Lifting fork

A lifting fork adapted to be suspended from a lifting member and which is substantially U-shaped, where a multi-tined fork constitutes one shank of the U while the other shank of the U, constituted by a lifting shank, is adapted to receive a movable attachment means for said lifting member, and where the intermediate portion of the U, extending between the two shanks, comprises a connecting bar, said lifting fork further comprising:

• an axle arranged transversely to the fork close to the rear end thereof, at least part of said connecting bar being pivoted about said axle from an upright position perpendicular to the fork, to a position behind the fork;
• a locking device for locking said part of said connecting bar to said upright position in a locking position of said locking device;
• actuating means arranged proximally of the upper end of the connecting bar, said actuating means being arranged to release said locking device out of its locking position upon displacement of said attachment means along the lifting shank into engagement with said actuating means;
• said locking device comprising a locking bar extending through the connecting bar and cooperating with a locking arm connected to the rear end of the fork, and said actuating means being connected to the upper part of the locking bar and said attachment means being arranged to cooperate with said actuating means for displacing the locking bar out of engagement with the locking arm.