Wheeled, manually moveable, propane fueled electric generator

A wheeled, manually movable, internal combustion engine powered electric generator, comprising:

• a frame defining an axial direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to said axial direction, said frame further defining a front end and a rear end opposite said front end in said axial direction, the frame further defining a first side and a second side spaced apart in said transverse direction from said first side;
• an internal combustion engine carried by said frame;
• a propane fuel tank connected in communication with said engine and carried by said frame above said engine, said propane fuel tank being selectively removable from said frame;
• an electric generator carried by said frame and connected to said engine;
• a first wheel assembly connected to said first side of said frame and rotatably carrying at least a first wheel, said first wheel assembly including a first inner wheel support plate defining an outer side and an inner side disposed opposite said outer side, said first wheel assembly including a front wheel axle extending from said outer side of said first inner wheel support plate, said first wheel assembly including a rear wheel axle extending from said outer side of said first inner wheel support plate and spaced apart from said front wheel axle, said first wheel assembly including a first wheel assembly journal extending from said inner side of said first inner wheel support plate and extending in a transverse direction parallel to said front wheel axle and said rear wheel axle, said first wheel assembly journal being pivotally connected to said first side of said frame;
• and
• a second wheel assembly connected to said second side of said frame and rotatably carrying at least a second wheel, said second wheel assembly including a second inner wheel support plate defining an outer side and an inner side disposed opposite said outer side, said second wheel assembly including a front wheel axle extending from said outer side of said second inner wheel support plate, said second wheel assembly including a rear wheel axle extending from said outer side of said second inner wheel support plate and spaced apart from said front wheel axle, said second wheel assembly including a second wheel assembly journal extending from said inner side of said second inner wheel support plate and extending parallel to said front wheel axle and said rear wheel axle, said second wheel assembly journal being pivotally connected to said second side of said frame.

A wheeled, manually movable, internal combustion engine powered electric generator, comprising:

• a frame defining an axial direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to said axial direction, said frame further defining a front end and a rear end opposite said front end in said axial direction, the frame further defining a first side and a second side spaced apart in said transverse direction from said first side;
• an internal combustion engine carried by said frame;
• a propane fuel tank connected in communication with said engine and carried by said frame;
• an electric generator carried by said frame and connected to said engine;
• a first wheel assembly connected to said first side of said frame and rotatably carrying at least a first wheel, a second wheel assembly connected to said second side of said frame and rotatably carrying at least a second wheel;
• and
• said first wheel assembly including a first pivot pin extending transversely from said first wheel assembly and disposed to engage said frame and lift one end of said first wheel assembly with respect to the ground when one end of said frame is lifted a predetermined distance above the ground.

A wheeled, manually movable, internal combustion engine powered electric generator, comprising:

