Abstract:
A cart to transport and store tubular parts used in plumbing and electrical installation includes an array of upright rods extending from a base. The array of rods partially forms an enclosure in which crates for tools and supplies may be contained. A cover pivots on the enclosure which when closed overlies the upper ends of the rods and closes the top of the enclosure formed by the rods. A pair of wheels is mounted to a lower corner of the frame and a handle facilitates handling of the cart. Tubular parts may be stored on the cart by placing them around the rods so that the tubular parts can be easily counted. Crates bearing non-tubular parts and tools can be stacked within the enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from provisional patent application entitled “Cart for Plumbing Supplies,” Ser. No. 60/772,411 filed Feb. 10, 2006. The disclosure of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/772,411 is hereby incorporated in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention pertains to carrying devices for plumbing and electrical supplies. In the practice of trades in which tubular parts are used to assemble duct work and conduits such as plumbing drains and electrical conduits, the tradesperson must have a supply of fittings and couplers for interconnecting straight lengths of pipes. In the case of plumbers, the installation of new drain lines includes the assembly of lengths of straight tubular pipes joined by T sections, Y sections and by elbows of differing angles. Customarily the T&#39;s, Y&#39;s and elbows are carried in boxes or bins, typically thirty gallon trash cans, and are jumbled together such that a reasonably precise inventory is difficult to assess. The box, trash can or bin filled with fitting parts is carried to the job site and the plumber hunts through the parts to find the needed elbow or T or Y section as the plumbing lines are installed. If a necessary part is not found in the supply, a trip to the supply warehouse must be made, cutting into efficiency in the installation of the work. In addition, a great deal of time is spent hunting for the necessary parts and when a routine trip to the supply warehouse is made, a good idea of the number of fittings needed is not readily available. 
         [0003]    In addition, because the supply of parts in the box, bin or trash can is usually transported in the open bed of the plumber&#39;s pickup truck, rain or snow will infiltrate the container with the parts and must be drained or emptied. In the case of rain, holes can be placed in the bottom of the supply container but in the case of snow and ice, difficulties in finding the correct fitting part are magnified. What is needed is a carrying device which will allow the various fittings to be kept in an organized fashion and which will eliminate the underestimating of the supply of fitting parts on hand. Furthermore, a desirable carrying device will prevent rain or snow from collecting in the parts container. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    An improved carrying device for tubular parts used in construction of drain pipes and electrical conduits and other tubular ducting is provided. This invention includes multiple upstanding rods mounted to a base frame. The frame is equipped with a handle and a hinged lid which overlies the upper ends of the rods when the lid is in place during movement of the device. The lid is hinged on the handle such that it may be rotated away from the tops of the rods so that plumbing T&#39;s, elbows, or Y&#39;s can be placed on or removed from the rods. The rods are arranged to create an enclosure on the base frame to house milk crates holding tools, miscellaneous plumbing supplies, fittings which are not tubular, and elbows which do not permit passage of a rigid rod fully through them. The enclosure is also topped by the lid when the lid is lowered to its closed position. The carrying device may be equipped with a pair of wheels at one bottom corner of the device. The handle may extend above the height of the rods and the enclosure. 
         [0005]    A primary object of the invention is to provide a cart for transport of plumbing fittings onto a job site while providing a visual inventory of the fittings on hand and which keeps the fittings organized into groups. Another object of the invention is to provide a container which can transport tubular fittings in an orderly fashion. A further object of the invention is to provide a cart for tubular fittings or connectors which reduces the potential for a user to arrive at a work site without a suitable supply of needed fittings. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cart which can be replenished with a supply of fittings when the user is present at the supply warehouse without purchasing parts or fittings for which an adequate supply already exists. 
         [0006]    These and other desirable objects will become apparent from examination of the detailed description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front right perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown with assorted plumbing fittings carried thereon. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front left perspective of the preferred embodiment with its lid raised and with crates omitted. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the invention as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the invention as shown in  FIG. 3  with the lid thereof shown in phantom to facilitate observation of the bottom structure of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a rear elevation of the invention as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a left front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5  and initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the invention cart  2  is shown in a typical in-use condition with cover  22  secured to upright frame  4  overlying crates  52  which are removingly situated within the volume defined by upright frame  4 , base  6  and cover  22 . 
