Fork Lift Attachment

Abstract

A pair of fork lift elements are clamped at their rear ends in laterally spaced relation between pivotal segments of a bucket mounted on an earth handling apparatus. The bucket thereby is quickly converted to a fork lift having all the movements imparted to the bucket for lifting and conveying a load.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fork lift attachment and, more particularly, to an improved fork lift attachment for an earth moving bucket used on mobile material handling equipment.

Mobile earth handling or moving equipment, such as front end loaders employing multi-purpose buckets, are used extensively in construction work because of their speed, load carrying capacity, and versatility in performing multiple functions. In the construction of sewage or pipe line systems for example, such equipment may be used to scrape or bulldoze topsoil, dig trenches or ditches and move the excavated material to various locations. During the course of construction, it is quite often desirable to use power equipment to unload or convey construction materials, such as heavy duty pipes for example, which may be unloaded from a rig or truck onto the embankment adjacent the trench or to a storage area. However, the conventional multi-purpose bucket on earth moving equipment located at the job site does not lend itself to the handling of elongated structural elements such as pipes, rods, beams or logs. Accordingly, a separate fork lift vehicle or a fork lift attachment for the earth moving equipment is employed for handling and conveying such elements. These prior known fork lift attachments are cumbersome, bulky, and often require considerable manual effort to handle and attach the same to the bucket. Moreover, they frequently comprise a plurality of parts and connecting linkages or devices rendering them very costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved forklift attachment for a powered loader having a multi-purpose bucket.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved forklift attachment which is simple and strong in construction, rugged and durable in use, relatively inexpensive, and which can be readily secured to and easily detached from a multi-purpose bucket.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fork lift attachment which is simply clamped between a pair of pivotable clam shells comprising the bucket without the need for any auxiliary attaching or securing means.

In one aspect thereof, the fork lift attachment of the present invention is characterized by the provision of individual fork lift elements clamped at their rear ends between the clam shells of a conventional bucket mounted for various pivotal movements on a mobile earth handling apparatus. The fork lift elements are laterally spaced in secured relation with the bucket and movable therewith into various loading and unloading positions.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of the present invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mobile material handling apparatus shown with a fork lift attachment of the present invention clamped between the movable clam jaws of the bucket with the fork lift elements shown in a tilted loaded position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken about on lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a fork lift element constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the fork lift element shown in FIG. 3 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a conventional mobile earth handling apparatus, generally designated 10, of the front end loader type having a bucket 12 comprised of a front segment 14 and a rear segment 16 of the clam shell type pivotably mounted together about pivot pins 18 located on opposite sides of segments 14 and 16. Segments 14 and 16 are provided with jaws 20 and 22, respectively, adapted to bear against each other when bucket 12 is closed to scoop material therein and/or convey the excavated material therein as is well known in the conventional manner. Of course, jaws 20 and 22 are separated to discharge a load from bucket 12. Segments 14 and 16 are pivoted toward or away from each other by conventional actuators (not shown) and bucket 12 can be raised, lowered and tilted by suitable actuating means, including hydraulic cylinders 24 and articulated arms 26, under the control of the operator. Apparatus 10 includes the usual ground engaging drive wheels 28, an operator's seat 30, and a steering control wheel 32. The specific bucket shown in FIG. 1 is of the versatile, multipurpose type capable of serving as a scraper, a dozer, a loader, or a clamshell. While the fork lift attachment of the present invention is conveniently used with a multi-purpose bucket of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, it should be understood that it is not restricted to use with such a bucket, but has utility with any bucket having clamping elements or jaws.

In accordance with the present invention, a fork lift attachment, comprised of a pair of fork lift elements, generally designated 34, are secured to bucket 12 in a quick and expedient manner as will presently be described. Each fork lift element 34 is formed of an elongated structural member 36 having an upper, elongated flat plate 38 and three depending legs 40 (FIG. 4) extending substantially lengthwise of plate 38 and downwardly in a direction generally normal to the plane of plate 38. These legs 40 can be formed integral with plate 38 as shown in FIG. 4, or can be separate pieces welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the underside of plate 38. Although member 36 is provided with three depending legs, it should be understood that more or less than three legs can be employed and that the cross sectional configuration of member 36 can vary, as desired.

