MATERIAL-HANDLING VEHICLE

• US 3,599,814 A
• Filed: 06/17/1969
• Issued: 08/17/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1969
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Heller Financial Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Keith E. Brownfield
• Inventors: Brownfield, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US04/834,028
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• US Class Current: 414/718
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/00 Auxiliary drives B60K16/00 takes precedence; arrangements of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10; driving tyre-inflating pumps B60C; driving engine auxiliaries F02B
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/08 comprising more than one engine

Abstract

An improved vehicle includes a truck mounted material-handling mechanism having a main cab or operator'"'"''"'"'s station from which the vehicle is driven over a road or highway and a second cab or operator'"'"''"'"'s station from which the material-handling mechanism is operated. When the vehicle is being driven over the road, power is transmitted to the driving wheels of the vehicle from a main engine by a main drive line which includes a main transmission assembly. When the material handling mechanism is being operated, a control means in the second cab or operator'"'"''"'"'s station is selectively operable to drive the vehicle with power transmitted from an auxiliary engine to the main transmission assembly in the main drive line by an auxiliary drive line. The auxiliary drive line includes a pump which is driven by the auxiliary engine to provide fluid under pressure to operate a fluid motor which is drivingly connected with the main transmission assembly.

Claims

1. A material-handling vehicle comprising a frame, support surface engaging drive means connected with said frame for moving said vehicle reLative to a support surface, a main engine mounted on said frame, main drive line means for transmitting power from said main engine to said support surface engaging drive means, said main drive line means including a main transmission assembly which is selectively operable to vary the drive ratio between said main engine and said support surface engaging drive means, a first operator'"'"''"'"'s station mounted on said frame, first control means interconnecting said main engine and said first operator'"'"''"'"'s station for enabling operator at said first operator'"'"''"'"'s station to control the operation of said main engine, said first control means being actuatable to operate said main transmission assembly to vary the drive ratio between said main engine and said support surface engaging drive means, a platform movably mounted on said frame, a material-handling mechanism mounted on said platform for movement therewith relative to said frame, an auxiliary engine mounted on said platform for providing power to operate said material-handling mechanism, a second operator'"'"''"'"'s station mounted on said platform, second control means operatively interconnecting said second operator'"'"''"'"'s station and said materialhandling mechanism for enabling an operator at said second operator'"'"''"'"'s station to control the operation of said materialhandling mechanism, auxiliary drive line means for operatively interconnecting said auxiliary engine and said main drive line means to transmit power from said auxiliary engine to said main drive line means to thereby effect operation of said support surface engaging drive means, and third control means for enabling an operator at said second operator'"'"''"'"'s station to control the transmission of power by said auxiliary drive line means, said auxiliary drive line means comprising a fluid motor fixedly supported on said frame, coupling means for drivingly connecting said fluid motor to said main transmission assembly to enable said fluid motor to drive said support surface engaging drive means with power transmitted thereto through said main transmission assembly and to enable the drive ratio between said auxiliary engine and said support surface engaging drive means to be varied by operation of said main transmission assembly, pump means mounted on said platform and operatively connected to said auxiliary engine for supplying fluid under pressure, and fluid conduit means for conducting fluid under pressure from said pump means on said platform to said fluid motor on said frame to operate said fluid motor to effect operation of said main transmission assembly and said support surface engaging drive means to move said vehicle under the control of an operator at said second operator'"'"''"'"'s station.

2. A material-handling vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling means is selectively operable to a first condition to operatively connect said auxiliary drive line means to said main transmission assembly and to a second condition to operatively disconnect said auxiliary drive line means from said main transmission assembly, said main drive line means including clutch means which is selectively operable between an engaged condition in which said main transmission assembly is operatively connected to said main engine and a disengaged condition in which said main transmission assembly is operatively disconnected from said main engine, and actuator means for operating said coupling means to said first condition and contemporaneously therewith operating said clutch means to said disengaged condition to thereby enable said auxiliary engine to drive said main transmission assembly with said main engine operatively disconnected from said main transmission assembly, said actuator means also being operable to operate said coupling means to operate said coupling means to said second condition and to contemporaneously therewith operate said clutch means to said engaged condition to thereby enable said main engine to drive said main transmission assembly with said auxiliary engine disconnecTed from said main transmission assembly.

3. A material-handling vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transmission assembly includes a plurality of gears and said coupling means includes a gear which is selectively movable into and out of engagement with one of the gears of said transmission assembly.

4. A material-handling vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising post means for rotatably connecting said platform with said frame, said fluid conduit means extending from said pump means on said platform through said post means to said fluid motor on said frame to thereby connect said pump means in fluid communication with said fluid motor while enabling said platform to rotate relative to said frame.