GB2092551A

GB2092551A - Sideloading industrial truck

Info

Publication number: GB2092551A
Application number: GB8103829A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Coventry Climax Ltd
Current assignee: Coventry Climax Ltd
Priority date: 1981-02-07
Filing date: 1981-02-07
Publication date: 1982-08-18

Abstract

A sideloader industrial truck has a mast 1 which is movable in a direction A in a well 5 in an industrial truck by means of ram 9 and arm 10, the ram and arm being arranged so that, the mast moves a proportionately greater distance than the ram 9 extends or contracts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Industrial truck This invention relates to industrial trucks and particularly to sideloader industrial trucks. In such trucks, the mast up which the load carrier travels is movable to and fro in a well in the truck. Generally the truck has a platform at each side of the well, the mast being movable along the length of the well. A load is transferred to those platforms by the mast moving to the forward end of the well, the load carrier being raised to pick up the load, the mast being retracted, and the load carrier being lowered to place the load on the two platforms. The truck can then be driven to wherever it is desired to deposit the load and the reverse procedure is followed.

The traverse of the mast to and fro in the well is usually by means of chains running along the length of the well powered by a motor. It has also been proposed to use a ram located behind the mast for mast travel. However, the restricted space behind the mast has necessitated the use of an expensive two stage ram, or a single stage ram which is inclined upwardly so that the ram is almost vertical when retracted and traverse is even.

The invention provides a sideloader industrial truck, which comprises a mast which is movable to and fro in a well in the truck, a ram to move the mast in the well, and an arm which is acted on by the ram and which is connected to the mast in such a way that the mast moves a proportionately greater distance for a given extension or retraction of the ram than the ram extends or retracts.

The arrangement according to the invention results in a smooth traverse of the mast.

Advantageously, the ram is located to one side of the well.

Advantageously, the arm is pivotably connected to the mast at one end and to the body of the truck at the other end. Preferably, the latter connection prevents movement in the direction of travel of the mast but permits movement at right angles to the direction of travel of the mast.

A sideloader industrial truck constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the traversing mechanism of the mast of the truck; and Figure 2 is a view of an enlarged seale seen in the direction of the arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the truck has a mast 1 comprising a part of I-section beams 2,3 which are slidable relative to each other.

There are two such pairs of beams 2,3 only one pair being shown in the drawing, located on each side of a hydraulic ram 4 provided for extending and retracting the mast.

The mast 1 is shown in Fig. 1 at the inner end of a well 5. On each side of the well 5 are platforms 6,7, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Chasses members 8 define the inner end of the well.

The mast 1 can traverse the well in the direction A, and a load carrier (not shown) can trabel up and down the mast. The sideloader is used by moving the mast to the front of the well and lowering the load carrier until it is beneath the load to be lifted, then raising the load carrier and retracting the mast into the well. The load can then be lowered onto the platforms. When the truck has been driven to the desired location, the load can then be removed in the reverse manner.

The mast is mounted on a carriage which travels in guides (not shown) in the chassis of the truck.

The traverse of the mast 1 on its carriage is controlled by ram 9 and arm 10. The ram is located underneath the platform 6. The arm 10 runs from behind the mast 1 along the inner end of the well, where it is angled, and then under the platform 6. Referring to Figs.

1 and 2 the arm consists of an upper section 1 0a and a lower section lOb and is connected to the mast pivotally by means of a pin 11. The ram is connected to the chassis of the truck at the rear by a pin 12 and to the arm by means of a pin 1 3. Because the arm consists of the upper and lower sections 1 Oa and 10b, the ram 9 can extend between the two sections of the arms. At the point where the ram connects to the arm, the arm is stepped, to clear other components, the sections 1 Oc and 1 Od being above the sections 1 Oa and 1 Ob and connecting to the chassis.

The connection here is via a pin and slot connection 14.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that as the ram 9 extends, the arm moves the mast forward. The end of the arm secured to the truck chassis slides in the pin and slot connection 14 during this process.

With the arrangement shown in the drawing, the mast will move two and a half times the distance extended by the ram, thus allowing use of a short ram. The arrangement has been found to give a smooth travel of the mast.

The ram is double acting and is of the piston and cylinder type in which the head of the ram seals against the walls of the cylinder.