The forward or leading end of fork lift element 34 is tapered as shown at 42 in FIGS. 1 and 3 to facilitate the insertion thereof beneath a load to be lifted. The rear end of fork lift element 34 is provided with a depending bracket 44 either formed integral with structural member 36 or bracket 44 can be a separate piece welded to the underside of member 36. In either case, at least one reinforcing plate 46 can be provided at the juncture of member 36 and bracket 44 to provide a rigid construction. Bracket 44 is provided with an inturned flange 48 in substantial parallelism with member 36 and extending toward the leading end thereof.

Mounted on the upper, flat, load bearing surface of plate 38 is an upright post 50 either formed integral with plate 38 or comprised of a separate part welded or otherwise fixedly secured thereto. In either case, a diagonally extending reinforcing bar 52 is suitably secured at its opposite ends to the rear side of post 50 and the upper surface of plate 38 to provide added rigidity to post 50. Post 50 serves as a stop member for retaining a load on the fork lift element when in a rearwardly tilted position as shown in FIG. 1. Post 50 is particularly useful in handling loads consisting of cylindrical shapes such as pipes, tubes, logs and the like. The front side of post 50 facing the leading end of fork lift element 34 is covered with a pad 54 of resiliently yieldable material to cushion the impact of fragile rolling objects abutting thereagainst.

In use, two fork lift elements 34 are mounted on and secured to bucket 12 by the clamping engagement of jaws 20 and 22 about brackets 44 of the fork lift elements 34 as shown in FIG. 1. Fork lift elements 34 are spaced laterally on segment 14 and preferably have their outer sides in abutment with the inner side walls of segment 14 to provide added stability. Assume that a load of pipe sections 56 are to be unloaded from the bed of a truck, such pipe sections 56 being usually stacked on the bed or a storage platform in vertically spaced rows separated by spacers, each row containing a number of pipe sections in a side-by-side relation. To unload these pipe sections 56, fork lift elements 34, firmly clamped in bucket 12, are inserted beneath a plurality of pipe sections in the uppermost row. These pipe sections are supported by structural members 36 and are lifted by tilting and slightly raising fork lift elements 34 by means of the bucket moving means 24, 26 under the control of the operator of apparatus 10. The foremost or lowermost pipe section 56 supported on fork lift elements 34 rests against pad 54 and post 52. Thus, the load can be moved to a new location such, for example, as another storage area or along the embankment of a trench or ditch at the construction site.

The specific dimensions of fork lift elements 34 can vary within the purview of this invention dependent on the particular size of bucket 12. Also, the distance of post 50 from the forward end of fork lift element 34 can vary, as desired.

From the foregoing, it is seen that this invention fully accomplishes its intended objects and provides a simple, rugged, and durable fork lift attachment which can be readily secured to and detached from a powered bucket without considerable manual effort and without the necessity of auxiliary attaching or connecting means. Moreover, the fork lift elements can be formed of steel stock generally available at a construction site at a relatively low cost as opposed to the substantial investment otherwise required for new equipment.

A preferred embodiment of this invention having been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that this has been done by way of illustration only .

Claims

I claim:

1. A fork lift element comprising an elongated structural member having a load bearing surface and provided with a forward end and a rearward end, said structural member comprising a flat plate and a plurality of legs extending substantially lengthwise of said plate and downward in a direction generally normal to the plane of said plate, a hook shaped bracket at said rearward end of said structural member and facing toward said forward end, said bracket depending downwardly from said structural member away from said load bearing surface and adapted to be clamped by an earth moving bucket, reinforcing means at the juncture of said structural member and said bracket, a stop member on said structural member disposed forwardly of said bracket and extending from said structural member in a direction opposite to said bracket, and a pad of resiliently yieldable material secured to said stop member and facing the forward end of said structural member.

2. A fork lift element according to claim 1 together with reinforcing means supporting said stop member in an upright position.

3. In combination with a mechanically operated bucket having clamping means, a pair of laterally spaced fork lift elements each comprising an elongated structural member having a flat load bearing surface adapted at one end thereof to be inserted beneath a load to be lifted, a bracket at the other end of said structural member extending in a direction generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said structural member away from said load bearing surface and adapted to be clamped by said bucket, and a stop member on said flat surface adjacent the other end thereof extending in a direction opposite to said bracket, said bracket clamping means comprising a pair of pivotal segments operable to clamp said brackets of said fork lift elements therebetween to secure said elements to said bucket.

4. A combination according to claim 3 wherein each of said stop members has a pad of resiliently yieldable material secured thereto facing said one end of said load bearing surface.