         [0015]    Upright frame  4  is mounted to and supported upon base  6 . Ground engaging wheels  8  are journaled on axle extensions  42  of rear lower cross bar  10 . Upright frame  4  comprises plural spaced apart slender bars or rods  12  which upstand upon side rails  14 ,  16  and front rail  18  of base  6  with each rod  12  having an enlarged base  28 . Rods  12  are preferably substantially perpendicular to the rails  14 ,  16  and  18 . 
         [0016]    Plumbing fittings, namely plumbing T&#39;s  5 , plumbing elbows  7  and plumbing Y&#39;s  9  may be carried along selected ones of rods  12 . Rods  12  are spaced apart adequately to permit plumbing fittings  5 , 7  and  9  to be carried on adjacent rods  12 . Preferably, rods  12  are spaced apart approximately three inches. Each rod  12  may be approximately one-quarter inch to approximately one-half inch in diameter, and are at least slender enough to allow plumbing fittings  5 ,  7  and  9  to slide easily therealong. 
         [0017]    Securing rod  38  upstands upon the front rail  18  generally at the midpoint thereof and comprises a bent segment  56  therealong which displaces top section  58  thereof toward handle  36 . Top section  58  is generally parallel to rods  12 . 
         [0018]    U-shaped handle  36  joins rear rail  10  of base  6  adjacent wheels  8 . Grip section  60  of handle  36  is bent rearward from upright frame  4  approximately two and a half inches. 
         [0019]    Cover  22  is selectively retained to securing rod  38  at free end  40  thereof by locking pin  34 . When pin  34  is removed from free end  40 , cover  22  may pivot about hinge  24  thereby uncovering crates  52 . 
         [0020]    Crates  52  are preferably rectilinear containers having sides and bottoms of gridwork construction, such crates being commonly known as milk crates. The open gridwork construction of crates  52  prevents collection of water therein when cart  2  is exposed to rain or snow. Crates  52  are provided to carry plumbing parts or supplies which are not tubular or which will not fit on rods  12 , e.g. 90° elbows, as well as tools and other equipment. 
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1-5 , upright frame  4  is approximately forty inches in height which will accommodate stacking three standard milk crates  52  within cart  2 , with cover  22  closely overlying the open top of the topmost crate  52  to prevent its contents from spilling out when cart  2  is rolled over irregular ground surfaces or is tipped onto one of its sides. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 through 6 , the invention cart  2  is illustrated with crates omitted in order to facilitate understanding of the structure thereof. Upright frame  4  comprises rods  12  which upstand on side rails  14 ,  16  and front rail  18  of base frame  6 . Rods  12  comprise more slender rods  12   b  and less slender rods  12   a.  More slender rods  12   b  may be disposed flanking securing rod  38  or elsewhere along rails  14 ,  16  and  18 . More slender rods  12   b  accommodate tubular parts of small diameter, such as one inch inner diameter water pipe fittings and other small diameter tubular connectors which may be carried on cart  2 . Less slender rods  12   a  may carry plumbing fittings such as elbows  7 , T&#39;s  5  or Y&#39;s  9  (see  FIG. 1 ) or other tubular connecting parts. In the preferred embodiment, less slender rods  12   a  may be approximately three-eighths inch to one-half inch in diameter while more slender rods  12   b  may be as thin as one-quarter inch in diameter. The diameter of the more slender rods  12   b  is limited by their being sufficiently stiff so that they remain substantially linear. The location of more slender rods  12   b  along rails  14 ,  16  and  18  may vary, and less slender rods  12   b  may be substituted with more slender rods  12   a  without departing from the objective of cart  2 . It is preferable to enlarge the bases  28  of each rod  12  to strengthen the welds of rods  12  to rails  14 ,  16  and  18 . 
