The invention concerns a folding shopping carriage which consists of a main body specially designed, so that all the other parts of the carriage, base, special frame, net, and handle, are supported and move in it and fold into i Is hollow section. The dimensions of the main body are the final ones (except a small part of the wheels) of the whole carriage when closed. The carriage, when closed, can be carried by the user like a handbag. The carriage opens with a simple movement, by pulling the handle upwards, and closes with two basic movements, by pushing down the handle and closing the base. More technical details, such as the method of operation of the parts of the carriage, are given below in the detailled description of each part.

To date, the technology of the construction of shopping carriages has no similar construction to present. Most constructions consist either of a metal frame on which a bag is added or of a wire basket. The non folding carriages are large and most of the time heavy and present a problem in carrying them and storing them.

Constructions with a folding frame with a shopping bag attached to it, require a combination of movements for opening and closing. Furthermore, all types of carriages with attached shopping bags have in addition the following disadvantages: '$ ^• ). ^* difficulty in loading the shopping, as the bag at it*s upper part is not stable and the opening has the tendency to close, and 2) when on sloping ground, the carriages overturn because of the one sided shifting of the load in the upper part of the bag, due to lack of a steady holding frame.

This invention, as described further below, aims to and succeeds in eliminating the above disadvantages. The advantages that are offered by this invention basically are that the folding carriage is compact and light, is

carried by the user like a handbag when closed, and it opens and locks immediately with a single movement crea¬ ting a stable opening for easy loading of the shopping which is held well in place, with no danger of shifting on sloping ground which would result in overturning. The whole construction of the carriage, including the system for instant opening and locking, is achieved at a small cost due to the simple and specialized setting and formation of the various parts.

One method of applying the invention is described here- below, with references to figures that show one preferred application where:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective view the folding carriage opened and loaded. FIG. 2 shows in perspective view the folding carriage closed and carried by the user.

FIG. 3 shows in perspective view the folding carriage with flexible textile fabric (18) attached in place of the net (30) . FIG. 4 shows in perspective view the inner hollow sec¬ tion of the main body (1), with the base (9) closed and the handle (19) and the special frame (14) lowered. In this figure the net (30) is not shown.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective view the male part (31) and the female part (35) of the joint, as well as the axle (24) which has notches (25) for the safety clips (28) which hold the spring (29) compressed when all parts are assembled in their final position.

FIG. 6 shows in perpective view the inner hollow section of the main body (1) with the handle (19) pulled upwards completely and fixed on the projecting tooth (5) . The handle (19) supports the special frame (14) at a right angle to the main body (1) . On the base (9) part of the net (30) is shown attached to the wire (38) which clicks into the sockets (11)..

FIG. 7 shows in perspective view the special plug (22)

fixed with the safety spigot (23) at the end of the leg of the handle (19).

FIG. 8 shows in perspective view the inner hollow section of the main body (1 ) . On the right side of the main body (1) the wire (39) is shown clicked in the sockets (7) and it is used to support the vertical side of the net (30). FIG. 9 shows in perspective view the base (9) which has a rectangular projection (13) which is used for the sup¬ port of the male part (31) of the joint, as well as it shows the projection with the hole (10).

FIG. 10 shows in elevation the socket (3) into which the special frame (14) clicks. In the same manner the wires (38) and (39) are clicked in the sockets (7) and (11) of the main body (1) and the base (9) respectively. FIG. 11 shows in side view the movement of the special frame (14) and of the base (9) .

The figures show a folding shopping carriage which con¬ sists of a main body (1) that has on each side at the lower part holes (6) into which fit respectively projec- tions with holes (10) of the base (9) which at this stage stands at a right angle to the main body (1) because the two ends of the base (9) are in contact with and stopped by the lower horizontal part of the main body (1) and moves freely in a circle on the main body (1). The base (9) stops and locks at a right angle in respect to the main body (1) with a special joint consisting of two main parts, the male part (31) and the female part (35) left and right. The male part (31) has a rectangular recep¬ tion (33) into which a respective rectangular projection (13) of the base (9) fits firmly, thus achieving the si¬ multaneous rotation of both the base (9) and the male part (31). The male part (31) has a hole (32) at its center which coincides with the hole (10) of the base (9) and has teeth (34) around the hole (32) which interlock with respective teeth sockets (37) of the female part (35) of the joint, which are also around the hole (36) of the

female part (35) . The female part (35) does not rotate due to its shape that coincides with the shape of the lower horizontal part of the main body (1) . Through the holes (10), (32) and (36) of the base (9), the male part 5 (31) and the female part (35) respectively, an axle (24) passes, which has at proper locations six notches (25) which receive respective safety clips (28) . The safety clip (28) holds the compression spring (29) compressed, which resists the disjointing of the parts (31) and (35) 10 of the joint, thus achieving a satisfactorily stable support of the base (9) , which will not close accidently or due to load. A washer (27) is placed between the com¬ pression spring (29) and the safety clip (28) . To prevent the axle (24) shifting sideways, a washer (27) and a sa- 1 _. 5 fety clip (28) is placed at the outer sides of the main body (1) into a respective notch (25) of the axle (24). At each end of the axle (24) a wheel (26) is placed and is partly surrounded by a mud-guard (8) of the main body (1) . This wheel is secured in place by the safety clip 0 (28) , which fits into the respective end notch (25) of the axle (24) . Washers (27) are placed between the safety clips (28) and the wheel (26) to prevent the safety clips (28) coming out of the notches (25) while the wheel (26) is in motion. The main body (1) has on its upper, inner 5 part, on either side of the handle (2) ribs with sockets (3) into which the straight end parts of the special fra¬ me (14), click into place, allowing the special frame (14) to be supported and rotate on the main body (1) . During the pulling of the handle (19) there is a tendency for 0 the sides of the special frame (14) to open and therefore to create friction on the inner sides of the main body (1) For this reason a plug (16) is fixed steadily on each end of the special frame (1 ) the sideways movement of which is stopped by the rib with the socket (3) of the main 5 body (1). The special frame (14) supports the upper side of a flexible synthetic net (30) of which the lower side is fixed onto the base (9) by the wire (38) whose shape

