Rear mounted lift for over-the-road vehicle
OwnerSteve Balthazorinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered forklift assembly is configured to be operably mounted on an over-the-road vehicle to shift a load relative to a chassis of the vehicle. The powered forklift assembly includes a shiftable forklift and a vehicle bed. The shiftable forklift includes an extendable mast and a fork mechanism. The fork mechanism is attached to and is vertically shiftable relative to the mast and configured to support the load.
Claims20
A powered forklift assembly configured to be operably mounted on an over-the-road vehicle to shift a load relative to a chassis of the vehicle, said powered forklift assembly comprising:
- a shiftable forklift including a mast and a fork mechanism,
- said fork mechanism being (i) supported by the mast, (ii) vertically shiftable relative to the mast, and (iii) configured to support the load;
- and
- a vehicle bed configured to be supported by the chassis of the vehicle, with the vehicle bed presenting a bed work surface for receiving the load,
- said mast being forwardly and rearwardly shiftable relative to the vehicle bed to thereby shift the load in a longitudinal direction on and off of the bed work surface,
- at least a portion of said fork mechanism being pivotal relative to the mast about a lateral pivot axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction,
- said forklift including a pivot actuator configured to pivot said at least a portion of the fork mechanism about the lateral pivot axis.
A powered forklift assembly configured to be operably mounted on an over-the-road vehicle to shift a load relative to a chassis of the vehicle, said powered forklift assembly comprising:
- a shiftable forklift including a mast and a fork mechanism,
- said fork mechanism being (i) supported by the mast, (ii) vertically shiftable relative to the mast, and (iii) configured to support the load;
- and
- a vehicle bed configured to be supported by the chassis of the vehicle, with the vehicle bed presenting a bed work surface for receiving the load,
- said mast being forwardly and rearwardly shiftable relative to the vehicle bed to thereby shift the load in a longitudinal direction on and off of the bed work surface,
- said fork mechanism comprising a support and a fork,
- said fork being slidably supported on the support,
- said support comprising an upper support member and a lower support member,
- said fork comprising a pair of fork members,
- each of said fork members being slidably coupled to each of the upper and lower support members so as to permit lateral sliding of the fork members relative to the upper and lower support members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.