GB1604002A - Lifting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(54) LIFTING APPARATUS (71) We, JOHN LAING SERVICES LIM ITED, a British Company, of 133-139 Page Street, London NW7 2ER, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to lifting apparatus and to an improvement in or modification of the apparatus described in the specification at present on file in respect of our cognated Applications No. 47368/75 and 39368/76 (Patent No 1,570,493).

The invention will be described with reference to lifting apparatus which includes a telescopically extending arm constituted by a plurality of tubular members, one of the members being fixed to a support member while the other members are able to extend telescopically in respect to the said base.

A second arm is provided which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the one of the tubular members remote from the support member and is pivotally attached to the said one of the members for rotation in a plane containing the said axis.

The apparatus is designed to be attached in a comparatively simple manner to a vehicle. In the embodiment to be described the apparatus is attached to a fork lift truck.

There are many fork lift trucks in use in factories and warehouses and it is possible to provide mobile lifting apparatus in a comparatively simple way by attaching the apparatus of the invention to vehicles such as fork lift trucks that are already in use. In this way the cost of providing mobile lifting apparatus is minimised, because it is not necessary to purchase a special vehicle. the lifting apparatus can be detached from the fork lift truck when it is not in use and the fork lift truck can be used for its normal purpose.

The lifting apparatus is able to provide the facility of rotating the second arm through 360 and the second arm will normally carry a cage forming a working platform.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a lifting apparatus mounted on a fork lift truck and in the operating position, Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic front elevation, partly sectioned, of a part of the apparatus and, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a side view of a fork lift truck 1 upon which there is mounted a lifting apparatus including an assembly constituted by telescopically extendable tubular members 2, 3 and 4, the inner section 4 carrying a rotatable outer casing 5 which supports an arm 6 carrying a cage 7 forming a working platform. The cage 7 is coupled to the rotatable casing 5 by means of a second arm 8 which completes a parallelogram in a well known manner to maintain the cage 7 vertical during use. The arm 6 is rotated vertically about the casing 5 by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement (not shown). The cage 7 is shown in its maximum upper position at 12 and in its maximum lower position at 13.

The extent of movement of the cage 7 is indicated by dotted line 14. The rotatable casing 5 is coupled to the member 4 by a pinion wheel attached to the member 4 and fixed relative thereto and a worm attached to the arm 6. A motor is provided to rotate the worm and the cooperation between the rotating worm and the pinion causes the arm 6 to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the tubular member 4. It is possible with this arrangement to provide a 360 rotation of the cage 7 about the arm 4.

The tubular member 2 is attached to the vertical mast of the fork lift truck I by means of support members in the form of a bracket 15 and pairs of clamps 16 and 17. Outrigger legs 18 and 19 are shown and it will be noted that the whole apparatus is mounted for movement above the prongs 20 of the fork lift truck.

The arrangement for the attachment of the lifting apparatus to the fork lift truck will be better understood by reference to Figures 2 and 3 in which there is shown the tubular arm 2, to which there is attached a transversely extending tubular member 22 which houses two sets of tubular extending members 23 to which the outrigger legs are attached. The tubular extending members 23 may be withdrawn from the member 22 by removing a respective pin 25 and inserting it in an appropriate hole in the member 23 when it coincides with corresponding holes in the member 22.

The outrigger legs can be wound up and down manually by means of handles 26.

The movement of the tubular telescopically extendable members 2, 3 and 4 is controlled in the way described in the specification of the main case referred to above and forms no part of the present invention.

Detailed description of the vertical extension of the apparatus and of the rotational and pivoted movement of the arm 6 will therefore not be made.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown the bracket 15, which is L-shaped in horizontal cross-section and which has holes (not shown) in the leg 27 of the L. A bracket, provided on the main mast, indicated by reference numeral 28 in Fig. 1, of the fork lift truck has four bolts which cooperate with the holes (not shown) in the leg 27 of the bracket 15. The bracket 15, together with the clamps 16 and 17 shown in Fig. 1 provide support members which are fixed to the tubular member 2 and are adapted for attaching the tubular member 2 rigidly to the fork lift truck l by bolting the leg 27 of the bracket 15 directly to a bracket on the main mast 28 of the truck and by clamping the tubular member 2 to the main mast 28, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be appreciated that this arrangement provides a comparatively simple way of attaching the lifting apparatus to a fork lift truck.

It will be appreciated that variations and modifications of the invention can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Lifting apparatus including a telescopically extending arm, a plurality of tubular members constituting the arm, a support member fixed to a first one of the tubular members and adapted for attaching the said first one of the members rigidly to a vehicle, a plurality of telescopically extendable outrigger legs arranged to provide support to the apparatus and a second arm, the said second arm being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the one of the tubular members remote from the support member and being pivotally attached to the said remote one of the members for rotation in a plane containing the said axis, the outrigger legs being attached to the said first one of the tubular members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including extendable means attaching the outrigger legs to the apparatus.

3. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a platform attached to the second arm at a point remote from the said remote one of the tubular members.

4. Lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. arm 2, to which there is attached a transversely extending tubular member 22 which houses two sets of tubular extending members 23 to which the outrigger legs are attached. The tubular extending members 23 may be withdrawn from the member 22 by removing a respective pin 25 and inserting it in an appropriate hole in the member 23 when it coincides with corresponding holes in the member 22. The outrigger legs can be wound up and down manually by means of handles 26. The movement of the tubular telescopically extendable members 2, 3 and 4 is controlled in the way described in the specification of the main case referred to above and forms no part of the present invention. Detailed description of the vertical extension of the apparatus and of the rotational and pivoted movement of the arm 6 will therefore not be made. Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown the bracket 15, which is L-shaped in horizontal cross-section and which has holes (not shown) in the leg 27 of the L. A bracket, provided on the main mast, indicated by reference numeral 28 in Fig. 1, of the fork lift truck has four bolts which cooperate with the holes (not shown) in the leg 27 of the bracket 15. The bracket 15, together with the clamps 16 and 17 shown in Fig. 1 provide support members which are fixed to the tubular member 2 and are adapted for attaching the tubular member 2 rigidly to the fork lift truck l by bolting the leg 27 of the bracket 15 directly to a bracket on the main mast 28 of the truck and by clamping the tubular member 2 to the main mast 28, as indicated in Fig. 1. It will be appreciated that this arrangement provides a comparatively simple way of attaching the lifting apparatus to a fork lift truck. It will be appreciated that variations and modifications of the invention can be made within the scope of the appended claims. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Lifting apparatus including a telescopically extending arm, a plurality of tubular members constituting the arm, a support member fixed to a first one of the tubular members and adapted for attaching the said first one of the members rigidly to a vehicle, a plurality of telescopically extendable outrigger legs arranged to provide support to the apparatus and a second arm, the said second arm being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the one of the tubular members remote from the support member and being pivotally attached to the said remote one of the members for rotation in a plane containing the said axis, the outrigger legs being attached to the said first one of the tubular members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including extendable means attaching the outrigger legs to the apparatus.

3. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a platform attached to the second arm at a point remote from the said remote one of the tubular members.

4. Lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.