         [0023]    Upright frame  4  comprises rear frame  54  which includes upper transverse bar  70  which joins opposing sides  72  and  74  of handle  36  and provides a mounting for the upper ends of vertical bars  80 ,  82  which are fixed at their lower ends to rear lower cross bar  10 . Rear frame  54  constitutes a restraint to retain crates  52  within compartment  20  while permitting rain water and snow to escape from the compartment  20 . 
         [0024]    Base frame  6  further comprises first transverse bar  62  and second transverse bar  64  which join side rails  14 ,  16  and which define a bottom of compartment  20 . A short stub  66  upstands from first transverse bar  62  at its approximate midpoint. When a milk crate  52  is seated in compartment  20  upon transverse bars  62 ,  64 , stub  66  will enter a void in the bottom gridwork of crate  52  to prevent excessive sideways movement of the crate  52  while in place in compartment  20 . 
         [0025]    A top rail  68  is secured to top section  58  of securing rod  38  and to rear upper transverse bar  70  which is joined to opposing sides  72 ,  74  of handle  36 . Upper transverse bar  70  and top rail  68  define opening  50  of compartment  20 . Top rail  68  is provided to limit impalement injury if a user falls onto the free ends  32  of rods  12 . Preferably top rail  68  is disposed a short distance laterally from free ends  32  of rods  12  so that placement of tubular fittings  5 ,  7  and  9  onto rods  12  is not obstructed. Top rail  68  is disposed slightly below the free ends  32  of rods  12  so that cover  22  may closely overlie or touch free ends  32  without interference from top rail  68 . As best seen if  FIG. 3 , cover  22  is provided with aperture  26  therethrough which becomes in registry with free end  40  of securing rod  38  when cover  22  is lowered to the closed position overlying compartment opening  50  and free ends  32  of rods  12 . Free end  40  may protrude slightly through aperture  26  when cover  22  is in its closed position such that a securing element such as lock pin  34  may pass through cross bore  44  of the top section  58  to prevent cover  22  from rotating away from free ends  32  of rods  12 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  discloses a slightly modified alternative embodiment of plumbing parts cart  102 . Elements of cart  102  which are identical to the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6  are numbered identically throughout this specification. Rods  12  upstand on side rails  14 ,  16  and front rail  18  of base  6  and with rear frame  54  define a volume into which milk crates may be placed when cover  22  is disconnected from securing rod  38 . 
         [0027]    Bracket elements  104 ,  106  upstand on first transverse bar  62  of base  6 , being spaced apart at least the width of a standard milk crate. Bracket elements  104 ,  106  limit sidewise movement of the lowermost milk crate resting on first transverse bar  62  and second transverse bar  64 . The structure of standard milk crates limits sidewise movement of one crate atop another identical crate. 
         [0028]    In operation cart  2  may be carried into a supply warehouse and tubular plumbing fittings may be placed upon rods  12  such that each plumbing fitting surrounds a rod  12 . Once a supply of plumbing fittings has been stored on cart  2 , a count thereof is easily taken. Nontubular parts, or supplies, tools, and fittings which are not susceptible of being placed about rods may be placed in one of the milk crates provided with cart  2 . The milk crates  52  are stacked within compartment  20  and cover  22  is lowered to its closed position with free end  40  of securing rod  38  penetrating aperture  26 . A lock pin  34  is placed in cross bore  44  to prevent cover  22  from moving out of its closed position. The cart  2  may be then carried in a pickup bed or other conveyance and it need not be maintained in an upright orientation because fittings cannot escape from rods  12  with cover  22  closed and the contents of crates  52  are restrained from escaping crates  52  because of insufficient clearance of the top one of the crates  52  from cover  22 . 
         [0029]    Once the cart is transported to the worksite, cart  2  may be rolled upon wheels  8  over the ground surface and into the structure where work is to be performed. The lock pin  34  may be removed, cover  22  raised, and the crates  52  removed and fittings  5 ,  7  and  9  removed from rods  12  as needed. 
         [0030]    The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations of the embodiments are possible in light of the above disclosure or such may be acquired through practice of the invention. The embodiments illustrated were chosen in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.