EP0572846B1 - Ancillary equipment for lifting trucks - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an attachment for industrial trucks, preferably forklift vehicles, with one, at least in one horizontal level movable support element on which a fork-shaped load suspension device is arranged.

Industrial trucks, especially forklift trucks, are in the Rule-specific with own stationary facilities for Performing certain tasks, for example recording Handling and transporting loads, equipped, among others as lifting, telescopic, push and swivel forks as well Combinations of the same can be formed. The firm Purpose of these facilities represents a complete unnecessary limitation of the use of such Industrial trucks and makes them extremely practical inflexible. In addition, each type of movement requires a separate one Drive, so that with combined movements - like they e.g. when using a swivel push fork Picking forklifts are created - a multitude of different ones Drive means must be present in the vehicle, which is especially in high vehicle production costs.

Since most types of movement of these facilities Outsourcing and relocation - with the exception of swiveling or turning - are purely translational in nature, they mostly run in time Order one after the other, especially if they are for the operating personnel should remain clear, whereby extended travel ranges must also be accepted. The for example for positioning the swivel push fork Order picking stacker required movement sequences, such as Main car lift, fork initial lift, translatory sideshift of rotary device with initial lifting frame, turning or swiveling and synchronous turning / pushing of the initial lifting frame with load fork as well as telescoping the load fork illustrate the Functional complexity and the associated effort of such facilities. In many use cases it is even a process of the entire truck for target control required. The resulting relatively long seasons the facilities for lifting or delivering loads or Storage, retrieval and relocation limit the profitability of the Industrial trucks in an unnecessary manner. In the event of a malfunction or failure one of these permanently installed facilities is required also forced to shutdown the whole Industrial truck for the duration of the repair.

In addition there are both static and dynamic attachments known, for example mandrels, crane arms, hooks, bale, barrel or Bag clamps, clamping forks, etc., with which Have industrial trucks retrofitted as required or depending on the application. As a rule, however, this concerns you exclusively the load handling equipment itself, which usually does not have its own Have drive means, which presupposes that they already must be present on the truck. Otherwise serve these attachments almost exclusively for special purposes and usually don't leave any complicated movements to why they can only be used to a limited extent.

From the magazine: "Convey and lift", Volume 7, June 1957, page 242, is based on figure 5b, a side slide with a support element is known, on which a fork-shaped load-carrying means is arranged, wherein the support element as the front and / or end of the industrial truck lockable multi-articulated lever mechanism is formed, the individual lever arms are connected to each other via vertical articulated axes and the individual lever arms in the joint axes individually and / or simultaneous movement, at least in the horizontal Direction can be driven mechanically, hydraulically or electrically. The fork-shaped load handler is guided by two lever gears. This makes the swivel range for the fork-shaped The load handler is limited, in particular a 180 ° swivel (i.e. from far left to far right) not possible.

The object of the invention is therefore to avoid the disadvantages of the aforementioned facilities a universal with a minimum of effort and manufacturing costs usable, quick to assemble and disassemble, as well as simple Accessible implement that is easy to operate and clearly arranged high functionality for industrial trucks with and without To create own stroke - also for pure transport vehicles - the in particular assigned the function of a swivel push fork should be and with which both vehicle utility value and economy increase as well as all for stacking, picking and all-round handling of loads required Movements even in confined spaces with minimal Allow time to be accomplished, the requirement in-vehicle drive equipment for the attachment can be omitted.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by that a single lever gear is provided, the first lever arm in the middle of a vertical aligned support plate is arranged, which can be fastened to the lifting carriage of the industrial truck is and in that the individual lever arms by at least 180 ° relative to each other are rotatable so that the load-carrying means has a continuous swivel range of Has 180 °.

In principle, with the arrangement according to the invention, all are common Types of industrial trucks in the shortest possible time can be retrofitted, which is why neither specially trained staff nor expensive devices, let alone corresponding Special tools are required and therefore the vehicle utility value itself of the simplest type of industrial truck to a considerable extent can be increased since the industrial trucks are specific afterwards Allow higher uses that otherwise only structurally more complex and much more expensive Industrial trucks are reserved, giving opportunities to one better utilization of the existing vehicle fleet opened. Because of the possibility of mutual overlap both horizontal and vertical movements all lever arms, the attachment can be absolutely target-optimized work, i.e. Approach targets directly by the shortest route, what the work effectiveness increases and is reflected in larger goods handling and order picking services per unit of time. Because the requirement of simultaneous or timed successive operation of several drives for initiation different types of movement of the load suspension device are omitted, the operator becomes both physically and mentally relieves and can affect the actual process of Concentrate the load suspension or load delivery. Besides, that is Attachment extremely easy to maintain and can be used in the event of a fault or in the event of failure for repairs at any time another can be exchanged, reducing downtime of the industrial truck to a significant extent to let.

