Abstract:
A spring biased wheel lifting dolly for raising or lowering wheels for mounting/un-mounting from vehicle. The spring biased wheel lifting dolly includes a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels for mobility. The carriage supports a mast containing a compression coil spring within. A tiltable boom is attached to the mast by a slidable collar. The boom may be raised or lowered along the mast. The boom includes two or more tire supporting arms to support or guide the tire. A shaft is inserted into the mast in a telescoping manner, which compresses the spring contained therein. A chain or beaded cable may be attached at one end to one or more gradient points on the shaft. The other end may be attached to the boom collar. Once attached, the spring bias provided by the coil spring can act to assist a user to lift the tire and supporting boom to the level desired.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wheel lifting dollies and more particularly pertains to a new spring biased wheel lifting a dolly for raising or lowering wheels for mounting/un-mounting from vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of wheel lifting dollies is known in the prior art. More specifically, wheel lifting dollies heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art, which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,027, which teaches a dolly comprising a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels and a crossbar with tire supporting arms that is raised and lowered through the agency of a hydraulic jack. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,597 teaches a dolly comprising a “U” shaped carriage set with three wheels supporting a pair of rails to which a crossbar assembly is attached . The crossbar assembly includes tire supporting arms. The assembly can be raised and lowered through the agency of a hydraulic jack and a telescoping screw support. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,306 teaches a dolly comprising a “U” shaped carriage set with casters. The carriage supports a longitudinally disposed tiltable frame for supporting the tires that is raised and lowered through the agency of a hydraulic jack. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,487 teaches a dolly comprising a “U” shaped carriage set with rollers that can raise and lower a tire by using the entire assembly as a lever arm. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,438 teaches a dolly comprising a dual wheelbarrow like carriage that can raise and lower a tire by using the entire assembly as a lever arm. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,246 teaches the ornamental design of a tire lifting dolly incorporating a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels supporting two masts. The masts carry a crossbar with tire supporting arms that is raised and lowered through the agency of a foot-actuated jack. The patent does not teach the use of a spring bias as a lifting or lowering mechanism. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly. The inventive device includes a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels for mobility. The carriage supports a mast containing a compression coil spring A tiltable boom is attached to the mast by a slidable collar. The boom may be raised or lowered along the mast. The boom includes two or more tire supporting arms to support or guide the tire. A shaft is inserted into the mast in a telescoping manner, which compresses the spring contained therein. A chain or beaded cable may be attached at one end to one or more gradient points on the shaft. The other end may be attached to the boom collar. Once attached, the spring bias provided by the coil spring can act to assist a user to lift the tire and supporting boom to the level desired. 
     In these respects, the spring biased wheel lifting dolly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of raising or lowering wheels for mounting/un-mounting from vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of wheel lifting dollies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly construction wherein the same can be utilized for raising or lowering wheels for mounting/un-mounting from vehicle. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the wheel lifting dollies mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art wheel lifting dollies, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels for mobility. The carriage supports a mast containing a compression coil spring within. A tiltable boom is attached to the mast by a slidable collar. The boom may be raised or lowered along the mast. The boom includes two or more tire supporting arms to support or guide the tire. A shaft is inserted into the mast in a telescoping manner, which compresses the spring contained therein. A chain or beaded cable may be attached at one end to one or more gradient points on the shaft. The other end may be attached to the boom collar. Once attached, the spring bias provided by the coil spring can act to assist a user to lift the tire and supporting boom to the level desired. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the wheel lifting dollies mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art wheel lifting dollies, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such spring biased wheel lifting dolly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly for raising or lowering wheels for mounting/un-mounting from vehicle. