Trolleys and hangers for washdown curtains

Abstract

Example trolleys and hangers for washdown curtains are disclosed herein. An example trolley disclosed herein includes features that simplify manufacturing and promote liquid runoff to avoid bacterial growth. Some example trolleys comprise U-bolts, shoulder screws and acorn nuts. In some examples, a frame of the trolley has a nestable V-shape profile that makes the frame readily blanked and formed from sheet metal with minimal waste. In some examples, an example trolley disclosed herein has a pair of rollers that are horizontally offset to a point from which the curtain hangs so that the weight of the curtain tilts the trolley to promote liquid runoff from the trolley's frame.

1 . A curtain trolley comprising:
 a rod having a longitudinal centerline that defines a first leg and a second leg extending upward from a curved lower section, the rod having a substantially round and substantially uniform cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline at the first leg, at the second leg and at the curved lower section;   a first roller mounted to the first leg, the first roller having a first rotational axis substantially collinear with the longitudinal centerline at the first leg;   a second roller mounted to the second leg, the second roller having a second rotational axis substantially collinear with the longitudinal centerline at the second leg;   a first cap adjacent the first roller and attached to the first leg; and   a second cap adjacent the second roller and attached to the second leg.   
     
     
         2 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal centerline is curved in a U-shape. 
     
     
         3 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , wherein the first roller and the second roller each have a substantially spherical surface and a substantially circular rolling line of contact thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , further comprising a track, wherein the first and second rollers roll upon the track with the curved lower section hanging beneath the track. 
     
     
         5 . The curtain trolley of  claim 4 , wherein the track is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         6 . The curtain trolley of  claim 4 , wherein the first roller has a curved outer surface contacting the track to define a substantially circular rolling line of contact on the curved outer surface such that a plane lying tangent to the curved outer surface and intersecting the substantially circular rolling line of contact is tilted out of parallel alignment with the longitudinal centerline at the first leg. 
     
     
         7 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg is substantially parallel to the second leg. 
     
     
         8 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , further comprising a first sleeve on the first leg with the first roller being rotatable relative to the first sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , wherein the first cap has an upper surface sloping downward from a peak of the upper surface. 
     
     
         10 . The curtain trolley of  claim 9 , wherein the first cap is a domed acorn nut. 
     
     
         11 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , further comprising a deformation providing a radial protrusion on the first leg, wherein the first roller is captured between the first cap and the radial protrusion. 
     
     
         12 . The curtain trolley of  claim 1 , further comprising a curtain defining an aperture therethrough, wherein the curved lower section of the rod passes through the aperture and the curtain hangs from the curved lower section. 
     
     
         13 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A curtain trolley comprising:
 a unitary rod having a first leg and a second leg extending upward from a lower section, the first leg defining a first axle and the second leg defining a second axle, the lower section to extend through an aperture in a curtain to hang a curtain;   a first roller mounted to the first axle; and   a second roller mounted to the second axle.   
     
     
         31 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein the rod has a longitudinal centerline that is curved in U-shaped profile to provide the first leg and the second leg. 
     
     
         32 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein cross-sectional areas of the first leg, the second leg and the lower section are substantially uniform. 
     
     
         33 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein the first roller to rotate about a first rotational axis defined by the first axle and the second roller to rotate about a second rotational axis defined by the second axle. 
     
     
         34 . The curtain trolley of  claim 33 , wherein first roller is captured axially in a direction along the first rotational axis and the second roller is captured axially in a direction along the second rotational axis. 
     
     
         35 . The curtain trolley of  claim 34 , wherein the first roller is captured between a first shoulder defined by the first leg and a first cap coupled to a first end of the first leg. 
     
     
         36 . The curtain trolley of  claim 35 , wherein the second roller is captured between a second shoulder defined by the second leg and a second cap coupled to a second end of the second leg. 
     
     
         37 . The curtain trolley of  claim 36 , further comprising a first sleeve provided between a first inner bore of the first roller and a first outer surface of the first leg and a second sleeve provided between a second inner bore of the second roller and a second outer surface of the second leg. 
     
     
         38 . The curtain trolley of  claim 37 , wherein the first sleeve is clamped between the first cap and the first shoulder of the first leg to prevent the first sleeve from rotating about the first rotational axis, and the second sleeve is clamped between the second cap and the second shoulder of the second leg to prevent the second sleeve from rotating about the second rotational axis. 
     
     
         39 . The curtain trolley of  claim 36 , wherein each of the first and second caps have spherical profiles to prevent moisture or bacteria from collecting atop of the respective first and second caps. 
     
     
         40 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein the rod has a U-shaped profile. 
     
     
         41 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein the rod has a V-shaped profile. 
     
     
         42 . The curtain trolley of  claim 30 , wherein the rod has a triangular-shaped profile. 
     
     
         43 . A curtain trolley comprising:
 a frame;   a first leg protruding from a first portion of the frame to define a first rotational axis, at least a portion of the first leg having a first threaded portion;   a second leg protruding from a second portion of the frame to define a second axis, at least a portion of the second leg having a second threaded portion;   a first roller apparatus mounted to the first leg to rotate about the first axis; and   a second roller apparatus mounted to the second leg to rotate about the second axis.   
     
     
         44 . The curtain trolley of  claim 43 , wherein the frame includes a first shoulder formed adjacent the threaded portion of the first leg and a second shoulder formed adjacent the threaded portion of the second leg. 
     
     
         45 . The curtain trolley of  claim 43 , further comprising a first cap to be threaded to the threaded portion of the first leg to couple the first roller to the first leg and a second cap to be threaded to the threaded portion of the second leg to couple the second roller to the second leg. 
     
     
         46 . The curtain trolley of  claim 43 , further comprising a first sleeve positioned between a first inner bore of the first roller and the threaded portion of the first leg and a second sleeve positioned between a second inner bore of the second roller and the threaded portion of the second leg.