Abstract:
A convertible wagon adaptable from an extending use position to a collapsed storage position. The wagon has a telescopically extensible center portion that slidably secures and separates oppositely disposed end enclosure portions. A telescopically extensible handle is provided for deployment when in use configuration allowing for directional mobility of the wagon by the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to children&#39;s wagons that are used to transport children or other articles. These types of vehicles have convertible features for specific use requirements. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art devices of this type typically have a central body mounted on wheels with an extending handle by which the wagon can be pulled. 
     Examples of such wagons can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,305,243, 3,318,612, 5,538,267, 5,833,215 and 5,957,248. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,243 a portable luggage cart can be seen wherein a toy wheeled vehicle has a pair of hinged transport compartments. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,612 is directed to a foam construction kit that can be configured into a children&#39;s play vehicle having two seating areas supported on a central fixed wheeled platform. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,267 discloses a convertible toy wagon with additional storage capacity. A main body portion has a pair of wheel assemblies with an interchangeable handle and interior storage compartment. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,215 a convertible wheeled wagon is illustrated which can be adapted into multiple sections such as a wagon, picnic table and chair as well as a child&#39;s car seat. 
     Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,428 a folding children&#39;s wagon can be seen wherein the wagon is divided by a transverse hinge assembly so as to fold upon itself with removable wheel assemblies and rail extension elements. 
     Applicant&#39;s device is directed to an expandable wagon compartment with a concealed center expansion section between 2 two-wheeled enclosures and having a deployable handle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A convertible children&#39;s wagon that provides for adaptive use and storage configurations. The wagon includes oppositely disposed interconnected sections that form a four-walled transportation compartment with a hinged handle assembly extending therefrom. An interengaged center section allows the respective end sections to be telescopically advanced from one another to a pre-determined use configuration. The handle assembly is stored beneath so as to be pivotally deployed and selectively extended for use. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the wagon in collapsed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wagon in collapsed position; 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view on lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view on lines  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the wagon in partially extended position; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an interlocking handle assembly; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial top plan view of a fully extended handle assembly; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view with portions broken away of the center section locking assembly; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the handle interengaging assembly; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the wagon portion of the interengaging assemblies registerable as seen in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged side elevational view of the handle portion of an interlocking handle elevation assembly; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the wagon portion of the interengaging handle extending portion assembly shown in FIG. 11; and 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial top plan view of the handle interengaging portions of the wagon portion assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, a collapsible wagon  10  can be seen having a pair of oppositely disposed front and back body portions  11  and  12 . The body front portion  11  has a front end wall  13  and spaced parallel sidewalls  14  and  15  extending at right angles therefrom. The respective walls  13 - 15  are hollow and preferably molded of synthetic resin material with a hollow integrally formed platform  16  therebetween. A pair of apertured mounting lugs  17  and  18  extend from the perimeter edge  16 A of the platform  16  midway between the respective walls  14  and  15  on the end wall  13 , as best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings. 
     Conversely, the back body portion  12  has a hollow molded end wall  20  and hollow spaced parallel sidewalls  21  and  22  with an integral interengaging hollow platform  23  therebetween. 
     An elongated generally U-shaped center section  24  is formed of oppositely disposed hollow sidewalls  25  and  26  and an interengaging hollow base  27  as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The center section  24  is registerably disposed within the respective open ends  13 A and  20 A of the hollow body portions  11  and  12  as best seen in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  of the drawings. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 8 of the drawings, lock stop assemblies  28  and  29  are formed within the respective aligned inner engaging platforms  16 ,  23  and base  27  wherein respective resilient tabs  30  with tapered engagement flanges  31  are formed within the base  27 . The flanges  31  are registerably engaged within aligned openings  32  in the respective body portions  11  and  12 . Secondary locking ridges  33  extend in oppositely disposed relation to said tabs  30  from the base  27  for registration with corresponding aligned grooves  33 A within the respective platforms  16  and  23 , as will be understood by those within the art. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  6 ,  7  and  8 - 13 , an adjustable handle assembly  34  can be seen having a base portion  35  and an extensible hand engagement portion  36  therein. The base portion  35  is of an enlarged tubular configuration having an end area of increased transverse dimension at  37  with three transversely spaced annular engagement lugs  38 ,  39  and  40  formed therein. The lugs  38 ,  39  and  40  are centrally apertured at  41  to receive a pivot pin  41 A. A plurality of annularly spaced engageable circular recesses  42  are formed within an inner surface  43  of the lug  38  as best seen in FIGS. 9 and 13 of the drawings. A plurality of annularly spaced registration buttons  44  are formed on the corresponding opposite registration surface  45  of the hereinbefore described mounting lug  18 , as seen in FIG. 10 of the drawings, so as to be in selective registering engagement with said recessed areas  42  as hereinbefore described. An arcuate tab  46  is formed on an inner surface  47  of the lug  40 . A corresponding semi-circular groove  48  is formed in the opposite registration surface  49  of the lug  19  as illustrated in FIG. 12 of the drawings. 
     It will be evident from the above description that the handle assembly  34  when registerably engaged and pivotally secured within with the pivot pin  41 A can be pivoted and held in select angular positions within a 90 degree arc as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings at A. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, the handle assembly  34  can be seen wherein the extensible handle portion  36  has a hand grip  50  and a resilient locking tab  51  formed on its lower surface  52  with tapered adjustable flange  53  extending therefrom. The flange  53  is selectively registerable within one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures  54  in the handle base  35  as best seen in FIG. 7 of the drawings. 
     It will be seen that as the handle portion  36  is telescopically extended from the base portion  35 , it will be incrementally locked by the engagement of flange  52  within the apertures  54  for selective length adjustment. 
     A plurality of wheel assemblies  55  are secured to the underside of the respective platforms  16  and  23  adjacent the respective end walls  13  and  20 , as best seen in FIGS. 1,  3  and  5  of the drawings. 
     In operation, the body portions  11  and  12  can be slid apart on the center section  24  locking in fully extended position by the locking assemblies  28  and  29 . The handle assembly  34  is deployed from underneath the body sections  11  and  12  and extended by incremental advancement of the handle portion  36  as seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The extensible handle portion  36  is incrementally held in multiple angular positions indicating by the range arrow A by interlocking engagement elements, as hereinbefore described. 
     Referring back now to FIG. 8 of the drawings, it will be seen that as the selective body portions  11  and  12  are separated, they are in sliding engagement on the center section  24  and when they reach maximum extension, they will lock in position by the respective locking tab assemblies  28  and  29 . Additionally, the transversely extending alignment engagement ridges  33  formed on the center section  24  will engage in respective transversely aligned engagement grooves  33 A in the respective body member sections  11  and  12 , thus locking the wagon assembly in an extended use configuration. 
     Correspondingly, when the wagon  10  is to be collapsed, sufficient pressure is applied to the respective body sections  11  and  12  towards one another disengaging the locking tab assemblies  28  and  29  and locking transverse ridges  33  thus allowing the respective body portions to be collapsed over the center section  24  until they engage one another as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The handle assembly  34  is retracted by applying force to the resilient tab  51 , collapsing the handle portion  36  within the base portion  35 . The handle assembly  34  is then pivotally rotated so as to engage the underside of the hereinbefore-described body portions  11  and  12 . 
     It will be evident from the above description that when the wagon  10  is in collapsed position it can also be pulled by its extended handle portion  36  in an upright position on two of its wheel assemblies extending from the back body portion  12 . 
     It will thus be seen that a unique and novel collapsible wagon has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.