Pallet fork

A removable pallet fork comprising:

• a frame, the frame including a top support tube, and a bottom support tube between opposing end plates;
• a fork bar and a carriage plate supported by the frame and extending in a longitudinal direction of the pallet fork;
• a fork tine mounted to the fork bar via a slotted tube, the fork tine having a pivotable motion and a lateral motion relative thereto, the fork tine including a vertical leg and a horizontal leg, wherein the slotted tube is welded to an upper portion of the vertical leg;
• a locking plate on the top support tube having a notch;
• an upper locking member configured to be selectively inserted through a slot in the slotted tube and through the notch to engage the vertical leg of the fork tine with the locking plate and restrict the lateral motion of the fork tine, the upper locking member having a head portion with an open point that rests on a top surface of the top support tube, the upper locking member also having a shoulder, the pivotable motion being limited by the shoulder contacting an end point of the slot, the slotted tube is disposed between the vertical leg of the fork tine and the head portion of the upper locking member;
• a first set of ribs extending between the top support tube and the bottom support tube, the first set of ribs being oriented with an inward slant towards a rear portion of the of pallet fork;
• a second set of ribs extending between the top support tube and the bottom support tube and inward of the first set of ribs, the second set of ribs being oriented substantially normal to a longitudinal direction of the removable pallet fork;
• and
• one or more mounting brackets on the frame, the one or more mounting brackets configured to removably mate with a machine, wherein the top support tube is disposed above a top of the vertical leg of the fork tine.