Abstract:
A collapsible cart for lifting and transporting a race vehicle. A base frame includes a pair of frames pivotally connected together with a platform pivotally mounted thereatop. The platform includes a pair of foldable portions. A winch is operable to pull a race vehicle onto the platform when oriented at an inclined angle with the platform them being pivotable to a horizontal position whereat the race vehicle may be transported.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of wagons, carts, and other devices for lifting and moving an item across ground.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    A variety of carts are available for transporting items across ground. For example, it is the custom in the racing industry for several persons to physically lift and place go carts, sprint carts and quarter midget race cars onto carts for transportation to another location, such as a truck for long distance transportation. In certain cases, the race vehicle may weigh upwards to 300 lbs. Further, it may be necessary to lift the race vehicle onto a cart to allow access to the underside of the racing vehicle for maintenance.  
           [0003]    In view of the above, it is desirable to provide a cart that does not require people to physically lift the racing vehicle onto the cart. A variety of racing vehicle lifts and/or carts are available. For example, Robbins Enterprises distributes a manual and electrically powered cart. The Robbins cart supports and lifts the race vehicle with two separate bars. One of the bars extends across the width of the front of the race vehicle whereas the second bar extends across the width of the aft end of the race vehicle.  
           [0004]    Despite the prior carts and lifts, there is a need for a wheeled cart that will both lift and transport the race vehicle and is also collapsible for storage purposes. Further, the cart should allow complete access to the lower side of the race vehicle. Disclosed herein is such a device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    One embodiment of the present invention is a collapsible device for lifting and transporting an item across the ground and including a base frame having a first frame and a second frame connected together with the first frame and the second frame each having bottom ends. A plurality of wheels are rotatably mounted to the bottom ends allowing the collapsible device to be moved across the ground. A supporting frame is mounted atop the base frame and has an extended condition to hold the item to be lifted and transported by the collapsible device. The supporting frame is movably mounted to the base frame and movable from a loading position whereat the supporting frame is arranged at an acute angle, for example, a 60 degree angle relative to the ground, to a holding position whereat the supporting frame extends horizontally. A winch is mounted to the collapsible device to pull the item to be lifted onto the supporting frame.  
           [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved lifting and transporting cart.  
           [0007]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a lifting and transporting cart for use with race vehicles.  
           [0008]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible device for lifting and transporting an item across ground.  
           [0009]    Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the cart incorporating the present invention in a partially erected condition.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a top view of the cart in an extended condition.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cart of FIG. 2 showing a race vehicle being loaded thereon.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is the same view as FIG. 3 only showing the race vehicle loaded on the cart and in a generally horizontal position.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cart with the aft end of the race vehicle in a lowered position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cart in a collapsed condition.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0017]    Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a collapsible cart  10  in a partially erected condition. The cart includes a base frame  11  comprising first frame  12  and a second frame  18  pivotally connected together. Frame  12  includes a pair of parallel side rails  13  and  14  fixedly joined to a distal end rail  15  positioned between and perpendicularly arranged between rails  13  and  14 . Frame  18  includes a pair of parallel side rails  19  (FIG. 2) and  20  fixedly joined to end rail  22  and a pair of tubes  21 A and  21 B in a rectangular configuration. A pair of wheels  23  and  24  (FIG. 1) are rotatably mounted to end rail  22  and a pair of wheels  17  and  16  are rotatably mounted to end rail  15 . The top ends  25  and  26  (FIG. 2) of rails  13  and  14  are pivotally mounted to rails  19  and  20  of frame  18  at a location beneath the top ends of rails  19  and  20 .  
         [0018]    A pair of blocks  27  and  28  (FIG. 3) are fixedly mounted to the opposite sides of the top end  25  of rail  13 . Blocks  27  and  28  are spaced apart with rail  19  passing therebetween. As viewed in FIG. 3, block  27  is fixedly mounted to the upwardly facing surface of rail  13  and to the left of rail  19  whereas block  28  is fixedly mounted to the downwardly facing surface of rail  13  and positioned to the right of rail  19 . End  25  is pivotally connected to rail  19  by a pivot pin located between block  27  and  28  and below the top end of rail  19 . Thus, the included angle  29  (FIG. 1) between rails  13  and  19  is fixed when the cart is in the erected position and wheels  16  and  17  are spaced at their furthest location from wheels  23  and  24 . Likewise, frames  11  and  18  may be pivoted together in the collapsed condition depicted in FIG. 6. A similar set of blocks  27  and  28  are provided on the upwardly facing and downwardly facing surfaces of rail  14  with rail  20  extending therebetween.  
         [0019]    An upper or supporting frame  30  (FIG. 2) forms a platform pivotally mounted atop base frame  11 . The platform or supporting frame  30  includes a pair of foldable frames  31  and  32  pivotally connected together. The foldable frames when extended support the race vehicle by contacting and supporting the race vehicle along its entire length. The foldable frames are collapsible when not supporting the race vehicle as depicted in FIG. 6.  
         [0020]    Foldable frame  31  includes a first pair of side rails  33  and  34  fixedly joined together to a distal rail  35  arranged perpendicularly thereto and positioned between rails  33  and  34 . Foldable frame  32  also has a pair of parallel side rails  36  and  37  fixedly joined to a pair of end rails  38  and  39  in a rectangular configuration. The proximal ends  40  and  41  of rails  33  and  34  are pivotally mounted to rails  36  and  37  at a location between rails  38  and  39 . Rail  38  is in contact with but is positioned beneath rails  36  and  37  thereby providing a support for the downwardly facing surfaces of rails  33  and  34  when in the extended position of FIG. 2.  
