Telescopic carpet conveyor

Apparatus for storing a bulk roll of carpet or like material and for dispensing measured portions of the same from the bulk roll comprising,

• a first rail set including first and second elongated rails,
• a portable platform adapted to receive said first rail set thereon,
• means anchoring said first and second rails of said first rail set on said platform in side-by-side mutually parallel relationship to one another and plumb with respect to said platform, said first and second rails of said first rail set being spaced apart from one another by a first distance which is constant along the entire length of said first and second rails of said first tail set, each of said first and second rails defining a respective bearing raceway, said raceways facing one another,
• a second rail set including first and second rails which are disposed in side-by-side mutually parallel relationship to one another and plumb with respect to said platform, said first and second rails of said second rail set being spaced apart from one another by a second distance which is constant along the entire length of said first and second rails of said second rail set and which is of a lesser value than said first distance separating said first and second rails of said first rail set, whereby said second rail set is received between said first and second rails of said first rail set and in a plane common to the plane of said first rail set, each of said first and second rails of said first rail set defining a bearing raceway, said raceways facing one another,
• each of said first and second rails of said first rail set including an outboard web, first plurality of bearing members affixed to said outboard web of each of said first and second rails of said second rail set and projecting therefrom to be supportingly received by respective ones of said raceways defined by said first and second rails of said first rail set, whereby said second rail set is telescopically mounted within said first rail set,
• a third rail set including first and second elongated rails which are disposed in side-by-side mutually parallel relationship to one another and plumb with respect to said platform and in a plane common to the plane of said first and second rail sets, said first and second rails of said third rail set being spaced apart from one another by a third distance which is of lesser value that said second distance separating said first and second rails of said second rail set, whereby said third rail set is received between said first and second rails of said second rail set, each of said first and second rails of said third rail set having an outboard web and defning a bearing raceway, said raceways facing one another,
• a second plurality of bearing members affixed to said outboard web of each of said first and second rails of said third rail set and projecting therefrom to be supportingly received in respective ones of said raceways defined by said first and second rails of said second rail set whereby said third rail set is telescopically mounted within said second rail set,
• third and fourth rails fixedly mounted atop each of said first and second rails of said second rail set and extending substantially along the length of respective ones of said first and second rails of said second rail set, each of said third and fourth rails being adapted to define supports for the movement of one or more dollies back and forth along the length of said third and fourth rails,
• receive roller bearings for movement of said roller bearings along respective ones of said third and fourth rails of said second rail set,
• third and fourth rails fixedly mounted atop each of said first and second rails of said third rail set and extending substantially along the length of respective ones of said first and second rails of said third rail set, each of said third and fourth rails being adapted to define supports for the movement of one or more dollies back and forth along the length of said third and fourth rails,
• a first dolly including a generally planar top surface and a bottom surface,
• a plurality of wheel members supportingly mounted on said bottom surface of said first dolly, said wheel members being disposed at least adjacent respective opposite corners of said first dolly and being received in rotational relationship on respective ones of said third and fourth rails of said second rail set whereby said first dolly is positionable along the length of said second rails set,
• a second dolly including a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of wheel members mounted on said bottom surface thereof, said wheel members being disposed at least adjacent respective opposite respective opposite corners of said second dolly and being received in rotational relationship on respective ones of said third and fourth rails of said third rail set whereby said second carriage is positionable along the length of said third rail set,
• a third dolly including a top surface and a bottom surface, dolly including a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of wheel members mounted on said bottom surface thereof, said wheel members being disposed at least adjacent respective opposite respective opposite corners of said second dolly and being received in rotational relationship on respective ones of said third and fourth rails of said third rail set whereby said second carriage is positionable along the length of said third rail set, said second dolly being further disposed intermediate said first and third dollies,
• first carpet roll supporting mean associated with said first dolly and including a first standard extending upwardly from said top surface of said first dolly and a first probe extending laterally from said standard in cantilevered fashion over and in alignment with said third rail set, said probe being adapted to be inserted into a first end of a bulk roll of carpet for lifting and support of said bulk roll in a cantilevered position over said third rail set,
• second carpet roll supporting mans associated with said third carriage and including a second standard extending upwardly from said top surface of said third carriage and a second probe extending from said second standard in cantilevered fashion over and in alignment with said third rail set, said second probe facing and in alignment with said first probe and being adapted to be inserted into a second end of the bulk roll of carpet,
• a third standard extending obliquely upwardly from said top surface of said first dolly and directionally away from said first standard,
• a fourth standard extending obliquely upwardly from said top surface of said third dolly and directionally away from said second standard, and
• carpet collection and support means extending between said third and fourth standards, said collection and support means being spaced laterally apart from and parallel to said aligned first and second probes and thereby in position to receive carpet unrolled from the bulk roll of carpet disposed on said probes.