US2941683A

US2941683A - Boom attachment for lift trucks for loading narrow-door boxcars

Info

Publication number: US2941683A
Application number: US780116A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse C Fowler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-12-12
Filing date: 1958-12-12
Publication date: 1960-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1977-06-21

Description

June 1960 J. c. FOWLER 2,941,583

BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FOR LOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS Filed Dec. 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J'ESSE c. FOWL 52 J. C. FOWLER BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FOR LOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS June 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D80. 12. 1958 IN VEN TOR.

J'ESSE c- Fow4se %%maq/W C. FOWLER BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FOR LOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS Filed D96. 12, 1958 June 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MM 5 s a J BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FUR LOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS Jesse C. Fowler, Box 222, Williams, Ariz.

Filed Dec. 12, 1958, set, No. 780,116

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-'620) This invention relates to loading attachments for industrial lift trucks, and more particularly to a boom attachment for a fork lifttruck especially adapted for use in loading narrow single-door box cars.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved boom attachment for a fork lift truck, said attachment being simple in construction, being easy to mount on a fork lift truck, and providing a great saving in time and labor in the handling of packaged loads, such as stacks of lumber, or the like.

A further object of the inventoin is to provide an improved boom attachment for a standard industrial fork lift truck, said attachment involving inexpensive components, being durable in construction, and being safe to use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved boom attachment for a fork lift truck, said attachment being adjustable in accordance with the size of the load to be handled, being smooth in operation, and greatly reducing the amount of human elfort required in loading bundles of lumber or similar packaged objects into freight cars of the type having relatively narrow doors.

Further objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved boom attachment for a fork lift truck constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the manner in which the attachment is used for handling a bundle of boards.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a boom attachment according to the present invention shown operatively engaged with a fork lift truck and illustrating the manner in which a load is elevated for placement in a box car.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the load carrier member employed in the boom. attachment of Figures 1 to 6, shown with its fastening straps disengaged from the main body portion of the carrier assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the improved boom attachment is designated generally at 11 and comprises a generally rectangular base plate 12 of heavy rigid material, such as sheet steel of substantial thickness. Rigidly secured to the underside of the plate 12 adjacent its side margins are the respective longitudinally extending

channel bars

13 and 14, said channel bars being spaced to receive the respective fork elements 15 and 16 of a standard fork lift truck, designated generally at 17 and shown fragmentarily in Figures 2 and 3.

2,941,683 Patented June 21, 1960 bottom edges to the top surfaces of the base plate 12 and which are welded at their rear edges to the vertical side edges of the transverse vertical bracket plate 20.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the transversely extending upstanding vertical bracket plate 20 is. located at the transverse rear edge of the main plate 12 and depends below said main plate, defining a depending transverse flange element to which the rear ends of the

sleeve members

13 and 14 may be welded. A transversely extending bottom channel member 24 is welded to the underside of the main plate 12 and to the inside flanges of the

sleeve channels

13 and 14, as well as to the depending portion of the vertical transverse bracket plate 20, as shown in Figure 4.

Rigidly secured to the bracket plate 28 are the vertically spaced, rearwardly extending

pivot lugs

25 and 26, the pivot lug 25 being secured, as by welding, or the like, to the bot-tom marginal portion of the plate 20 and the pivot lug 26 being secured to the upper portion of said bracket plate in vertical alignment with the bottom lug 25.

Designated at 27 is a first tubular, horizontally extending boom member which is rigidly secured at its end to a transversely extending support plate 28 which depends a substantial distance below the tubular boom member 27, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. Generally triangular vertical side plates 29', 29' are provided at the opposite sides of the tubular boom member 27, said side plates being welded to the boom member 27 at their top margins and being welded to the plate member 28 at their vertical edges, whereby to define a rigid and securely braced connection of the boom member 27 to the plate member 28. Respective

horizontal pivot lugs

29 and 30 are welded to the forward surface of tht plate member 28, the lower lug 29 overlying the bottom pivot lug 25 associated with the base plate 12 and the upper pivot lug 30 overlying the upper pivot lug 26 associated with said base plate. Suitable bearing bushings 31 and 30' are provided between the

respective pivot lugs

30, 26 and 29, 25, as shown in Figure 4. A vertical pivot pin 31, headed at its top end, is engaged through the respective pairs of pivot lugs, as is clearly shown in Figure 4, providing a vertical hinge connection between the tubular boom member 27 and distance to normally allow the boom member 27 to swing to a relatively wide angle, for example to a position such as that shown in dotted view in Figure 5. However, when it is desired to prevent such swinging, a transverse stop bar 38 is engaged between the edges 33 of the

flange plates

32, 32 and the transversely extending upstanding vertical bracket plate 25), said stop bar 34 being supported on a transversely extending horizontal shelf-like flange plate 35 secured to the upstanding vertical bracket plate 20 subjacent the horizontal plane of the

stop flanges

32, 32, as shown in Figure 4. The shelf flange 35 is thus adapted to support the stop bar 38 in a position wherein the

transverse end edges

33, 33 of the

stop flanges

32, 32 will engage the stop bar 38 and limit swinging movet E ment of the tubular boom member 27. Thus, the tubular boom member may be locked against rotation and may be held in a substantially longitudinally extending position relative to the main plate member 12, to facilitate the transportation of the boom attachment and to preventundesired swinging of the boom portion thereof. It will be understood that the stop bar 38 is readily removable, since it is not secured in any Way to the supporting shelf element 35. When so'remoyed, the

flange elements

32, 32 may swing freely toward the transverse upstanding bracket plate20, for example; may rotate with the boom member 27 to'the positions thereof shown in dottedview in Figured. V V

