Side-loading attachment for forklift trucks

Claim 2

A side-loading attachment for a device having a support portion and means for raising and lowering said support portion vertically, said attachment being used in conjunction with loadsupporting pallets and storage means for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: a base frame for support by said support portion, means for locking said base frame to said support portion to prevent relative vertical movement between said base frame and said support portion, a pair of laterally extending channel members rigidly secured to said base frame and lying thereabove, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame, said stabilizer having at each side thereof a plurality of rollers riding in and on said channel members for sidewise movement of said stabilizer, laterally of said base frame, whereby said stabilizer never tilts relative to said base frame, means for moving said stabilizer laterally, fore-and-aft extending pivots on the fore-and-aft axis of said base frame, an upper frame pivotally supported on said pivots so as to be tiltable relative to said base frame, a pallet-and-load-supporting platform supported by said upper frame at a level above said stabilizer, at all times supported separately from said stabilizer for movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, for movement relative to said upper frame in line with the pivotal position thereof, a plurality of hydraulic jacks on each side of said base frame and in contact with said upper frame for leveling said upper frame relative to said base frame and for tipping it in either direction, the jacks on one side of said axis raising while the jacks on the other side lower and vice versa, and platform moving means for moving said platform out where it lies wholly beyond said device.

Claim 3

The side-loading attachment of claim 1 having pressure-actuated switch means secured to said stabilizer adjacent each end thereof and actuated when compressed between a said storage means and said stabilizer, means for connecting each said pressure-actuated switch means in a controlling relation to said means for raising and lowering said support portion, so that when saId switch means is so connected and when said attachment has been raised and when said stabilizer has been moved laterally to where an end portion thereof lies vertically adjacent said storage means, then upon vertical movement of said support portion, said switch member comes into contact with said storage means, and shortly thereafter is actuated by further vertical movement of said stabilizer in the same direction and when said switch means is so actuated, it acts upon said means for raising and lowering to prevent further vertical movement in that direction of said support portion.

Claim 4

The side-loading attachment of claim 2 having control means for said platform moving means connected to said pressure-actuated switch means and enabling operation of said platform moving means only when said switch means has been actuated and then enabling movement of said platform beyond said frame only in one direction.

Claim 5

A side-loading attachment for a device having a support portion and means for raising and lowering said support portion vertically, said attachment being used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage means for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: a base frame for support by said support portion, means for locking said base frame to said support portion to prevent relative vertical movement between said base frame and said support portion, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally thereof, means for moving said stabilizer laterally, a pallet-and-load-supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, and platform moving means for moving said platform out where it lies wholly beyond said device, said means for moving said stabilizer and said platform moving means comprising a first drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame along the fore-and-aft axis thereof, a second drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame parallel to and spaced from said first drive shaft, first drive means for driving said first drive shaft, second drive means for driving said second drive shaft, a first drum rotatably mounted on said first drive shaft, transmission means connecting said first drum to said second drive shaft for drive thereby, second and third drums secured to said first drive shaft, one on each side of said first drum, and driven by said first drive shaft, first, second, and third pairs of wire ropes, one for each said drum and corresponding thereto in order with one end of each secured to its said drum, means anchoring the other end of each of said first pair of wire ropes to said stabilizer, pulley means on said base frame guiding said first pair of wire ropes from said first drum to opposite ends of said stabilizer, for moving it in either direction, pulley means on said base frame guiding said second and third pairs of wire ropes from said second and third drums, and means for operatively connecting said second and third wire ropes for moving said platform in either direction.

