Versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders

Claim 2

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefRom; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame, said slide means including a pair of spaced apart parallel vertical side plates positioned at opposite ends of the frame and a pair of parallel spaced apart rearwardly extending plates projecting from the upper rearward edges of the slide plates and movable therewith; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means, one end of each of said hold-down fingers being pivotally supported between one of said pairs of slide plates; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means, said means including a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the slide means between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper ends of the slide plates and a piston extending between the slide plates and pivotally connected to the finger; and G. means operatively connected and associated with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks.

Claim 3

A carriage according to claim 1 further characterized in that: A. said frame includes horizontal shaft means; B. said forks are supported from bushings slideable along said shaft means; and C. opposed fluid pressure means are connected between the opposite sides of the frame and the forks to move the forks along the shaft means.

Claim 4

face-to-face slideways on the inside surfaces of said side plates,

Claim 5

face-to-face slideways on the inside surfaces of said side plates,

Claim 6

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame including horizontal shaft means; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom, said forks supported from bushings slideable along said shaft means, and the vertical leg portion of one of said forks being longer than the vertical leg portion of the other fork; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame, said means comprising a pair of opposed horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinders connected between the opposite sides of the frame and the forks to move the forks along the shaft means, one of said cylinders being disposed above said shaft means with its piston connected to the longer of said vertical fork leg portions, and the other of said cylinders being disposed below said shaft means with its piston connected to the other of said vertical fork leg portions; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means; and G. means operatively connected and associted with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks.

Claim 7

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame including horizontal shaft means; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom, said forks supported from bushings slideable along said shaft means, and the vertical leg portion of one of said forks being longer than the vertical leg portion of the other fork; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame, said means comprising a pair of opposed horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinders connected between the opposite sides of the frame and the forks to move the forks along the shaft means, one of said cylinders being disposed above said shaft means with its piston connected to the longer of said vertical fork leg portions, and the other of said cylinders being disposed below said shaft means with its piston connected to the other of said vertical fork leg portions; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means; and G. means operatively connected and associted with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks.

Claim 8

a pair of slide plates movable vertically in said slideways, and

Claim 9

a pair of slide plates movable vertically in said slideways, and

Claim 10

A carriage according to claim 3 further characterized in that: A. said cylinder whose piston is connected to the longer of said vertical fork leg portions is pivotally connected to the frame at the side adjacent the other of said forks; and B. said cylinder whose pistion is connected to the other of said vertical fork leg portions is pivotally connected to the frame at the side adjacent the fork having the longer leg portion.

Claim 11

a pair of parallel spaced apart rearwardly extending plates projecting from the upper rearward edges of the slide plates and movable therewith; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means; and G. means operatively connected and associated with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks.

Claim 12

a pair of parallel spaced apart rearwardly extending plates projecting from the upper rearward edges of the slide plates and movable therewith; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means; and G. means operatively connected and associated with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks.

Claim 13

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame, said slide means including:

Claim 14

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame, said slide means including:

Claim 15

A carriage according to claim 5 further characterized in that: A. one end of each of said fingers is pivotally supported between one of said pairs of slide plates; and B. fluid pressure means for raising and lowering the fingers are supported between the slide plates.

Claim 16

A carriage according to claim 6 further characterized in that said fluid pressure means includes: A. a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to said slide means between said rearwardly extending plates at the upper ends of the slide plates; and B. a piston extending between said slide plates and pivotally connected to said fingers spaced from the pivotal connection of the fingers with the slide plates.

Claim 17

A carriage according to claim 5 further characterized in that: A. a pair of parallel spaced apart ear plates are provided projecting rearwardly from the lower rearward edges of said frame side plates; and B. fluid pressure means are provided connected to said ear plates and said slide plates for elevating the slide means.

Claim 18

A carriage according to claim 8 further characterized in that said fluid pressure means includes: A. a vertically extending hydrualic cylinder pivotally connected to said side plates between said rearwardly extending ear plates; and B. a piston pivotally connected to said slide plates between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper edges of the slide plates.

Claim 19

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame including horizontal shaft means; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom, said forks being supported from bushings slideable along said shaft means, and the vertical leg portion of one of said forks being longer than the vertical leg portion of the other fork; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame; said means comprising a pair of horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinders, one of said cylinders being disposed above said shaft means pivotally connected to the frame at the side adjacent to the fork with the shorter of said vertical leg portions and having its piston connected to the longer of said vertical leg portions, and the other of said cylinders being disposed below said shaft pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the fork having the longer leg portion and having its piston connected to the shorter of the vertical leg portions; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame, said slide means including a pair of spaced apart parallel vertical side plates positioned at opposite ends of the frame, face-to-face slideways on the inside surfaces of said side plates, a pair of slide plates movable vertically in said slideways and a pair of parallel spaced apart rearwardly extending plates projecting from the upper rearward edges of the slide plates and movable therewith; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means, one end of each of said hold-down fingers being pivotally supported between one of said pairs of slide plates; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means, said means including a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the slide means between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper ends of the slide plates and a piston extending between the slide plates and pivotally connected to the finger; G. means operatively connected and associated with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks; H. a pair of parallel spaced apart ear plates projecting rearwardly from the lower rearward edges of said frame side plates; and I. said means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame comprising a vertically extending hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the side plates between said rearwardly extending ear plates and a piston pivotally connected to said slide plates between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper edges of the slide plates.

Claim 20

A versatile utility carriage for mobile loaders which comprises: A. a transversely and vertically extending frame including horizontal shaft means; B. a pair of lift forks, each having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion projecting forwardly therefrom, said forks being supported from bushings slideable along said shaft means, and the vertical leg portion of one of said forks being longer than the vertical leg portion of the other fork; C. means operatively connected and associated with said forks for moving both of the forks laterally toward and away from one another relative to the frame; said means comprising a pair of horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinders, one of said cylinders being disposed above said shaft means pivotally connected to the frame at the side adjacent to the fork with the shorter of said vertical leg portions and having its piston connected to the longer of said vertical leg portions, and the other of said cylinders being disposed below said shaft pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the fork having the longer leg portion and having its piston connected to the shorter of the vertical leg portions; D. vertically movable slide means at opposite ends of the frame, said slide means including a pair of spaced apart parallel vertical side plates positioned at opposite ends of the frame, face-to-face slideways on the inside surfaces of said side plates, a pair of slide plates movable vertically in said slideways and a pair of parallel spaced apart rearwardly extending plates projecting from the upper rearward edges of the slide plates and movable therewith; E. a pair of hold-down fingers supported by said slide means, one end of each of said hold-down fingers being pivotally supported between one of said pairs of slide plates; F. means operatively connected and associated with said fingers and supported by said slide means for raising and lowering the fingers relative to the slide means, said means including a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the slide means between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper ends of the slide plates and a piston extending between the slide plates and pivotally connected to the finger; G. means operatively connected and associated with the slide means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame and relative to the lift forks; H. a pair of parallel spaced apart ear plates projecting rearwardly from the lower rearward edges of said frame side plates; and I. said means for elevating the slide means relative to the frame comprising a vertically extending hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the side plates between said rearwardly extending ear plates and a piston pivotally connected to said slide plates between the rearwardly extending plates at the upper edges of the slide plates.