GB2139085A - Trolleys - Google Patents

Abstract

In a trolley for transporting garments suspended on hangers from a rail (15), the hangers (23) are prevented from swinging side-to-side by a bar (17) which engages the hangers when they swing. The bar (17) is pivotable (19) and can be raised to a position clear of the rail to allow easy access to the rail to add or remove hangers. The bar (17) is biassed by an over-centre spring (21). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Trolleys The present invention relates to trolleys and especially to trolleys of the type used for transporting garments or hangers.

One severe problem with trolleys of the above type is that the garments tend to oscillate while being transported which can cause them to fall off their hangers or the hook of the hanger to fall of the rail from which the hangers are suspended. In either case, the clothes becomes soiled. It has been proposed to fix the garments to the hanger but this is time consuming and provides only a limited solution to the problem.

According to the broadest aspect of the present invention, there is provided a trolley for transporting garments hung on hangers, the trolley having a rail for suspending the hangers and a member capable of engaging one or more hangers suspended on the rail to limit movement of the hanger in a direction perpendicular to the rail.

In order to gain ready access to the rail to suspend or remove clothes therefrom, it is preferred that the member is movable, advantageously by pivoting, between a first position in which it is capable of engaging hanger(s) suspended from the rail and a second position in which it is clear of hangers (or the position hangers would occupy) on the rail.

Preferably, in the second position, the member is located above the level of the rail.

It will be appreciated that the member when in the first position should not be moved to the second position by the force exerted on the member in resisting the swinging movement of hangers on the rail. This may be achieved by spring biasing the member into the first positon preferably by means of a tension spring.

In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement is such that when the member is moved from the first to the second position (or vice versa the spring moves overtop-dead centre. The advantage of this arrangement is that the member is spring biased into both the first and the second positions, and hence is stable in both the first and second positions.

Whereas a separate member could be provided to engage each hanger on a rail, it very much simpler and cheaper to provide a single memberto engage all the hangers on a rail. The member may be a bar that lies parallel to the rail (at least when in the first position).

Two members may be provided for each rail, one being located on each side of the rail, to prevent garments from swinging in either direction. However, we have found that only one member is necessary to prevent the garments from swinging excessively.

A trolley in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa side elevation of the trolley, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the trolley, Figure 3 is an end view of a rail of the trolley with the member in its first position, and Figure 4 is an end view of a rail of the trolley with the member in its second position.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the trolley 10 consists of a base 11 mounted on castors 12, two end pieces 13 secured to the base, a pair of uprights 14 supported on the base and welded to their respective end pieces, and an upper and lower rail 15, 16 for suspending hangers carrying half-length garments, e.g. jackets, trousers and skirts. Alternatively, full-length garments may be transported in which case only the upper rail 15 is provided.

In the event of a garment slipping from its hanger, nylon netting 17 suspended from hooks 18 is provided which catches the garment and prevents it from falling onto the floor and getting soiled.

Garments hung from the rails 15 and 16 are prevented from swinging from side to side by a member in the form of a bar 17 that engages a hanger suspended from the rail when it swings. It will be appreciated that the bar 17 need not be in contact with the hanger when the garments are not swinging but it should be so located that it contacts the hanger in the event of the garment swinging to a substantial extent thus dampening the swing.

As can best be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the bar 17 is supported at each end by a plate 18 that is pivotally mounted to one of the uprights 14 by means of a screw 19. Secured to each upright 14 at the end of each rail 15, 16 is an arm 2.0 and a tension spring 21 which extends between bolts 22 on the arm and the pivoted plate 18to bias the bar 17 in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3) into a first position. In this first position, the bar 17 engages the upright 14.

A garment suspended by a hanger 23 (only the hook of which is shown) from the rail is prevented from swinging in the anti-clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3) by the bar 17. Although the garment is not prevented from swinging in a clockwise direction, in practice it will not do so to a substantial extent because large swinging movements are built up only after several complete swings and these are prevented by the bar 17.

When it is desired to hang garments on, or to remove them from, the rail 15, then the plate is pivoted from the first position shown in Figure 3 to a second position, shown in Figure 4.

In the second position, the bar 17 is located above and away from the rail 15 allowing easy access to the rail. In moving from the first to the second positions of the bar 17, the spring 21 goes overtop-dead centre, i.e. it reaches its maximum extension, when the plate 18 is perpendicular to the upright 14. Thus the bar is stable in both the first and the second positions.

1. Atrolleyfortransporting garments hung on hangers, the trolley comprising a base, a rail supported above the base for suspending the hangers and a member capable of engaging one or more hangers suspended on the rail to limit swinging movement of the hanger in a direction perpendicular to the rail.