Claim 6

A side-loading attachment for a device having a support portion and means for raising and lowering said support portion vertically, said attachment being used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage means for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: a base frame for support by said support portion, means for locking said base frame to said support portion to prevent relative vertical movement between said base frame and said support portion, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally thereof, means for moving said stabilizer laterally, a pallet-and-load-supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, and platform moving means for moving said platform out where it lies wholly beyond said device, said means for moving said stabilizer and said platform moving means comprising a first drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame along the fore-and-aft axis thereof, a second drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame parallel to and spaced from said first drive shaft, first drive means for driving said first drive shaft, second drive means for driving said second drive shaft, a first drum rotatably mounted on said first drive shaft, transmission means connecting said first drum to said second drive shaft for drive thereby, second and third drums secured to said first drive shaft, one on each side of said first drum, and driven by said first drive shaft, first, second, and third pairs of wire ropes, one for each said drum and corresponding thereto in order with one end of each secured to its said drum, means anchoring the other end of each of said first pair of wire ropes to said stabilizer, pulley means on said base frame guiding said first pair of wire ropes from said first drum to opposite ends of said stabilizer, for moving it in either direction, pulley means on said base frame guiding said second and third pairs of wire ropes from said second and third drums, and means for operatively connecting said second and third wire ropes for moving said platform in either direction.

Claim 7

The side-loading attachment of claim 4 having first and second series of interlock and limit switches, each series being arranged in a line having a center point with some switches on each side of said center point, first and second mechanically movable switch actuating means, one for each said series, movable parallel to said line, and first and second rotary-to-linear convertors driven respectively by said first and second drive shafts and connected to said switch actuating means.

Claim 8

The side-loading attachment of claim 5 having an electrical circuit including both said series of switches and also including solenoids for determining the direction of drive of said first and second dRive means, said second series of switches including a pair of interlock switches, one on each side of said center point preventing actuation of said first drive means until one said interlock switch is actuated and connected in said circuit to said solenoids such that said first drive means can thereupon move said first drive shaft only in the direction moving said platform in the same direction as said stabilizer has been moved.

Claim 9

The side-loading attachment of claim 6 wherein each said series of switches includes limit switches on each side of said center limiting the movement of both said stabilizer and said platform to a predetermined maximum amount.

Claim 10

The side-loading attachment of claim 6 wherein said first series of switches has one switch located on said center point and actuated by movement of said platform from center to prevent vertical movement of said support means thereafter in a direction tending to unseat said stabilizer.

Claim 11

A side-loading attachment for a device having support means and means for raising and lowering said support vertically, used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage means for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: base frame means for said attachment for rigid support by said support means and for preventing relative movement between said support means and said base frame, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally thereof, telescopically relative to said stabilizer, a pallet-and-load-supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, a first drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame along the fore-and-aft axis thereof, a second drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame parallel to and spaced from said first drive shaft, first drive means for driving said first drive shaft, second drive means for driving said second drive shaft, a first drum rotatably mounted on said first drive shaft, transmission means connecting said first drum to said second drive shaft for drive thereby, second and third drums secured to said first drive shaft, one on each side of said first drum, and driven by said first drive shaft, first, second, and third pairs of wire ropes, one pair for each said drum, with one end of each secured to its said drum, means anchoring the other end of each of said first pair of wire ropes to said stabilizer, pulley means on said base frame guiding each of said first pair of wire ropes from said first drum to opposite ends of said stabilizer, for moving it in either direction, and connection means operatively connecting each of said second and third pairs of wire ropes from said second and third drums to said platform for moving it in either direction.

Claim 12

A side-loading attachment for a device having support means and means for raising and lowering said support vertically, used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage means for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: base frame means for said attachment for rigid support by said support means and for preventing relative movement between said support means and said base frame, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally thereof, telescopically relative to said stabilizer, a pallet-and-load-supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, a first drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame along the fore-and-aft axis thereof, a second drive shaft rotatably supported by said base frame parallel to and spaced from said first drive shaft, first drive means for driving said first drive shaft, second drive means for driving said second drive shaft, a first drum rotatably mounted on said first drive shaft, transmission means connecting said first drum to said second drive shaft for drive thereby, second and third drums secured to said first drive shaft, one on each side of said first drum, and driven by said first drive shaft, first, second, and third pairs of wire ropes, one pair for each said drum, with one end of each secured to its said drum, means anchoring the other end of each of said first pair of wire ropes to said stabilizer, pulley means on said base frame guiding each of said first pair of wire ropes from said first drum to opposite ends of said stabilizer, for moving it in either direction, and connection means operatively connecting each of said second and third pairs of wire ropes from said second and third drums to said platform for moving it in either direction.

