LIFT TRUCK WITH OVERHEAD GUARD AND COUNTERWEIGHT

• US 3,687,484 A
• Filed: 05/05/1970
• Issued: 08/29/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry L. Cosby
• Original Assignee: Henry L. Cosby
• Inventors: Cosby, Henry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oresky, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/034,713
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15C,15E 296/65 212/49 214/127,DIG.7
• US Class Current: 280/755
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/085 Counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07545 Overhead guards
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07554 Counterweights

Abstract

A lift truck is shown to exemplify the invention in which a seat support member is pivoted at one side to allow the seat to be swung outwardly of one side of the truck to a non-interfering location relative to a compartment housing the power source apparatus, such as an electric storage battery. A protective overhead guard device includes one pivotable and longitudinally adjustable connector and one longitudinally adjustable connector for adjusting the length of the guard for connection to a longitudinally adjustable and novel counterweight structure at different adjusted positions thereof, thereby enabling the same truck chassis to be utilized for a relatively wide range of lift truck capacities. In addition, the pivoted connector is adapted to provide an opening in the guard structure through which may pass a chain or cable of a lifting and transfer device which, with the pivoted seat structure, provides simple means for performing an efficient method of removing and replacing the power source or other devices without removing or disassembling the overhead guard or seat structure.

Claims

1. An overhead guard for counterweighted industrial vehicles having an operator'"'"''"'"'s station thereon comprising an inverted generally U-shaped guard extending over the operator'"'"''"'"'s station having the downwardly extending forward legs of the guard connected rigidly to a forward body portion of the vehicle and having the downwardly extending rear legs of the guard connected rigidly to a rear portion of the vehicle, the improvement comprising connecting means forming a part of the upper base or bridging portion of the inverted U-shaped guard and adjustable longitudinally on each side of the guard so that the connecting means can be adjusted to various effective lengths while bridging with said bridging portion the operator'"'"''"'"'s station to form the inverted U-shaped configuration, thereby effecting a plurality of selectable guard lengths for such rigid connection by said forward and rearwad guard legs to a plurality of vehicular lengths, the rear vehicular portion being adjustable to a plurality of preselected positions longitudinal of the vehicle, each such adjustment position having a corresponding longitudinal adjustment position of the overhead guard, the rear legs of the guard being non-pivotably secured rigidly to the said rear portion of the vehicle in each such longitudinally adjusted position thereof.

2. In a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, the vehicle being an industrial lift truck, the rear portion comprises a counterweight, and one side of said connecting means is movable while mounted on the truck to disconnect the forward and rearward guard legs from each other on said one side so as to provide an opening on said one side of the guard through which is movable external means for removing from the truck or depositing therein power source means without removal of the guard from the truck.

3. In a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, the rear vehicular portion comprises a counterweight having a recess or cavity formed in the interior body thereof and a plurality of supplementary counterweight means adapted to be secured selectively in the cavity or recess.

4. An adjustable counterweight construction for lift trucks comprising a counterweight adapted to be connected to the rear chassis portion of a lift truck, a plurality of spacer means varying in length and selectively connectible intermediate the rear chassis portion and the counterweight for selectively varying the spacing of the counterweight from said rear chassis portion, a recess or cavity formed in the interior body of the counterweight, a plurality of supplementary counterweight means adapted to be secured selectively in the cavity or recess and coordinated with the selected spacer means, and an inverted generally U-shaped overhead guard construction secured at its rear end to the counterweight and adjustable longitudinally in the overhead bridge portion thereof for connection to the counterweight in each of the latter'"'"''"'"'s various adjustment locations relative to the rear chassis portion of the truck.

5. An overhead guard for industrial trucks comprising on one side thereof front and rear truck mounted inverted generally L-shaped aligned and facing rail portions, the upper generally horizontal legs of which terminate in overlapping relatively adjustable end portions providing on said side an inverted generally U-shaped guard rail, the front and rear legs of which rail are rigidly connected to respective front and rear truck body portions, said overlapping end portions being adjustable longitudinally in relation to each other so as to vary selectively the effective length of the guard rail for trucks varying in length between the locations of connection thereof to the front and rear portions of the truck, and wherein the rear truck body portion comprises an adjustable counterweight construction connected to the rear chassis portion of the lift truck, a plurality of spacer means varying in length and selectively connectIble intermediate the rear chassis portion and the counterweight for selectively varying the spacing of the counterweight from said rear chassis portion, a recess or cavity formed in the interior body of the counterweight, and a plurality of supplementary counterweight means adapted to be secured selectively in the cavity or recess and coordinated with the selected spacer means.

6. In a lift truck, an overhead guard of inverted U-shaped construction, a counterweight construction secured to the rear end of the truck and adjustable to a plurality of selected locations longitudinal of the truck, said overhead guard being adjustable lengthwise in the overhead bridging portion thereof for non-pivotable connection to the counterweight at its various adjusted longitudinal locations, an operator'"'"''"'"'s seat means mounted at an operator'"'"''"'"'s station beneath the overhead guard, and means for adjusting the seat means from a forwardly facing operative position to a rearwardly facing non-operative position transversely outwardly of one side of the truck.