Specific Vertical Guide Patents (Class 187/230)
  • Publication number: 20150075913
    Abstract: An upright for a lift truck includes a first group of mast sections in a first stagger arrangement where a first mast section of the first group of mast sections is fixed to the lift truck. The upright further includes a second group of mast sections in a second stagger arrangement that is reverse nested inside the first stagger arrangement. Further, the upright includes a drive system for telescopingly extending and retracting the second mast sections relative to the first mast section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Clark C. Simpson
  • Patent number: 8833523
    Abstract: An upright for a lift truck includes a first group of mast sections in a first stagger arrangement where a first mast section of the first group of mast sections is fixed to the lift truck. The upright further includes a second group of mast sections in a second stagger arrangement that is reverse nested inside the first stagger arrangement. Further, the upright includes a drive system for telescopingly extending and retracting the second mast sections relative to the first mast section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Clark Material Handling Company
    Inventor: Clark C. Simpson
  • Patent number: 8794386
    Abstract: A forklift apparatus includes a base that moves in a generally horizontal direction. The base carries a mast that includes a lower section and an upper section. The upper section pivots relative to the lower section between a first storage orientation and a second operating orientation. In the second operating orientation, the upper section forms an upward continuation of the lower section. The mast carries a lifting structure that can selectively engage an object. A drive structure moves the lifting structure in a generally vertical direction when the upper section is in the second operating orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Cardinal Gibbons High School
    Inventors: Ariana Keeling, Marc Celestini, Sean Lanier, Stefano Fenu, Sarah Dyer
  • Patent number: 8777545
    Abstract: A multi-lift mast for a forklift has hydraulic circuitry that provides free lift and negative lift capabilities for the forklift. The mast comprises a stationary member, at least one extensible member slideable on the stationary member and a carriage slideable on an extensible member. The extensible mast members are raised and lowered by double acting hydraulic actuators extending between the stationary member and an extensible member. The carriage is raised and lowered by a positively connected double acting carriage hydraulic actuator extending between an extensible mast and the carriage. The circuitry employs identical pairs of counterbalance valves controlling the supply and exit of hydraulic fluid for the bore and rod ends of the actuators, set to cause the carriage to fully extend before the extensible mast members extend, providing free lift, and set to cause the extensible mast members to fully lower before the carriage lowers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Bright Coop, Inc.
    Inventor: Francois Roux
  • Patent number: 8714311
    Abstract: A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising a vehicle power unit having a longitudinal centerline, a monomast coupled to the vehicle power unit and having a centerline offset from and generally parallel with the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle power unit, and a fork carriage apparatus movably coupled to the monomast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Billger, Robert L. Eilerman, Kevin A. Gilliland, Eric J. Hanson, William J. Heidemann, Robert J. Henshaw, Jay L. Kuck, Jay G. Pollack, Craig J. Rekow, Adam M. Ruppert, Lucas B. Waltz
  • Publication number: 20130146396
    Abstract: A mast assembly for a forklift truck includes a plurality of guide units. At least one of the guide units includes a sliding pad member made of a plastic material and having a block-shaped body, which is hollow, is open at its base side, and has a rectangular ring-shaped cross section. The sliding pad member has a rectangular, plain, front wall provided at the side of the block-shaped body opposite to the base side thereof. The front wall has a sliding contact surface. Reinforcement ribs are formed on the inner surface of the front wall. Grooves are formed in the sliding contact surface, extending along the respective ones of the reinforcement ribs and helping avoid formation of shrinkage depressions in the sliding contact surface. The block-shaped body includes first and second pairs of opposing side walls. Tabs are formed on the first pair of opposing side walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: OILES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Miwa, Shinya Nishimura, Nobuyuki Inomata
  • Patent number: 8434598
    Abstract: A carpet pole carriage assembly for a lift truck includes a carriage having a front plate and a back plate. The front plate includes a carpet pole receiving opening. A carpet pole retainer is carried on the carriage. A carpet pole retainer includes a first section secured to the front plate about the carpet pole receiving opening and a second section secured to the back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Clark Material Handling Company