Claim 13

The side-loading attachment of claim 9 having an intermediate platform laterally disposed above said base frame and supported thereon in between said pallet-and-load-supporting platform and said stabilizer for lateral movement telescopically relative to said stabilizer and said pallet-and-load-supporting platform, said connection means comprising a pulley for each said wire rope of said second and third pair, mounted on said base frame, anchor means for each said wire rope of said second and third pair at one end of said intermediate platform, fourth and fifth pairs of wire ropes, each having opposite ends anchored to said pallet-and-load-supporting platform and said base frame on corresponding ends thereof, and pulley means on said intermediate platform on the end opposite from where each said fourth and fifth pairs of wire ropes are anchored, each engaging one said wire rope for movement of said pallet-and-load-supporting platform at twice the speed of said intermediate platform.

Claim 14

The side-loading attachment of claim 10 having a pair of laterally extending channel members rigidly secured to said base frame and lying thereabove, said stabilizer having at each side thereof a plurality of rollers riding in and on said channel members for the sidewise movement of said stabilizer.

Claim 15

The side-loading attachment of claim 10 having fore-and-aft extending pivots on the fore-and-aft axis of said base frame, an upper frame pivotally supported on said pivots and supporting said pallet-and-load-supporting platform and said intermediate platform for movement relative thereto laterally in line with the pivotal position thereof, and a plurality of hydraulic jacks on each side of said base frame and in contact with said upper frame for leveling said upper frame relative to said base frame and for tipping it in either direction, the jacks on one side of said axis raising while the jacks on the other side lower and vice versa.

Claim 16

A side-loading attachment for a forklift truck having electrically controlled means for raising and lowering its forks vertically, used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage racks for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: a base frame having a pair of fork-receiving tubes by means of which said attachment can be supported by the forks of said forklift truck and raised and lowered thereby, means for locking said forks against said tubes to prevent relative movement between said forks and said tubes, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally only thereof in either direction, said stabilizer having a lower surface, means for moving said stabilizer laterally to any desired position, so that it can lie above a preselected member of said storage rack at a location where a said pallet and its load are to be deposited, a pallet-and-load supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported pivotally by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for lateral and tilting movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, and platform moving means for moving said platform out where it lies wholly beyond said forklift truck.

Claim 17

A side-loading attachment for a forklift truck having electrically controlled means for raising and lowering its forks vertically, used in conjunction with load-supporting pallets and storage racks for supporting loaded said pallets, including in combination: a base frame having a pair of fork-receiving tubes by means of which said attachment can be supported by the forks of said forklift truck and raised and lowered thereby, means for locking said forks against said tubes to prevent relative movement between said forks and said tubes, a stabilizer laterally disposed with respect to said base frame and supported thereon for movement laterally only thereof in either direction, said stabilizer having a lower surface, means for moving said stabilizer laterally to any desired position, so that it can lie above a preselected member of said storage rack at a location where a said pallet and its load are to be deposited, a pallet-and-load supporting platform laterally supported by said base frame at a level above said stabilizer and supported pivotally by said frame at all times separately from said stabilizer for lateral and tilting movement wholly independently of said stabilizer, and platform moving means for moving said platform out where it lies wholly beyond said forklift truck.

Claim 18

The side-loading attachment of claim 13 having pressure actuated switch means secured to said lower surface of said stabilizer adjacent each end thereof and actuated when resting on a said rack member by a short downward movement of said stabilizer, means for connecting each said switch means in a controlling relation to said electrically controlled means for raising and lowering said forks, so that when said switch means is so connected and when said attachment has been raised above a said rack member and when said stabilizer has been moved laterally to where an end portion thereof lies vertically above said rack member, then upon lowering of said forks, said switch member comes into contact with said rack member and shortly thereafter is actuated by further lowering of said stabilizer and when said switch means is so actuated, it acts upon said electrically controlled means to prevent further lowering of said forks, control means for said platform moving means connected to said switch means and enabling operation of said platform moving means only when said switch means has been actuated and for then enabling movement of said platform beyond said frame only on the same side as that to which said stabilizer has been moved.