AU605371B2

AU605371B2 - Loading trolley apparatus for fork lift trucks

Info

Publication number: AU605371B2
Application number: AU24052/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graeme Charles Planck
Original assignee: LIFT TRAC Pty Ltd
Current assignee: LIFT TRAC Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1988-10-18
Filing date: 1988-10-18
Publication date: 1991-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-18
Also published as: AU2405288A

Description

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 6 0 5 3 7 1 FORM COMPLET I PATENTS ACT 1952 S PECIFICAT

ION

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int.Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: 0e 0 "Related Art: *0 e e r r< L: I_ Name of Applicant: LIFT TRAC PTY. LIMITED 0 Address of Applicant: McGregor Road, Pakenham, Victoria 3810, Australia S..Actual Inventor: Graeme Charles Planck ."*,Address for Service: -SH-.iiS-T-eN-WATE-R -an-r-eee Sydney .,6,tt "Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: •"LOADING TROLLEY APPARATUS FOR FORK LIFT TRUCKS" rpretc The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- 1 I -2- The present invention relates to lifting apparatus, and in particular to loading trolley apparatus for enabling a fork lift truck to load itself onto an elevated platform.

The invention has been developed primarily for loading a front wheel drive fork lift truck onto the bed of a truck, and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is nct limited to this particular use.

In the past, known loading trolley devices have o a.

0 N- i0J relied on an electric winch mechanism or other power source 0800 to draw the raised trolley across an elevated platform such .to as the bed of a truck. These known devices require an external power source and an expensive winch assembly, and involve an additional problem in that the trolley can only be loaded from one side.

It is an object of the present invention tc provide a loading trolley apparatus which overcomes or substantially ameliorates some or all of these disadvantages.

aAccording to the invention there is provided a 0 loading trolley apparatus for enabling a fork lift truck to a a load itself onto an elevated platform, said loading trolley apparatus including a frame having a pair of longitudinally extending substantially parallel guide rails, and a carriage adapted for engagement with the tynes of said fork lift truck and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced guide rollers with axes substantially perpendicular to the axes of said guide rails, said carriage being mounted on said frame guide rails such that when said carriage is

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it -3raised a predetermined distance from a rest position with respect to said frame said guide rollers engage the undersides of said frame guide rails to permit longitudinal sliding of said carriage with respect to said frame.

Preferably a plurality of brake blocks are releasably attached to the carriage to provide frictional braking of the carriage with respect to the frame when the carriage is in its rest position, the brake blocks being disengaged upon raising of the carriage.

YO The frame guide rails are preferably I sections arranged so that the carriage guide rollers engage the rr underside of the upper guide rail flange, and the brake r zT r blocks engage the upper side of the lower guide rail flange.

In a preferred embodiment the carriage includes t symmetrically disposed transverse support members adapted 0r for engagement with the tynes of a fork lift truck thereby permitting the fork lift truck to be loaded from either side of the frame.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be c described, by way of example only, with reference to the c t accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a loading trolley apparatus with frame and carriage according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the loading trolley apparatus shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation taken along line 3-3 of figure i.

i1 4 Figure 4 is a partly sectioned view taken along line 4-4 of figure 3 showing the carriage in its elevated or traversing position with respect to the frame.

Figure 5 shcws the tynes of a fork lift truck engaging the carriage of the loading trolley apparatus.

Figure 6 shows a fork lift truck positioned adjacent a trucA ready to use an embodiment of the invention to load itself onto the bed of the truck.

Figure 7 shows the fork lift truck elevated and ready '1 to traverse the bed of the truck.

Figure 8 shows the fork lift truck in position on the tt% ,iI bed of the truck.

Referri.gq to the drawings, the loading trolley apparatus 1 enables a fork lift truck 2 to load itself onto an elevated platform, such as the bed 3 of a truck.

t c The loading trolley apparatus 1 includes a frame 4 7. adapted to be releasably mounted to the truck. The frame 4 includes a pair of longitudinally extending substantially parallel guide rails 5 and 6. The guide rails 5 and 6 are I sections having respective upper and lower longitudinally extending flanges 7 and 8.

A carriage 9 is adapted for engagement with the tynes of the fork lift truck 2. The carriage 9 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced guide rollers 11 with axes perpendicular to the axes of the guide rails 5 and 6.

SThe carriage 9 is mounted on the frame guide rails 5 and 6 such that when the carriage is raised a predetermined distance from a rest position with respect to the frame 4, i .r the guide rollers 11 engage the undersides of the upper guide rail flanges 7 to permit smooth longitudinal sliding of the carriage with respect to the frame, as shown in figure 4.

In another embodiment the frame guide rails need not be I sections but could comprise an elongate web, the guide rollers being circumferentially grooved to accomodate the underside of the rail web.

A plurality of brake blocks 13 are releasably It attached to the carriage 9 below the guide rollers 11 to Kf provide frictional braking of the carriage with respect to the frame. The brake blocks 13 engage the upper faces of cr the lower guide rail flanges 8 when the carriage is in its rest position, the brake blocks being disengaged upon T C raising of the carriage with respect to the frame.