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly, which includes a “U” shaped carriage set with wheels for mobility. The carriage supports a mast containing a compression coil spring within. A tiltable boom is attached to the mast by a slidable collar. The boom may be raised or lowered along the mast. The boom includes two or more tire supporting arms to support or guide the tire. A shaft is inserted into the mast in a telescoping manner, which compresses the spring contained therein. A chain or beaded cable may be attached at one end to one or more gradient points on the shaft. The other end may be attached to the boom collar. Once attached, the spring bias provided by the coil spring can act to assist a user to lift the tire and supporting boom to the level desired. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly that includes a method to support the tire that does not rely on a mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic jack. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly that has a scarcity of moving parts. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly according to the present invention. The tire is shown in dotted lines 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention. The tire is shown in dotted lines, as is the position of the boom in a tilted attitude. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the present invention showing the lifting mechanism. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a new spring biased wheel lifting dolly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the spring biased wheel lifting dolly  10  generally may comprise a “U” or “H” shaped carriage  20  which may include three structural members, such as a pair of rails  22  and a cross piece  26 . The cross piece  26  may connect the two rails  22  set parallel to one another other at relatively equal lengths either at or near one end of the rails  22 . If connected at the end, the configuration would generally form a “U” shape. If connected near one end, the configuration would generally form an “H” shape. Wheels  24  may be mounted near or at the ends of the rails  22 . The illustrations depict a simple wheel  24  attached by an axle fixed to the side of the rail  22 , though the invention is not so limited. For example, the wheel  24  may comprise rollers, casters, treads, etc. without departing from the invention. The arrangement of the wheels  24 , and the structural members (such as rails  22  or cross pieces) may comprise a wheeled platform generally referred to in the art as a dolly or carriage  20 . 
     The carriage supports a spar assembly  30  which may comprise a base mast  32 , and upper shaft  36 , a compression spring  34 , and a number of anchor holes  40 . The mast  32  is fixed to the carriage  20 . The carriage may comprise a rigid conduit for bearing the weight the shaft  36 , boom assembly  50 , and tire  12 . The rigid conduit may also act as a guide for the boom assembly  50 . A compression spring  34  may be positioned inside the bottom of the mast  32 . The compression  34  spring may provide a spring bias to assist in maneuvering the tire to a desired position. The spring demonstrated in FIG. 3 is a coil spring with space between the coils so that it can be compressed to a fraction of its&#39; length at rest. The radius of the compression spring  34  is less than the inside radius of the mast  32  so that it can fit inside. The shaft  36  may also be designed to fit in the interior of the mast  32 . The shaft  36  may fit in a manner of nesting in the mast  32  so that the two would be able to slide with respect to each other in a telescoping manner. The shaft  36  may sit atop the compression spring  34  so that the weight of the shaft  36  and anything that may be attached to it bears upon the compression spring  34 . The shape of the cross section of the mast  32  and/or shaft may be circular forming a cylindrical shape, or optionally have a square or rectangular shape. Virtually any shape may be possible as long as the shaft is nestable in the mast  32 . Along the spar assembly there may be a number of anchor holes  40 . 
     Three anchor holes  40  are shown in the drawings, although many other anchor holes  40  may be included in other variations. The anchor hole  40  located on the mast  32  section of the spar assembly  30  may be referred to as the mast anchor hole  46 . The anchor hole just above the mast anchor hole  46  may be referred to as the lower shaft anchor hole  44  and the top most anchor hole  40  may be referred to as the upper shaft anchor hole  42 . Each anchor hole may comprise an opening going all the way through the spar assembly  30 . The anchor holes  40  are designed to receive a pin  48  for attaching a flexible member  38  or for locking the shaft and mast together in the position of compression. 
     A boom assembly  50  may be slidably mounted to the mast  32  portion of the spar assembly  30 . The boom assembly  50  may comprise a yoke  52  to slidably engage the circumference of the mast  32 , a neck  54  which may extend from the yoke  52  to the boom  58 , an axis  56  allowing the boom  58  to tilt, and a number of tines  60  to support and guide the tire  12  and/or the spring biased tire lifting dolly itself. The yoke  52  may comprise a collar encircling the mast  32 . The cross sectional shape of the yoke may conform to the cross sectional shape of the mast  32 . The yoke  52  may slide up and down the length of the mast  32  and if the cross sectional shape of the mast  32  is round, the yoke would also be able to turn on the mast  32  as an axle. A neck  54  may project from the yoke  52  at a generally perpendicular angle. The neck  54  may be used to attach the boom  58  to the yoke  52  and may also be used to engage the flexible member  38  and thereby transfer the weight of the tire  12 , boom assembly  50  and shaft  36  onto the compression spring  34 . The boom  58  may be attached to the neck  54  on an axis  56  or axle to allow the boom to tilt. 
