WO2020180189A1 - Protection device for blades of a forklift - Google Patents

Abstract

Protection device (10) for a free end (101) of a blade (100) of a forklift, wherein the protection device (10) is adapted to receive and accommodate the free end (101) of the blade (100), wherein the protection device (10) is formed by a first part (20) and a second part (50) detachably arranged to each other, wherein the protection device (10) is attached to the blade (100) by friction forces and clamping forces provided by the attachment of the first part (20) and second part (50) to each other.

Description

Protection device for blades of a forklift

The present invention is related to a protection device for blades of a forklift, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background

Forklift trucks are commonly used to lift and carry pallets carrying products, food or beverages that usually are constructed of wood or plastic. A forklift truck usually employs a laterally spaced pair of tines or blades having sharpened distal ends to intrude beneath a pallet or other such load. The tines or blades are carried by a vehicle employing a lift system for lifting the laterally spaced pair of tines or blades when positioned under the selected load. It is well known that metal forklift tines or blades results in loss and damage of products, due to puncture or piercing when the products are to be moved.

Forklift trucks are also often used to load and unload materials from a trailer used for transport. It is well known that the sidewalls of the trailer often become pierced by the forward extending blades or tines as the forklift truck is used to unload or load goods/materials in the trailer. Such piercing is a desire to avoid.

Forklift trucks are also used to lift drums, barrels and other such containers, typically holding chemicals, oil, lubricants, etc. Unprotected blades of a forklift used for handling these constitute a high risk of piercing or puncture. A puncture or piercing of such drums, barrels or containers would result in time lost due to the inconvenience of cleaning possible spill, as well as if containing hazardous materials, there is a risk for serious injury or loss of life.

Unprotected metal forklift blades may further create sparks when scraped against a surface, such as a concrete floor, a concrete pillar, or other such structure, wherein the spark may result in an explosion if it occurs in an environment where flammable fluids are stored. There is accordingly a need for a protection device for blades of a forklift that avoids damage, puncture or piercing of materials or products to be handled by a forklift.

There have been several attempts for providing such a protection device.

In US2008310946 A1 is described a blade cover for enclosing and padding the blade of a forklift truck having a toe extending from the forklift, and associated method for manufacture. The blade cover includes a sleeve shaped to substantially surround the toe. The sleeve defines an opening for receiving the distal end of the blade. A support structure is shaped to substantially register with the toe. The support structure is secured within the sleeve and is configured to support the sleeve in a substantially open configuration. https://geniegrips.eom/wp-content/upioads/2Q16/Q8/GenieGrips-Caps-Flyer-l.pdf describes a forklift blade protection in the form of caps arranged to accommodate the distal end of the blade. The cap is formed by a reinforced steel frame with rubber compound exhibiting a slot at one side to receive the distal end of the blade. The forklift blade protection is arranged to be attached to the distal end of the blade by means of attachment screws engaging the blade from sides thereof.

A similar solution to the latter is described in US2007116547 Al. In US2007116547 A1 is described a protective tip comprising a body that defines a recess for accommodating the end of the blade. The body is substantially U-shaped and comprises a bight portion defining a substantially planar front face and a rear, curved contact face, and a pair of arms that snugly receive the end of the blade. The ends of the arms project upwardly so as to define a clearance between the bottom of the blade and the bottom of the tip. This height difference ensures that it is the protective tip that wears down, and not the blade itself. The tip is secured to the blade by at least one pair of attachment screws, which extend through apertures defined in the arms of the tip.

From US5221176 A is known a forklift truck blade cover constructed of a resilient compressible material that encloses and pads the toe of the forward extending lift blade of an industrial type forklift truck. For securing the blade cover to the blade it is required the drilling of one or two holes in the blade for mounting bolts.

Further more or less similar solutions of cover blades can be found in e.g. DE 202013000518 U, US 2282201 A and US 2002/136627 Al.

In addition is in US2016200559 Al described a shield for protecting an inner curved portion of a single fork of a fork lift from damage during operation of the fork lift formed by a protective part at one side and an attachment part at the other side that may be connected to each other by attachment means.

