1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to carts, and more specifically, to a handcart having forward casters that are longitudinally and laterally offset outward from the forward corners of the platform for greater stability, and are further vertically offset upward to allow the platform to be as low as possible above the underlying surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Handcarts, hand trucks, and similar manually operated conveyances have been known and used for a considerable period of time to facilitate the transport of limited loads over limited distances and terrain. Examples of such usage are the movement and positioning of heavy articles of furniture and appliances from a motorized truck to a home or office, the delivery of heavy paper goods (copier supplies, books, etc.) to home or office, etc.
Such carts are also often specialized for use in the storage and transport of cylinders of compressed gas, e.g., oxygen and acetylene cylinders for oxyacetylene welding, etc. Such carts conventionally have a pair of relatively large diameter, non-steerable wheels at the rear of their load platforms, with the axle raised to allow the load-carrying platform to rest on the surface when the platform is horizontal and the cart and contents are upright. This greatly facilitates the movement of cylinders (or other articles) on and off the platform, but requires that the cart be tilted rearward to raise the platform above the surface for movement by means of the rear wheels. A person moving the cart must not only provide the energy required for moving the cart, but must also maintain the angle of the cart in order to at least approximately balance the load on the rear wheels. This can be tricky when the cart must be moved over rough or uneven surfaces, and a wheel catches momentarily on some discontinuity in the surface.
As a result, a number of handcarts have been constructed with a smaller caster wheel beneath each of the front corners of the platform. The installation of the caster wheels beneath the platform obviously raises the platform above the supporting surface to a height at least slightly greater than the diameters of the casters. While the casters are usually of relatively small diameter, i.e., only a very few inches, this positioning of the platform some distance above the underlying surface can make it quite difficult to load or unload a very heavy object onto or from the platform.
An example of such is found in Japanese Patent No. 2001-180,496, published on Jul. 3, 2001. This reference describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a folding cart. The drawings show relatively large, rearwardly disposed main wheels with their axles below the bottom of the cart, and smaller diameter caster wheels located beneath the forward corners of the cart.
Additionally, Japanese Patent No. 2009-005,702, published on Jan. 15, 2009, describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a handcart for use in watering plants. The cart includes a pair of relatively large wheels at the rear of the cart and below the floor of the platform, with a pair of smaller diameter casters beneath the front corners of the platform.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a handcart solving the aforementioned problems is desired.