A pair of depending

vertical gusset plates

38, 38, are rigidly secured between the bo ttom surface of the upper pivot lug 26' and the transversely extending upstanding bracket plate 20, said gusset plates being spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the pivot pin member 31, as is clearly shown in Figure 5.

Designated at 39 is a second tubular boonimember which is telescopically received in the first tubular boom member 27, the boom member 39 being provided with longitudinally spaced apertures 40 which are selectively registrable with apertures 41 provided on the first boom member 27, so that the second boom member 39 may be secured in an adjusted position relative to the first boom member 27 by means of suitable fastening pins or bolts extending through the registering

apertures

40 and 41. to a desired position relative to the boom member 2'7 and may be'locked in this position by meansof a fastening bolt engaged through the apertures 41 and selected apertures 40.

Designated generally at 42 is a load carrier assembly comprising a horizontal base plate 44 to which is secured I a downwardly concave top cover plate 45, the top cover plate being braced relative to the base plate 44 by a pair of longitudinally extending

spacer blocks

46, 46 welded between the bottom surface of the bowed upper plate 45 and the top surface of the horizontal lower plate 44.

Rigidly secured centrally in the composite plate structure 43 defined by the

aforesaid plates

44 and 45 is a vertical upstanding shaft member 47 which projects upwardly for a substantial distance and which is formed at its top portion with the regularly spaced, transversely extending apertures 48.

Rigidly secured to the end portion of the second tubular boom member 39 is a horizontally extending plate member 50 which is further. braced to the end portion of the boom member 39 by a pair of offset side plates 51, 51 welded at their bottom edges to the. horizontal member 56 and a selected aperture 48 in vertical shaft 47. As shown in Figure 6, the bearing assembly 55 includes a housing 58 which retains the components of the bearing assembly and which transmit the loading from collar56 to the horizontal plate member 54 and thus to the boom member.

Designated at 66 is a horizontal capstan shaft journaled in upstanding lugs 61 secured on a side marginal portion of the composite plate structure 43 of the load carrier assembly 42. A ratchet disc 62 is provided on the capstan shaft 69, said disc being engaged by a pawl member 63 pivoted to the top plate 45 in the manner illustrated in Figure 7, engaging the ratchet 62' to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the capstanishaft 66, as viewed in Figure. 7. Secured: on the opposite marginal portion of Thus, the boom member 39 may be extended the top plate member 45 are a pair of upstanding pins 64, Designated at 65, 65 are respective flexible strap members having the

respective end portions

66, 66 which are engageable through longitudinal slots 67, 67 formed in the capstan shaft 60 on opposite sides of the ratchet disc 62, whereby the

strap members

65, 65 may be attached to said capstan shaft. The

strap members

65, 65 are provided on their oppositeends with the generally

triangular ring members

68, 68 engageable on the

upstanding pins

64, 64, whereby a load, such as" agbun'dle of boards 69, illustrated in Figure L'may besecured to the load carrier assembly 42 by tightening the strap member 65, namely, by rotating the capstan shaft 60 in a clockwise direction,-asviewed in Figure 7.

The capstan shaft 66 is provided with squared opposite ends 70, 70, adapted to be engaged by a suitable wrench when it is desired to tighten the

strap members

65, 65.

In using the attachment, the fork elements 15, 16 of a fork lift truck 17 are engaged in the sleeve members 13 and i4, wherebythe fork elements 15 and 16 connect the boom attachment to the fork lift truck; Thereafter, the truck 17 is movedto the location of the load, for example, the bundle 6 and the bundle is fastened to the load carrier assembly 42. by engaging the

strap members

65, 65 around the bundle and tightening the strap membersin the manner above described, thus clampingthe bundle'to the underside of the plate 44' in the manner shown in Figure 6. I

As shown in Figure ,2, the stop bar 34 may be engaged on its supporting shelf35 under the se conditions to anew the truck 17 to tr ansport'tlie bundle 69 to the box car,

shown at 72, in which it is intended to place the load. When the load has been thus placed to a position ad'- jacent the side of-the box car, the fork elements 15, 16 may then be elevated to the necessary height to raise the load above the l evel o f the floor of the freight car, and the stop bar 38 may be removed to allow the boom tov swivel as required in order to align the bundle 69' with the door of the box car, which as above mentioned, may be relatively narrow, as in the case of a large number" of presently available single-door box cars.