From AU 2016266072 Al is known a safety sleeve for a forklift tine that is held in place to the forklift tine by means of magnets. A common disadvantage of the prior art solutions is that they suffer from low attachment force to the blade of the forklift or that they require through holes in the blade of the forklift to be properly attached thereto. A disadvantage with the use of through holes in the blade is that this will weaken the structure of a blade, and such through holes could be subject to the start of cracks in the blade. Another disadvantage with the use of through holes are that these will become filled with dirt when not in use resulting in that the mounting to these will be difficult. Further, the blade protection devices will also suffer from that through holes in a main surface thereof may results in cracks due to they will be a weak point in the construction. Further, by that the attachment means will be arranged in surfaces that are exposed to loads as well as the base the blades are moved along, resulting in that the attachment means may become damaged, both deteriorating the function thereof, as well as making them difficult to remove due to damage of contact surfaces thereof for tools.

Another disadvantage of using through holes in the blades and attachment means extending through the through holes are that the attachment means will be arranged perpendicularly to longitudinal direction of blade, and will thus be exposed to all impacts on the tip of the blade/blade cover and will deteriorate over time and possibly break.

The solution where the blade cover is attached to the blade by means of small fragile clamping forces from attachment screw, this will provide low resistance from getting loose from the forks.

Another disadvantage with most of the cited prior art publications is that they are formed in one piece, at least the exterior piece thereof, resulting in that the entire device will have to be exchanged if damaged or due to wear and tear.

The most of the cited prior art solutions, in addition to being formed in one piece, exhibits a U- shape, wherein the foremost point is the curve of the U-shape. By repeated impact of this point, there will be a considerable weakening of this point of the protection, that may result in cracks/damages that later will result in that the U-shape will be divided in two. Bodies formed as a U-shape will have an inherent tension that over time will deteriorate and thus weaken the U-shape, making it more exposed to damages/cracks at the sharpest point of the U-shape. Object

The main object of the present invention is to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift that partly or entirely solves the mentioned drawbacks of prior art solutions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift providing reduction of damage caused by forklifts on packaging, handling containers/pallets, core product, protect floors and walls, as well as help prevent personal injury.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift comprising a locking system for user-friendly attachment and detachment of the protection device to blades of the forklift.

An object of the present invention is to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift providing anti-slip protection.

There is an object of the present invention to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift providing antirust protection.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift adapted to be arranged to blades of a forklift without any modification or requirements of the blades.

An object of the present invention is to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift that ensures better service life than prior art solutions.

There is an object of the present invention to provide a protection device for blades of a forklift enabling exchange of parts without requiring shedding of the entire protection device, which is the case for the prior art solutions.

Further objects of the present invention will appear from the following description, claims and attached drawings.

The invention

A protection device for blades of a forklift according to the present invention is disclosed in claim 1. Preferable features of the protection device are disclosed in the remaining claims. A protection device according to the present invention is adapted for arrangement to a free end of a blade of a forklift. A forklift comprises at least one (cantilevered) blade adapted for supporting a load to be lifted by a lifting mechanism. The protection device according to the present invention is adapted for arrangement to free end of such a blade.

The protection device according to the present invention is adapted to receive and accommodate the free end of the blade. The protection device according to the present invention is formed by a first part and a second part detachably arranged to each other, wherein the protection device is attached to the blade by friction forces and clamping forces provided by the attachment of the first part and second part to each other.

The first part and second part are attached to upper and lower side of the free end of the blade, respectively, and attached to each other.

According to a first embodiment of protection device according to the present invention the first part is formed by a mainly U-shaped support body of metal, such as reinforced steel or similar materials, and a molded polymeric body, such as of rubber or similar materials with resistance to permanent deformation. According to the first embodiment, the mainly U-shaped support body is formed by a mainly rectangular bottom provided with an upwards protruding sidewall extending along longitudinal sides of the bottom and one of the transversal sides thereof. The molded polymeric body is enclosing the sidewall and upper surface of the bottom of the mainly U-shaped support body, as well as forming a housing with an opening facing open end of the mainly U-shaped body for receiving and accommodating distal end of the free end of the blade. Accordingly, the first part is provided with a longitudinal U-shaped recess, open at one end and closed at the other end, wherein a housing is provided over the closed end of the recess.

