Entry wheel arrangement for pallet truck

Claim 1

IN A PALLET LIFT TRUCK HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS ADAPTED TO ENTER LOAD CARRYING PALLETS FOR LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING THE SAME AND A PAIR OF LIFTING WHEEL MEANS PIVOTABLY MOUNTED BENEATH THE REARWARD PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE FORK ARMS, A PALLET ENTRY WHEEL AND BEARING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED BENEATH EACH FORK ARM INTERMEDIATE THE ADJACENT LIFTING WHEEL MEANS AND THE PALLET ENTERING END OF THE FORK ARM, EACH SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PALLET ENTRY WHEEL OF DISC-LIKE FORM HAVING A DIAMETER AT LEAST ONE AND ONE-HALF TIME LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER AT THE LIFTING WHEEL MEANS AND BEARING MEANS MOUNTING BENEATH EACH FORK ARM HAVING THE ENTRY WHEEL ROTATABLY ASSEMBLED THEREWITH, SAID BEARING MEANS INCLUDING A BEARING RACE SECURED TO THE FORK ARM, A BEARING RETAINER SECURED TO THE ENTRY WHEEL, AND BEARING ELEMENTS BETWEEN THE BEARING RACE, THE BEARING RETAINER AND THE ENTRY WHEEL FACILITATING ROTATION OF THE ENTRY WHEEL AND BEARING RETAINER RELATIVE TO THE BEARING RACE, EACH SAID ENTRY WHEEL AND BEARING MEANS BEING MOUNTED AT A COMPOUND ANGLE BENEATH EACH FORK AND HAVING AN AXIS WHICH IS INCLINED BOTH UPWARDLY, TRANSVERSELY AND FORWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE REAR PALLET ENTERING END OF THE RESPECTIVE FORK ARM, SAID COMPOUND ANGLE BEING DETERMINED BY THE LOCATION OF THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ENTRY WHEEL WHICH FORMS WITH A VERTICAL AXIS TWO PROJECTED ANGLES, ONE OF WHICH ANGLES IS GREATER THAN 10* AND LESS THAN 20* IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF THE TRUCK, AND THE OTHER OF WHICH ANGLES IS GREATER THAN 5* AND LESS THAN 10* IN A DIRECTION LONGITUDINAL OF THE TRUCK.