With the bundle69 elevated,- for example to the dotted view position shown in Figure 2, the bundle'm'ay be further rotated around the vertical axis defined by the carrier assembly shaft 47, to facilitate the entry of the bundle into the narrow box car door; When the bundle has been properly aligned the bundle may be moved into the-box car by moving the truck 17 in a forward direction, sufficiently to comp-letely place, the bundle inside the enter. The bundle may then be. lowered onto theb'ox ventional boxcars of the double-door type wherein relatively wide doorways are provided.

While a specific embodiment of an improved boom attachment for a fork lift truck has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. I no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-likeportions adapted to receive Therefore, it is intended that oneness the fork elements of a fork lift truck, upstanding bracket means on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boom member, means pivotally connecting the rear end portion of said boom member to said upstanding bracket means for rotation on a vertical axis, an outwardly projecting horizontal flange on each of the opposite sides of said first boom member extending adjacent said upstanding bracket means, removably mounted transversely extending bar means on said upstanding bracket means and being at times engageable by said flanges to limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom member telescopically received in said first boom member, means adjustably securing said second boom member in said first boom member, and means on the forward end of said second boom member constructed and arranged to swivelly support a load carrier assebly for rotation on a vertical axis.

2. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lift truck, upstanding bracket means on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boom member, means pivotally connecting the rear end portion of said boom member to said upstanding bracket means for rotation on a vertical axis, an outwardly projecting horizontal flange on each of the opposite sides of said first boom member extending adjacent said upstanding bracket means, a transversely extending horizontal flange on said upstanding bracket means, a transverse horizontal stop bar removably mounted on said last-named flange and extending adjacent the rear edges of said first-named flanges and being engageable thereby to limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom member telescopically received in said first boom member, means adjustablysecuring said second boom member in said first boom member, and means on the second boom member constructed and arranged to swivelly support a load carrier member for rotation on a vertical axis.

3. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lift truck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly secured on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boom member, a plurality of vertically spaced pivot lugs projecting forwardly from said bracket plate, pivot lugs on the rear end portion of said first boom member supportingly engaged on said first-named pivot lugs, a vertical pivot pin extending through and pivotally connecting said pivot lugs for rotation on the first boom member around the vertical axis, outwardly projecting hoirzontal flanges on each of the opposite sides of said first boom member spaced between the pivot lugs thereof and extending rearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, transversely extending bar means removably mounted on said bracket plate and being at times engageable by said flanges to limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom member telescopically received in said first boom member, means adjustably securing said second boom member in said first boom member, and means on the forward end of said second boom member constructed and ar ranged to swivelly support a load carrier member for rotation on a vertical axis.

4. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lift truck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly secured on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boom member, a plurality of vertically spaced pivot lugs projecting forwardly from said bracket plate, pivot lugs on the rear end portion of said first boom member supportingly engaged on said first-named pivot lugs, a vertical pivot pin extending through and pivotally connecting said pivot lugs for rotation on the first boom member around the vertical axis, outwardly projecting horizontal flanges on the opposite sides of said first boom member spaced between the pivot lugs thereof and extending rearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, a transversely extending horizontal flange on said bracket plate, a transverse stop bar removably mounted on said last-named flange and extending adjacent the rear edges of said first-named flanges and being engageable thereby to limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom member telescopicallyreceived in said first boom member, means adjustably securing said second boom member in said first boom member, and means on the forward end of said second boom member constructed and arranged to swivelly support a load carrier member for rotation on a vertical axis.

5. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lift truck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly secured on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boom member, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal pivot lugs projecting forwardly from said bracket plate, horizontal pivot lugs on the rear end portion of said first boom member supportingly engaged on said first-named pivot lugs, a vertical pivot pin extending through and pivotally connecting said pivot lugs for rotation of the rst boom member around a vertical axis, outwardly projecting horizontal flanges on the opposite sides of said first boom member spaced between the pivot lugs thereof and extending rearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, a transversely extending horizontal flange on said bracket plate, a transverse stop bar removably mounted on said last-named flange and extending adjacent the rear edges of said first-named flanges and being engageable thereby to limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom member telescopically received in said first boom member, means adjustably securing said second boom member in said first boom member, a horizontal plate member rigidly secured to the forward end portion of said second boom member, and a load carrier member swivelly connected to said horizontal plate member for rotation on an vertical axis.

6. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base having sleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lift truck, upstanding bracket means on the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal boom member, means pivotally connecting the rear end portion of said boom member to said upstanding bracket means for rotation on a vertical axis, an outwardly projecting horizontal flange on each of the opposite sides of said boom member extending adjacent said upstanding braeket means, removably mounted transversely extending bar means on said upstanding bracket means and being at times engageable by said flanges to limit rotation of said boom member, and means on the forward end of said boom member constructed and arranged to swivelly support a load carrier assembly for rotation on a vertical axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,068,825 Stevenson Jan. 26, 1937 2,364,493 Ulinski Dec. 5, 1944 2,773,615 Conway Dec. 11, 1956 2,873,873 Fowler Feb. 17, 1959