Cart with removable wheel base

A cart for transporting items between a controlled environment and an uncontrolled environment, the cart comprising:

• a frame having a bottom surface, at least one shelf, and support posts coupling the bottom surface with the at least one shelf;
• a wheel base separate from the frame, the wheel base having a flat top surface including two parallel guiderails, the top surface configured to slidably receive the bottom surface of the frame, wherein an opening is formed in the top surface;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured to releasably couple the frame with the wheel base and including:
• a rod;
• and
• a spring configured to cause the rod to engage the opening in the top surface automatically in response to alignment of the rod and the opening;
• wherein the bottom surface has a downwardly-turned side which includes at least one guide wheel coupled therewith for slidably supporting the frame on the flat top surface of the wheel base along the two parallel guiderails.

A rack for storage or transportation of a transport device comprising:

• a frame having a top frame portion and a bottom frame portion;
• a plurality of posts, each post extending upwardly from a corner of the bottom frame portion and coupled to a respective corner of the top frame portion, the top frame portion and the bottom frame portion each having a front post and a rear post;
• and
• a plurality of hooks extending downward from the top frame portion and configured to receive a plurality of transport devices, the plurality of hooks including a first hook coupled to the front post of the top frame portion and a second hook coupled to the front post of the bottom frame portion, the first hook aligned with the second hook to form a pair, the pair configured to receive a first transport device.

A rack for storage or transportation of a transport device comprising:

• a frame having a top frame portion and a bottom frame portion;
• a plurality of posts, each post extending upwardly from a corner of the bottom frame portion and coupled to a respective corner of the top frame portion;
• and
• a plurality of hooks extending downward from the top frame portion and configured to receive a plurality of transport devices, wherein the plurality of transport devices each comprise a wheel base having a guiderail located on one side, wherein at least one of the plurality of hooks engages the guiderail to secure the transport device to the rack.

A cart for transporting items between a controlled environment and an uncontrolled environment, the cart comprising:

• a frame having a bottom surface, at least one shelf:
• and support posts coupling the bottom surface with the at least one shelf;
• a wheel base separate from the frame, the wheel base having a flat top surface which slidably receives the bottom surface of the frame;
• an opening in the flat top surface of the wheel base;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured to releasably couple the frame with the wheel base, wherein the locking mechanism comprises:
• a rod coupled with the frame;
• and
• a spring configured to cause the rod to engage the opening in the top surface automatically in response to alignment of the rod with the opening to releasably couple the frame with the wheel base, wherein the bottom surface has a downwardly-turned side which includes at least one guide wheel coupled therewith for slidably supporting the frame on the flat top surface of the wheel base.

A cart for transporting items between a controlled environment and an uncontrolled environment, the cart comprising:

• a frame having a bottom surface, at least one shelf, and support posts coupling the bottom surface with the at least one shelf;
• at least one wheel base separate from the frame, the at least one wheel base having a flat top surface which slidably receives the bottom surface of the frame along two parallel guideways attached to the at least one wheel base, wherein the top surface of the wheel base includes an opening;
• and
• a locking mechanism including:
• a rod coupled to the frame;
• and
• a spring configured to cause the rod to engage the opening automatically in response to alignment of the rod with the opening to releasably couple the frame with the wheel base.