The carriage 9 includes two symmetrically disposed o

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transverse support members 14 and 15 adapted for respective engagement with the heel and toe portions 16 and 17 of the tynes 10 of the fork lift truck. The carriage includes a erZ0 further centrally spaced transverse catchbar member 18 also engageable with the fork lift tynes to enable the fork lift truck to load the apparatus onto the truck bed. End stops are fixed to the frame 4 to act in co-operation with the brake blocks 13 to limit the maximum excursion of the carriage 9 along the frame.

It will be appreciated that the carriage need not have transverse support members to engage the fork lift tynes, but alternatively could have locating projections or

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6 clamp means.

Turning now to describe the operation of the apparatus, the fork lift tynes 10 first engage the transverse catchbar 18 of the carriage 9 and load the apparatus 1 onto the truck bed 3. The frame includes downwardly depending end flanges 21 for securely locating the frame on the truck. The flange spacing is preferably such as to accornodate a range of bed widths. Chain eyelets S*,j 22 are provided to permit the frame to be securely fastened L ;rO to the truck bed.

ftti, r't, As best seen in figure 5, the fork lift tyne heel and 'toe portions 16 and 17 then engage respective transverse "x support members 14 and 15. It will be appreciated that the symmetrical disposition of the support members 14 and 4 t enables the fork lift truck to be loaded from either side of the frame. The tynes 10 are progressively lowered thus bearing against support members 14 and 15 and thereby elevating the fork lift truck so as to be positioned directly adjacent the truck bed 3 with the wheels slightly above the bed surface.

The front driving wheels 23 are then brought forward over the truck bed, either manually or in the case of a prefered vehicle by rearwardly retracting the tynes, as shown in figure 7.

With the drive wheels straddling the frame, the tynes are raised slightly to lower the front wheels 23 into driving engagement with the truck bed 3. The fork lift can then draw itself, and the sliding carriage 9, forward

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C C: Cr across the truck bed as shown in figure 8.

As the tynes are raised causing the vehicle wheels 23 to bear against the truck bed, the carriage is raised slightly with respect to the frame. This action disengages the brake blocks 13 from the frame guide rail lower flanges 8 and permits the carriage to slidingly traverse the frame with the guide rollers 11 engaging the undersides of the guide rail upper flanges 7.

When the fork lift truck assumes its final position on the truck bed the tynes are lowered slightly, permitting the carriage to assume its rest position with respect to the frame and thereby engaging the brake blocks to resist unintentional movement of the carriage.

The wheels are left in light engagement with the truck bed and safety chains are attached to the fork lift for transportation.

This loading trolley apparatus requires no additional external power source or winch assembly and the symmetrical configuration of the frame and carriage permits the fork lift truck to be loaded from either side.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

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Claims

1. A loading trolley apparatus for enabling a fork lift truck to load itself onto an elevated platform, said loading trolley apparatus including a frame having a pair of longitudinally extending substantially parallel guide rails, and a carriage adapted for engagement with the tynes of said fork lift truck and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced guide rollers with axes substantially perpendicular to the axes of said guide rails, said carriage being mounted on said frame guide te:0 rails such that when said carriage is raised a rt 2 predetermined distance from a rest nosition with respect tu said frame said guide rollers engage the undersides of said frame guide rails to permit longitudinal sliding of said t I 1 carriage with respect to said frame. C S2. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one brake block is provided on either said carriage or said frame to provide frictional braking of said carriage with respect to said frame when said carriage is in said rest position, said brake ilock being disengaged upon said raising of said carriage.

3. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said brake block is removable.

4. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said frame guide rails comprise an elongate web supporting at least one longitudinally extending horizontal flange against which said carriage guide rollers engage. 9 9 A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said frame guide rails are I sections having upper and lower flange portions.

6. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim wherein said carriage guide rollers engage the undersides of said upper guide rail flanges, and said brake block engages the upper side of the lower guide rail flange.

7. A loading trolley apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said carriage includes transverse support members adapted for engagement with the tynes of said fork lift truck. S8. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 7 r, wherein said carriage includes forward and rearward transverse support members adapted for respective engagement with the toe and heel portions of said fork -t lift tynes. 2« 9. A loading trolley apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein end stops are attached to i said frame to limit the maximum excursion of said carriage Ss along said frame. A loading trolley apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said end stops are engageable with said brake blocks on said carriage to limit the maximum excursion of said carriage along said frame.

11. A loading trolley apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said frame is adapted to be releasably mounted to said elevated platform. S i 10

12. A loading trolley apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said trolley is substantially symmetrical, thereby permitting said fork lift truck to be loaded from either side of said frame.

13. A loading trolley apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of October, 1988 "S LIFT TRAC PTY LIMITED LAttorney: WILLIAM S. LLOYD Sir Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia «t of SH-EIS-T-ON-WA-T-E-RS--- t# t f I p I rS' y. I I