    Inventor: Clark C. Simpson
  • Patent number: 8424649
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for lift chain rollers in a multiple lift mast for high-lift fork trucks which mast has a fixed mast, a middle mast, and an inner telescoping mast, each of which has two parallel-distanced mast profiles, wherein at an upper end of each the mast profiles of the middle mast, a lift chain roller is mounted for each of at least one lift chain for lifting the inner mast, wherein the lift chain roller is disposed in front of the inner mast crosswise to a web of the middle mast profile, wherein a separate bearing component for the lift chain roller is placed onto the mast profile or onto a cross-beam joining the tops of the mast profiles from top, and welded thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Piotr Mehloch, Bernhard Meussen, Walter Rahlmann
  • Patent number: 8265836
    Abstract: A load weight measuring device for a multi-stage mast forklift truck has a mast assembly, an oil passage, a flow regulator valve, a pressure sensor, a detecting device, a memory, a selector, and a calculator. The mast assembly has a lift bracket for receiving a load weight, a multi-stage mast unit having masts, and a multi-stage lift cylinder unit having lift cylinders each having an oil chamber for raising the lift bracket along the masts. Hydraulic oil flows in the oil passage. The pressure sensor detects a pressure of hydraulic oil and outputs a pressure signal. The detecting device detects a state which stage of the lift cylinder raises the lift bracket and outputs a detection signal. The memory stores predetermined parameters from which the selector selects the parameter based on the detection signal. The calculator calculates the load weight based on the selected parameter and the pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Tadashi Yamada, Toshinari Fukatsu, Hidenori Oka, Kunio Maki, Shigenori Iwase
  • Patent number: 8256578
    Abstract: An industrial truck has a vehicle frame (1), a lifting framework (4) attached to the vehicle frame (1) and two wheel arms which extend in the horizontal direction. The wheel arm is connected to the vehicle frame (1) and at the free end of which at least one running wheel (3) is arranged. Each wheel arm has a first longitudinal structural part (2) which is a component of the vehicle frame (1) and has a second longitudinal structural part (5) which is a component of the lifting framework (4). The running wheel (3) is arranged on the first longitudinal structural part (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Linde Material Handling GmbH
    Inventors: Paul John Eckersley, Barry Michael Warner
  • Patent number: 7984793
    Abstract: A mast includes a base section, an outer telescopic section and an inner telescopic section which are raised and lowered by a pair of main lift cylinders. A fork carriage is slidably mounted to the inner telescopic section and is raised and lowered thereon by a pair of free lift cylinders. The mast elements are arranged to form two mast columns which produce minimum obstruction to the truck operator's field of view when looking forward through the mast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Lewis, John A. West
  • Patent number: 7815017
    Abstract: A lifting station for vertically moving an object, in particular a vehicle body, in a surface treatment installation includes a fixed support structure and a vertically movable lifting cradle which is supported on the support structure and on which at least one conveying device is arranged. Energy for actuating the conveying device can be stored in an energy accumulator arranged on the lifting cradle. In this way, a trailing cable which supplies the conveying device with energy in different lifting positions is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Eisenmann Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Joerg Robbin, Juergen Hanf
  • Publication number: 20100181147
    Abstract: An upright for a lift truck includes a first group of mast sections in a first stagger arrangement where a first mast section of the first group of mast sections is fixed to the lift truck. The upright further includes a second group of mast sections in a second stagger arrangement that is reverse nested inside the first stagger arrangement. Further, the upright includes a drive system for telescopingly extending and retracting the second mast sections relative to the first mast section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventor: Clark C. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20100181148
    Abstract: A carpet pole carriage assembly for a lift truck includes a carriage having a front plate and a back plate. The front plate includes a carpet pole receiving opening. A carpet pole retainer is carried on the carriage. A carpet pole retainer includes a first section secured to the front plate about the carpet pole receiving opening and a second section secured to the back plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventor: Clark C. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20090041564