According to a first embodiment the second part it is adapted the first part and formed by a support body of metal, such as reinforced steel or similar materials, and a molded polymeric body, such as of rubber or similar materials with resistance to permanent deformation enclosing the support body, wherein the second part at attachment to the first part is adapted to close open part of the U-shape of the first part from the housing to the open end of the first part.

The second part is provided with a longitudinally extending mainly rectangular recess at the side facing the first part, such that when the first part and second part are arranged to each other an interior space is formed with adapted size and shape of the free end of the blade. Accordingly, if the lower side of the free end of the blade is planar, the recess is planer, and if the lower side of the free end is sloping towards the distal end of the free end, the recess is correspondingly sloping. According to the first embodiment the support body of the second part is formed by a mainly rectangular base extending with a first exterior circumference by an initial section from one end with a width corresponding to the total desired width of the protection device, which after the initial section, extends with a second exterior circumference that is smaller than the first exterior circumference.

The initial section of the base is further provided with upwards protruding sidewalls at distal ends thereof forming sidewalls extending in longitudinal direction of the mainly rectangular base, which sidewalls at upper end are provided with respective mainly rectangular longitudinally extending extensions extending in the horizontal plane of the upper end of the sidewalls in longitudinal direction of the second part.

Accordingly, the sidewall of the first part and sidewalls with longitudinally extending extensions of the second part form contact surfaces when the first and second part are attached to each other.

For attachment to each other the first part is provided with vertically extending threaded holes in the sidewall of the support body and the second part is provided with vertically extending through holes in the sidewalls with longitudinally extending extensions, wherein the threaded holes and through holes coincide at attachment of the first part and second part to each other, wherein the holes are adapted for insertion and fixation of attachment means, such as threaded attachment screws, locking the first part and second part to each other as well as the protection device to the free end of the blade of the forklift. Accordingly, providing a combined fastening and locking mechanism.

Accordingly, the protection device according to the present invention requires no modification of the blade of the forklift.

The protection device is attached to the free end of the blade of the forklift by the use of a combination of friction force, provided by the molded polymeric bodies at both upper and lower side of the blade, as well as clamping forces provided by the attachment of the first and second part to each other. By the present invention is accordingly provided friction forces and clamping forces over a large area, which provides a considerably higher retaining force than the use of small clamping forces which is the case with the prior art solutions. This means that the user does not risk losing the protection device under an object on the way out.

According to a further embodiment, the support bodies of the first and second part are preferably provided with round and smooth transitions toward the blade of the forklift to prevent it from fracturing. The molded polymeric body of the first part is further preferably provided with rounded exterior corners for the same reason. The mentioned transitions and the rounded exterior corners also reduce wear on the protection device without compromising the damping function desired on the front of the blades.

The protection device according to the present invention ensures improved service life compared to corresponding products. The ergonomics and the support bodies of metal and molded polymeric bodies provide the protection device with strong and soft surfaces that helps to reduce impact.

As the support bodies of metal of the first and second part provide a metal sliding surface on the top and bottom of the protection device, respectively, reduced friction/strain on a handled object is achieved when the blades of the forklift are moved over and under objects.

The molded polymeric bodies of the first and second part will provide friction forces that will prevent an object transported on the blades of the forklift from sliding of under transport.

Further, as the protection device is formed by two parts, that are detachably arranged to each other, the user can easily change one of the parts if damaged or worn, without shedding the entire protection device, as will be the case for prior art solutions.

Further, as the support bodies are enclosed by molded polymeric bodies, it will be the molded polymeric bodies that will have to be replaced, while the support bodies of metal may be reused by providing them with new molded polymeric bodies.

Accordingly, this will both save costs for the user, as well as reuse ensures that the environmental footprint is considerably reduced.

