The invention relates to a Roll Dolly of the type commonly used in the retail sector and other industries as a method of delivering goods or produce directly from the supplier to the shop floor, taking cost out of the supply chain by reducing handling and packaging requirements associated with other methods of supply.

Such Roll Dollies are well known and extensively used by all the major supermarkets and whilst taking time and cost out of the supply chain fail to maximise their potential by requiring constant manipulation of the product containing totes carried by the dolly. Such Roll Dollies can carry several totes loaded with product/produce and are place directly on the sales floor for customers to shop from. Problems start when the top tote has been shopped empty, if no member of staff is available to constantly switch the totes around customers cannot see or procure product from the remaining totes on the Dolly, the normal result of this is lost sales.

The object of the invention is to eliminate this end use problem by making all of the totes and their contents visible and accessible to customers at all times.

Accordingly this invention provides a method of converting the tote laden Dolly into a readily available shelf system anywhere on the shop/sales floor.

This is achieved by, but not restricted to, three core elements as follows: 1) A Roll Dolly designed and constructed to be capable of travelling through the supply chain system in the normal manner of existing Roll Dollies. 2) A handle/lift mechanism which when fitted to the Dolly is capable of pushing and pulling the Roll Dolly into the required position, and with a lifting movement converting the Dolly and Totes into a shelved distribution unit. 3) A tote so designed as to interwork with the Dolly and handle/ lift mechanism to achieve the shelf option.

The description above refers to a Roll Dolly as the carrying method, equally a plain Dolly without wheels (a stillage) could be used as an option. Therefore further reference to Dollies or Roll Dollies in the application should be taken to include both options.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig 1. shows the unloaded Dolly in transit mode with the lift handle location mechanism clear of the floor.

Fig 2. shows the unloaded Dolly in shelf mode with the handle lift mechanism in lifted, braked and locked position.

Fig 3. shows the handle with lifting jacks in engagement position.

Fig 4. shows the handle with lifting jacks in full lift position.

Fig 5. shows a front elevation showing a typical tote mounted on the Dolly.

Fig 6. shows the Dolly underside.

Fig 7. shows the connective method between a tote and handle. Fig 8. shows a loaded Dolly with handle and jacks in the pre lift position.

Fig 9. shows a loaded Dolly with the handle and jacks in fully lifted position.

As shown in Fig 1 and 2 the Dolly is made up as follows: Chassis and Wheels, 1, handle locations, 2, tote load deck, 4, Deck pulling and lifting bar, 3, Control drop slope, 5, latching plate, 6, Pivot point, 15.

Figures 2 and 3 show handle parts made up as follows: handle, 7, incorporating connection parts to dolly, 1, and handle location, 2, lifting jacks, 8, synchronising rod, 9, position setting bar, 10.

Fig 5 shows a tote 11, with guide channels, 14, and guide rods, 13, positioned on load check, 4, Fig 5 and 6 show a return deck spring mechanism, 16.

Setting the apparatus into shelf mode is achieved by the following: handle, 7 is inserted into handle location, 2, pushing forward lever, 10, sets the jacks, 8, in engagement position, onlifting the handle, 7, the deck, 4, is lifted and pulled back, drawing the front end onto controlled drop slope, 5, and this occurs lifting jacks, 8, slide into the front of tote jack points, 12, Fig 7, as the handle is being lifted load deck, 4, is pulled onto the control drop slope, 5, enabling the speed of handle lift and deck drop to be controlled at all times during the operation with the downward pressure on load deck, 4, assisting the lifting of handle, 7. As handle, 7 approaches vertical the bottom of handle location, 2, makes contact with the floor lifting the back of the dolly clear of the floor and effectively braking the unit. Just before reaching vertical position pulling back on lever, 10, sets the jacks, 8 into optimum position, Fig 9. Latch, 6, Fig 2. locks load deck, 4 into control slope, 5 completing set up.

Reverting back can be done as follows: pushing handle, 7, backwards releases catch 6, allowing load deck, 4, to start lifting via a spring arrangement such as gas strut, 16 Fig 6. pushing forward setting bar 10. Just prior to pulling handle, 7 , down causes totes to return to stacked position as the handle is lowered.

The system allows for different sizes, types and numbers of totes to be operated as a unit by incorporating appropriate sized Dollies and handles.