coincides with the perimetrical shape of the base (9) , and which clicks into the sockets (11) of the base (9). The two vertical sides of the net (30) are supported by the wire (39) which clicks into the respective sockets (7) that exist on the inner vertical sides of the main body (1) . The main body (1) has on its upper part and on the inside of its two sides, sockets (4) into which enter and slide the legs of the metal handle (19) on the ends of which special plugs (22) are attached with a safety spigot (23) or other means of securing them in place. The handle (19) has on its upper part a plastic or elastic cover (21). When the handle (19) is lowered, its upper part coincides with the shape of the handle (2) and therefore it does not block its opening. The handle (19), the special frame (14) and the base (9) although are not connected to each other in any way, they are assembled and formed in such a manner as to achieve si¬ multaneous and interelated unfolding when the handle (19) is pulled upward, making the carriage ready for loading. The opening and closing phases of the folding carriage work as follows: When the carriage is closed the handle (19) is completelyinserted inside the main body (1). The curves (20) of the handle (19) allow enough space for the special frame (14) to be located vertically closed inside the main body (1). At this phase the packing rings (17) which are fixed on the leg of the angle (15) of the spe¬ cial frame (14) are located above the curves (20) of the handle (19). The base (9) is vertically closed with the teeth (34) of the male part (31) disjointed from the teeth sockets (37) of the female part (35) . By pulling the han¬ dle (19) upwards, the curves (20) press the packing rings (17) and consequently the angles (15) which, working as levers, force the special frame (14) to rise immediately and at the same time to open the base (9) . As the handle (19) reaches the uppermost position, the special plugs

(22) of its ends, prevent it from coming out of its so -v kets (4) of the main body (1), and at the same time, they

interlock with the teeth (5) of the main body (1). The handle (19) when at its uppermost position holds the special frame (14) at a right angle to the main body (1). The vertical legs of the handle (19) are not exactly pa- rallel to each other. The distance between its ends is slightly larger in order to achieve the .immediate inter¬ locking of the special plugs (22) with the teeth (5) of the main body (1) because in this case the legs of the handle (19) work like a spring. The sockets (4) of the main body (1) have respective tolerances in order to allow the legs of the handle (19) to move enough so that the special plugs (22) lock into or unlock from the teeth (5) of the main body (1). The closing of the folding carriage is achieved as follows: The user presses the legs of the handle (19) simultaneously inwards and down¬ wards so that the special plugs (22) unlock from the teeth (5) of the main body (1). Then, he lowers the handle (19) until it stops, and its curves (20) allow enough space for the angles (15) of the special frame (14) to fall down. Finally, he closes the base (9) .

The packing rings (17) must be made from plastic or elas¬ tic material to contribute to the reduction of the fric¬ tion between the metal handle (19) (which can be made of aluminium pipe) and the metal special frame (1 ) .

The teeth (5) of the main body (1) may be sloped to 45° instead of a right angle. In this case the interlocking of the special plugs (22) of the handle (19) is less strong, and the handle (19) can be lowered with a simple push downwards. -

Instead of the net (30) a respective flexible synthetic textile fabric (18) may be used, which can be fixed in place in the same way and using the same parts as for the net (30) .

To avoid damage, metal studs can be added to the studs (12) of the base (9) .

For the mass production of the above parts, it is neces¬ sary to construct moulds and forms. The main body (1) and the base (9) can be made of plastic material such as poly¬ propylene copolymer. The parts of the joint (31) and (35), the plugs (16) and the special plugs (22) can be made of plastic material such as nylon 6.

The above main parts are assembled together as shown indicatively and descriptively in the attached figures, according to their one basic construction and operation.

Possibilities of detail modifications are not considered in this description and figures. For each construction requirement, the shape of the parts or the mechanisms of operation may be modified without altering the basic principle of the invention which regards the construction of a folding shopping carriage, consisting of the afore¬ mentioned main parts, which although not immediately con¬ nected to each other with any means of connection, by pulling a handle (19), they simultaneously and immediately unfold and lock into place.

List of reference signs

1. Main body

2. Handle (steady)

3. Socket (for fixing the special frame)

4. Socket (of the moving handle) 5. Tooth (for stopping the moving handle)

6. Hole (for fixing the base)

7. Socket (for fixing the wire of the net)

8. Mud-guard

9. Base 10. Hole (for fixing the axle)

11. Socket (for fixing the wire of the net)

12. Stud

13. Rectangular projection

14. Special frame 15. Angle (of the special frame)

16. Plug (of the special frame)

17. Packing ring

18. Textile fabric

19. Handle (moving, metallic) 20. Curve (of the moving handle)

21. Plastic or elastic cover

22. Special plug (of the moving handle)

23. Safety spigot 24. ^" Axle 25. Notch (for fixing the safety clip)

26. Wheel

27. Washer

28. Safety clip

29. Compression spring 30. Net

31. Male part (of the joint)

32. Hole (of the male part of the joint)

33. Rectangular reception (of the male part of the joint)

34. Tooth (of the male part of the joint)

35. Female part (of the joint)

36. Hole (of the female part of the joint)

37. Tooth socket (of the female part of the joint)

38. Wire (for the fixing of the net)

39. Wire (for the fixing of the net)