WHEEL TROLLEY (WIELKARRETJE)

Abstract: Trolley for supporting a vehicle wheel when this is unable to move itself, for example as a result of the fact that it has a flat tyre. A wheel which is driven onto the trolley is only supported at the front and the rear side by plate-shaped parts which are positioned in awedge shape with respect to one another, and as a result rests on it very solidly, so that the vehicle can move without danger. The trolley is designed in such a way that it is suitable for wheels of various sizes. Furthermore it is preferably designed in such a way that it can be folded-up, so that it is handy.

Description: The invention relates to a trolley for supporting a disabled wheel of a vehicle allowing said wheel to be moved without touching the road surface, as mentioned in the preamble of claim 1. Such a wheel trolley is known from FR-A 1 026 722. This prior wheel trolley has some draw-backs. In the first place the wheel supports thereof are adapted to a single tyre size or a very restricted range of sizes. Furthermore the over-all dimensions thereof are rather large so that such a trolley cannot be easily stored in the luggage space of a motor vehicle. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved wheel trolley of this type without these draw-backs, which improved wheel trolley is characterised by the features of the characterising portion of claim 1. The adjustable second support together with the rotatable first support provides an adaptation to a broad range of tyre sizes without needing additional fixing means for the wheel supported by this trolley. Moreover the trolley can be collapsed so that it requires less space for being stored. Favourable embodiments are mentioned in the subclaims. The invention will be explained below in more detail by reference to drawing, showing in: Fig. 1 an embodiment of the trolley according to the invention in perspective; Fig. 2 a topview of the trolley of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a side view of the trolley in a cross-section according to lines B-B (rear side) and A-A (front side) of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and Fig. 5 a representation in perspective of how the trolley can be folded. In Fig. 1, 1 is a drive-on ramp, having side plates 2, on which the trolley rests before a wheel is driven on. Rear wheels 3 supporting this trolley are then free from the ground, and during driving on, the trolley is sufficiently immobilised via the edge 4 of the plates 2 on the underlying surface. In the embodiment shown, the rear wheels 3 are supported by axles 5, fixed to frame parts of the trolley in holes 7 in the frame parts 6. The drive-on ramp 1 is tiltable around an axis coinciding with that of the axles 5 of the wheels 3. If a wheel is driven onto the running surface of the drive-on ramp 1, the latter will begin to tilt as soon as the wheel has arrived above the tilting axis, and this wheel will, then, engage a front supporting plate 8 which is freely tiltable around an axle 18. At its front end, the trolley rests on a wheel 9, which is mounted on an axle 10, which is supported in a fork 20, see Figs. 2 and 3. The supporting plate 8 is equipped with side parts 11, in which notches 12 are provided, which co-operate with a protruding part which protrudes inwards from a frame part 6 of the trolley, cfr. 19 in Fig. 2, and which can be pressed into a notch 12 via a spring part 21, which can be operated by a lip 13. In this way the plate 8 can be locked in the position in which it is forced by the pressure of the wheel which has been driven against it. The frame parts 6 are divided into two portions at 14, and are equipped, there, on their lower sides with hinges 15, pivotable around an axis 16. Said frame portions are interconnected by a transverse element 17. From Fig. 2 it will be seen how, when folding up the trolley around the hinge axis 16, the front wheel 9 arrives behind and between the rear wheels 3. Fig. 3 first shows the situation before a wheel is driven on the trolley; the drive-on ramp is situated in the position shown at 1, and the front supporting plate is in the position shown at 8. When a wheel drives up the drive-on ramp 1, the latter will begin to tilt until the position 1' has been reached. The front end of the wheel brings then, the front supporting plate into position 8', after which it can be fixed via the locking mechanism 12. When the trolley is folded up, the wheel 9 is situated in the position shown at 9', underneath the drive-on ramp 1'. The front supporting plate 8 is, then situated as shown at 8', and the front portion of the frame is situated in the position 6', lying under and against the rear portion thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 show how a particular embodiment of the trolley according to the invention can be folded. This trolley has a drive-on ramp 1 provided with a groove 21. The supporting plate 8 is provided with a central raised part 22, which extends over its entire length, and which can be used at 23 as a handle when folding the trolley up. This folding-up takes place by grasping the supporting plate 8, which can rotate around the axle 18, and folding the frame parts 6 until the situation shown in Fig. 5 has been reached. In doing so the front wheel 9 with its fork 20 is moved into the groove 21 until it is located between the two rear wheels 3. In this manner the trolley is folded to form a handy package which can be easily stored.

Claims: A trolley for supporting a disabled wheel of a vehicle allowing said wheel to be moved without touching the road surface, comprising a frame (6) with parallel side members (2) and a substantially open bottom, two first wheels (3) rotatably supported near an extremity of said frame (6), at least one second wheel (9) rotatably supported near the other extremity of said frame (6), the axles (5, 10) of said wheels being mutually parallel and transversely to the longitudinal axis of said frame (6), a first vehicle wheel support (1) hingedly supported on said frame (6) on the axles (5) of said first wheels (3), a second inclined vehicle wheel support (8) on said frame near said second wheel (9), said first wheel support (1) being rotatable by the weight of a vehicle wheel around its hinge axis between a first position in which it acts as a drive-on ramp for said vehicle wheel, and a second position in which said vehicle wheel is supported between said first and second wheel supports (1, 8) characterized in that the second wheel support (8) is hingedly supported on a transverse axis (18), and is provided with locking means (12, 19) allowing to adjust the inclination of this second support, and in that the side members of said frame (6) are provided with hinges (15) having a common transversal axis (16) allowing to fold said frame, and with stop means (14) defining the operative condition of said frame member (6), this in such a manner that the first and second wheels are being brought closely together so as to substantially reduce the dimension of said trolly for storing the same. The wheel trolley of claim 1, characterized in that the first wheels (3) are mounted on separate axles (5) with a free space between said wheels (3) adapted for accommodating at least a portion of the second wheel or wheels (9) in the collapsed condition of said frame (6). The trolley of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance between said first and second supports (1, 8) is adjustable. The trolley of any one of claims 1..3, characterized in that, in the collapsed condition, the second wheel or wheels (9) is or are partly situated between the first wheels (3), the first wheel support (1) being recessed (21) for accommodating said second wheel or wheels (9) in the collapsed condition. The trolley of any one of claims 1..4, characterized in that the supporting surface of the second support (8) is provided, at its upper side, with a raised portion (23) extending over substantially the length thereof.

Inventors: SMEITINK, JAN
Applicants: QUICKWHEEL HOLDINGS B.V.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B66F7
IPC codes: B66F7, B60P3