Fig. 1

Eine isometrische Darstellung einer Grundausführung eines Anbaugerätes nach der Erfindung ohne Eigenhub,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf Fig. 1 mit aufgenommener Nutzlast,

Fig. 3

ein Ausführungsbeispiel des Anbaugerätes mit Eigenhub in gleicher Ansicht wie Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

eine grafische Darstellung des Bewegungsablaufes eines erfindungsgemäßen mehrgelenkigen Hebelgetriebes mit einer Simulation des Ausschubes eines Lastaufnahmemittels mit Nutzlast und

Fig. 5

eine grafische Darstellung des Bewegungsablaufes des Hebelgetriebes für synchrones Drehen und Schieben des Lastaufnahmemittels mit Nutzlast.

Special variants of the invention, useful features and advantageous developments of the inventive concept are the subject of the further claims, the description and the graphic representation of a basic embodiment and an exemplary embodiment, individually and in combination with one another. The drawings show:

Fig. 1

An isometric representation of a basic version of an attachment according to the invention without its own stroke,

Fig. 2

2 shows a top view of FIG. 1 with the payload recorded,

Fig. 3

1 shows an embodiment of the attachment with its own stroke in the same view as FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

a graphic representation of the movement of a multi-articulated lever mechanism according to the invention with a simulation of the extension of a load suspension device with payload and

Fig. 5

a graphic representation of the sequence of movements of the lever gear for synchronous turning and pushing the load handler with payload.

As shown in Fig. 1, a support plate 1 is in the middle a vertical projection 2, which is preferably welded is. The support plate 1 can preferably in one front bracket of an industrial truck used and in this can be locked or fixed. Can be used as a basis for cultivation an industrial truck without its own lifting equipment, i.e. a pure Transport vehicle, or instead a forklift vehicle own lifting devices are used, the latter Case preferably the lifting carriage as a holder for the support plate 1 serves. There is also the option of the bracket laterally displaceable and / or pivotable on the industrial truck and / or rotatable and / or tiltable.

A first vertical hinge axis 3 is arranged in the projection 2, on the by means of an articulated shoe 4 a first lever arm 5 of a multi-link lever gear 11 rotatably articulated is. The lever mechanism 11 is preferably three-articulated educated; also other lever and joint constellations depending on the intended use and area of application conceivable. In the other end of the lever arm 5 is one second vertical hinge axis 8 is provided, on which a second joint shoe 9 is located. There is a second lever arm on this 6 attached, preferably welded, the other End a third hinge axis 10 on which - so to speak as the last free-hanging lever arm 7 - a short support for a load suspension device 12 is mounted.

The load-carrying means 12 is designed as a carrying fork, the Forks in fork guides 13 manually and / or automatically to the width of a payload 14 or a load pallet 15 are adjustable. The load handling device 12 can Depending on requirements, it can also be designed to be telescopic.

Form support plate 1, lever gear 11 and load handling device 12 together a structural as well as a functional unit, which can be used as a simple attachment for both after and Conversion of industrial trucks is suitable.

The joint axes 3, 8, 10 can each be driven separately in rotation, where known and therefore not shown and described drive means mechanical, hydraulic or electrical design can be used, preferably Attack the circumferential and / or the front of the joint axes 3, 8 and 10. It is recommended that the drive means program control, the truck to be retrofitted and / or the attachment with at least one intelligent Control circuit in the form of a computer, MC's or a PLC should be equipped.

While the basic version of the Attachment according to the invention equipped without its own stroke and consequently on vehicle-internal lifting devices for changing the height is instructed to find high points or targets in the The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 shows how to approach space an own stroke, which is why it is primarily for cultivation pure transport vehicles. Of course this can Own stroke of the attachment can also be used as an initial stroke, if a main stroke can be done in-vehicle.

At least one of the lever arms is used to achieve the self-stroke 5 or 6 or 7 adjustable in height. This is done the change in height immediately in one or more of the three hinge axes 3 and / or 8 and / or 10. In the exemplary embodiment 3 is preferably in the vertical Extension of the hinge axis 10 on the lever arm 7 a mast 16 arranged on which the load suspension means 12 by means of a lifting carriage 17 is guided vertically. Mast 16 and load-carrying means 12 are thus around the hinge axis 10 Can be turned 180 °. All are available in the Lifting technology or in forklift construction usual and therefore not closer represented and described means of mechanical or hydraulic Type, for example chain hoists, wire rope hoists, Lift cylinders etc.

