Truck mounted forklift with double-acting freelift mast

A forklift truck for mounting on the rear of a carrying vehicle comprising:

• a U-shaped chassis having a crossbar and a pair of side bars mounted at the ends of the crossbar and projecting forwardly therefrom;
• a pair of ground engaging wheels, one wheel being located adjacent the free end of one of the side bars and the other wheel being located adjacent the free end of the other side bar;
• a steerable ground engaging rear wheel located centrally on the crossbar;
• a drivers station mounted to one side of the chassis;
• a motive power unit mounted on the opposite side of the chassis to the drivers station;
• a vertical multi-lift mast mounted on the chassis between the side bars, the vertical multi-lift mast having a plurality of mast sections;
• a fork carrier slidably mounted on one of the mast sections, the fork carrier bearing mast section comprises a substantially rectangular frame having a pair of substantially parallel upright side bars bridged at their upper ends by an upper cross member and bridged at their lower ends by a lower cross member;
• a freelift mast system mounted on the fork carrier bearing mast section coupled to the fork carrier, the free lift mast system comprising a pair of fluid actuated rams, each of the fluid actuated rams is mounted on one of the upper and the lower cross members, one of the fluid actuated rams being operable to positively control the upward movement of the fork carrier relative the mast section and the other of the fluid actuated rams being operable to positively control the downward movement of the fork carrier relative the mast section;
• and
• one of the fluid activated rams being mounted on the upper cross member and the other of the fluid actuated rams being mounted on the lower cross member.