초록 ▼

An ice chest has retractable, telescoping legs extending at respective forward and rearward angles from each respective endwall of the ice chest. The ice chest has handles at the upper central portion of the ice chest endwall having push buttons therein which release the telescoping legs from a lock

An ice chest has retractable, telescoping legs extending at respective forward and rearward angles from each respective endwall of the ice chest. The ice chest has handles at the upper central portion of the ice chest endwall having push buttons therein which release the telescoping legs from a locked position and which fall to the open position under their own weight and lock in a secure position. The push buttons actuate the locks by a linkage system. The front legs have pads at their lower ends, protecting the ends of the legs, and providing weight to pull the legs into the open, locked position. The rear legs have wheels which also providing weight to pull the legs into the open, locked position. A similar water cooler has retractable legs which have pads on their lower ends pulling the legs downward upon pushing buttons on handles on the sidewalls.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An ice chest or cooler having locking retractable legs comprising: an insulated container having an outer wall, an inner wall, and insulation therebetween and defining a sidewall having an upper portion having an upper lip and a basewall; a plurality of retractable legs each having upp

We claim: 1. An ice chest or cooler having locking retractable legs comprising: an insulated container having an outer wall, an inner wall, and insulation therebetween and defining a sidewall having an upper portion having an upper lip and a basewall; a plurality of retractable legs each having upper ends, lower ends, and being extendable generally downward from said basewall at said sidewall through apertures therein between a retracted position substantially within said sidewall between said outer wall and said inner wall and at least one extended position; a leg lock corresponding to each said retractable leg proximate said base of said insulated container; at least one leg lock receiver located in and proximate said upper end and in said lower end of each said retractable legs; a guide for each said retractable leg located between said outer wall and said inner wall; a pair of opposed handles located on the upper portion of said sidewall for carrying said container; each said handle having a lock release actuator proximate said handle; each said lock release actuator being so located as to be manipulated by a user while carrying said container by said handles; and a linkage between said lock release actuator and said lock; whereby, upon a user carrying said container by said handles, said release actuators may be manipulated so as to act on said linkage, thereby releasing said leg locks from engagement with said lower lock receivers of said legs, said legs descending upon release by the force of their weight to an extended position upon which said lock engages its respective upper lock receiver, thereby locking said legs in an extended position for convenient use; and whereby said legs may be retracted by manipulating said release actuators, which act on said linkage and release said leg lock from said upper lock receiver and allowing said container to descend by its own weight or by the user pushing downward on said container or said handles until said lock engages its respective lower lock receiver, thereby locking said legs in a retracted position. 2. The ice chest or cooler of claim 1, further comprising an openable or removable lid engaging said container upper lip. 3. The ice chest or cooler of claim 1, wherein said container is generally rectangular, having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposed sidewalls, each said opposed sidewalls having front and rear retractable legs located therein for extension and retraction. 4. The ice chest or cooler of claim 3, wherein said handles have an upper edge and a lower edge and are located on said opposed sidewalls, extending outward therefrom and said lock release actuators are release buttons located along said handle upper edge so located as to be manipulated by a user from a rest position to an actuated position, said linkage being connected with said button so as to open said leg locks, said leg lock being spring-biased to the closed position relative to said lock receivers. 5. The ice chest or cooler of claim 4, further comprising a housing cap located above each said handle proximate said container lip, and wherein said guides are leg housings having an upper end and a lower end and extend downward from said housing cap and extending downward and outward to points proximate said apertures, said retractable legs being slideably located within said leg housings for extension through said apertures, said front legs extending outward, forward of said front wall, said rear legs extending outward, rearward of said rear wall. 6. The ice chest or cooler of claim 5, said front legs having pads mounted at their lower ends, said rear legs having one of pads or wheels mounted at their respective lower ends. 7. The ice chest or cooler of claim 6, each said plurality of legs being telescoping legs having an upper leg having an upper end and a lower end and slideably mounted within a respective leg housing, and a lower leg having an upper end and a lower end and slideably mounted within a respective said upper leg, said pad or wheel being mounted at said lower end of said lower leg. 8. The ice chest or cooler of claim 7, each said upper leg having an inner side having at least one lock receiver proximate said upper end and at least one lock receiver proximate said lower end thereof, each said lock receiver being in the form of a key hole defined by said upper leg. 9. The ice chest or cooler of claim 8, each said upper leg having opposed sides having opposed detent receivers proximate said lower end thereof. 