    Abstract: The powered hand truck has a chassis supported at one end by a single axle with two independently operable drive wheels. A prime mover is provided generally medially on the chassis, driving the drive wheels and powering the forklift mechanism. An operator console extends from the end of the chassis opposite the wheels, with an operator platform extending beyond the base of the operator console. The forklift mechanism has a pantograph arrangement supported by a pivotally mounted column. The forklift mast remains parallel to the column at all times and includes a manually actuated upper extension. A storage rack and dolly may be installed upon a suitable transport vehicle for transporting the powered hand truck. The hand truck forks engage the storage rack dolly, with the dolly translating along the rack to allow the truck to be deployed from, or loaded onto, the transport vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Steven Borntrager, James Borntrager
  • Patent number: 7398859
    Abstract: A mast includes a base section, an outer telescopic section and an inner telescopic section which are raised and lowered by a pair of main lift cylinders. A fork carriage is slidably mounted to the inner telescopic section and is raised and lowered thereon by a pair of free lift cylinders. The mast elements are arranged to form two mast columns which produce minimum obstruction to the truck operator's field of view when looking forward through the mast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Lewis, John A. West
  • Patent number: 7195105
    Abstract: A lift truck includes a guide member secured to a mast of the lift truck and a guided member secured to a carriage vertically movable along the mast. The guided member engages with the guide member to resist twisting moments acting on the carriage and enable the carriage to move smoothly along the mast. A clamping apparatus for use with the lift truck is engageable with the forks of the lift truck so that the weight of the clamping apparatus can be supported by the forks. A bracket mounted on the lift truck can be detachably connected to the clamping apparatus to prevent movement of the clamping apparatus in the fore-and-aft direction of the lift truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Tygard Machine & Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Edward Tygard
  • Patent number: 7188709
    Abstract: An extractable mast structure for a fork-lift truck, including an outer mast fixed to the carriage, the spaced columns being interconnected via upper and lower traverses, an extractable inner mast guided by said outer mast on which a load-carrying means is guided to be movable up and down and the columns of which are interconnected via upper or lower traverses or a cross-beam, one mast lift cylinder for each column of said inner mast supported on said outer mast, piston rods of which are adapted to be connected to said cross-beam, and setting means between said piston rods and cross-beam for an equalization of the lift, wherein a male-threaded setting component is attached to the upper end of said piston rod of one of said two mast lift cylinders and a female-threaded bushing is screwed onto the male thread of said setting component and has supporting surfaces for said cross-beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alexander Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7121384
    Abstract: A two- or multi-stage mast-hydraulic cylinder construction (4, 5) for a truck mast, and method for manufacturing the intergrated structer (4, 5), are discloused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Rocla Oyj
    Inventor: Janne Polvilampi
  • Publication number: 20040251085
    Abstract: A mast assembly for a forklift truck includes an outer mast, an inner mast and a lift bracket. The outer mast includes a pair of substantially vertical outer mast rails and a substantially horizontal first outer mast beam. The first outer mast beam is connected to the outer mast rails by means of bolt connection. The inner mast vertically movably connected to the outer mast via mast rollers and includes a pair of substantially vertical inner mast rails and a substantially horizontal inner mast beam. The inner mast beam is connected to the inner mast rails by means of bolt connection. The lift bracket is connected to the inner mast via lift rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Yasushi Kuwano
  • Publication number: 20030230456
    Abstract: Arrangement at truck mast constituted by three mutually telescopically moveable parts (1, 2, 3), which each include three vertical beams (4, 5, 6) placed in the corners of a triable. Between the middle mast part (2) and the fixed lowest mast part (3) a balance cylinder (11) is arranged in the central beam (5) of the next to the lowest mast part (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Per Gyllenhammar, Mikael Jakauby
