Self-contained dolly assembly

Abstract

A dolly assembly including a plurality of hollow interior guide members and one or more rail members, cooperatively structured, configured and dimensioned to be selectively disposed in an operative, weight supporting orientation or a self-contained orientation of reduced dimension and configuration, which facilitates storage. The operative orientation comprises the one or more rail member removably interconnecting the two guide members in spaced relation to one another, wherein a plurality of castors are removably connected to and disposed in movable supporting relation with the interconnected guide and rail members, when in the operative orientation. The self-contained orientation comprises the guide members detached from the operative orientation and the guide members removably connected in confronting, predetermined facing relation to one another, such that the rail members and castors are enclosed within one or both of the hollow interiors of the confronting guide members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dolly assembly comprising:
 two elongated guide members,   two rail members,   said two guide members and said two rail members cooperatively structured to be disposed in either an operative, weight supporting orientation or a self-contained orientation,   said operative orientation comprising said two guide members disposed in spaced relation to one another, with said two rail members interconnecting said two guide members, and   said self-contained orientation comprising said two guide members disposed in generally confronting relation to each other with said two rail members disposed at least partially within a hollow interior defined by said two guide members.   
     
     
         2 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of castors removably connected to at least said two guide members in movably supporting relation to said two guide members and said two rail member when in said operative orientation. 
     
     
         3 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein said self-contained orientation further comprises at least some of said plurality of castors removably disposed within said hollow interior defined by said two guide members. 
     
     
         4 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said two guide members includes an open longitudinal side extending along at least a majority of the length thereof; said open side defining said hollow interior and having a transverse dimension sufficiently larger than a transverse dimension of said two rail members to facilitate passage of said two rail members through said open side into substantially longitudinal alignment with said hollow interior of said one guide member. 
     
     
         5 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 4  wherein each of said two guide members include an open longitudinal side extending along at least a majority of the length thereof; said self-contained orientation further comprising said open sides of said two guide members connected in facing, confronting relation to one another and said hollow interiors thereof disposed in directly communicating relation with one another and in enclosing relation to said two rail members. 
     
     
         6 . A dolly assembly structured to be disposable between operative and self-contained positions, said dolly assembly comprising:
 a plurality of at least two elongated guide members each having a hollow interior extending along the length thereof,   at least one elongated rail member,   said two guide members and said one rail member cooperatively structured to be disposed in either an operative orientation or a self-contained orientation,   said operative orientation comprising said one rail member removably interconnecting said two guide members in spaced relation to one another, and   said self-contained orientation comprising said one rail member disposed within said hollow interior of at least one of said two guide members.   
     
     
         7 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of castors removably connected to at least said two guide members in movably supporting relation to said two guide members and said one rail member when in said operative orientation. 
     
     
         8 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein said self-contained orientation further comprises at least some of said plurality of castors removably disposed within said hollow interior of at least one of said two guide members. 
     
     
         9 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein said self-contained orientation further comprises said one rail member disposed in substantially longitudinal alignment within at least a majority of a length of said hollow interior of at least one of said two guide members. 
     
     
         10 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein at least one of said two guide members includes an open longitudinal side extending along at least a majority of the length thereof; said open side having a transverse dimension sufficiently larger than a transverse dimension of said one rail member to facilitate passage of said one rail member through said open side into substantially longitudinal alignment with said hollow interior of said one guide member. 
     
     
         11 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 10  wherein each of said two guide members include an open longitudinal side extending along at least a majority of the length thereof; said self-contained orientation further comprising said open sides of said two guide members connected in facing, confronting relation to one another and said hollow interiors thereof disposed in directly communicating relation with one another and in enclosing relation to said one rail member. 
     
     
         12 . A dolly assembly structured to be disposed between operative and self-contained positions, said dolly assembly comprising:
 a plurality of at least two elongated guide members each having a hollow interior extending along at least a portion of the length thereof,   a plurality of at least two elongated rail members each removably interconnecting said two guide members in spaced relation to one another to define an operative, weight supporting orientation,   a plurality of castors connected in movable supporting relation to said interconnected guide and rail members at least when in said operative orientation, and   said two guide members dimensioned and structured to enclose at least said two rail member therein to define a self-contained orientation.   
     
     
         13 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 12  further comprising said two guide members dimensioned and structured to concurrently and collectively enclose said two rail members within and in substantially longitudinal alignment with said hollow interiors when in said self-contained orientation. 
     
     
         14 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein each of said two guide members includes an open longitudinal side; said self-contained orientation further comprising said open longitudinal sides of said two guide members removably connected in facing, confronting relation to one another and said hollow interiors thereof disposed in directly communicating relation, said hollow interiors thereof collectively enclosing at least said two rail members. 
     
     
         15 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein each of said open longitudinal sides comprises a transverse dimension sufficiently large to facilitate passage of at least one of said rail members there through into said hollow interior thereof, in substantially longitudinally aligned relation to the length of a corresponding one of said guide members. 
     
     
         16 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein each of said guide members comprises a length sufficient to concurrently receive and enclose an entire length of at least one of said rail members and at least one of said plurality of castors within said hollow interior thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A dolly assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said operative, weight bearing orientation comprises a plurality of connected junctions comprising opposite ends of each of said guide members connected to correspondingly disposed opposite ends of a different one of said rail members. 
     
     
         18 . A dolly assembly structured to be disposed between operative and self-contained positions, said dolly assembly comprising:
 a plurality of at least two elongated guide members each having a hollow interior extending along at least a portion of the length thereof and an open longitudinal side extending along the length of said hollow interior in direct communicating relation therewith,   a plurality of at least two elongated rail members each removably interconnecting said two guide members in spaced relation to one another to at least partially define an operative, weight supporting orientation,   a plurality of castors connected in movable supporting relation to said interconnected guide and rail members at least when in said operative orientation,   said two guide members dimensioned and structured to enclose at least said two rail members therein to at least partially define a self-contained orientation,   said self-contained orientation further comprising said open longitudinal sides of said two guide members removably connected in facing, confronting relation to one another and said hollow interiors thereof disposed in directly communicating relation and collectively, in enclosing relation to at least said two rail members, and   each of said open longitudinal sides comprising a transverse dimension sufficiently large to facilitate passage of at least one of said rail members there through into said hollow interior thereof, in substantially longitudinally aligned relation to the length of a corresponding one of said guide members.