Cart with adjustable handle

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The field of this invention lies within the art of material handling carts and in particular a cart constructed and adapted to handle outboard motors and the like.

2. Outboard motor boats are generally powered by a portable outboard motor which has a motor and propeller strut. It is customary to. remove such outboard motors from small boats when they are docked or raised out of the water to prevent the motor from being exposed to the elements, and damaged during handling of the boat. To move and store the outboard motor, it is sometimes customary for people to employ an outboard motor cart.

The outboard motor carts of the prior art are unwieldy and hard to balance because of the relationship of the center of gravity of the motor on the cart with respect to the leverage applied by a person handling the cart. This invention provides a cart which may be easily balanced by a handle having an easily operated and reliable handle attachment and adjustment device. The construction of the attachment and adjustment device is also used for attaching handles to various other carts, and hand trucks, to provide an improved attachment and greater flexibility of use.

The control apparatus, motor housing and propeller strut of an outboard motor should be protected from surrounding objects when being stored and transported. This invention provides protection against such damage by supporting the motor in a protective frame in spaced relationship from surrounding objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cart of this invention has an upright tubular frame with a forwardly extending base portion which supports the cart in an upright position as well as protecting the propeller strut. An outboard motor clamp-receiving member supports the motor within a protective frame, to avoid damage from surrounding objects.

The cart has a pivotally adjustable handle which provides leverage for overcoming the weight distribution of the motor on the cart, and adjustment to suit the physical characteristics of the person wheeling the cart. When the handle is in the fully extended position, it provides a protective frame to the motor housing and controls, as well as a skid for ease of handling and loading the cart with a motor into the trunk of a car.

The handle is attached to the upright frame by a cam lock. The cam lock employs an axial fastener for connecting two oppositely engaging crown collars which are spring separated and respectively affixed to the handle and frame. The collars are easily engaged and disengaged by movement of an eccentric clamping lever. Thus, the handle attached to the fastener is readily maintained in the angular relationship into which it has been moved.

The present invention provides a readily moved and stored outboard motor cart which serves to support and protect the outboard motor from impingement against surrounding objects. The invention further provides a cam lock which has broad application to many carts and hand trucks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outboard motor cart embodying this invention with a motor clamped to the cart. A broken line representation shows the cart handle in an upright position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmented sectional plan view of the handle attachment device in a locked position taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmented sectional view of the handle attachment device in an unlocked position permitting angular adjustment of the handle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmented sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the elements of the handle attachment device.

3,545,786 outer edge region of the horizontal plate, and an axial hole 62 passes through the upright wall. The outer face of the upright wall 60 has radially extending lands and grooves radiating from the axial hole 62 which form the fixed crown collar 47. The upright wall 60 is reinforced along its back side by a pair of webs 64.

The movable member 45 comprises a ribbed tubular portion 66 which seats in the handle 16. The tubular portion 66 terminates at an end plate 68 which has an upright wall 70 extending from its edge region, with the outer face forming the movable crown collar 48.

The crown collar 48 has radially extending lands and grooves which correspond to the lands and grooves of the fixed crown collar 47 of the fixed member 44. A pair of parallel walls 72 extend from the end plate 68 perpendicular to the wall 70, and have a pair of oppositely facing channels 74. A spring housing 76 having an outer wall 78 and an inner wall 80 projects into the space defined between the walls 72. The spring housing 76 has a backwall 82 with an axial hole 84 extending through the wall. A contact plate 86 with a hole 88 in axial relationship with the hole 84 is placed over the backwall 82.

The eye bolt 46 is secured at its threaded end by a nut 90 and interconnects the fixed member 44 to the movable member 45 by passing respectively through the hole 62, the spring 49, and the holes 84 and 88 of the contact plate 86. The eye of the bolt 46 has a pin 92 extending through it which connects the clamping lever 50 to the bolt, and guides the movement of the lever in the ways provided in the channels 74. The clamping lever 50 has an eccentric surface 94 which is forced against the plate 86 by the spring 49 urging the movable member 45 away from the fixed member 44. When the cam lock 18 is assembled, the spring 49 is compressed and tends to move the crown collars 47 and 48 apart. When the eccentric lever 50 is forced downwardly, the eccentric surface 94 which moves about the axis of the pin 92 urges the contact plate 86 inwardly which moves the movable member 45 against the fixed member 44, thus mutually engaging the crown collars 47 and 48.

From the foregoing it can be seen that this invention provides an outboard motor cart which is readily moved and easily adjusted to fit the physical characteristics of an individual moving an outboard motor which has been clamped to the cart. The cart provides a protective frame for the outboard motor so that the control apparatus and other portions of the motor will not be damaged by impingement against surrounding objects during transportation or storage of the outboard motor. It should also be appreciated that the cam lock may be used for other hand carts and trucks as well as outboard motor carts.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of this invention is to be deemed in no way limiting the invention as claimed.