     The boom  58  may include a number of tines  60  projecting relatively perpendicularly from the boom  58  in a relatively horizontal attitude. The tines  60  may be employed to support or guide the tire  12 , and may take a variety of forms. In the illustrations, three types are depicted. The tire support tines  62  are the pair positioned closest to the neck  54 . The tire support tines  62  may be relatively straight and robust, as their main function is the support of the tire  12  when the tire is mounted on and dismounted from a vehicle. The second set of tines may have an upward bend and may be referred to as a guide tine  64 . The guide tine  64  supports the tire  12  when the tire is being loaded onto the boom  58 . The angled portion helps to guide the tire  12  to a full upright position on the tire support tines  62 . The outermost tines  60  may include rubber bumpers or feet to make contact with the vehicle and may be referred to as feeler tines  66 . 
     The flexible member  38  may comprise a chain, cable, beaded cable, or line that has means for attachment at both ends and/or along its&#39; length. The flexible member  38  may be connected to the upper shaft anchor hole  42  or any other anchor hole  40  desired. The purpose for the flexible member  38  is to support the boom assembly  50  by suspending it from the shaft  36 . The flexible member supports the weight of the boom assembly  50  and/or the tire  12  by looping under the neck  54  and then attaching to the shaft  36  or to itself. 
     In use, the spring biased wheel lifting dolly  10  is stored in a configuration wherein the compression spring  34  is not locked in a compressed position. It is assumed for the purpose of the example that the user is dismounting a wheel of a vehicle. The user first loosens the lug nuts of the wheel and elevates the vehicle to a point where the wheel is off the ground. The spring biased wheel lifting dolly  10  may then be brought near the wheel. The boom assembly may be lifted under the wheel or tire  12  until the tire support tines  62  make contact with the wheel. The flexible member  38  may be looped under the neck and reattached either to an anchor point on the shaft  36  or attached back to itself as is practiced with chains. When the tire  12  is removed from the hub of the vehicle, the added weight of the tire  12  may compress the compression spring  34  and lower the boom assembly  50  and the tire  12  toward the floor. The spring biased wheel lifting dolly  10  may then be rolled on the carriage  20  to wherever the user desired to move the wheel. Before removing the tire from the boom assembly, the user may push or lift the boom assembly so that the lower shaft anchor hole  44  mates with the mast anchor hole  46 ,and a pin  48  may be inserted through the mated holes  44  and  46  to lock the mechanism in the compressed position. By tilting the boom, the tire can roll down the tines  60  and onto the floor. 
     After making repairs to the tire  12 , the user may then roll the tire  12  up the tines  60  on one side of the boom  58  until the tire rests on the tire support tines  62 . Guide tines  64  may help to guide the tire  12  so that is stays in an upright position towards the base of the tines  60 . The spring biased wheel lifting dolly  10  may then be rolled back to the vehicle for remounting the tire  12 . By disengaging the pin  48  from the mast and lower shaft anchor holes  44  and  46 , the tire  12  should return to the relative height it was at just after removal. The compression spring  34  (due to the spring bias) should assist in holding the tire near the level the tire  12  needs to be positioned at for remounting. The device thus facilitates moving the tire a relatively short distance without the user having to support the full weight of the tire during the mounting process. After the tire  12  is mounted, the flexible member  38  may be decoupled from the anchor hole  40  or from itself. 
     The user may first push the shaft  36  into the mast  32  by compressing the compression spring  34 . When the lower shaft anchor hole  44  is mated with the mast anchor hole  46 , a pin may be inserted through the mated holes to lock the mechanism in the compressed position. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.