초록

A foldable cart is described. The cart may be collapsed for transport in the bed of a pickup truck to a jobsite. Upon reaching the jobsite, the cart is removed from the pickup truck, unfolded and used to transport construction materials.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A cart for transporting building materials, said cart comprising: a. a middle frame section having a base and a support assembly, the base having a front end and a back end and comprising first and second spaced apart longitudinal frame members extending from the front end to the back end of the

1. A cart for transporting building materials, said cart comprising: a. a middle frame section having a base and a support assembly, the base having a front end and a back end and comprising first and second spaced apart longitudinal frame members extending from the front end to the back end of the base, the support assembly extending upwardly from the base near the front end of the base;b. a front frame section comprising a pair of rails and at least one brace, each rail having a back end pivotally connected to the support assembly and a front end coupled to the brace, wherein the front frame section is pivotal between a folded position in which the front frame section overlies the middle frame section and a deployed position in which the front frame section extends from and in front of the middle frame section;c. a rear frame section comprising first and second spaced apart channel beams and at least one brace spanning the distance between the channel beams, each channel beam being hollow and having an open back end, each channel beam also having a front end pivotally connected to the back end of the base of the middle frame section, wherein the rear frame section is pivotal between a folded position in which the rear frame section overlies the middle frame section and a deployed position in which the rear frame section extends from and behind the middle frame section;d. at least one rotatable wheel mounted to the middle frame section near the front end of the base;e. a leg assembly coupled to rear frame section, the leg assembly and rotatable wheel cooperating to support the cart when the cart is at rest and the rear frame section is in its deployed position; andf. a handle assembly including a first handle member received in and extending rearward from the first channel beam of the rear frame section and a second handle member received in and extending rearward from the second channel beam of the rear frame section. 2. The cart of claim 1 further including a first lock assembly which selectively secures the rear frame section in its deployed position. 3. The cart of claim 1 wherein each handle member of the handle assembly is independently adjustable to extend various lengths rearward of the rear frame section. 4. The cart of claim 1 further including at least one aperture extending transversely through one of the longitudinal spaced apart channel beams, at least one hole extending through the handle member received in said longitudinal spaced apart channel beam, and a pin inserted through said at least one aperture and said at least one hole when said at least one aperture and said at least one hole are aligned to lock the handle member at a desired length rearward of the rear frame section. 5. The cart of claim 1 wherein the support assembly comprises a first subassembly including a first upright support and a second upright support each fastened to and extending upwardly from the first longitudinal frame member and a first cross brace extending between the first and second upright supports, a second subassembly including a third upright support and a fourth upright support each fastened to and extending upwardly from the second longitudinal frame member and a second cross brace extending between the third and fourth upright supports, a third cross brace extending between the first upright support and the third upright support, and a fourth cross brace extending between the second upright support and the fourth upright support. 6. The cart of claim 1 wherein the leg assembly includes a pair of cross braces extending between the channel beams of the rear frame section, each of cross braces having a first end secured to one of the channel beams and an second end secured to the other of the channel beams, a first leg coupled to each of the cross braces near the first end of the cross braces, and a second leg coupled to each of the cross braces near the second end of the cross braces. 7. The cart of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pockets with open tops attached to at least one of the front frame section, the middle frame section and the rear frame section, and a confinement member having an end inserted into one of the pockets and extending upwardly from said pocket. 8. The cart of claim 1 further includes at least one removable material support assembly comprising a transverse member having opposite ends, a first attachment member coupled to one of the ends on the transverse member, and a second attachment member coupled to the other end of the transverse member. 9. The cart of claim 8 further including a first open top pocket attached to one of the rails of the front frame section and a second open top pocket attached to the other of the rails of the front frame section and wherein a portion of the first attachment member is received within the first open top pocket and a portion of the second attachment member is received within the second open top pocket. 10. The cart of claim 1 wherein when the rear frame section is in its deployed position, the channel beams of the rear frame section extend from the longitudinal frame members of the middle frame section at about a 180 degree angle. 11. The cart of claim 10 wherein when the cart is supported on a level surface by the wheel and the leg assembly, the front of the front end of the base of the middle frame section is lower than the handles. 12. The cart of claim 1 wherein when the cart is supported on a level surface by the wheel and the leg assembly and the front frame section is in its deployed position, the rails extend generally parallel to the level surface. 