking bar 52 having a hook 54 at one end is secured to the flat face 36 
of riser channel 32 by sleeve or cylindrical bearing member 56. The 
stabilizer bar 52 is tubular so that its free end 58 can be inserted into 
the sleeve 56 for rotational movement in order to swing the hook 54 over 
the inside edge of a table as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Both the sleeve and 
the stabilizer bar can be provided with holes 60 through which a pin, such 
as a common ten pennyweight nail can be inserted to lock the bar in its 
engaged position with the first table. 
The caddie is assembled by pivoting the riser 32 into its vertical position 
and maintaining it in this position by pivoting the stabilizer bar 42 into 
position with its aperture 50 slid over the stud 46 on the base 16. The 
thumb nut 48 is threaded on to secure the stabilizer bar. When both of the 
dollies have been upfolded and assembled in this fashion with their bases 
spaced apart and parallel to each other, the locking bars are inserted 
into their respective sleeves so that the locking bars face each other as 
shown in FIG. 1. A table can then be rested on the bases and the riser so 
that the locking bars can be pivoted to engage the hooks 54 with the edge 
of the table. Once this first table has been put into place, the dollies 
will remain stable for stacking the balance of the tables to be stored as 
shown in FIG. 4. As an aid to stacking the first table a clip 62 can be 
snapped over the locking bars 52 to maintain the two dollies in their 
erect position. Clip 62 includes a rod 64 with spring clip members 66 
which spring apart to engage the straight tubular portion of the locking 
bars 52 as shown in FIG. 1. 
Many modifications of the forgoing caddie concept can be made without 
departing from the spirit of the invention. Typically, for example, the 
stabilizing bars 42 can be padded and the first table stacked so as to lie 
against the stabilizing bars rather than against the top of the riser. The 
risers, bases, stabilizing bars and locking bars can all be made from 
aluminum or from a reinforced fiberglass plastic composition which is 
readily available. In some instances, the channels and bars can be made 
from stamped or extruded steel.