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US 4,792,147 AGranted
Mechanics creeper
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorRobin F. Wissing
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorRobin F. Wissing
Estimating the term…
A mechanics creeper has a molded body shell with upturned peripheral edges or walls forming a receiving area within the walls for receiving the head and torso of a user. Wheels are mounted on the body shell so that the shell can easily roll over various types of surfaces with the upturned peripheral walls protecting the user from water, mud, or other materials and from striking unseen objects as the creeper is moved. The wheels may be removable so that the body shell, having a smooth outside contour, may slide over surfaces such as mud, sand, or snow, or through rubble were wheels are unuseable.
A mechanics creeper, comprising a molded, smoothly contoured body shell with upturned peripheral edges curving smoothly upwardly from the bottom of the shell and terminating above the bottom of the shell, the peripheral edges extending upwardly from the bottom of the shell at least half the depth of a user lying therein and extending protectively about the lower periphery of the user's head and torso;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Term ended 24 Feb 2007 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
1. Field
This invention related to devices commonly known as mechanics creepers.
2. State of the Art
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanics creeper of the invention looking from the side of the creeper;
FIG. 2, a side elevation of the creeper of FIG. 1;
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a mechanics creeper has a molded, form-fitting body shell 10. The peripheral edges of the body shell 10 are upturned to form a continuous peripheral wall indicated as side walls 11 and 12, front wall 13 and rear wall 14. The shell may be made of various materials with a plastic or fiberglass material presently preferred.
As illustrated, the side and front peripheral walls extend above the bottom of the body shell to partially enclose a user lying in the shell. The rear wall 14 is lower than the other walls to allow a user's legs to comfortably extend therefrom, but, as shown, extends to some extent above the bottom of the shell. Lowered arm areas 15 and 16 in side walls 11 and 12, respectively, provide an area for comfortable extension of the arms of a user when lying in the shell.
Molded into the tops of the upper side walls 11 and 12 at the front and rear of such walls are wheel mounting areas 17, 18, 19, and 20. These provide an area where wheel means may be mounted to the body shell. While many types of wheel mounting means may be used, as illustrated, the body shell mounting area may be molded to form a receiving channel as shown in FIG. 4 which will accept by close friction fit with glueing if necessary, or by any other means of securement, a wheel bracked support 21 such as a length of aluminum tubing with a standard wheel caster stem socket 22 secured therein.