Battery transfer apparatus

A system for loading and/or unloading batteries from materials handling vehicles comprising:

• a materials handling vehicle comprising a battery compartment;
• a battery to be loaded into or unloaded from said battery compartment;
• a battery transfer apparatus comprising:
• a mobile unit for transporting said battery, said mobile unit comprising:
• load handling structure for temporarily supporting said battery, said load handling structure comprising at least one roller that is used to roll said battery into or out of said battery compartment of said materials handling vehicle on said at least one roller;
• an extractor assembly that can be rotated forward and backward to transfer said battery into or out of a materials handling vehicle;
• and
• a locking assembly for preventing said extractor assembly from being rotated unless said mobile unit is secured to a materials handling vehicle;
• and
• a battery stand comprising a top wall and support structure, said top wall including at least one opening and said support structure adapted to engage a surface upon which said battery stand is placed so as to support said battery stand on the surface;
• and
• wherein said battery stand is adapted to be engaged by said mobile unit during a transfer of said battery into or out of said materials handling vehicle by inserting said at least one roller up through said at least one opening in said top wall of said battery stand such that said at least one roller can engage said battery through said at least one opening, and wherein said battery stand is capable of storing said battery while said battery is out of said materials handling vehicle when said battery stand is disengaged from said load handling structure.

A method for loading or unloading a battery from a materials handling vehicle comprising:

• positioning a battery transfer apparatus adjacent to a battery compartment of the materials handling vehicle, the battery transfer apparatus comprising:
• a mobile unit for temporarily supporting and transporting a battery that is to be transferred into or out of the materials handling vehicle, the mobile unit comprising:
• load handling structure for supporting the battery, the load handling structure comprising at least one roller that is used to roll the battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle on the at least one roller;
• an extractor assembly that can be rotated forward and backward to transfer said battery into or out of a materials handling vehicle;
• and
• a locking assembly for preventing said extractor assembly from being rotated unless said mobile unit is secured to a materials handling vehicle;
• and
• a battery stand comprising a top wall and support structure, the top wall including at least one opening and the support structure adapted to engage a surface upon which the battery stand is placed so as to support the battery stand on the surface;
• raising the load handling structure such that the at least one roller is raised up through the at least one opening in the top wall of the battery stand and such that the at least one roller can engage the battery through the at least one opening;
• and
• moving the battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle by sliding the battery on the at least one roller.