US 5,599,155 AGranted

Attachment for industrial trucks

AssigneeWagner Fordertechnik GmbH & Co. KG

InventorsVolker Rohm, Gerard Vesin, Ulrich Freundt

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Abstract

An attachment for industrial trucks, especially lift trucks, is designed as a multi-articulated lever mechanism (11), preferably as a three-hinge arm. This is articulated to a support plate (1), which can be locked and/or fixed in a bracket of the industrial truck. The lever arms (5, 6, 7) of the lever mechanism (11) are rotatable in relation to one another in articulated axles (3, 8, 10), and can be driven, individually and/or in a simultaneous movement, at least in the horizontal direction by mechanical, hydraulic and/or electrical devices. A load pickup device (12), which can be used preferably as a pivoting retractable fork, is arranged at the last, freely hanging lever arm (7). At least one of the lever arms (5 or 6 or 7) is adjustable in height along its articulated axle (3 or 8 or 10). The load pickup device (12) can be moved by translatory and/or rotary movement, in a time- and/or movement-optimized manner, to any point in the room, and the need for self-contained drive unit of the vehicle for the attachment is eliminated. Industrial trucks of the simplest design can be rapidly and inexpensively retrofitted with the attachment, and the utility value of the vehicle can be increased.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An attachment for industrial trucks operating in a narrow side loading and unloading aisle, the attachment comprising:

support plate means for connecting to a side of the industrial truck;
a first axle connected to said support plate;
a first lever arm having an end connected to said support plate by said first axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said first axle;
a second axle connected to another end of said first lever;
a second lever arm having an end connected to said first lever by said second axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said second axle;
a third axle connected to another end of said second lever;
a third lever arm having an end connected to said second lever by said third axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said third axle;
a load pickup means connected to said third lever arm, and for connecting and supporting a load;
first drive means for driving said first lever arm in rotation about said first axle to move said load pickup means with respect to said support plate;
second drive means for driving said second lever arm in rotation about said second axle to move said load pickup means with respect to said support plate;
third drive means for driving said third lever arm in rotation about said third axle to move said low pickup means with respect to said support plate;
control means for controlling said first, second and third drive means and respective said lever arms, said control means having a lateral mode for rotating said lever arms about said axles to substantially only move said load pickup means in a direction substantially parallel to said side of the industrial truck and in a plane adjacent said side of the industrial truck, whereby the industrial truck is able to laterally move loads into and out of a stall through a face of the stall facing parallel to the aisle, the lateral movement of the load being substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the industrial truck and the industrial truck moves parallel to the face of the stall.

9 more elements

An attachment for industrial trucks operating in a narrow side loading and unloading aisle, the attachment comprising:

support plate means for connecting to a side of the industrial truck;
a first axle connected to said support plate and positioned substantially in a middle of said support plate;
a first lever arm having an end connected to said support plate by said first axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said first axle, said first lever having a length longer than half a length of said support plate to extend beyond said support plate when said first lever arm is substantially parallel to said support plate;
a second axle connected to another end of said first lever;
a second lever arm having an end connected to said first lever by said second axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said second axle, said second lever arm having a length substantially similar in magnitude to said length of said first lever arm;
a third axle connected to another end of said second lever;
a third lever arm having an end connected to said second lever by said third axle and rotatable by substantially 180 degrees about said third axle, said third lever arm having a length shorter than a length of said first and second lever arms;
a load pickup means connected to said third lever arm, and for connecting and supporting a load, said length of said third lever arm placing said load pickup means adjacent opposite sides of said second lever arm by 180 degree rotation of said third lever arm about said third axle;
means for driving each of said lever arms in rotation about said axles to move said load pickup means with respect to said support plate, said drive means one of mechanically hydraulically and electrically rotates said lever arms;
control means for controlling said drive means and said lever arms, said control means having a lateral mode for rotating said lever arms about said axles to substantially only move said load pickup means in a direction substantially parallel to said side of the industrial truck and in a plane adjacent said side of the industrial truck in one of time and movement optimized manner, whereby the industrial truck is able to laterally move loads into and out of a stall through a face of the stall facing the aisle, the lateral movement of the load being substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the industrial truck.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.