Plastic hand truck with folding metal platen

A hand truck, comprising:

• a molded body formed of a thermoplastic material, wherein the body defines an upper handle section and a lower section spaced below the upper handle section, wherein the lower section defines a pair of outer rail members and wherein the thermoplastic material of the body is constructed so as to define a closed area between the outer rail members;
• a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the lower section of the body;
• and
• a metal load supporting member mounted to the lower section of the body, wherein the load supporting member is movably mounted to the body for movement between an operative lowered position and an inoperative raised position.

A hand truck, comprising:

• a molded body formed of a thermoplastic material, wherein the body defines an upper handle section and a lower section spaced below the upper handle section;
• a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the lower section of the body;
• a metal load supporting member mounted to the lower section of the body, wherein the load supporting member is movably mounted to the body for movement between an operative lowered position and an inoperative raised position, wherein the load supporting member comprises a load supporting area and a pair of mounting members located on opposite sides defined by the load supporting area;
• wherein the wheels are mounted to an axle which extends through a transverse passage defined by the lower section of the body, and wherein the load supporting member is movable about a longitudinal axis defined by the axle between the operative lowered position and the inoperative raised position, wherein the axle extends through a slot in each mounting member for movably mounting the load support member to the axle;
• and
• a guide arrangement interposed between the lower section of the hand truck body and each mounting member for guiding movement of the load supporting member between the operative lowered position and the inoperative raised position.

A hand truck, comprising:

• a molded body formed of a thermoplastic material, wherein the body defines an upper handle section and a lower section spaced below the upper handle section;
• a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the lower section of the body;
• and
• a metal load supporting member mounted to the lower section of the body, wherein the load supporting member is movably mounted to the body for movement between an operative lowered position and an inoperative raised position;
• wherein the wheels are mounted to an axle which extends through a transverse passage defined by the lower section of the body, and wherein the load supporting member is movable about a longitudinal axis defined by the axle between the operative lowered position and the inoperative raised position;
• wherein the load supporting member defines a rearwardly facing engagement area at a location offset from the longitudinal axis and the lower section of the hand truck body defines one or more forwardly facing engagement surfaces formed integrally with the lower section of the hand truck body, wherein the rearwardly facing engagement surface of the load supporting member and the forwardly facing engagement surfaces of the lower section of the hand truck body engage each other when the load supporting member is in the operative lowered position, wherein application of a load to the load supporting member tends to rotate the load supporting member about the axle, and wherein the engagement surface of the load supporting member and the engagement surfaces of the lower section of the hand truck body engage each other to resist rotation of the load supporting member and to maintain the load supporting member in the operative lowered position.

A hand truck, comprising:

• a molded body formed of a thermoplastic material, wherein the body defines an upper handle section and a lower section spaced below the upper handle section;
• a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the lower section of the body;
• a metal load supporting member mounted to the lower section of the body, wherein the load supporting member is movably mounted to the body for movement between an operative lowered position and an inoperative raised position;
• wherein the wheels are mounted to an axle which extends through a transverse passage defined by the lower section of the body, and wherein the load supporting member is movable about a longitudinal axis defined by the axle between the operative lowered position and the inoperative raised position;
• and
• wherein the load supporting member and the lower section of the hand truck body include cooperating engagement surfaces which engage each other when the load supporting member is in the operative lowered position, wherein application of a load to the load supporting member tends to rotate the load supporting member about the axle, and wherein the engagement surfaces engage each other to resist rotation of the load supporting member and to maintain the load supporting member in the operative lowered position, wherein the cooperating engagement surfaces are defined by an upstanding lip associated with the load supporting member and engagement structure formed at the lower end of the hand truck body at a location spaced below the axle and arranged so as to engage the lip to maintain the load supporting member in the operative lowered position.

