Dual function pallet carrier-platform truck for postal and package delivery systems

A compact nestble four-wheel pallet truck for use in a delivery systemm in which goods are transferred from a central station or depot in a truck trailer to a branch station or receiving depot on standard-size destructible pallets, said truck having a rigid L-shaped metal framework comprising a rigid horizontal base frame and a rigid upright rectangular vertically elongated front end frame of narrow cross section, a transverse rear axle rigidly mounted on said base frame, a pair of rotatable wheels mounted at the opposite ends of said axle, a lateral support means rigidly mounted at the fronft end of said base frame, a pair of laterally spaced caster wheels pivotally mounted on said support means at opposite sides of the base frame, supporting means carried by said base frame having a rectangular shape and upper supporting surfaces for engaging the bottom of a standard-size pallet to maintain the pallet in a position adjacent said rigid end frame wherein its sides are in alignment with and contiguous to the sides of said supporting means, a retractable tow bar mounted on the base frame for movement from a normal unobstructing retracted position to a longitudinally projecting towing position wherein the tow bar is held against longitudinal movement and horizontal angular movement relative to said base frame, said retractable tow bar being mounted to move lengthwise inside the base frame at the rear of the truck from the enclosed retracted position to an extended towing position, wherein means are provided at the outer end of said tow bar for pivotally connecting the extended tow bar to another truck, means are provided for pivotally supporting the tow bar in its extended position to permit vertical angular movement while preventing longitudinal or horizontal angular movement thereof including a horizontal pivot pin at the inner end of the tow bar and a pair of pivot blocks rigidly mounted on the base frame at opposite sides of the tow bar, said blocks having aligned recesses of a size to receive the end portions of said pivot pin which are open at the top to permit the pivot pin to drop into the recesses when the tow bar is moved rearwardly from said retracted position to said extended position, whereby a series of such four-wheel pallet trucks can be connected together in a tractor-drawn train, said base frame being shaped to permit a series of such pallet trucks to be nested closely together in interfitting parallel relation with the rigid upright end frame of each truck parallel to and spaced several inches from the upright end frame of an adjacent truck.