Field of the invention

The invention relates to an improved combination of a hand truck and a ladder, for instance for use in the building industry.

Background of the invention

A hand truck is a handcart with which objects are displaced over shorter distances. A hand truck generally consists of a number of rods having on the upper side two handles and on the underside two wheels and a carrier plate which is inserted under the objects to be transported. The whole is then tilted such that the objects come to lie against the rods, after which the whole can be moved. Hand tracks are used in warehouses and other locations for the purpose of loading and unloading trucks and for the transport of tools and building materials. A ladder is a climbing means comprising usually two stiles or bars with a number of rungs or steps therebetween. A step has a horizontal and deeper standing surface than a rung. During use ladders are placed against something or, depending on the embodiment, used in free-standing manner such as a stepladder. Ladders have many embodiments, including: a single or fixed ladder without moving parts; an extension ladder; a trestle ladder, double ladder or stepladder which pivots in the middle and then has a reverse V-shape; a freestanding reform ladder or scissor ladder which can be placed against something but can also be used in free-standing manner in the form of an A; a platform ladder with a small horizontal platform on the top; a telescopic ladder wherein the stiles can slide into each other; and a roof ladder with a hook at the top for securing round the ridge of a roof. In the context of the present invention the term 'ladder' is used in its broadest sense and includes · all embodiments of ladders. In addition to being used, for domestic and other purposes, ladders are also much used in the building industry. A combination of a hand truck and a ladder is known, see for instance DE39854C, FR2745544A1, GB753922A or NL8900002A. The advantage is that the two functions of hand truck and ladder are combined in a single piece of equipment. A person can thus transport for instance tools and building materials therewith from a vehicle to a building site, and also has a ladder immediately available there. The whole unit moreover takes up less space during transport and storage.

Drawbacks of known combinations of a hand truck and a ladder are that the wheels and/or the carrier plate get in the way to greater or lesser extent during the use as ladder, and also prevent the combination being folded down to form a really compact whole taking up little space. The invention now provides an improved combination of a hand truck and a ladder which does not have the stated drawbacks, or at least does so to lesser extent.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides an improved combination of a hand truck and a ladder, the combination comprising wheels and a carrier plate, characterized in that the combination can be easily disassembled into parts and reassembled, wherein a first part comprises the ladder and a second part comprises the wheels and the carrier plate. 'Easily' is understood here to mean without possibly special tools, for instance with a single manual operation and/or with the foot. After disassembly of the combination into parts the wheels and the carrier plate do not then form an obstruction during the use as ladder. The individual parts are also easier to handle, transport and store.

Following disassembly of the combination into parts, the wheels are preferably movable relative to the carrier plate between a first position, in which the rotation axes are at least substantially parallel to the plate, and a second position in which the rotation axes lie at least substantially perpendicularly of the carrier plate. The second part preferably also comprises for this purpose structural parts on which the shafts of the wheels are mounted and which are mounted hingedly on the carrier plate. The wheels and the carrier plate can thus be folded together after use to form a really compact whole taking up little space, and the whole unit takes up minimal space during transport and storage.

In a preferred embodiment the wheels are automatically fixed in the first position during assembly of the combination. This is for instance possible in that the ladder holds the wheels in the first position. No additional means are then required to hold the wheels in this first position when the combination is used as hand truck.

The combination preferably also comprises coupling means for realizing a mutual coupling of the parts, and more preferably also locking means for locking the mutual coupling. The parts can thus be mutually coupled and locked to enable use as hand truck, and remain mutually coupled and locked during the use as hand truck. The coupling means can subsequently be unlocked again and the parts uncoupled, after which the ladder can be used as climbing means or the individual parts can be transported or stored.

Brief description of the figures

The invention is further elucidated hereinbelow on the basis of an exemplary embodiment of a combination according to the invention as shown in the drawings. Herein:

- figure 1 shows a perspective front view of a combination of a hand truck and a ladder, wherein a first part comprising the ladder and a second part comprising wheels and a carrier plate are mutually coupled in locked position, and are thus usable as hand truck;

- figure 2 shows a perspective side view thereof;

- figure 3 shows a perspective side view thereof in unlocked position;

- figure 4 shows a perspective view of the ladder in position of use;

- figure 5 is a detail showing a part of the coupling means;

- figure 6a shows a perspective rear view of the second part in folded-out position; and

- figure 6b shows a perspective view thereof in folded-down position. Exemplary embodiment

A combination (1) of a hand truck and a ladder according to the invention comprises a first part (la) comprising a ladder and a second part (lb) comprising two wheels (3) and a carrier plate (4). The parts (la, lb) can thus be mutually coupled and locked and are thus usable as hand truck, see figures 1 and 2.

Following disassembly of the combination (1) into the parts (la,lb), the wheels (3) are movable relative to the carrier plate (4) between a first position (A), in which the rotation axes of wheels (3) are parallel to carrier plate (4), and a second position (B) in which the rotation axes lie perpendicularly of carrier plate (4), see figures 6a and 6b. In the shown exemplary embodiment the second part (lb) also comprises for this purpose two structural parts (5) on which the respective shafts (8) of wheels (3) are mounted, wherein structural parts (5) are in turn mounted hingedly on carrier plate (4), see figures 6a and 6b. Wheels (3) and carrier plate (4) can thus be folded together to form a compact whole, and the whole unit takes up minimal space during transport and storage.

During assembly of the combination (1) the wheels (3) are automatically fixed in the first position (A), in the shown exemplary embodiment in that the ladder is placed between the two structural parts (5) and thus holds the wheels (3) in the first position (A). No additional means are then required to hold wheels (3) in this first position (A) when the combination (1) is used as hand truck.

In the shown exemplary embodiment the combination (1) also comprises coupling means (6a-6d) for realizing a mutual coupling of the two parts (la,lb), these being two first laterally protruding parts (6a) arranged on the sides of the ladder, see figure 5, and two recesses (6b) corresponding therewith and arranged in the two structural parts (5), see figure 6a, in addition to two second laterally protruding parts (6c) arranged on the sides of the ladder, see figure 5, and two third laterally protruding parts (6d) corresponding therewith and arranged on the two structural parts (5), see figure 6a. In order to uncouple the parts (la, lb) the ladder is rotated relative to the second part (lb) between a first position (C), in which the ladder lies perpendicularly of carrier plate (4), see figure 2, and a second position (D) in which the ladder forms an angle, of a maximum of 45°, with carrier plate (4), see figure 3. The first laterally protruding parts (6a) and the recesses (6b) form here a pivot axis. The second laterally protruding parts (6c) release here from the third laterally protruding parts (6d) and the combination (4) can be disassembled into the parts (la, lb). The reverse sequence is followed in order to couple the parts (la, lb).

In the shown exemplary embodiment the ladder can be locked in the first position (C) by means of locking means (7) provided for this purpose and which are arranged in the shown exemplary embodiment on the second part (lb) and can engage on the upper rung (9) of the ladder when it is situated in the first position (C), see figures 1 and 2. The ladder is then upside down in the shown exemplary embodiment. The two parts (la, lb) are thus securely coupled and locked to each other during use of the combination (1) as hand truck, wherein the second laterally protruding parts (6c) and the third laterally protruding parts (6d) can absorb relatively great forces, for instance when the hand truck is lifted upward with a load, for instance up a staircase.

It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the shown exemplary embodiment but that diverse variants which will be self-evident to a skilled person are possible within the scope of the invention.