• a frame defining an axial direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to said axial direction, said frame further defining a front end and a rear end opposite said front end in said axial direction, the frame further defining a first side and a second side spaced apart in said transverse direction from said first side;
• an internal combustion engine carried by said frame and including a rotatable output shaft;
• an electric generator carried by said frame and including a stator and a rotor, said rotor being rotatably disposed with respect to said stator and connected to said engine's rotatable output shaft;
• a propane fuel tank connected in communication with said engine and carried by said frame above said engine, said propane fuel tank being selectively removable from said frame, wherein said propane fuel tank has a capacity of at least nine gallons and said propane fuel tank defines a central cylindrical axis of symmetry, said propane fuel tank being carried on said frame so that said central cylindrical axis of symmetry is disposed in a plane defined by said axial direction and said transverse direction of said frame;
• a retention rod carried by said frame and disposed to engage said propane fuel tank when said propane fuel tank is carried by said frame;
• a propane fuel line carried by said frame and having one end connected to said engine;
• a mixing regulator valve carried by said frame and selectively connectable and disconnectable to said propane fuel tank via said propane fuel line;
• a selectively accessible compartment carried by said frame, said mixing regulator valve being disposed within said compartment;
• at least one pair of securement straps, each said securement strap having a pair of opposed ends, one end of each said securement strap being anchored to said frame;
• a selectively adjustable connector being selectively connected to the opposite ends of each said securement strap, said securement straps and said connector being configured to permit said propane fuel tank to be selectively removable from said frame;
• at least one upper crossbrace extending transversely between said frame's first side and second side wherein said crossbrace defines an uppermost surface;
• at least two spaced apart and resilient and skid resistant stacking disks that facilitate one generator to be stacked on top of another generator during shipping, said stacking disks being carried by said uppermost surface of said crossbrace;
• a hand guard panel attached to the front end the frame near the internal combustion engine and defining a plurality of openings that facilitate air circulation but are not so large that a person could put one's hands through the openings;
• a first wheel assembly and a second wheel assembly, said first wheel assembly being pivotally connected to said first side of said frame and said second wheel assembly being pivotally connected to said second side of said frame;
• said first wheel assembly including a first front wheel rotatably mounted to said first wheel assembly and a first rear wheel rotatably mounted to said first wheel assembly, said second wheel assembly including a second front wheel rotatably mounted to said second wheel assembly and a second rear wheel rotatably mounted to said second wheel assembly;
• said first wheel assembly including a first quick-disconnect member configured to selectively permit quickly disconnecting said first wheel assembly from said first side of said frame, said second wheel assembly including a second quick-disconnect member configured to selectively permit quickly disconnecting said second wheel assembly from said second side of said frame;
• said first wheel assembly including an inner wheel support plate defining an outer side and an inner side disposed opposite said outer side, said first wheel assembly including a front wheel axle extending from said outer side of said inner wheel support plate, said first wheel assembly including a rear wheel axle extending from said outer side of said inner wheel support plate and spaced apart from said front wheel axle, said first wheel assembly including a first wheel assembly journal extending from said inner side of said inner wheel support plate and extending in a transverse direction parallel to said front wheel axle and said rear wheel axle;
• said first wheel assembly including a first pivot pin extending from said inner side of said inner wheel support plate of said first wheel assembly and disposed closer to said rear wheel axle of said first wheel assembly than to said front wheel axle of said first wheel assembly;
• said second wheel assembly including an inner wheel support plate defining an outer side and an inner side disposed opposite said outer side, said second wheel assembly including a front wheel axle extending from said outer side of said inner wheel support plate, said second wheel assembly including a rear wheel axle extending from said outer side of said inner wheel support plate and spaced apart from said front wheel axle, said second wheel assembly including a second wheel assembly journal extending from said inner side of said inner wheel support plate and disposed symmetrically with respect to said front wheel axle and said rear wheel axle;
• said second wheel assembly including a second pivot pin extending from said inner side of said inner wheel support plate of said second wheel assembly and disposed closer to said rear wheel axle of said second wheel assembly than to said front wheel axle of said second wheel assembly;
• a first wheel locking mechanism connected to said first wheel assembly and selectively disposable to prevent rotation of at least one of said first front wheel and said first rear wheel, said first wheel locking mechanism including a first U-shaped rod having two opposed free ends pivotally connected to said first wheel assembly and selectively disposable to prevent rotation of one of said first front wheel or said first rear wheel, said first U-shaped rod having a closed loop portion opposite the two free ends opposed to each other, said first U-shaped rod defining an intermediate section disposed between the opposed free ends and the closed loop portion, said intermediate section being bent at an angle relative to the plane in which the closed loop portion of the U-shaped rod resides;
• a front handle selectively retractably mounted to the front end of the frame;
• a locking front panel connected to the front handle and configured to enable the user to selectively lock the front handle in a fully extended horizontal position, a layer of sound insulating material disposed along an interior surface of said locking front panel in a manner that attenuates the noise of the generator when the front handle and locking front panel are retracted to their positions against the front of the frame;
• a rear handle selectively retractably mounted to the rear end of the frame;
• and
• a locking mechanism configured for selectively locking said rear handle in the upright horizontal position so that when the user stops gripping the rear handle, the rear handle remains in the upright horizontal position;
• a control panel carried by said frame and a control panel cover pivotally connected to said frame and selectively disposable over said control panel, which is provided with an on/off switch, said control panel cover having a keyed lock for securing said control panel cover over said control panel;
• an electrical output connector and an electric power cord carried by said frame, said power cord having one end connected to said electrical output connector and an opposite end connected to said generator via said control panel;
• a regulator compartment carried by said frame and defining a storage space and an opening providing access to said storage space, said regulator compartment including a door connected to said regulator compartment and selectively closing and exposing said opening, said electrical output connector and electric power cord being selectively disposed within said storage space of said regulator compartment, said regulator compartment further defining a front wall portion that is configured to permit the cover to be closed and locked while the connector is disposed outside the regulator compartment and connected to supply electric power to a load;
• a battery carried by said frame and electrically connected to said engine, and a trickle charger carried by said frame and electrically connected to said battery;
• a battery compartment carried by said frame and defining an interior space and an opening providing access to said interior space, said battery compartment including a door connected to said battery compartment and selectively closing and exposing said opening, said battery compartment including a locking mechanism for selectively locking said door in a position closing said opening in said battery compartment, said battery and trickle charger being selectively disposed within said interior space of said battery compartment.