US3184089A

US3184089A - Fork lift type material handling machine with a laterally adjustable frame

Info

Publication number: US3184089A
Application number: US199456A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert G Letourneau
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-06-01
Filing date: 1962-06-01
Publication date: 1965-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-18

Description

y 8, 1965 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,184,089

FORK LIFT TYPE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE WITH A LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1962 Ri a /4i INVENTOR. fi0fiem @Z /ZZMWW/M BY May 18, 1965 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,

FORK LIFT TYPE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE WITH A LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1962 Y Wm. 14%; offzwwey United States Patent 3,184,039 FORK LIFT TYPE MATERTAL HANDLING MACH-WE WITH A LATERALLY ADJUSTA- BLE FRAME Robert G. LeTourneau, 1 .0. Box 2307, Longview, Tex. Filed June 1, 1962, Ser. No. 199,456 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-730) My invention relates to improvements in fork lift type material handling machines and more particularly to heavy duty machines for loading, unloading and stacking materials, including logs, pipes, and the like.

The material handling machine shown and described herein is generally similar to that disclosed by my copending application bearing Serial No. 113,741, filed May 31, 1961, now abandoned, entitled Logging Equipment. The machine of the present invention, however, has several additional important features and advantages not heretofore known.

It is generally recognized that the materials which are usually handled by heavy duty fork lift type machines are very heavy and are not easily maneuvered. Oftentimes it is desirable and sometimes it is necessary to be able to shift a load laterally to better distribute its weight on the machine, or to place it more advantageously on a truck or car. A considerable saving in time and money can be realized if the load can be readily shifted laterally as required. The lateral shift feature, it will be recognized, obviates the need to maneuver the whole machine to raise and lower the load as many times as may be necessary to achieve a more suitable load position. However, the mechanism necessary to provide lateral load shift on a heavy duty type machine can present diflicult problems, particularly as to achieving the required load carrying capability without undue cost and complexity.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a heavy duty fork lift type machine incorporating improved mechanism for moving the load laterally relative to the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heavy duty fork lift type machine incorporating rugged, simple, economical and effective mechanism for achieving desired lateral load shifting action.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a heavy duty fork lift type material handling machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the machine of FIG. 1 illustrating the lateral shift feature of my invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the machine front axle showing details of the lateral shift mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the axle and mechanism of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a heavy duty fork lift type material handling machine embodying the principles of my invention. The machine includes a main frame 11, supported upon a front axle 13 on which there is mounted a pair of electric motor driven wheels 15, and a single steerable rear wheel 17. The rear wheel is also driven by an electric motor (not shown). Steering is accomplished by an electric motor driving a steering sector gear 19 through a gear reduction 21. A carriage rail structure 223 is pivoted at adjacent its lower end at the front end of the main frame 11. The rail structure 23 is tiltable by means of a rack 27 driven by an electric motor 29. The electric motor 29 and rack guide 31 are mounted on a superstruc- "ice ture 33 which is removably fixed to the main frame 11 and extends above same. A load support carriage 35 is arranged to ride up and down on the carriage rail structure 23, with the carriage being lifted and supported by a cable 37 which is driven and cont-rolled by an electric motor driven winch 39. The winch 39 is mounted on a platform (not shown) attached to the carriage rail structure 23 and extends rearwardly therefrom. The carriage 35 is made up of a rectangular rigid box frame, the lower transverse member of which is provided with a laterally extending box beam 41 on each side. Fixed to the free end of each box beam 41 is a fork or tine receiver shoe (not shown) which is adapted to removably receive a fork or tine 43. A fork or tine 43 is mounted removably in each shoe and extends forwardly of the carriage frame 35 to support the load which the machine is designed to handle.

Mounted at one side of the main frame 11 is an operators cab and control station 45. Adjacent the cab and disposed in a recess in the main frame 11, there is provided an electric generator driven by an internal combustion engine, both within an enclosure 47.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the front portion of the main frame 11 in association with the front axle 13. The

