US 5,240,264 A · Containers on folding wheels and method

Abstract

A container for holding assorted items includes a rack, a compartment having a rear face and connected to the rack, a flange member extending from the rack which can pivot flat against the rear face of the compartment, and a wheel mounted on the flange member which can pivot with the flange member against the rear face of the compartment, to conserve space and prevent unwanted rolling of the container. The compartment is preferably an elongated, hollow cube, and a plurality of such compartments may be provided, one on top of the other, for the segregated retention of items. The rack preferably includes an essentially inverted U-shaped tube having a cross-segment and two parallel side segments. The compartment top and bottom faces have rack receiving ports for receiving the side segments of the rack. The side segments are each formed of multiple link portions removably connected together. A method of assembling a container as described above includes the steps of fitting the link portions together and into the cross-segment, and sliding the assembled side segments through the compartment ports. A method of disassembling a container as described above includes the steps of sliding the side segments out of the compartment ports, and pulling the link portions of the side segments and the cross-segment apart.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A container for holding assorted items, comprising:

rack means comprising an elongate segment;
a compartment having a rear face and a top face and a bottom face, and ports in said top and bottom faces through which said elongate segment fits and passes through said compartment, for securing said compartment to said rack means,
a flange member extending from said rack means,
a wheel mounted on said flange member on which said container can roll,
a tubular sheath member connecting opposing rack means receiving ports on said top and bottom faces for receiving and guiding said elongate segment of said rack means,
said sheath member having an L-shaped slot, in the form of two connecting perpendicular leg portions, a first said leg portion being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sheath member for axially receiving said flange member during assembly and disassembly of said container and a second said leg portion extending essentially perpendicular to said first leg portion for receiving said flange member when said flange member is pivoted for locking said flange member against axial movement relative to said sheath member.

3 more elements

A container for holding assorted items, comprising:

rack means comprising an elongate segment,
a compartment having a rear face and a top face and a bottom face, and ports in said top and bottom faces through which said elongate segment fits and passes through said compartment, for securing said compartment to said rack means,
a tubular sheath member connecting opposing rack means receiving ports on said top and bottom faces for receiving and guiding said elongate segment of said rack means,
a flange member pivotably mounted on said elongate segment so that said flange member can pivot against said rear face of said compartment,
a wheel mounted on said flange member on which said container can roll which can pivot with said flange member against said rear face of said compartment, to conserve space and prevent unwanted rolling of said container,
wherein said sheath member has an L-shaped slot, in the form of two connecting perpendicular leg portions, a first said leg portion being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sheath member, and a second said leg portion extending essentially perpendicular to said first leg portion for receiving said flange member when said flange member is pivoted for locking said flange member against axial movement relative to said sheath member which receives and engages said flange member, when said elongate segment and said sheath member are axially rotated relative to each other.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Containers on folding wheels and method

Life of this patent

Containers on folding wheels and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10