13. The cart of claim 1 wherein the width of the cart at its widest point is less than 42 inches wide. 14. The cart of claim 1 wherein the length of the cart exceeds 15 feet when the front frame section and rear frame section are in their deployed positions and the handles are extended. 15. The cart of claim 1 including a pair of wheels coupled to the opposite ends of an axle located near the front end of the base of the middle frame section. 16. A cart for transporting building materials, said cart comprising: a. a middle frame section comprising (i) a first longitudinal frame member having a front end and a back end; (ii) a second longitudinal frame member having a front end and a back end; and (iii) a support assembly comprising at least four upright hollow supports, each having an open top, and four cross braces, wherein the first and second of said supports are fastened to and extend upwardly from the first longitudinal frame member, the third and fourth of said supports are fastened to and extend upwardly from the second longitudinal frame member, the first cross brace extends between the first and second upright supports, the second cross brace extends between the third and fourth upright supports, the third cross brace extends between the first and the third upright supports, and the fourth cross brace extends between the second and fourth upright supports;b. a front frame section comprising first and second rails and at least one brace, the first rail having a back end pivotally connected to the second support of support assembly and a front end coupled to the brace and the second rail having a back end pivotally connected to the fourth support of the support assembly and a front end coupled to the brace, wherein the front frame section is pivotal between a folded position in which the front frame overlies the middle frame section and a deployed position in which the front frame section extends from and in front of the middle frame section, the first rail is supported by the first cross brace of the support assembly, the second rail is supported by the second cross brace of the support assembly;c. a rear frame section comprising a first and second spaced apart channel beams and at least one brace spanning the distance between the channel beams, each channel beam being hollow and having an open back end, the first channel beam having a front end pivotally connected to the back end of the first longitudinal frame member of the middle frame section and the second channel beam having a front end pivotally connected to the back end of the second longitudinal frame member of the middle frame section, wherein the rear frame section is pivotal between a folded position in which the rear frame section overlies the middle frame section and a deployed position in which the rear frame section extends from and behind the middle frame section such that the first channel beam extends from the first longitudinal member at an angle of about 180 degrees and the second channel member extends from the second longitudinal member at an angle of about 180 degrees;d. a transverse axle coupled to the middle frame section near the front end of the first and second longitudinal frame members;e. a pair of wheels coupled to the axle for rotation about the axle;f. a leg assembly coupled to rear frame section, the leg assembly comprising a pair of cross braces extending between the channel beams of the rear frame section, each of cross braces having a first end secured to one of the channel beans and an second end secured to the other of the channel beams, a first leg coupled to each of the cross braces near the first end of the cross braces, and a second leg coupled to each of the cross braces near the second end of the cross braces, the leg assembly cooperating with the wheels to support the cart when the cart is at rest and the rear frame section is in its deployed position;g. a lock assembly which selectively secures the rear frame section in its deployed position; andh. a handle assembly including a first handle member received in and extending rearward from the first channel beam of the rear frame section and a second handle member received and extending rearward from the second channel beam of the rear frame section, wherein each handle member of the handle assembly is independently adjustable to extend various lengths rearward of the rear frame section. 17. The cart of claim 16 further including at least one aperture extending transversely through one of the longitudinal spaced apart channel beams, at least one hole extending through the handle member received in said longitudinal spaced apart channel beam, and a pin inserted through said at least one aperture and said at least one hole when said at least one aperture and said at least one hole are aligned to lock the handle member to the channel beam. 18. The cart of claim 16 further including first and second removable material support slings each of the support slings comprising a transverse member having opposite ends, a first attachment member coupled to one of the ends on the transverse member, and a second attachment member coupled to the other end of the transverse member, wherein the first removable material support sling is selectively coupled to the middle frame section by mating the first and second attachment members of the first removable material support sling to the open tops of the first and third upright hollow supports of the support assembly and the second removable material support sling is selectively coupled to the middle frame section by mating the first and second attachment members of the second removable material support sling to the open tops of the second and fourth upright hollow supports of the support assembly. 19. The cart of claim 16 further including a plurality of pockets coupled to at least one of the frame sections and a plurality of lateral material support posts wherein the pockets and posts are sued and shaped to permit the ends of posts to be inserted into the pockets.