Abstract: A load-handling parallel arm clamp structure for a lift truck comprises a slide guide frame having respective upper and lower pairs of elongate, parallel, vertically-spaced transverse slide guides with load-arm supporting slide members longitudinally movable thereon alternatively toward or away from one another in a mutually overlapping longitudinal relationship. Each slide member at least partially surrounds the respective slide guide upon which it is mounted, and each slide guide in turn at least partially surrounds a respective piston and cylinder assembly for moving the slides relative to the guides. The upper and lower pairs of guides are separated by a wide, unobstructed central vertical space through which the operator can view in a forward direction, such space being unoccupied by any view-impeding piston and cylinder assemblies due to their placement inside the guides.

Abstract: A fork positioner is mounted on a side-shifting carriage of a forklift truck and has transversely-movable, powered yoke assemblies for detachably engaging the upstanding portions of the forks and selectively moving them transversely toward and away from each other while they are supported by the upwardly-facing surface of the fork-supporting member of the side-shifting carriage. The fork positioner has a frame connected to the outwardly-facing, opposed transverse ends of the carriage fork-supporting member in rearwardly-overlapping relation thereto, so that neither the frame nor the fork-engagement structure of the fork positioner protrudes forwardly beyond the forward extremities of the upstanding portions of the forks, thereby minimizing the forward protrusion of the fork positioner beyond the front axle of a counterbalanced lift truck and thus maximizing its load-carrying capacity.

Abstract: A load clamp has two selectively openable and closable opposing clamping assemblies, one of which comprises at least a pair of clamp arms movable separately from each other toward and away from the other clamping assembly. Separate actuators for the respective clamp arms are controlled automatically in such a way that, during closure, the respective movements are simultaneous until such time as one of the arms attains a predetermined clamping force, at which time an override system permits their respective movements to become non-simultaneous to enable further closure of the other clamp arm. Corresponding actuator regulation occurs during opening of the clamp arms, the override function being triggered by full opening of one of the clamp arms.

Abstract: A lift truck rotatable paper roll handling clamp of the pivoted arm type for clamping paper rolls of varying diameters and shifting the position of the roll relative to the lift truck between a position of unequal extension, wherein the forward end of one clamp arm extends a greater distance forwardly than the forward end of the other clamp arm, and a position of equal extension wherein the forward ends of the clamp arms extend a substantially equal distance forwardly of the lift truck. The clamp has a rotatable frame upon which a subframe is mounted by a first pivotal connection for selective tilting of the subframe relative to the rotatable frame. Mounted upon the subframe are a pair of clamp arms, each being pivotally connected to the subframe at spaced pivotal connections located on either side of the first pivotal connection. One clamp arm is longer than the other, and pivots with respect to the subframe through a greater maximum angle than does the other arm.

Abstract: A lift truck load clamp, for handling cylindrical loads such as paper rolls, having an automatically adjustable load positioner extending between the clamp arms which moves forwardly in response to closure of the clamp arms and rearwardly in response to opening thereof to assist the lift truck operator in positioning the clamp arms with respect to rolls of different diameters such that the contact pads of the clamp arms automatically grip such differently-sized rolls in diametrically-opposed relation. The load positioner is particularly adapted for use with clamps wherein both clamp arms are movable with respect to a clamp frame, because each end of the positioner is separately movable forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the frame in response to movement of the respective adjacent clamp arm.