         [0021]    A pair of spaced apart tubes  21 A and  21 B are fixedly mounted to the top ends of rails  19  and  18 . A third tube  61  is fixedly attached to and beneath rails  36  and  37 , has the same inside diameter as tubes  21 A and  21 B, and is aligned with and located between tubes  21 A and  21 B. A pivot pin extends thru tubes  21 A,  21 B and  61  thereby pivotally mounting frame  30  atop base  11 . A plurality of plastic covers or sheets are fixedly mounted atop rails  33 ,  34 ,  36  and  37  providing a low friction surface upon which the race vehicle may slide without marring the finish of the vehicle.  
         [0022]    A winch  43  (FIG. 3) is fixedly mounted to rail  39  and includes a web  44  wrappingly received on the winch spool with the web having a distal end connectable to the race vehicle for pulling the race vehicle  50  onto the platform formed by frame  30  as the handle  51  of the winch is rotated.  
         [0023]    A pair of tubular members  46  and  47  are pivotally mounted to rails  13  and  14  (FIG. 1) and are positioned inwardly thereof. The distal ends of members  46  and  47  are fixedly joined to a cross rail  48 . Cross rail  48  supports the outer end of foldable frame  31  when frame  31  is in the downwardly extending or inclined position. Rail  48  further keeps rail  35  of foldable frame  31  from contacting the ground. Tubular members  46  and  47  may be pivotally mounted to rails  13  and  14  and pivoted inwardly between rails  13  and  14  when in the collapsed position. A pair of shoulder bolts, not shown, may be mounted to rail  48  with the bolts having top ends extending above rail  48  for contacting rail  35  of foldable frame  31 . The shoulder bolts may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly to control the spacing of rail  35  relative to the ground when resting atop the shoulder bolts.  
         [0024]    In order to lift and transport a race vehicle with cart  10 , frames  11  and  18  are pivoted to maximize the included angle  29  extending therebetween. Next, foldable frame  31  is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 until rails  33  and  34  rest atop end rail  38 . The upper or supporting frame  30  is then pivoted clockwise as a unit until the frame extends downwardly in an inclined or loading position as depicted in FIG. 3. Thus, frame  30  is arranged at an acute angle, for example, a 60-degree angle, relative to the ground. The distal end of web  44  is attached to one end of the race vehicle  50  with the winch crank  51  then being rotated slowly pulling the vehicle  50  upwardly. Rails  33  and  34  and rails  36  and  37  extend along the entire length of the race vehicle contacting the underside of the vehicle as the vehicle is pulled upwardly.  
         [0025]    When vehicle  50  is at its maximum elevation and closest to the winch, frame  30  is pivoted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, until frame  30  and race vehicle  50  extend horizontally as depicted in FIG. 4. Web  54  is attached between rails  39  and  22  whereas web  52  is attached between rails  35  and  15 . Webs  54  and  52  are tightened thereby holding frame  30  and race vehicle  50  in the horizontal position allowing the combination of the cart and race vehicle to be moved across the ground.  
         [0026]    When in the horizontal or inclined positioned, complete access is provided to the underside of the race vehicle since the supporting rails of frame  30  are spaced apart. Thus, work can be performed on the race vehicle when the vehicle is in the loading position of FIG. 3 or the horizontal or stored position of FIG. 4. Likewise, web  52  may be disconnected allowing the platform  30  and race vehicle  50  to pivot further in a clockwise direction as depicted in FIG. 5 allowing further access to the underside of the race vehicle. In the inclined position of FIG. 5, a web  55  may be connected between the end of the race vehicle and rail  35  to secure the race vehicle.  
         [0027]    Race vehicle  50  may be loaded onto another vehicle, such as, a truck, by simply pushing race vehicle  50  onto the truck from the elevated and horizontal position of FIG. 4. Alternatively, frame  30  may be pivoted to the inclined position of FIG. 3 with winch  43  then being operated to slowly lower the race vehicle onto the ground.  
         [0028]    Once race vehicle  50  is removed from the cart, the cart may be collapsed by pivoting foldable frame  31  in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 until frame  31  rests atop frame  32  as depicted in FIG. 1. Frame  12  may then be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 until adjacent frame  18  to the completely collapsed position as depicted in FIG. 6. Wheels  23  and  24  include casters so that the wheels are both rotatably and pivotally mounted to the cart. Wheel  16  and  17  do not include castors and are spaced further apart than wheels  23  and  24  in order to allow frame  12  to pivot adjacent frame  18 . Further, wheels  23  and  24  are spaced apart from the pivot connection between frames  12  and  18  a distance less than wheels  16  and  17  from the pivot connection to allow the cart when collapsed to move on wheels  16  and  17  rather than on wheels  23  and  24 . Wheels  16  and  17  are of larger diameter than wheels  23  and  24 .  
         [0029]    The cart disclosed herein is particularly advantageous in that the cart picks up and lowers any go-cart or quarter midget up to 300 lbs. In the preferred embodiment, the cart disclosed herein lifts the race vehicle to a convenient 30-inch working height. The cart rolls easily on rough terrain utilizing 10-inch pneumatic tires plus 8-inch pneumatic casters. The rails of the upper platform of the cart provide a friction free slide surface allowing the race vehicle chassis or frame  60  to be easily moved therefrom. One person can easily load the race vehicle from the cart into and out of a pick-up truck. The upper frame of the cart can be oriented to position either the chassis nose up or down to allow work on the underside of the vehicle. Further, the combination of the race vehicle and cart allows easy maintenance of the race vehicle without requiring manpower to physically lift the vehicle onto a cart or other working surface.  
         [0030]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.