US 12,522,268 B2 · Transport dolly incorporating a carousel

Abstract

A dolly structured for transport of component parts bins to and from plant floor work sites includes a base and a carousel rotatably connected to the base. The carousel has a pair of opposed open sides, with each side structured to enable an entire array or arrangement of component parts bins to be loaded or unloaded onto the carousel at the same time. The dolly also incorporates a first locking mechanism structured to lock the carousel in any of four orientations spaced apart at intervals of 90° during rotation of the carousel. The arrangement described provides flexibility in loading and unloading the carousel with parts bins, decreases the total amount of space needed to load and unload the dolly, and the amount of space needed to maneuver the dolly into a position and orientation that is usable by a worker on the assembly line, and improves user safety.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A dolly comprising:

a base;
and
a carousel rotatably connected to the base,
the carousel including a first wall and a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism including:
a locking member;
a locking member receptacle mounted on the base and including an opening positioned along a rotational arc of the locking member and structured to receive the locking member therein when the locking mechanism is in a locked condition;
a first arm rotatably connected to the locking member and rotatably connected to the first wall so that rotation of the first arm in a first rotational direction moves the locking member in a direction away from the locking member receptacle opening;
and
a second arm rotatably connected to the locking member and rotatably connected to the first wall so that rotation of the second arm in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction moves the locking member in a direction away from the locking member receptacle opening.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transport dolly incorporating a carousel

Life of this patent

Transport dolly incorporating a carousel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8