Collapsible pallet picking adapter

A pallet adapter assembly for use with a pallet transport vehicle having a pallet lifting frame and a plurality of forks or tines for supporting pallets during transport, said pallet adapter assembly comprising:

• an adapter frame releasably secured to said transport vehicle, so that said frame moves vertically in conjunction with said pallet lifting frame;
• a deck system having at least two deck assemblies coupled to said adapter frame and moveable between first retracted, stored positions, and second, extended operable positions, the deck assemblies being a first deck assembly and a second deck assembly;
• said first deck assembly having an first deck having an elongated configuration and positionable on top of a first one of said plurality of forks;
• and
• said second deck assembly having a second deck having an elongated configuration and positionable on top of a second one of said plurality of forks when said second deck is in said extended and operable position;
• wherein when said first deck and said second deck are both in their extended and operable positions, said first deck is vertically offset from said second deck, so that said first deck is located at a fixed and predetermined distance above said second deck thereby allowing the first deck and the second deck to displace vertically in a fixed relationship;
• and
• wherein when said deck assemblies are in said retracted, stored positions, said pallet adapter assembly and said pallet transport vehicle can support and transport standard pallets of conventional sizes.