Accordingly, by the present invention it is provided a protection device that will create added value for users and society by reducing significant waste and recycling, as packaging will have longer service life (recycling and recycling of cardboard and plastic), as well as saving the environment for the use of hazardous substances when repairing floors and walls. Furthermore, the protection device according to the present invention will save companies for broken goods and packaging, such as cartons, carts/containers, pallets and plastic boxes. The protection device according to the present invention will directly help reduce the loss/or downgrade of quality of goods - which in turn will increase profitability for the companies.

Further preferable features and advantageous details of the present invention will appear from the following example description, claims and attached drawings. Example

The present invention will below be described in further detail with references to the attached drawings, where:

Fig. la-f are principle drawings of a protection device for blades of a forklift according to the present invention,

Fig. 2a-d are principle drawings of a first part of the protection device, and Fig. 3a-e are principle drawings of a second part of the protection device.

Reference is now made to Fig. la-f which are principle drawings of a protection device 10 for blades 100 of a forklift. The protection device 10 is formed by a first part 20 and second part 50 adapted for detachable arrangement to each other, which are arranged to accommodate free end 101 of a blade 100 of a forklift and fixed thereto when the two parts 20, 50 are assembled together. The first part 20 and second part 50 are attached to upper and lower side of the free end 101 of the blade 100, respectively, and attached to each other. In the shown embodiments and the further description the first part 20 is arranged to upper side of the blade 100 and the second part 50 is arranged to the lower side of the blade 100, but the first part 20 can also be arranged to the lower side and the second part can be arranged to the upper side of the blade 100.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2a-d which are principle drawings of the first part 20 of the protection device 10 according to the present invention, seen from the side, from above and from below, respectively. The first part 20 is formed by a support body 30 of metal, such as reinforced steel, and a molded polymeric body 40, such as of rubber with resistance to permanent deformation, joined together to form the first part 20.

The support body 30 is mainly U-shaped and is formed by a planar bottom 31 provided with an upwards protruding sidewall 32 extending along longitudinal sides of the bottom 31 and one of the ends thereof to form an upwards protruding U-shaped sidewall 32 with a desired height, wherein an opening 33 is provided at one end of the support body 30.

The U-shaped upwards protruding sidewall 32 and bottom 31 thus accordingly form an U-shaped inner space for receiving the free end 101 of a blade 100 of a forklift restricted by the inner circumference of the U-shaped upwards protruding sidewall 32 and bottom 31. The support body 30 extends with a first exterior circumference by an initial section 34 from the end with the opening 33 with a width corresponding to the total desired width of the protection device 10, which after the initial section 34, extends with a second exterior circumference that is smaller than the first exterior circumference.

The interior circumference of the U-shaped wall 32 is smaller than the exterior circumference of the sidewall 32, such that the sidewall 32 is exhibiting a desired width. The sidewall 32 is further at the longitudinal sides thereof provided with vertically extending threaded holes 35 that will be used for attachment of the first part 20 and second part 50 to each other, as will be further described below. The sidewall 32 will further in connection with the curved end of the U-shape preferably be provided with vertically extending and/or horizontally extending through holes 36 that will be used for attachment of the molded polymeric body 40 to the support body 30, as will be further described below.

The molded polymeric body 40 is preferably formed as one piece and casted to the support body 30 by the use of an adapted mold. The molded polymeric body 40 encloses the exterior sides of the sidewall 32, except for the section 34, as well as interior sides of the sidewall 32 and the bottom 31. The molded polymeric body 40 is further arranged to provide a housing 41 with a planar upper surface over at least the curved part of the U-shaped support body 30 such that an opening 42 is provided in longitudinal direction of the first part 20 limited by the housing 41 at upper side, limited by the molded polymeric body 40 interior of the sidewall 32 at sides thereof, and limited by the molded polymeric body 40 on the bottom 31 at lower side. The opening 42 will thus be adapted for receiving the free end 101 of the blade 100 of the forklift.

The molded polymeric body 40 will thus exteriorly fill out the longitudinal sides of the narrower part of the support body 30, such that an even surface is achieved both at longitudinally and transversally extending sides, such that the first part 20 exhibits a mainly rectangular shape when the support body 30 and molded polymeric body 40 are joined.