' main frame 11 is in the form of a long relatively wide and shallow reinforced beam. The top plate 49 of the beam extends forwardly over the axle to merge with a downwardly and forwardly extending ball support structure S1 to which the lower end of the rail structure 23 is pivotally attached. The front axle 13 is made in the form of a reinforced tubular box beam having a generally rectangular cross section. A pair of bolt flanges 53 are fixed transversely of the ends of the axle 13. A plurality of heavy bars 55 are symmetrically arranged and affixed to the upper surface of the top plate 57 of the axle 13 to form a carriage bed. The bars 55 are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the axle so that approximately one-half the width of the bar projects beyond the longitudinal edge of the top plate 57. There is provided, also, a length of rack 59 which is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the axle 13 and which is afiixed also to the top surface of the top plate 57. Preferably the teeth of the rack face rearwardly. Associated with each of the bars 55, there is a plurality of rollers 61 journalled in a heavy plate structure fixed to the main frame. A pair of the rollers 63 are disposed to rotate about substantialiy parallel horizontal axes and to rollably engage the upper and lower surfaces of the respective bar 55. Another roller 65 is journalled in a heavy plate structure attached to the main frame. This roller 65 is disposed to rotate about a vertical axis and in a horizontal plane so as to rollably engage the unsupported vertical longitudinal surface of the respective bar 55. The rollers may, of course, be supported in any suitable structure which is rigidly affixed to the main frame 11. It is convenient to arrange the rollers symmetrically about the axes of the axles and the main frame to form a carriage, as indicated generally in FIG. 3.

The main frame 1:1 is provided with a recess or well 67 in the front end portion to receive a motor driven gear reduction 69. The gear reduction 6% is suitably mounted on the main frame with its output pinion 7'1 disposed to engage the aforementioned rack 59.

In operation, the machine is maneuvered into position to pick up a load. In the event the machine is not positioned to provide a reasonable balance of load weight on the fork 43, as oftentimes happens, the rail structure 23 may be shifted sideways or laterally by actuating the pinion of the motor driven gear reduction 69 to engage the rack 59. The entire main frame, rail structure, load support carriage and fork pivots about the rear wheel 17. Therefore, lateral movement to balance the load on the fork 43 is'readily obtained. Similarly, when the machine is maneuvered into position to unload and it is found that lateral movement of the load is desirable for :various reasons, the load may be shifted sideways by actuating the motor driven gear reduction 69. In either situation, it is not necessary to maneuver the whole machine to a new position, because the fork 43 may be shifted laterally, quickly and easily.

The entire machine and all of its functions are electrically controlled from the control panel at the operators station 45. All of the motors are preferably provided with electromagnetic friction brakes which are automatically energized when the associated electric motor is de-energized.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention provides a simple, rugged, economical, and effective mechanism for achieving lateral shift action of the load support structure of a heavy duty fork lift type material handling machine. An important feature of the present invention is that the lateral shift mechanism involves'the supporting of the entire machine front end on the machine front axle for lateral movement thereon. My invention is not restricted to the three wheel machine shown and described herein, but is also applicable to four wheel machines having various types of wheel drives.

While I have shown my invention in only one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift type having a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable load supporting structure at-' tached to said main frame at the forward end portion thereof; a plurality of bars fixed to said axle and sym metrically disposed extending longitudinally of said axle to form a carriage bed, a plurality of rollers journaled to said main frame and maintaining rollable contiguity with each said bar so as to form a carriage, means for mounting said main frame adjacent its forward end portion on said carriage, a rack fixed to said axle and extending longitudinally thereof, and a motor driven gear reduction mounted on said main frame and having an output pinion engaging said rack.

2. In combination with a material handling machine of 45' the fork lift type having a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable load supporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward end portion thereof; a carriage bed fixed to said axle and extending longitudinally thereof, a carriage mounted on said bed for movement thereon, means for mounting said main frame adjacent its forward end portion on said carriage, a rack fixed to said axle and extending longitudinally thereof, and a motor driven gear reduction mounted on said main frame and having an output pinion engaging said rack.

3. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift type having a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable load supporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward end portion thereof; a carriage mounted on said front axle for movement longitudinally thereof, means for mounting said main frame adjacent its forward end portion on said carriage, and powered means for moving said carriage on said axle.

4. In combination with a material handling machine of the fork lift type having a wheeled front axle, a main frame, and an elevatable load supporting structure attached to said main frame at the forward end portion thereof; means for supporting said main frame adjacent its forward end portion on said axle for movement longitudinally of said axle; said supporting means including carriage means interposed between said axle and said main frame; and means for moving said main frame longitudinally of said axle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 968,439 8/10 Wold 37-157 1,697,285 1/29 Neigahbour 280103 1,844,133 2/ 32 Maniscalco et a1 1-8719 2,859,890 11/58 Renard 2 14-670 2,910,204 110/59 Wight 214730 3,089,710 5/63 'Fiala 280-41121 FOREIGN PATENTS 750,793 6/ 56 Great Britain.

' 838,0511 6/ 60 Great Britain. 1,229,113 9/60 France. 1,234,819 '10/60 'France.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.