GB2440676A

GB2440676A - Restraint for fork-lift truck

Info

Publication number: GB2440676A
Application number: GB0715071A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Jermyn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-03
Filing date: 2007-08-02
Publication date: 2008-02-06
Also published as: GB0715071D0; GB0615411D0

Abstract

A restraint 10 for a fork-lift vehicle 72 having a first, lifting surface 74', 74'' moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height is configured to be attached to the floor and has a second surface 76', 76'' configured to engage with said first, lifting surface 74', 74'' of the vehicle at a height above the floor between said first and second height. The restraint preferably comprises a post having a cross member and may be releasably attached to the floor by means of a key (20, fig. 4) member. A resilient member (24, fig. 1A) may be configured to hold the key in engagement.

Description

TITLE: RESTRAINT OF FORK-LIFT VEHICLES

DESCRIPTION S. * S * S.. *5S* * S S... *5** * . S S. * *...

.... 15 TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates fork-lift vehicles and S...

particularly but not exclusively pallet trucks for lifting and moving pallets.

BACKGROUND ART

Pallet trucks are well-known. Their principal feature is a pair of forks configured to slide under a pallet and then rise up, thereby lifting the pallet from the floor. By means of wheels on the pallet truck, the pallet can then be moved. Small wheels are typically mounted at each free end of a fork and a large wheel is typically mounted at the yoke linking the forks. A hydraulic jack mechanism is typically used to displace at least some of the wheels downwards relative to the forks, thereby causing the forks to rise relative to the floor.

Such pallet trucks are commonly used in the cargo areas of heavy goods vehicles to transport pallets during loading and unloading. However, when the vehicle is en route, such pallet trucks can cause damage to vehicle, cargo and the truck itself if they are not secured. Whilst it is known to secure a pallet truck by lifting the large wheel into a disused tire, the heavy weight of the truck may result in operator back injury.

It is one object of the present invention to mitigate the above disadvantages.

* DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided * : a restraint for a fork-lift vehicle having a first, lifting I...

surface moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height; I...

the restraint being configured to be attached to the floor and having a second surface configured to engage with said first, lifting surface of the vehicle at a height above the floor between said first and second height.

By lowering the pallet truck forks, sliding them underneath the second surface of the restraint and then raising them, the lifting surface of the truck is engaged with the second surface of the restraint. The truck is thereby prevented from moving relative to the restraint, inter alia by friction between the lifting and second surfaces. Since the restraint is attached to the floor, the truck is in turn prevented from moving around the floor.

The restraint may have two second surfaces configured to engage two first lifting surfaces of the vehicle.

The restraint may comprise a cross-bar attached at its mid-point to a post, the two arms of the cross bar being configured to provide said two second surfaces and the post being configured to be attached to the floor.

The restraint may be configured to be releasably attached to the floor. The restraint may be releasably attached to the floor by means of a key configured to engage the floor. The key may comprise at least one wing extending transversely from the post. The restraint may further comprise a resilient member configured to hold the key in engagement. The resilient member may comprise a coil S..

* : spring surrounding the post. S...

The invention also provides a restraint system for a :::5:. fork-lift vehicle having a first, lifting surface moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height; the system comprising a restraint having a second surface configured to engage with said first, lifting surface of the vehicle at a height above the floor between said first and second height; the system further comprising a mount configured to be fixed to the floor; the restraint and mount being configured to be releasably engagable with one another.

The invention also provides a method of securing a fork-lift vehicle relative to a floor, the vehicle having a first, lifting surface moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height; the method comprising the steps of: placing said first, lifting surface at said first height; locating said first, lifting surface underneath a second surface fixed relative to the floor at a height above the floor between said first and second height; raising said first, lifting surface so as to engage said second surface and thereby secure said vehicle relative to the floor.

The invention also provides apparatus for restraining a fork-lift vehicle, comprising: a first part for anchoring : to the floor of a vehicle; and a second part releasably *...

attached to the first part; the second part comprising a :..". member which in use has a surface spaced from and opposing the first part, with the surface being engageable by a lifting surface of a fork-lift vehicle when disposed between the member and the first part. The second part may comprise a support post, with the member projecting laterally to one side of the support post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A is a side view of a restraint according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure lB is a view of the restraint of figure 1A as seen from direction B in figure 1A; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the restraint of figure lA when attached to a floor; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a fixture used to attach the restraint of figure 1A to a floor; Figure 4 is a plan view of the bottom surface of the mounting fixture of figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the present invention being used to restrain a pallet truck;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Referring to figure 1A, a restraint 10 comprises a cross-bar 12 attached at its mid-point to one end 16 of a S... * . I...

post 14. The joint may be strengthened by means of gussets 22. At the other end 18 of the post is attached a key 20 S...

"*** 15 for engagement with the floor. Key 20 has a circular cross :::::. section as shown in figure lB. Mounted slidingly on the post above the key is a coil spring 24 surrounding the post. A collar 26 limits the movement of the spring up the post whilst key 20 prevents the spring from sliding down off the end of the post.