As mentioned above, the molded polymeric body 40 is preferably casted to the support body 30 by the use of an adapted mold, wherein the mentioned through holes 36 will ensure that when the molded polymeric body 40 is cured, it will also be attached to the support body 30. Similar horizontally extending through holes may also be arranged in the longitudinal sides of the sidewall 32 of the support body 30 if desired. It will further be preferable that the sides of the support body 30 that is to be joined with the molded polymeric body 40 is applied an adhesive to ensure proper attachment of the molded polymeric body 40 to the support body 30.

Reference is now made to Figures 3a-e which are principle drawings of the second part 50 of the protection device 10 according to the present invention. The second part 50 is formed by a support body 60 and a molded polymeric body 70 joined together to form the second part 50.

The support body 60 of the second part 50 is formed by a mainly rectangular base 61 extending with a first exterior circumference by an initial section 62 from one end with a width corresponding to the total desired width of the protection device 10, which after the initial section 62, extends with a second exterior circumference that is smaller than the first exterior circumference. The base 61 is in the shown embodiments provided with an upwards continuous sloped surface 63, shown in Fig. If, starting at end of the initial section 62 of the mainly rectangular base 61 and ending at the other end of the mainly rectangular base 61. The initial section 62 of the mainly rectangular base 61 is further at distal ends thereof ending in upwards protruding sidewalls 64 of desired height and width forming sidewalls 64 extending in longitudinal direction of the mainly rectangular base 61. The respective sidewall 64 is further provided with mainly rectangular longitudinally extending extensions 65 of limited height, extending in parallel in longitudinal direction of the second part 50 for forming contact surfaces along upper longitudinal sides of the second part 50 for contact with the upper surface of the sidewall 32 of the first part 30 at attachment of the first 20 and second 50 parts. The second part 50 is further provided with vertically extending through holes 66, preferably in both the sidewalls 64 and the longitudinally extending extensions 65, which through holes 66 at attachment of the second part 50 to the first part 20 coincide with the threaded holes 35 of the first part 20 for arrangement of attachment means, which will be described further below.

In connection with the vertically extending through holes 66 in the longitudinally extending extensions 65 there are preferably arranged sockets 67 extending the through holes 66 in the vertical direction to the lower side of the second part 50. The sockets 67 may be prearranged or preformed to the longitudinally extending extensions 65 prior to casting or arranged in connection with the casting of the molded polymeric body 70 to the support body 60.

The lower side of the mainly rectangular base 61 of the support body 60 extends in the shown embodiment, with a stepped lower surface, wherein the lower surface of the base 61 extends in a first horizontal plane in the initial section 62 and extends in a second parallel horizontal plane in the remaining length of the base 61, wherein the second horizontal plane is displace in the vertical direction in relation to the first horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. If.

The molded polymeric body 70 is preferably formed as one piece and casted to the support body 60 by the use of an adapted mold. The molded polymeric body 70 encloses the exterior sides of the support body 60, except for the initial section 62 with the sidewalls 64. The molded polymeric body 70 further encloses the upper side of the base 61 forming an upper sloped surface 71, encloses interior sides of the sidewalls 64 of the support body 60, as well as forms sidewalls 72 extending between the upper surface 71 and the respective longitudinally extending extensions 65, such that continuous interior sidewalls 72 with decreasing height is formed.

The second part 50 is accordingly provided with an interior recess, defined by the sloped surface 71 and sidewalls 72 with an opening 73 at one end thereof, adapted for receiving a sloped free end 101 of a blade 100 of a forklift.

If the blade 100 of the forklift is mainly rectangular, the base 61 will exhibit a straight/planar upper and lower surface, whereupon the molded polymeric body 70 will form a mainly rectangular recess at upper side with continuous straight sidewalls 72 of a desired height.

As for the first part 20, it will further be preferable that the sides of the support body 60 that is to be joined with the molded polymeric body 70 is applied an adhesive to ensure proper attachment of the molded polymeric body 70 to the support body 60. In addition, the base 61 may be provided with through holes to ensure proper attachment of the molded polymeric body 70 to the support body 60.