  • Publication number: 20030089555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a two- or multi-stage mast-hydraulic cylinder construction (4, 5) for a truck mast. The fixed mast assembly has its substantially vertical beams (4, 5) and its cylinder liners (29) provide an integrated structure (4, 5), wherein the cylinder liners (29) are constituted by channels integrated inside the beams (4, 5), said integrated structures having their centre of mass at the centre of the cylinder liner (29) or in the immediate vicinity thereof, that the integrated structure (4, 5) is capable of being manufactured by hot extrusion or cold drawing, and that the integrated structure (4, 5) is provided with one flange (13), one side of which comprises a bearing surface (16) and the opposite side comprises a support surface (17), said surfaces (16, 17) lying in a plane transverse to the operating direction of a truck, and with at least one second flange (19) for locating the centre of mass at the centre of the cylinder liner (29) or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: Rocla Oyj
    Inventor: Janne Polvilampi
  • Publication number: 20030057027
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention includes rail and carriage assembly combination that provides improved efficient operation. A rail is provided that has an inside surface that includes a straight back surface and an angled front surface. A carriage assembly is provided that includes upper rollers that are canted. Preferably the upper rollers are canted to match the angle of the angled front surface of the rail when a load is applied to the carriage assembly. As to fore/aft loads, the present invention provides a rail and carriage assembly design that causes the upper rollers of the carriage assembly to contact the front inside surface of the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Stan J. Simpson, Mark James Dodd
  • Patent number: 6505710
    Abstract: A triple mast type, slide type full free lift mast comprises a mast combination composed of an inner mast member, a middle mast member and an outer mast member, a combination of a free lift cylinder and a lift cylinder provided for the mast combination, and a chain for driving the inner mast member, the chain intervening between the inner mast member and the middle mast member. The inner mast member is higher in top level than the middle and outer mast members, as a lift bracket is held in a lowest position, and a chain wheel for the chain to be applied thereover is provided at an upper end part of the middle mast member, residing between a top level of the inner mast member and a top level of the middle mast member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiichi Kato
  • Publication number: 20020100644
    Abstract: A mast section for use in a personnel lift has an interior curved section, a first opposing exterior curved section, and a second opposing exterior curved section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventor: Matthew D. Stringer
  • Patent number: 6095286
    Abstract: A personnel lift (20) having adjustable side-to-side shim assemblies (38a-d) used in conjunction with a series of slide blocks (39, 40) in the mast of the personnel lift. The mast of the personnel lift includes a number of nested columns (24a-e) that extend to lift a person and an aerial work platform (22) to a desired height. The shim assemblies (38a-d) and slide blocks (39, 40) are used to maintain the nested columns (24a-e) in proper alignment, and the shim assemblies (38a-d) are adjustable to account for wear. The adjustable features of the shim assemblies (38a-d) are accessible when the columns are fully assembled, which allows the shim assemblies (38a-d) to be adjusted without requiring that the mast be disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Genie Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Citron, Ronald A. Teter, John Busuttil, Matthew G. Kraemer, Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 5850892
    Abstract: A personnel lift (20) having adjustable side-to-side shim assemblies (38a-d) used in conjunction with a series of slide blocks (39, 40) in the mast of the personnel lift. The mast of the personnel lift includes a number of nested columns (24a-e) that extend to lift a person and an aerial work platform (22) to a desired height. The shim assemblies (38a-d) and slide blocks (39, 40) are used to maintain the nested columns (24a-e) in proper alignment, and the shim assemblies (38a-d) are adjustable to account for wear. The adjustable features of the shim assemblies (38a-d) are accessible when the columns are fully assembled, which allows the shim assemblies (38a-d) to be adjusted without requiring that the mast be disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Genie Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Citron, Ronald A. Teter, John Busuttil, Matthew G. Kraemer, Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 5839851
    Abstract: A lift is provided for a personal watercraft and includes two relatively elongated channel members each of a generally C-shaped transverse cross-section. A carriage carrying a platform upon which the personal watercraft can be supported is mounted for sliding movement between the elongated channel members through a cable, winch, reversible electric drive motor and associated gears and pulleys. When the carriage is located within the upper channel member, the latter, the platform and the personal watercraft can be swung about a vertical axes to rotate the personal watercraft between two different positions 180.degree. removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Norfolk Fabrication, Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn P. Norfolk, David Charles Peterson, Jr., Ronald Price Ranere, Russell V. Welton, Martin Johnson, John David Augustine