1. A sideloader industrial truck, which comprises a mast which is movable to and fro in a well in the truck, a ram to move the mast in the well, and an arm which is acted on by the ram and which is connected to the mast in such a way that the mast moves a proportionally greater distance for a given extension or retraction of the ram than the ram extends or retracts.

2. An industrial truck as claimed in claim

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Industrial truck This invention relates to industrial trucks and particularly to sideloader industrial trucks. In such trucks, the mast up which the load carrier travels is movable to and fro in a well in the truck. Generally the truck has a platform at each side of the well, the mast being movable along the length of the well. A load is transferred to those platforms by the mast moving to the forward end of the well, the load carrier being raised to pick up the load, the mast being retracted, and the load carrier being lowered to place the load on the two platforms. The truck can then be driven to wherever it is desired to deposit the load and the reverse procedure is followed. The traverse of the mast to and fro in the well is usually by means of chains running along the length of the well powered by a motor. It has also been proposed to use a ram located behind the mast for mast travel. However, the restricted space behind the mast has necessitated the use of an expensive two stage ram, or a single stage ram which is inclined upwardly so that the ram is almost vertical when retracted and traverse is even. The invention provides a sideloader industrial truck, which comprises a mast which is movable to and fro in a well in the truck, a ram to move the mast in the well, and an arm which is acted on by the ram and which is connected to the mast in such a way that the mast moves a proportionately greater distance for a given extension or retraction of the ram than the ram extends or retracts. The arrangement according to the invention results in a smooth traverse of the mast. Advantageously, the ram is located to one side of the well. Advantageously, the arm is pivotably connected to the mast at one end and to the body of the truck at the other end. Preferably, the latter connection prevents movement in the direction of travel of the mast but permits movement at right angles to the direction of travel of the mast. A sideloader industrial truck constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the traversing mechanism of the mast of the truck; and Figure 2 is a view of an enlarged seale seen in the direction of the arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, the truck has a mast 1 comprising a part of I-section beams 2,3 which are slidable relative to each other. There are two such pairs of beams 2,3 only one pair being shown in the drawing, located on each side of a hydraulic ram 4 provided for extending and retracting the mast. The mast 1 is shown in Fig. 1 at the inner end of a well 5. On each side of the well 5 are platforms 6,7, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Chasses members 8 define the inner end of the well. The mast 1 can traverse the well in the direction A, and a load carrier (not shown) can trabel up and down the mast. The sideloader is used by moving the mast to the front of the well and lowering the load carrier until it is beneath the load to be lifted, then raising the load carrier and retracting the mast into the well. The load can then be lowered onto the platforms. When the truck has been driven to the desired location, the load can then be removed in the reverse manner. The mast is mounted on a carriage which travels in guides (not shown) in the chassis of the truck. The traverse of the mast 1 on its carriage is controlled by ram 9 and arm 10. The ram is located underneath the platform 6. The arm 10 runs from behind the mast 1 along the inner end of the well, where it is angled, and then under the platform 6. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the arm consists of an upper section 1 0a and a lower section lOb and is connected to the mast pivotally by means of a pin 11. The ram is connected to the chassis of the truck at the rear by a pin 12 and to the arm by means of a pin 1 3. Because the arm consists of the upper and lower sections 1 Oa and 10b, the ram 9 can extend between the two sections of the arms. At the point where the ram connects to the arm, the arm is stepped, to clear other components, the sections 1 Oc and 1 Od being above the sections 1 Oa and 1 Ob and connecting to the chassis. The connection here is via a pin and slot connection 14. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that as the ram 9 extends, the arm moves the mast forward. The end of the arm secured to the truck chassis slides in the pin and slot connection 14 during this process. With the arrangement shown in the drawing, the mast will move two and a half times the distance extended by the ram, thus allowing use of a short ram. The arrangement has been found to give a smooth travel of the mast. The ram is double acting and is of the piston and cylinder type in which the head of the ram seals against the walls of the cylinder. CLAIMS

2. An industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ram is located to one side of the well.

3. An industrial truck as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the arm is pivotally connected to the mast at one end and to the body of the truck at the other end.

4. An industrial truck as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pivotal connections prevent movement in the direction of travel of the mast but permit movement at right angles to the direction of travel of the mast.

5. An industrial truck substantially as herein before described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.