A hand truck, comprising:

• a hand truck body formed of a molded thermoplastic material, wherein the hand truck body includes a lower section and an upper handle section spaced above the lower section, wherein the lower section defines a forwardly facing load supporting surface;
• a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the lower section;
• and
• a load supporting member mounted to the lower section and extending forwardly from the load supporting surface;
• wherein the handle section extends forwardly from the load supporting surface and includes a transverse handle member located forwardly of the load supporting surface, wherein the handle section includes bumper structure located forwardly of the handle member, wherein the bumper structure and the handle member cooperate to define a space between one or more forward load-engaging areas defined by the bumper structure and the handle member.

A hand truck body construction formed of a molded thermoplastic material, comprising:

• an upper handle section;
• a lower load supporting section adapted to mount a load supporting member;
• an intermediate section located between the upper handle section and the lower load supporting section;
• wherein the intermediate section and the lower load supporting section include parallel, spaced apart integrally formed rail members for imparting rigidity to the hand truck body, wherein the spaced apart rail members include a pair of outer rail members and at least one intermediate rail member located therebetween;
• wherein the outer rail members have a first depth at the intermediate section and a second depth, greater than the first depth, at the lower load supporting section so as to reinforce the hand truck body;
• and
• wherein a foot stop area is located between the outer rail members at the lower load supporting section of the hand truck body.

A hand truck body construction, comprising:

• an upper handle section;
• a lower load supporting section adapted to mount a load supporting member, wherein the lower load supporting section defines a lower end;
• and
• an intermediate section located between the upper handle section and the lower load supporting section;
• wherein the intermediate section and the lower load supporting section include parallel, spaced apart integrally formed rail members for imparting rigidity to the hand truck body;
• wherein the upper handle section, the intermediate section and the lower load supporting section are formed of a molded thermoplastic material integrally with each other to provide a one-piece non-collapsible construction of the hand truck body;
• and
• openings formed integrally with the rail members on opposite sides of the hand truck body, wherein the openings are located above the lower end defined by the lower load supporting section of the hand truck body.

In a hand truck assembly including a hand truck body having an upper handle, a pair of wheels located toward the lower end of the hand truck body, and a transverse axle mounted to the hand truck body and rotatably mounting the pair of wheels, the improvement comprising:

• a movable load supporting member for supporting a load toward the lower end of the hand truck body, wherein the load supporting member includes a load supporting area and a pair of mounting sections located on opposite sides of the load supporting area, wherein each mounting section is interconnected with the axle for providing movement of the load supporting member about the axle between an inoperative raised position and an operative lowered position, wherein each wheel is rotatably mounted to a wheel mounting section of the axle which extends outwardly from one of the mounting sections of the load supporting member, and wherein each wheel includes a central hub area defining an inner end and an outer end;
• and
• a wheel retainer engaged with the axle and the outer end of the central hub area, wherein the inner end of the central hub area is engaged with an outer surface defined by the mounting section, and wherein the central hub area includes a bushing, wherein the wheel retainer engages one end defined by the bushing and wherein an opposite end defined by the bushing is in engagement with the mounting section, wherein the load supporting member is rotatably mounted to the axle independent of connection of the load supporting member to the hand truck body.

In a hand truck assembly including a hand truck body having an upper handle, a pair of wheels located toward the lower end of the hand truck body, and a transverse axle mounted to the hand truck body and rotatably mounting the pair of wheels, the improvement comprising:

• a movable load supporting member for supporting a load toward the lower end of the hand truck body, wherein the load supporting member includes a load supporting area and a pair of mounting sections located on opposite sides of the load supporting area, wherein each mounting section is interconnected with the axle for providing movement of the load supporting member about the axle between an inoperative raised position and an operative lowered position;
• wherein each wheel is rotatably mounted to a wheel mounting section of the axle which extends outwardly from one of the mounting sections of the load supporting member;
• and
• a guide arrangement interposed between the hand truck body and each mounting section for guiding movement of the load supporting member between the inoperative raised position and the operative lowered position.