U.S. patent number 3,684,114 [Application Number 05/007,044] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-15 for fork lift load handling devices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to British Railways Board, Joshua Shaw & Sons Limited. Invention is credited to John Travers Cosgrove, Ronald Drake.
United States Patent |
3,684,114 |
Cosgrove , et al. |
August 15, 1972 |
FORK LIFT LOAD HANDLING DEVICES
Abstract
A fork-lift load handling device having in addition to its
horizontal load carrying tines, a plurality of downwardly pointing
substantially vertical tines disposed adjacent the free ends of the
horizontal tines, the vertical tines being vertically adjustable
and variable in their horizontal spacing from the free ends of the
horizontal tines. The vertical tines may be supported for vertical
adjustment in a carriage which is horizontally adjustable along
guides connected to supporting structure for the horizontal
tines.
Inventors: |
Cosgrove; John Travers (London,
EN), Drake; Ronald (Wakefield, EN) |
Assignee: |
British Railways Board (London,
EN)
Joshua Shaw & Sons Limited (Batley, EN)
|
Family
ID: |
21723895 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/007,044 |
Filed: |
January 30, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/622; 414/341;
414/544; 414/661; 294/67.22; 414/525.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66F
9/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B66F
9/08 (20060101); B66F 9/10 (20060101); B66f
009/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;214/44A,514,75G,83.3,651,653,652,1D,650,654 ;294/67A,67AB |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Forlenza; Gerald M.
Assistant Examiner: Abraham; George F.
Claims
We claim:
1. A fork lift load-handling device comprising in combination,
a plurality of substantially horizontally extending load-carrying
tines,
means for adjusting the vertical position of said horizontal
tines,
a carriage horizontally adjustable in a plane parallel to said
horizontal tines,
a plurality of substantially vertical downwardly directed tines
supported on said carriage for vertical movement relative
thereto,
means for both moving said carriage horizontally and for moving
said vertical tines in the vertical direction relative to said
carriage independently of said horizontal tines.
2. A fork-lift load handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
there are four horizontal tines the two outer ones being carried on
a common beam which is pivoted relatively to the two inner tines
about a common horizontal axis extending substantially parallel to
said horizontal tines.
3. A fork-lift load handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said vertical tines are interconnected by a yoke member through
which actuating means effect their vertical movement, at least one
of said vertical tines being pivotally connected to said yoke
member for movement relatively to the yoke member about a
horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal
tines.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, which further includes means for
tilting said horizontal tines about a horizontal axis extending at
right angles to said horizontal tines.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, which further includes a first
hydraulic ram for moving said vertical tines relative to said
carriage and a second hydraulic ram for moving said carriage
horizontally in a plane parallel to said horizontal tines.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, which further includes a mobile
supporting means for said horizontal and vertical tines, said
carriage and said moving means.
Description
This invention relates to fork-lift load handling devices.
The object of this invention is to provide a fork-lift load
handling device, whereby lengths of steel stock and the like can be
more readily moved from one location to another for example from a
rail vehicle to a road vehicle and vice versa and without having to
use the large load handling devices normally necessary so that
their horizontal tines will extend the full width of a vehicle in
order to gather the load.
According to this invention, a plurality of downwardly pointing
tines are disposed on the fork lift load handling device adjacent
the free ends of the horizontal tines, the vertical tines being
vertically adjustable and variable in their horizontal spacing from
the free ends of the horizontal tines.
A horizontally movable carriage may be provided to carry said
vertical tines. The movement of the carriage and the raising and
lowering of the vertical tines relatively to the the carriage is
conveniently effected by double-acting hydraulic or pneumatic
rams.
Said vertical tines can act as a load pusher or a load puller for
moving a load across a railway wagon or other vehicle floor. They
can also act as a load divider enabling a part load to be drawn on
to the horizontal tines.
In order that the invention may be readily understood, a side
loading fork-lift truck having one form of fitting in accordance
with the invention will now be described by way of example with
reference to he accompanying drawing, which shows a perspective
view of the fork-lift truck.
Referring to the drawings, the fork lift truck has four horizontal
lifting tines 1 to 4. The outer pair of tines 1 and 2 are mounted
on a beam 5 which is rockable about pivot 6 relative to structure 7
supporting the inner pair of tines 3 and 4. Rocking of beam 5 is
effected under the control of the operator through hydraulic piston
and cylinder 8.
The structure 7 is pivoted to the base of a carriage for tilting
about a horizontal axis extending at right angles to the horizontal
tines 1 to 4. The pivots support the structure 7 at the bottom and
a pair of hydraulic cylinders 20, only one of which is visible in
the drawing, control the tilting of the structure 7 and thus of the
tines 1 to 4. The carriage to which the structure is supported is
arranged in conventional manner to move up and down a telescoping
mast arrangement, which enables up and down movement of the tines 1
to 4. The mast arrangement 9 is movably mounted on the truck in a
manner causing horizontal advancing and retracting of the tines 1
to 4.
Extending forwardly from the supporting structure 7 and rigidly
connected thereto are a pair of guide beams 10 and 11 on which are
mounted roller bearings (not visible) supporting the rearwardly
extending limbs 12 and 13 of a carriage 14. The carriage 14 is
shown in its retracted position and is forwardly extendable from
this position by means of a hydraulic ram 15.
Mounted in the carriage 14 are a pair of vertically adjustable
tines 16 and 17. The tines are interconnected by yoke member 18
which is connected to the piston rod of hydraulic ram 19 mounted on
the carriage 14 for effecting the vertical adjustment of the tines
16 and 17. A horizontal pivot 21 is provided between the tine 17
and the yoke 18, and if desired a similar pivot could be provided
between the tine 16 and yoke 18. This allows some freedom of
movement should the general framework of the tines become distorted
by use. The tines 16 and 17 are restrained from misalignment by
wear pads in the carriage 14 through which the tines 16 and 17
pass.
When the carriage 14 is in its fully extended position the vertical
tines 16 and 17 are arranged to reach the far side of a vehicle
(road or rail) whilst in the fully retracted position, the tines 16
and 17 are approximately located at the forward ends of the tines 3
and 4.
A cycle operation for removing a load of steel stock from say a
railway wagon and placing it on a road vehicle is as follows:
1. With the tines 16 and 17 in their uppermost vertical position
and with the carriage 14 fully retracted, the truck is positioned
for lifting.
2. The horizontal tines 1 to 4 are advanced beneath the load and
faces of tines 16 and 17 with their lowermost tips extending
slightly below the carriage are pressed against the load enabling
easy removal of side stanchions from the wagon.
3. The carriage 14 is then extended with the tines 16 and 17
raised. The tines 16 and 17 are lowered while simultaneously the
carriage 14 is moved backwards and forwards thereby separate the
load.
4. The tines 16 and 17 are then fully lowered and a part of the
load is drawn on to tines 1 to 4 by retraction of carriage 14.
5. The part of the load is then transferred to a road vehicle,
being placed on the near side of the vehicle.
6. With tines 16 and 17 raised to clear the part of the load, the
carriage 14 is then retracted. Tines 16 and 17 are then lowered and
the carriage 14 then extended to push the part of the load to the
far side of the road vehicle.
* * * * *