US 6,641,357 B2Granted

Laterally adjustable load carrying forks

AssigneeVolvo Wheel Loaders AB

InventorsGunnar Lindgren, Daniel Back, Håkan Ripell

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Abstract

A fork lift rack that includes a first beam, a second beam and at least two spacer elements which fix the first and second beams at a distance from and substantially parallel to each other is taught. The load-bearing fork members can be mounted on the first and second beams. The fork members can be displaced along the length of the beams. The fork members have first and second legs that extend in separate vertical planes. The fork members are designed such that the distance between the first legs is greater than the distance between the second legs when the two forks are mounted in place on the rack. The spacer elements have fastening devices which are intended to releaseably fasten the fork lift rack to a lift mechanism, the upper beam has a web and a flange which are joined to each other at an angle α different from 90°. The upper beam is joined to each spacer element via the web. The web is directed away from the lower beam.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A lift arrangement for a fork lift rack having an upper beam, a lower beam and at least two spacer elements for fixing the upper and lower beam at a distance from and substantially parallel to each other, the beams being adapted for carrying load bearing fork members wherein the upper beam is formed by a web and a flange that extend in the longitudinal direction of the beam, the flange forming a front part of the beam for carrying the fork members, and the web being joined to the flange and directed backwards and upwards from the flange, the lift arrangement comprising:

a pair of fork members mounted on the fork lift rack, each of which comprises a first leg and a second leg forming a substantially right angle to each other,
wherein the first leg has at least one coupler connected to the fork lift rack and the second leg has a load surface for carrying a load,
wherein an upper part of the first leg of each of the fork members is displaced at a distance sideways of a lower part of the first leg that is connected to the second leg,
so that the distance between the upper part of the first legs is larger than the distance between the second legs.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/682,462Filed 5 Sep 2001 · division
Priority: SE 96036557 Oct 1996
Published: US 2002/0025246 A128 Feb 2002
Granted: 4 Nov 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

B66F 9/12
Constructional features or details: platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members
B66F
Hoisting, lifting, hauling or pushing, not otherwise provided for

Family

PCT/SE97/01673Parent of this division · filed 7 Oct 1997
US 6,287,073 B1Parent of this division · filed 11 Sep 2001
US 2002/0025246 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Feb 2002
Application09/284,078Parent of this division
US 6,641,357 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.