Figure 2 shows restraint 10 releasably attached to a floor 30 (e.g. of a vehicle) by means of a mounting fixture 40. Fixture 40 has a top plate 44 attached to the upper surface 46 of the floor 30 and formed with a hole 42 having a substantially rectangular section in order to admit key configured to engage the floor via the mounting fixture.

Key 20 comprises at least one wing extending transversely from the post.

Figure 3 shows top plate 44 in section together with the bottom plate 50 of the mounting fixture which is attached to the lower surface 52 of the floor. Key 20 passes through hole 42, and through similar rectangular-section holes 54, 56 in the floor and bottom plate respectively (the hole 54 in the floor may be formed using a drill or router during installation of the mounting fixture).

From figure 4, it will be evident that once the key 20 has passed through bottom hole 56 and post 14 has been twisted, the key will engage with the surface of the bottom :.::: plate, preventing the restraint from being withdrawn from the mounting fixture.

: Moreover, the length of resilient spring 24 and positioning of collar 26 are chosen such that the spring :... must be compressed in order to engage the key. The force generated by this compression holds the key in engagement against the bottom plate, inter alia to prevent rattling.

Abutments 58 on the lower side of plate 50 prevent the key from being twisted so far that it again aligns with holes 42,54,56 and comes free. Bolts passing through holes 60 in the bottom and top plates ensure that the mounting fixture is firmly attached to the floor.

Figure 5 illustrates the restraint when used in the method of the present invention. The restraint is configured such that, when attached to the floor, the left-and right hand lower surfaces 76',76'' of the cross-bar 12 are sufficiently high that the lifting surfaces 74',74'' of the forks 70 of a pallet truck 72 can pass beneath when in their first, lowered, position.

However, the height of surfaces 76',76'' is also such that, when the forks are raised towards a second position (as would normally be done in order to lift a load off the floor), the upper, lifting surfaces 74',74'' of the forks engage the lower surfaces of the restraint, i.e. the surfaces of the two arms of the cross bar engage two lifting surfaces of the vehicle. Friction between these surfaces then prevents the truck from moving relative to the floor 30. To increase friction, sleeves e.g. of a * resilient material such as rubber may surround the cross-I... * *

bar as shown at 15 in figure 1A. S...

.. : When not required, the restraint may be removed from I...

the mounting fixture and stored, e.g. by placing the cross-bar in a tubular receptacle mounted to a wall of the heavy S...

goods vehicle.

It will be appreciated that different-sized fork-lift vehicles may require different-sized restraints. However, for pallet trucks, typical restraint dimensions are: Cross-bar: 400mm length, 31mm outside diameter Post: 130mm height, 30mm outside diameter Key: 15mm diameter Key hole: 80mm length, 16mm width Typical material for both restraint and mounting fixture is steel.

It should be understood that this invention has been described by way of examples only and that a wide variety of modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, whilst the invention has been described with reference to pallet trucks, it is equally applicable to other kind of lifting vehicles.

Generically known as fork-lift' trucks, such vehicles may nevertheless have a single lifting surface or more than two lifting surfaces/forks. The lifting mechanism may be operated manual or powered, e.g. electro-hydraulic. 0I * S * *** S... * . *. S... * S S *. S * S S... * S. ** . S * S

Claims

CLA IMS

1. A restraint for a fork-lift vehicle having a first, lifting surface moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height; the restraint being configured to be attached to the floor and having a second surface configured to engage with said first, lifting surface of the vehicle at a height above the floor between said first and second height.

2. A restraint according to claim 1 and comprising two second surfaces configured to engage two first lifting *.*, surfaces of the vehicle. * . * * * **.* * . S...

3. A restraint according to claim 2, wherein the * S. ::; restraint comprises a cross-bar attached at its mid-point * to a post, the two arms of the cross bar being configured to provide said two second surfaces and the post being configured to be attached to the floor.

4. A restraint according to any preceding claim, wherein the restraint is configured to be releasably attached to the floor.

5. A restraint according to claim 4, wherein the restraint is releasably attached to the floor by means of a key configured to engage the floor.

6. A restraint according to claim 5, wherein the key comprises at least one wing extending transversely from the post.

7. A restraint according to claim 5 or 6 and further comprising a resilient member configured to hold the key in engagement.

8. A restraint according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the resilient member comprises a coil spring surrounding the post. S... * S S...

9. A restraint system for a fork-lift vehicle having a first, lifting surface moveable from a first height above a S...

floor to a second, greater height; * *.

the system comprising a restraint having a second * surface configured to engage with said first, lifting surface of the vehicle at a height above the floor between said first and second height; the system further comprising a mounting fixture configured to be fixed to the floor; the restraint and mounting fixture being configured to be releasably engagable with one another.

10. A method of securing a fork-lift vehicle relative to a floor, the vehicle having a first, lifting surface moveable from a first height above a floor to a second, greater height; the method comprising the steps of: placing said first, lifting surface at said first height; locating said first, lifting surface underneath a second surface fixed relative to the floor at a height above the floor between said first and second height; raising said first, lifting surface so as to engage said second surface and thereby secure said vehicle relative to the floor. * * * .** * * **** a... * S S a. S a... * I S... * I* *5S S 0sSS S* * S * S S *S