Lift dolly for use in conjunction with stand-mounted power tools and the like

A method of lifting and transporting an object mounted on a stand having first, second, third, and fourth legs, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a lift dolly including first and second rigid members selectively connectable to one another by way of a latching mechanism;
• (b) affixing the first rigid member of the lift dolly to the first and second legs of the stand;
• (c) affixing the second rigid member of the lift dolly to the third and fourth legs of the stand so that when the first and second rigid members of the dolly are affixed to the stand but are not connected to one another via the latching mechanism, the stand is the primary ground support for the object to be lifted;
• and
• (d) forcing a part of the first rigid member downward relative to the stand, said forcing step causing the latching mechanism to be actuated and couple together the first and second rigid members and lift the stand and object from the ground so that a wheel system of the dolly, as opposed to the stand, is the primary ground support for the object when the latching mechanism is actuated and couples the first and second rigid members together, thereby enabling transport of the object.

A power tool device which may be selectively transported from one location to another along the ground, the power tool device comprising:

• a stand having first, second, third, and fourth elongated legs;
• a power driven tool mounted on said stand;
• a lift dolly affixed to said stand, said lift dolly including a wheel system, and being able to define each of a passive and a lifting position, said passive position being defined as when said stand is the primary ground support for said tool, and said lifting position being defined when the stand and tool are lifted off of the ground and said dolly is the primary ground support for said tool;
• said dolly including a first rigid member affixed to said first and second legs of said stand, a second rigid member directly affixed only to said third and fourth legs of said stand, and a selectively actuated connection means defining a first state and a second state, said dolly being in said passive position when said selectively actuated connection means is in its first state and in said lifting position when said connection means is in its second state;
• actuation means for moving said connection means from its first state to its second state in response to pressure being downwardly applied to said first rigid member thereby lifting said stand and tool off of the ground and enabling transport of same via said wheel system;
• and
• deactuation means for moving said connection means from its second state to its first state in response to another downwardly applied pressure being applied to said first rigid member thereby causing said dolly to shift from said lifting state to said passive state so that said tool can be used.

A lift dolly adapted to lift and enable transport of an object, the lift dolly comprising:

• a first rigid platform adapted to be rigidly affixed to one part of the object;
• a second rigid platform adapted to be rigidly affixed to another portion of the object;
• latch means for selectively coupling said first platform to said second platform;
• lift means for lifting the object off of the ground by applying downward pressure to said first platform which causes said latch means to couple together said first and second platforms;
• and
• lowering means for lowering the object to the ground by applying additional downward pressure to said first platform which causes said latch means to decouple said first and second platforms.

A latch mechanism for selectively coupling first and second rigid members, the latch mechanism comprising:

• said first rigid member including a male member pivotally mounted thereto, the male member capable of being biased in first and second different directions, and including a first surface having a notch defined therein and a second surface opposite said first surface;
• said second rigid member including a female portion mounted thereto, said female portion having each of a crossbar member for engagement with said notch, and a cam surface;
• actuation means for securing the first and second rigid members to one another via the latch mechanism by directing said male member through an aperture defined in said female portion when said male member is biased in said first direction toward said crossbar, so that said crossbar comes to rest within said notch thereby securing said first and second rigid members together;
• and
• deactuation means for decoupling said first and second rigid members by directing said male member further through said aperture so as to cause said male member to become biased in said second direction and thereafter directing said male member rearwardly out of and away from said aperture so that said second surface of said male member contacts said cam surface thereby causing said male member to again become biased in said first direction toward said crossbar so that said notch will become engaged with said crossbar when said male member is again directed through said aperture in said female portion.