The lever mechanism 11 with the load-carrying means 12 can be used as sole load carrier at the front or end of one Industrial truck are installed. If the truck already is equipped with its own load carrier, this can act as main load carrier and the attachment as additional load carrier, then in the area of action of the main load carrier, preferably below or above the same is.

4 shows the sequence of movements of the load suspension device 12 with pallet 15 and payload 14 located thereon during the Extending from a shelf aisle 18 shown in dashed lines for storage in a side shelf 19 in fifteen simulation steps 20-34 represented graphically.

The simulation step 20 shows the lever gear 11 in FIG a rest position 41 articulated on the industrial truck, wherein all lever arms 5, 6, 7 are at right angles to each other. Since the extension movement serves only the purpose the load pallet 15 with its payload 14 transversely to the rack aisle 18, i.e. at an angle of 90 °, to slide into the shelf 19, must be taken care of during the entire movement be that the third lever arm 7 is always perpendicular to the shelf 19 stands, otherwise the payload 14 obliquely in the shelf 19 would be inserted.

The extension movement is carried out in accordance with simulation step 21 slight rotation of the second lever arm 6 in the right direction initiated about the second hinge axis 8, the inner Opening angle 35 between the first lever arm 5 and the second lever arm 6 slightly reduced. So the third Lever arm 7 is at right angles to the shelf 19th can maintain, it also requires a left-sided rotating tracking of the same about the third hinge axis 10, whereby the inner opening angle 36 between the second lever arm 6 and the third lever arm 7 is enlarged. Here the load pallet 15 moves with its payload 14 according to the movement arrow 42 in the direction against the shelf 19.

In the subsequent simulation step 22, the movements the lever arms 6 and 7 additionally a right-hand rotary movement of the first lever arm 5 superimposed on the first hinge axis 3 and the outer right opening angle 43 between the projection 2 and the first lever arm 5 over its original dimension enlarged from 90 °. The superimposed movements of the three lever arms 5, 6, 7 are used in the subsequent simulation steps 23-28 continued until the Opening angle 36 is 180 ° (see simulation step 28), where the third lever arm 7 the second lever arm 6 in a straight line extended. In this position of the lever gear 11 are Lever arms 5 and 6 at an opening angle 43 of approximately 135 ° to one another and the opening angle 35 is approximately 45 °. The Load pallet 15 with its payload 14 is now approximately in half the shelf 19 inserted.

It goes without saying and therefore does not require any special Description that the third lever arm 7 when changing position one or both of the lever arms 5 and 6 always must be tracked to oppose its right-angled position to keep the shelf 19.

In the next simulation steps 29-31 the lever arms 5, 6 and 7 rotated so far that the now obtuse opening angle 43 between the first and second lever arms 5 and 6 extended to an elongated angle of 180 °, which he in the Transition of simulation steps 31 to 32 exceeds. Parallel for this purpose the acute opening angle runs in simulation step 28 35 to a radian of 90 °, which he roughly in the simulation step 33 reached. Here are the two lever arms 5 and 6 - as in the original rest position 41 of the Load suspension means 12 - are perpendicular to each other again but overall in the first hinge axis 3 by an angle of over 90 ° relative to the projection 2 and by a similar radian measure simultaneously in the third hinge axis 10 relative to third lever arm 7 has been rotated. The load pallet 15 with her Payload 14 is now almost stored in the shelf 19.

The last extension movement of the lever mechanism 11 on the shelf 19 is in simulation step 34 by a minor further right-hand rotation of both the first lever arm 5 about the first hinge axis 3 and a simultaneous rotation of the second lever arm 6 about the third hinge axis 10, whereby the opening angle 35 in turn over a radian measure enlarged from 90 °. The load pallet 15 is now complete inserted into the shelf 19 and the lever mechanism 11 can move in the opposite direction to its original Rest position 41 are returned.

5 shows a simulation graphic of the movement sequence of a Load handler 12 for synchronous turning and pushing, simplified in four simulation steps 37-40. Here will a palletized payload laterally removed from the shelf 19 14 in the rack aisle 18 simultaneously rotating and pushing subjected to them afterwards along or out of the To be able to transport rack aisle 18.