The second part 50 has an extension in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the length of the first part 20 from the open end to the housing 41, has an extension in the transversal direction corresponding to the length of the first part 20 in transversal direction and a height in vertical direction corresponding to the height of the housing 41 above the sidewalls 32.

Reference is now again made to Figures la-f. By the present invention is accordingly provided a protection device 10 formed by a first part 20 and a second part 50 that can be assembled to enclose and accommodate the free end 101 of the blade 100 of a forklift. The first 20 and second 50 part are provided with corresponding attachment means for attaching the first 20 and second 50 part to each other as well as to the free end 101 of the blade 101. The attachment means are formed by the above-mentioned vertically extending threaded holes 35 in the first part 20, the vertically extending through holes 66 of the second part 50 and attachment screws 80 adapted to be inserted into the through holes 66 of the second part 50 and extending through the through holes 66 and into the threaded holes 35 of the first part 20. The mentioned sockets 67 will contribute to structural support in the second part 50 when tension is applied to the attachment screws 80.

When the protection device 10 is to be arranged to the free end 101 of a blade 100 of a forklift, the first 20 and second part 50 are preferably loosely arranged to each other by the attachment screws 80, i.e. that they are not screwed entirely into the holes, as shown in Figure la. The protection device 10 can now be thread onto the free end 101 of the blade 100, until the free end 101 is received in the housing 41. By tightening the attachment screws 80, the protection device 10 will be securely attached to the blade 101. The attachment screws 80 and corresponding holes 35 and 66 are thus forming both a locking mechanism and attachment mechanism.

By tightening the attachment screws 80, the molded polymeric surface of the first 20 and second 50 parts in contact with the blade 100 will provide friction forces as well as a clamping force from both sides of the blade, which will secure the protection device 10 to the blade 100 and preventing it from being pulled off. Accordingly, the protection device 10 will be attached to the blade 101 by clamping forces and friction forces distributed over a large surface area provided by the contact surfaces of the first 20 and second 50 parts. Accordingly, by the present invention there is no risk of the protection device 10 falling off when in use. Principal trials made by the applicant show that with relatively low load on the attachment screws 80 it will withstand tensile strength of 2 tons. Accordingly, by the present invention it is provided a protection device 10 that the user does not risk losing under an object on the way out.

As the free end of the blade 100 will be protected in the molded polymeric body 40 there is no danger of piercing or puncturing of objects. Further, as the free end 101 of the blade 100 will be arranged in a support body 30 covered by the molded polymeric body 40, this will prevent that the free end 101 of the blade 100 will penetrate the molded polymeric body 40 at impacts.

It will further be preferable that the support bodies 30, 60 of the first 20 and second 50 part, respectively, are provided with round and smooth transitions 37a-b (as shown in Fig. 2b) and 68a-b (as shown in Fig. 3b), respectively, toward the blade 100 of the forklift to prevent it from fracturing. The molded polymeric body 40 of the first part 20 is further preferably provided with rounded exterior corners 43 (as shown in Fig. 2b) for the same reason. The same transitions 37a-b and 68a- b, respectively, and the rounded exterior corners 43 also reduce wear on the protection device 10 without compromising the damping function desired on the front of the blades.

These transitions/rounded corners 37a-b, 68a-b, 43 also reduces the risk of the protection device 10 and accordingly the blade 100 getting stuck to objects handled or irregularities in surfaces in connection with handling of objects.

The protection device 10 according to the present invention ensures improved service life compared to corresponding prior art solutions. The ergonomics and the support bodies and molded polymeric bodies provide the protection device 10 with a strong and soft surface that helps to reduce impact.

As the support bodies of the first and second parts provide a metal sliding surface on the top and bottom of the protection device 10, respectively, reduced friction/strain on a handled object is achieved on the handled object when the blades 100 of the forklift are moved over and under objects.

The molded polymeric bodies of the first and second part will provide friction forces that will prevent an object transported on the blades 100 of the forklift from sliding of under transport.

