Horizontally pivoted forklift apparatus

Claim 1

Fork lift apparatus for depositing and retrieving pallets on opposite sides of a narrow aisle and comprising: fork frame means including a truck track mounted thereon projecting transversely in said aisle; fork frame support means for shifting said fork frame longitudinally in said aisle; truck means mounted on said truck track for travel therealong; truck drive means for driving said truck means along said truck track to opposite sides of said aisle; elongated and substantially planer tine means pivotally carried on one end from said truck means; means on said truck means to support said tine means when said tine means are in said first and second horizontal positions, lifting means for raising and lowering said truck means and said tine means; fork flip means coupled with said tine means for selectively rotating said tine means about a horizontal axis to first extend toward one side when in a first substantial horizontal position and then to rotate said tine means about said horizontal axis through substantially 180* to a second substantial horizontal position to extend to the other side of said aisle whereby said fork drive means may be actuated to rotate said tine means to extend one side of said aisle for depositing a pallet carried thereon and said tine flip means may then be actuated to rotate said fork about said horizontal axis through substantially 180* to extend toward the other side of said aisle.