Improved Hand Truck

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In eyes secured to the side edges of the platform, which is mounted on wheels in the usual way, are journaled rods extending beyond the lower end of the platform. The outer parts of the rods are bent, at right angles to form arms, and the extremities are bent inward and pointed, to engage with the article to be carried, as shown in the left of the cut. The other ends of the rods are bent toward each other, forming arms, which serve as levers for turning the rods to move the lower arms toward each other. The upper and lower arms are bent in planes approximately at right angles with each other; when not to be used, the lower arms are folded one over the other upon the edge of the truck, which can then be used in the ordinary way. When a stove or similar article is to be handled, small attachments are slipped over the grip points, when the stove can be.easily carried, whether it be on its legs or not, by one man, who need not touch it with his hands. This feature makes the truck particularly valuable in handling such articles as spools of barbed wire. This invention has been patented by Mr. Charles W. Smith, of Belmond, Iowa.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 54 Issue 26This article was published with the title “Improved Hand Truck” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 54 No. 26 (), p. 402
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican06261886-402

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