According to the above Simulation step 20 represents the simulation step 37 the lever mechanism 11 with its load handling device 12 in the rest position 41, the payload 14 is perpendicular to the direction of the rack aisle 18. The next one Simulation step 38 shows the lever mechanism 11 after one pure rotary movement of the third lever arm 7 in the left-hand side Direction of rotation about the third hinge axis 10. In the graphic of the Subsequent simulation stage 39 becomes the one previously started Rotational movement of the third lever arm 7 continued and at the same time for this purpose a sliding movement of the lever mechanism 11 in Longitudinal direction of the rack aisle 18 initiated, in which the first Lever arm 5 in the right direction about the first hinge axis 3 and at the same time the second lever arm 6 opposite the second joint axis 8 is rotated. The lever gear 11 with simultaneous opening of the joint angle 44 and 45 elongated to angles of 180 °, as in the last simulation step 40 shown. The payload 14 is now Positioned ready for transport in the longitudinal direction to shelf aisle 18.

Depending on whether there are storage and retrieval goals located in height, the movements described above the lever mechanism 11 in the horizontal direction also corresponding main stroke or initial stroke movements in vertical Direction are overlaid, which of course also separately can be executed. Due to the possibility of the one hand simultaneous superimposition of lifting and horizontal movements and on the other hand, the superimposition of all movements of the lever arms 5, 6 and 7 can all spatial goals at the same time Not only noticeable relief for the operating personnel Movement-based, but in particular also time-optimized will. The possibility of a simple and inexpensive Retrofit with a maximum of degrees of freedom Attachment according to the invention increases the flexibility of Industrial trucks with a significant reduction in costs Dimensions.

The invention is of course in no way limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings and laid down in the description, which are only exemplary in nature. It goes without saying that numerous constructive and functional modifications and the use of means equivalent to effects are within the scope of the invention. For example, the load-carrying means 12 in the lever arm 7 serving as a carrier can additionally or alternatively be designed to be laterally displaceable, rotatable or inclinable, or other load-carrying means of a known type can be used instead of the load forks 12. The frame of the invention to be staked out not only covers the use of the attachment as a main load carrier, but also includes the possibility of using the attachment as an additional load carrier below or above the radius of action of a main load carrier or, if applicable, as an end-side handling means for a front-side load carrier.

Claims (13)

1. Add-on unit for industrial trucks, preferably stacker vehicles, having a carrying element which can be moved at least in a horizontal plane and on which a fork-like load-receiving means (12) is arranged, the carrying element being designed as a multi-articulation lever mechanism (11) which can be arrested at the front and/or end of the industrial truck and whose individual lever arms (5, 6, 7) are connected to one another via vertical articulation pins (3, 8, 10), and it being possible for the individual lever arms (5, 6, 7) to be driven individually and/or simultaneously in the articulation pins (3, 8, 10), at least in the horizontal direction, by mechanical, hydraulic or electrical means, characterized

   in that the first lever arm (5) is arranged centrally on a vertically aligned carrying panel (1) which can be fastened on the lifting carriage of the industrial truck, and

   in that the individual lever arms (5, 6, 7) can be rotated relative to one another through in each case at least 180°, with the result that the load-receiving means (12) has a continuous pivoting range of 180°.
2. Add-on unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lever mechanism (11) is designed with three articulations.
3. Add-on unit according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the entire lever mechanism (11) can be vertically adjusted on the industrial truck and/or at least one of the lever arms (5 or 6 or 7) can be vertically adjusted in one of the articulation pins (3 or 8 or 10), it being possible for the vertical and horizontal movements of the lever mechanism (11) and/or at least one lever arm (5, 6, 7) to coincide with one another such that, up to the maximum lifting height, the load-receiving means (12) can be moved to any point in space.
4. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lifting framework (16) is arranged at least in one of the articulation pins (3 or 8 or 10).
5. Add-on unit according to Claim 4, characterized in that the lifting framework (16) is arranged in the articulation pin (10) of the lever arm (7) which bears the load-receiving means (12).
6. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever mechanism (11) is articulated on a carrying panel (1) which can be inserted into a mount of the industrial truck.
7. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mount on the industrial truck can be vertically adjusted and/or pivoted and/or inclined and/or displaced laterally and/or rotated.
8. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever arms (5, 6, 7) can be driven in rotation and/or vertically by mechanical means.
9. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever arms (5, 6, 7) can be driven in rotation and/or vertically by hydraulic means.
10. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever arms (5, 6, 7) can be driven in rotation and/or vertically by electrical means.
11. Add-on unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever mechanism (11) with the load-receiving means (12) is provided as the sole load-bearing arrangement of the industrial truck.
12. Add-on unit according to one or more of Claims 1-10, characterized in that the lever mechanism (11) with the load-receiving means (12) is provided as a load-bearing arrangement in addition to a main load-bearing arrangement which is attached to the industrial truck.
13. Add-on unit according to Claim 12, characterized in that the lever mechanism (11) with the load-receiving means (12) is arranged in the active region of the main load-bearing arrangement.

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