2. Atrolley as claimed in claim 1, wherein the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Trolleys The present invention relates to trolleys and especially to trolleys of the type used for transporting garments or hangers. One severe problem with trolleys of the above type is that the garments tend to oscillate while being transported which can cause them to fall off their hangers or the hook of the hanger to fall of the rail from which the hangers are suspended. In either case, the clothes becomes soiled. It has been proposed to fix the garments to the hanger but this is time consuming and provides only a limited solution to the problem. According to the broadest aspect of the present invention, there is provided a trolley for transporting garments hung on hangers, the trolley having a rail for suspending the hangers and a member capable of engaging one or more hangers suspended on the rail to limit movement of the hanger in a direction perpendicular to the rail. In order to gain ready access to the rail to suspend or remove clothes therefrom, it is preferred that the member is movable, advantageously by pivoting, between a first position in which it is capable of engaging hanger(s) suspended from the rail and a second position in which it is clear of hangers (or the position hangers would occupy) on the rail. Preferably, in the second position, the member is located above the level of the rail. It will be appreciated that the member when in the first position should not be moved to the second position by the force exerted on the member in resisting the swinging movement of hangers on the rail. This may be achieved by spring biasing the member into the first positon preferably by means of a tension spring. In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement is such that when the member is moved from the first to the second position (or vice versa the spring moves overtop-dead centre. The advantage of this arrangement is that the member is spring biased into both the first and the second positions, and hence is stable in both the first and second positions. Whereas a separate member could be provided to engage each hanger on a rail, it very much simpler and cheaper to provide a single memberto engage all the hangers on a rail. The member may be a bar that lies parallel to the rail (at least when in the first position). Two members may be provided for each rail, one being located on each side of the rail, to prevent garments from swinging in either direction. However, we have found that only one member is necessary to prevent the garments from swinging excessively. A trolley in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa side elevation of the trolley, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the trolley, Figure 3 is an end view of a rail of the trolley with the member in its first position, and Figure 4 is an end view of a rail of the trolley with the member in its second position. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the trolley 10 consists of a base 11 mounted on castors 12, two end pieces 13 secured to the base, a pair of uprights 14 supported on the base and welded to their respective end pieces, and an upper and lower rail 15, 16 for suspending hangers carrying half-length garments, e.g. jackets, trousers and skirts. Alternatively, full-length garments may be transported in which case only the upper rail 15 is provided. In the event of a garment slipping from its hanger, nylon netting 17 suspended from hooks 18 is provided which catches the garment and prevents it from falling onto the floor and getting soiled. Garments hung from the rails 15 and 16 are prevented from swinging from side to side by a member in the form of a bar 17 that engages a hanger suspended from the rail when it swings. It will be appreciated that the bar 17 need not be in contact with the hanger when the garments are not swinging but it should be so located that it contacts the hanger in the event of the garment swinging to a substantial extent thus dampening the swing. As can best be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the bar 17 is supported at each end by a plate 18 that is pivotally mounted to one of the uprights 14 by means of a screw 19. Secured to each upright 14 at the end of each rail 15, 16 is an arm 2.0 and a tension spring 21 which extends between bolts 22 on the arm and the pivoted plate 18to bias the bar 17 in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3) into a first position. In this first position, the bar 17 engages the upright 14. A garment suspended by a hanger 23 (only the hook of which is shown) from the rail is prevented from swinging in the anti-clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3) by the bar 17. Although the garment is not prevented from swinging in a clockwise direction, in practice it will not do so to a substantial extent because large swinging movements are built up only after several complete swings and these are prevented by the bar 17. When it is desired to hang garments on, or to remove them from, the rail 15, then the plate is pivoted from the first position shown in Figure 3 to a second position, shown in Figure 4. In the second position, the bar 17 is located above and away from the rail 15 allowing easy access to the rail. In moving from the first to the second positions of the bar 17, the spring 21 goes overtop-dead centre, i.e. it reaches its maximum extension, when the plate 18 is perpendicular to the upright 14. Thus the bar is stable in both the first and the second positions. CLAIMS

1. Atrolleyfortransporting garments hung on hangers, the trolley comprising a base, a rail supported above the base for suspending the hangers and a member capable of engaging one or more hangers suspended on the rail to limit swinging movement of the hanger in a direction perpendicular to the rail.

2. Atrolley as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member is movable between a first position in which it is capable of engaging hangers suspended on the rail and a second position in which it is clear of hangers or the position the hangers would occupy on the rail.

3. A trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the second position the member is located above the level of the rail.

4. A trolley as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the member is pivotally mounted to move from the first to the second position.

5. Atrolley as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the member is resiliently biassed into the first position.

6. A trolley as claimed in claim 5, wherein the member is resiliently biased by a spring that, when the member is moved between the first and the second positions, moves over top tead centre thereby biassing the member into both the first and second positions.

7. Atrolley as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the member is a bar that lies parallel to the rail at least when in the first position.

8. Atrolley substantially as hereinbefore described in connection with and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.