Forklift shipping and handling apparatus
AssigneeBelle Technologies, LLC
InventorsRobert J. Smeeton, Peter G. Csigi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shipping and handling system for a fork lift truck that has a cab and rails extending vertically above the cab. A first bracket is secured to the back of the rails and a second bracket is secured to the back of the cab. One bracket is provided with wheel while the other is provided with legs so that the truck is able to rest on the brackets when it is tipped over upon its back. A special adaptor is provided that allows a second fork lift truck to hitch onto the unwheeled bracket and lift the bracket off the support surface whereupon the first truck can be easily maneuvered from place to place.
Claims18
A shipping and handling system for a motorized fork lift truck including a front, a back and an operator's compartment and lifting rails having a front and a back, the lifting rails connected to the front of the fork lift truck and extending upwardly beyond a top of the operator's compartment, wherein said system includes:
- a first bracket that is connected to the back of said lifting rails and spaced from said operator's compartment;
- a second bracket, separate from said first bracket, said second bracket directly connected to the back of said fork lift truck;
- a set of wheels mounted upon one of said brackets and an unwheeled support element mounted upon said other bracket so that said fork lift truck can be turned over onto its back and rested upon a surface when said wheels and said unwheeled support element contact said surface, thereby said brackets supporting said truck on said surface;
- and
- said first and second brackets are removably attached to said truck such that said first and second brackets are removed from said truck after shipment, and prior to operation, of said truck.
A shipping and handling system for a fork lift truck that contains a cab and a pair of lifting arms that extend upwardly over a top of said cab, wherein said system includes:
- a first bracket that is removably secured to the back of said lifting rails above the top of said cab and which contains a pair of spaced apart wheel units;
- a second bracket that is removably secured to the rear of said cab which contains a pair of spaced apart unwheeled support elements;
- said brackets being aligned so that said wheels and said unwheeled support elements support the entire weight of said truck when said truck is turned upon its back;
- said brackets removed from said truck when said truck is placed in an upright and in preparation of operation of said truck;
- and
- an hitch mechanism for connecting the second bracket to a dolly so that the dolly can lift said second bracket off a supporting surface and maneuvering said truck upon said wheel units.
A system for shipping a forklift having lifting rails and a cab, said system comprising:
- a first bracket, said first bracket removably connected to said lifting rails;
- a second bracket, said second bracket separate and spaced from said first bracket, said second bracket removably connected directly to a back of said forklift approximate said cab;
- and
- a set of wheels mounted on one of said brackets and an unwheeled support element mounted on said other bracket so that when said forklift is positioned such that said lifting rails extend in a substantially horizontal position, said wheels and said unwheeled support element contact a surface and said forklift rests upon said wheels and said unwheeled support element, and wherein said first and second brackets are removed from said forklift prior to operation of said forklift.
A method for transporting a fork lift truck between a first location and a second location, said fork lift truck having lifting rails and a cab, said method comprising:
- removably attaching a first bracket to a back side of said lifting rails;
- removably attaching a second bracket, said second bracket spaced and separate from said first bracket, to said cab;
- mounting a set of wheels on one of said brackets;
- mounting a support element on the other of said brackets;
- positioning said fork lift truck such that said lifting rails lie in a substantially horizontal position so that said fork lift truck rests upon said wheels and said support element, whereby said fork lift truck can be loaded in a transportation vehicle for shipment from the first location to the second location;
- and
- positioning said fork lift truck in an upright position at said second location wherein said lifting rails extend substantially vertical and then removing said first bracket and said second bracket from said fork lift truck prior to operation of said fork lift truck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.