10. The ice chest or cooler of claim 9, each said lower leg having opposed sides having opposed detents proximate said upper end thereof, said detents being configured to engage said detent receivers of said upper leg. 11. The ice chest or cooler of claim 10, each said detent and said engaging detent receiver having the shape of an inverted "T" having a vertical portion and a horizontal cross portion, said vertical portion sloping upward and inward from the horizontal cross portion thereof, each said detent having a back plate which is being spring loaded. 12. The ice chest or cooler of claim 4, further comprising a housing cap located above each said handle proximate said container lip, and wherein said guides are leg housings having an upper end and a lower end and extend downward from said housing cap and extending downward to points proximate said apertures, said retractable legs being slideably located within said leg housings for extension through said apertures, said front legs and said rear legs extending downward. 13. The ice chest or cooler of claim 12, said outer wall defining a vertical actuator slot therein, said leg release button having mounted for vertical travel within said handle, said leg release button having a bracket extending through said slot, said bracket defining a horizontal actuator bore therethrough, said linkage comprising a release cable having opposed ends and at least first and second turning blocks spaced above and to opposite sides of said release button and bracket, said release cable extending from a front said leg lock, over said first turning block, downward and through said horizontal actuator bore, upward and over said second turning block, and downward to a rear said leg lock, whereby, upon pressing said leg release button downward, said bracket pulls downward on said release cable, thereby pulling said release cable inward over said first and second turning blocks and thereby exerting upward force on said leg locks, releasing said leg locks from said lock receivers. 14. The ice chest or cooler of claim 13, said leg locks being mounted proximate said lower end of said leg housings on an inner side thereof, each said retractable legs having an inner side having at least one lock receiver proximate said upper end thereof and at least one lock receiver proximate said lower end thereof. 15. The ice chest or cooler of claim 14, said leg locks having lock engagement keys and said lock receivers being key holes defined by said retractable leg, said engagement keys engaging said lock engagement keys, said engagement keys being removed from said key holes upon upward force being applied to said leg locks by said release cable, thereby releasing said retractable leg for extension or retraction. 16. The ice chest or cooler of claim 15, wherein said leg locks include a lock arm mounted for rotation by means of a lock pivot pin between let lock supports mounted on said leg housing, said lock arm having a lock lever arm extending upward and outward from said lock arm above said pivot pin and engaging said release cable, said lock arm having a said lock engagement key extending outward below said pivot pin so as to disengage said key holes upon upward force being applied by said release cable to said lock lever arm, said lock having a spring located between said lock arm and said leg housing applying force to said lock arm to engage said lock engagement key with a said key hole. 17. The ice chest or cooler of claim 16, wherein said leg housings and said retractable legs are vertically disposed, said release linkage having third and fourth turning blocks respectively spaced outward from corresponding first and second turning blocks relative to said actuator button bracket, said release cable extending over said third turning block between said front leg lock and said first turning block and said cable extending over said fourth turning block between said second turning block and said rear leg lock. 18. The ice chest or cooler of claim 17, wherein said container is square in horizontal cross section. 19. The ice chest or cooler of claim 17, wherein said container is round in cross section and said housing cap is in the shape of an arc conforming with said inner wall. 20. The ice chest or cooler of claim 11, further comprising a housing cap located above each said handle proximate said container lip, and wherein said guides are leg housings having an upper end and a lower end and extend downward from said housing cap and extending downward to points proximate said apertures, said retractable legs being slideably located within said leg housings for extension through said apertures, said front legs and said rear legs extending downward, said outer wall defining a vertical actuator slot therein, said leg release button having mounted for vertical travel within said handle, said leg release button having a bracket extending through said slot, said bracket defining a horizontal actuator bore therethrough, said linkage comprising a release cable having opposed ends and at least first and second turning blocks spaced above and to opposite sides of said release button and bracket, said release cable extending from a front said leg lock, over said first turning block, downward and through said horizontal actuator bore, upward and over said second turning block, and downward to a rear said leg lock, whereby, upon pressing said leg release button downward, said bracket pulls downward on said release cable, thereby pulling said release cable inward over said first and second turning blocks and thereby exerting upward force on said leg locks, releasing said leg locks from said lock receivers.