This invention relates to wheeled carriers and is primarily intended for a wheeled carrier designed to carry relatively heavy loads.

It is known to provide two-wheeled shopping trolleys and the like which usually consist of a supporting frame for supporting a bag or the like. The problem with such trolleys is that the supporting frame must be located below the load which is to be carried and the load has to be lifted onto the supporting frame. The use of such trolleys is, therefore, limited to loads which can readily be lifted by a single person.

The present invention aims to provided a wheeled carrier which can be used to convey comparatively heavy loads and which does not utilise a supporting frame.

According to the invention, there is provided a wheeled carrier comprising a pair of elongate members interconnected by at least one transverse member, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted at or adjacent to one end of the elongate members and means adapted to be connected to the elongate members for attachment to a load which is to be carried by the carrier.

Preferably, the wheeled carrier comprises a substantially U-shaped frame with the limbs of the U constituting said elongate members and the web of the U constituting a handle. The elongate members are desirably cranked adjacent said one end and the wheels are mounted on the ends of a transverse member which interconnects the said one ends of the elongate members.

The elongate members are desirably provided with a series of aligned holes adapted to receive the load attachment means. Said means may comprise a hook or gripping means.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a wheeled carrier according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the wheeled carrier shown in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the wheeled carrier shown in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view in the direction of arrow IV in Fig. 2 showing, to an enlarged scale, the configuration of a hole provided in an elongate member of the frame of the carrier;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a hook adapted to be fitted in the wheeled carrier shown in Figs. 1 to 3; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the hook shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the wheeled carrier comprises a substantially U-shaped frame 1 consisting of two elongate members 2 constituting the limbs of the U and a handle 3 constituting the web of the U. The lower ends of the elongate members 2 are cranked at 4 to provide

inclined end portions 5. The end portions are interconnected by a transverse web 6 which desirably takes the form of a hollow tube through which an axle 7 extends. Wheels 8 are freely rotatably mounted on the ends of the axle 7. As an alternative, to ensure free running of the wheels 8, bearings may be provided between the axle 7 and the tube 6 in which case the wheels may be rigidly mounted on the axle 7.

A series of aligned holes 9 are provided in the facing sides of each of the elongate members 2 and are adapted to receive the ends 12 of a hook member 11. As shown in

Fig. 4, each hole 9 is substantially double keyhole shape and the ends 12 of the hook 11 are correspondingly shaped as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, in order to fit the hook to the wheeled carrier, the ends 12 of the hook are aligned with a selected opposing pair of the holes 9 and inserted through these holes 9 into the elongate members

2. The hook is then pivoted so that the ends 12 of the hook 11 are no longer in alignment with the extended lengths of the holes 9 and the hook is reliably held in place.

The height of the hook with respect to the ground can be adjusted by choosing an appropriate pair of holes 9 in the elongate members 2 in order for the hook to be located at a convenient height for lifting a load. The hook can be engaged with any load having a projection or slot capable of receiving the hook and the wheeled carrier is eminently suitable for moving heavy gas cylinders.

The invention is not, however, restricted to such use and the hook may be used to engage with any suitable object for conveyance. For example, sacks or bags may be attached to the hook. Alternatively, the hook may be replaced by a cradle adapted to receive an outboard motor engine. As a further alternative, grab handles or box grips may be fitted to the elongate members 2.

It will be seen that the wheeled carrier according to the invention represents a considerable improvement over known, wheeled carriers in that the carrier may simply be wheeled up to an object, the object engaged by a hook or other suitable attachment means, and the object can ^* then be wheeled away simply by tilting the frame in the direction of the curved arrow shown in Fig. 3 so that the weight of the object is borne by the frame and the object can then be wheeled along simply by pulling or pushing on the handle 3.

The frame is desirably made from mild steel which is suitably painted but other materials may be used if desired.

The wheeled carrier according to the invention can be used to lift any heavy object such as a gas bottle, suitcase, beer keg, milk churn or dustbin by engagement of the hook with a suitable handle without first having to lift or even move the obj ct which is to be moved. If the hook is replaced by other suitable attachments, the wheeled carrier according to the invention may also be used to lift and move other heavy objects such as sacks containing a whole range of granular or other materials such as garden refuse, outboard motor engines, drums or even as a shopping trolley.