Patents Assigned to The Raymond Corporation
  • Material handling vehicle with ergonomic dual control handle system
    Patent number: 7658259
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle includes first and second control handles positioned at opposing ends of an operator compartment. The first control handle is positioned adjacent the forks for driving the vehicle in a fore or forks first direction, and the second control handle is positioned adjacent the back of the vehicle for driving the vehicle in the aft or forks trailing direction. The aft control handle is provided in a twist grip style, which can be gripped easily by an operator facing the aft of the material handling vehicle. The control handles provide stability for the operator and an intuitive operator interface irrespective of direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory W. Smiley, Robert J. Lewis, Kurt R. Werner, H. Scott Ryan
  • Reclining seat for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: 7654602
    Abstract: A reclining seat for use in a material handling vehicle includes a seat back that is pivotally coupled to a wall of the operator compartment and to a seat pad. The seat pad is moveable toward a center of the operator compartment to provide the capability to recline, and is typically maintained in the upright position by a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory W. Smiley, Robert Lewis
  • Material handling vehicle with ergonomic dual control handle system
    Patent number: 7428943
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle includes first and second control handles positioned at opposing ends of an operator compartment. The first control handle is positioned adjacent the forks for driving the vehicle in a fore or forks first direction, and the second control handle is positioned adjacent the back of the vehicle for driving the vehicle in the aft or forks trailing direction. The aft control handle is provided in a twist grip style, which can be gripped easily by an operator facing the aft of the material handling vehicle. The control handles provide stability for the operator and an intuitive operator interface irrespective of direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory W. Smiley, Robert J. Lewis, Kurt R. Werner, H. Scott Ryan
  • Mast construction for a lift truck
    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
  • Pallet truck tiller arm with angular speed mode adjustment and acceleration control
    Patent number: 7353099
    Abstract: A motorized pallet truck includes an angular indicator on the steering arm mechanism providing an internal controller with an angular position of the steering arm or tiller. The controller applies a brake when the tiller is in either of a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal position, limits the speed of the truck for a predetermined rotational movement from the vertical position, and allows full speed of the vehicle when the tiller arm is pulled into a predefined fast driving arc. The controller further limits the rate of acceleration of the truck when the truck is transitioned between a slow and a fast mode of operation to prevent rapid acceleration in the speed of the truck during the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Philip Lindsay, Alan W. Bartels
  • Photoelectric operator position detector
    Patent number: 7259662
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reinforcing the training received by an operator of a material handling vehicle to maintain the operator's feet and legs in the operator compartment includes a first and second photoelectric beam extending across the entry to the compartment. When a deadman brake is released and the vehicle is commanded to move or is actually moving, the detectors sense the presence of objects extending through the entry. When objects are sensed, a vehicle brake can be applied, a visual or audio sensor can be activated, or the detected fault can be stored in memory. The faults can be used by a supervisor to calculate an operator rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Lewis
  • Mast staging hydraulic circuit
    Patent number: 7240771
    Abstract: A multistage mast assembly for use on a lift truck and method of operation for staging first and second mast sections of the multistage mast assembly. Each mast section has a retracted position and an extended position. The apparatus includes a mast staging hydraulic circuit which diverts hydraulic fluid from the second mast section actuator to the first mast section actuator using a multi-position valve having an open position and a restricted flow position. In the restricted flow position, hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic line supplying the second mast section increases to divert hydraulic fluid to the first mast section actuator before the second mast section reaches its extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventor: Gerard T. Perkins
  • Fork height adjustment mechanism
    Patent number: 7191872
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle including a truck body and a fork assembly adjacent the truck body. A link arm extending between the truck body and the fork assembly has a proximal end and a distal end. A first pivot pin is fixed to the body and pivotally links the proximal end of the link arm to the body. A second pivot pin is fixed to the fork assembly and pivotally links the distal end of the link arm to the fork assembly. At least one of the first and second pivot pins includes an eccentric body interposed between ends. The eccentric body defines a first axis, and the ends define a second axis, wherein the link arm pivots about the first axis and rotation of the pivot pin about the second axis moves the first axis relative to the truck body to change the position of the fork assembly relative to the truck body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan K. Gramatikov, William H. Hoff
  • Mast construction for a lift truck
    Patent number: 7096999
    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 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Lewis, John A. West
  • Material handling vehicle with dual control handles
    Patent number: 7051832
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle includes first and second control handles positioned at opposing ends of an operator compartment. The first control handle is positioned adjacent the forks for driving the vehicle in a fore or forks first direction, and the second control handle is positioned adjacent the back of the vehicle for driving the vehicle in the aft or forks trailing direction. The control handles provide stability for the operator and an intuitive operator interface irrespective of direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Lewis, Richard M. Day, Kurt R. Werner, H. Scott Ryan
  • Tiller-steered industrial truck
    Patent number: 7040427
    Abstract: An industrial truck having a steering assembly used to steer the industrial truck about a steering axis when a pivotally attached tiller is swung around the truck by an operator. The steering axis is tilted towards the forks of the truck an angle between 2 and 5 degrees from vertical. By tilting the pivot axis, the distal end of the tiller is tilted toward the forks of the truck when rotated to a fully turned position. This improves the maneuverability of the truck near obstacles and allows longer tillers and larger/more comfortable handles to be used without increasing interference with obstacles near the back of the truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Toomey
  • Pallet truck tiller arm with angle detector for speed select
    Patent number: 7025157
    Abstract: A motorized pallet truck includes an angular indicator on the steering arm mechanism providing an internal controller with an angular position of the steering arm or tiller. The controller applies a brake when the tiller is in either of a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal position, limits the speed of the truck for a predetermined rotational movement from the vertical position, and allows full speed of the vehicle when the tiller arm is pulled into a predefined fast driving arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Philip Lindsay, Verle W. Dau, Alan W. Bartels
  • Control system for material handling vehicle with dual control handles
    Patent number: 6971470
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle includes first and second control handles positioned at opposing ends of an operator compartment. The control system receives inputs from each of the first and second control handles and determines an appropriate travel direction and speed based on those inputs. In a normal mode, one of the handles is in the neutral state, and the input of the second handle is therefore used to direct motion of the truck. In a conflict state, each of the first and second control handles is providing a non-neutral travel request, and the control system determines an appropriate travel direction and speed based on a most conservative choice algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin McGoldrick
  • Top cover for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: D515769
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: H. Scott Ryan, Douglas M. Russell, David L. Fergot, Kurt R. Werner, Gregory W. Smiley
  • Control handle for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: D515770
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: H. Scott Ryan, Gregory W. Smiley
  • Control handle for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: D519706
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Witt, William H. Hoff
  • Display panel for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: D537374
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory W. Smiley
  • Front cover for a material handling vehicle
    Patent number: D538503
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: H. Scott Ryan, Douglas M. Russell, David L. Fergot, Gregory W. Smiley
  • Vehicle seat
    Patent number: D598223
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Confer, Gregory W. Gregory W., Douglas M. Russell
  • Tiller arm
    Patent number: D600425
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory W. Smiley, Gary B. Swetish