Further, as the protection device 10 according to the present invention is formed by two parts, that are detachably arranged to each other, the user can easily change one of the parts if damaged or worn, without shedding the entire protection device 10, as will be the case for prior art solutions.

Further, as the support bodies are enclosed by molded polymeric bodies, it will be the molded polymeric bodies that will have to be replaced, while the support bodies may be reused by providing them with new molded polymeric bodies.

Accordingly, this will both save costs for the user, as well as reuse ensures that the environmental footprint is considerably reduced.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention the molded polymeric bodies are provided with integrated illumination means (not shown), such as reflex pigments, providing safety at night driving, as they will be easily visible in the dark, something that will prevent personal injury.

According to a modified embodiment of the protection device according to the present the support body of the first part may be provided with a friction increasing coating in cases where increased safety of preventing a load from falling of the blades of the forklift is required. According to a further embodiment, the molded polymeric bodies of the first and second part may be provided with friction increasing coating at contact surfaces with the blade to ensure increased friction forces against the blade.

The above-described embodiments may be combined to form new embodiments within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

Claims

1. Protection device (10) for a free end (101) of a blade (100) of a forklift, wherein the protection device (10) is adapted to receive and accommodate the free end (101) of the blade (100), characterized in that the protection device (10) is formed by a first part (20) and a second part (50) detachably arranged to each other, wherein the protection device (10) is attached to the blade (100) by friction forces and clamping forces provided by the attachment of the first part (20) and second part (50) to each other by means of corresponding attachment means (35, 66, 80) in the first part (20) and second part (50), respectively.

2. Protection device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first part (20) is formed by a mainly U-shaped support body (30) and a molded polymeric body (40), wherein the mainly U- shaped support body (30) is formed by a mainly rectangular bottom (31) provided with an upwards protruding sidewall (32) extending along longitudinal sides of the bottom (31) and one of the transversal sides thereof, wherein the molded polymeric body (40) is enclosing the sidewall (32) and upper surface of the bottom (31) of the mainly U-shaped support body (30), as well as forming a housing (41) with an opening (42) facing open end of the mainly U-shaped body (30) for receiving and accommodating distal end of the free end (101) of the blade (100).

3. Protection device (10) according to claims 1-2, characterized in that the second part (50) is adapted the first part (20) and formed by a support body (60) and a molded polymeric body (70) enclosing the support body (60), wherein the second part (50) at attachment to the first part (20) is adapted to close open part of the U-shape of the first part (20) from the housing (41) to the open end of the first part (20).

4. Protection device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second part (50) is provided with a longitudinally extending mainly rectangular recess (71) at the side facing the first part (20), so that when the first part (20) and second part (50) are arranged to each other an interior space is formed with adapted size and shape of the free end (101) of the blade (100).

5. Protection device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the support body (60) of the second part (50) is formed by a mainly rectangular base (61) extending in longitudinal direction with a first exterior circumference by an initial section (62) from one end, and extending in longitudinal direction after the initial section with a second exterior circumference that is smaller than the first exterior circumference.

6. Protection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the initial section (62) of the base (61) is provided with sidewalls (64) at distal ends thereof, which sidewalls (64) are provided with respective mainly rectangular longitudinally extending extensions (65) extending in the horizontal plane of the upper end of the sidewalls (64) in longitudinal direction of the second part (50).

7. Protection device according to claims 2 and 6, characterized in that the first part (20) is provided with vertically extending threaded holes (35) in the sidewall (32) of the support body (30) and that the second part (50) is provided with vertically extending through holes (66) in the sidewalls (64) with longitudinally extending extensions (65), wherein the threaded holes (35) and through holes (66) coincide at attachment of the first part (20) and second part (50) to each other, wherein the holes (35, 66) are adapted for insertion and fixation of attachment screws (80) locking the first part (20) and second part (50) to each other as well as fastening the protection device (10) to the free end (101) of the blade (100).

8. Protection deice according to claim 4, characterized in that the recess (71) is a planar or a sloped recess extending upwards with an angle from the initial section (62).