Knock-down utility cart

A utility cart which is capable of transporting large loads along the ground, yet can be conveniently knocked down for storage and subsequent re-assembly, comprising a basket for carrying a load which is desired to be transported, said basket comprising a continuous rectangular perimeter frame having a longer dimension that is arranged lengthwise of the cart and a shorter dimension that is arranged transverse to the cart, said perimeter frame being fabricated of tubular material which is bent to 90 degrees at the four corners of the rectangle thereby causing the four corners of the rectangle to be rounded, said basket further comprising a series of transverse members, also fabricated of tubular material, and arranged transversely of and at spaced apart locations along the cart's length, said transverse members having their opposite ends joining to opposite lengthwise sides of said perimeter frame and being shaped to cooperatively define a depression forming the basket, at least one tie extending lengthwise of the cart and joining to said transverse members at a level below that of said perimeter frame, an axle mount arranged trasnversely of the basket and joining to one of said transverse members such that the basket overlies the axle mount, axled wheels removably mounted on said axle mount and disposed alongside the opposite longer sides of the basket to support the cart for rolling motion along the ground, and a combination operating handle and strut assembly removably mounted on the basket at one lengthwise end thereof so as to be supported on the shorter side of the perimeter frame at said one lengthwise end of the basket and on the immediately adjacent transverse basket member, an operating handle of said assembly being disposed at an inclined angle to the plane of the perimeter frame to extend from said immediately adjacent transverse basket member past the shorter side of the perimeter frame at said one lengthwise end of the basket and terminate at a location which is spaced above the level of the perimeter frame and beyond said one lengthwise end of the basket, said assembly comprising a mounting for a strut providing a stowage position to which the strut is disposed when the cart is rolled along the ground so as to enable said one lengthwise end of the basket to be dropped down about the axled wheels relative to the opposite lengthwise end of the basket and and said mounting providing a support position to which the strut is disposed when the cart is at rest for engaging the ground and cooperating with the wheels to provide stable support for the cart, said operating handle comprising a generally straight elongate member, fabricated of tubular material, and located laterally centrally of the cart, an attachment bracket attached to one end of said generally straight elongate member, a grasping handle attached to the opposite end of said generally straight elongate member, and a second attachment bracket attached to said straight member between said grasping handle and the first attachment bracket, said basket comprising attaching bracket structure on said perimeter frame and said immediately adjacent transverse member which cooperates with said first and second attachment brackets of said generally straight elongate member to enable said operating handle to be removably attached to said basket, and the removable mounting of said operating handle on the basket comprising separable fasteners separably securing said attaching bracket structure to said first and second attachment brackets to removably attach said operating handle to said basket.

A utility cart which is capable of transporting large loads along the ground, yet can be conveniently knocked down for storage and subsequent re-assembly, comprising a basket for carrying a load which is desired to be transported, said basket comprising a continuous rectangular perimeter frame having a longer dimension that is arranged lengthwise of the cart and a shorter dimension that is arranged transverse to the cart, said basket further comprising a series of transverse members arranged transversely of and at spaced apart locations along the cart's length, said transverse members having their opposite ends joining to opposite lengthwise sides of said perimeter frame and being shaped to cooperatively define a depression forming the basket, at least one tie extending lengthwise of the cart and joining to said transverse members at a level below that of said perimeter frame, an axle mount arranged transversely of the basket and joining to one of said transverse members such that the basket overlies the axle mount, axled wheels removably mounted on said axle mount and disposed alongside the opposite longer sides of the basket to support the cart for rolling motion along the ground, and a combination operating handle and strut assembly removably mounted on the basket at one lengthwise end thereof so as to be supported on the shorter side of the perimeter frame at said one lengthwise end of the basket and on the immediately adjacent transverse basket member, an operating handle of said assembly being disposed at an inclined angle to the plane of the perimeter frame to extend from said immediately adjacent transverse basket member past the shorter side of the perimeter frame at said one lengthwise end of the basket and terminate at a location which is spaced above the level of the perimeter frame and beyond said one lengthwise end of the basket, said assembly comprising a mounting for a strut providing a stowage position to which the strut is disposed when the cart is rolled along the ground so as to enable said one lengthwise end of the basket to be dropped down about the axled wheels relative to the opposite lengthwise end of the basket and said mounting providing a support position to which the strut is disposed when the cart is at rest for engaging the ground and cooperating with the wheels to provide stable support for the cart, said operating handle comprising an elongate member located laterally centrally of the cart, first and second attachment bracket structures spaced apart on said elongate member, means for separably attaching said operating handle to said basket via said first and second attachment bracket structures, said first attachment bracket structure serving for attachment of said elongate member to said immediately adjacent transverse basket member, said second attachment bracket structure serving for attachment of said elongate member to said shorter side of the perimeter frame at said one lengthwise end of the bracket, said mounting for the strut comprising means for pivotal mounting of the strut on a portion of said first attachment bracket structure, said first attachment bracket structure also comprising a stop for the strut as the strut is swung from stowed position to support position, and a locking member that is selectively operable with respect to said first attachment bracket structure to coact with said stop in locking the strut in support position when the strut is in support position.