Lift mast transport arrangement
First Claim
1. A material handling vehicle, comprising:
- a frame having first and second spaced apart end portions, and a longitudinal vehicle axis extending between said first and second end portions;
a first guide rail connected to said frame, said first guide rail being substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis;
a second guide rail connected to said frame at a location spaced from said first guide rail, said second guide rail being substantially parallel to the first guide rail;
a lift mast assembly having a pair of spaced apart upright guide members, and a carriage assembly connected to and elevationally movable along said upright guide members;
transport means for connecting said lift mast assembly to said first and second guide rails and guiding movement of said lift mast assembly along said first and second guide rails in directions substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis;
power means for moving said transport means along said first and second guide rails between a first position at which said lift mast assembly is adjacent the frame first end portion, and a second position at which the lift mast assembly is spaced from the first position and between the first and second end portions; and
coupling means for connecting said power means to said transport means and providing a preselected amount of free movement of the transport means relative to said power means in directions transverse to the first and second guide rails.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Lift mast transporting arrangements frequently encounter loading which is detrimental to its operation and life. A transport device connects a lift mast assembly to first and second spaced apart guide rails and guides movement of the lift mast assembly along the guide rails, a power device having a shaft moves the transport device along the first and second guide rails between first and second spaced apart positions, and a coupling connects the power device to the transport device and provides a preselected amount of free movement of the transport device relative to the shaft and in directions transverse of the first and second guide rails. Thus, the aforementioned problems related to loading of lift mast transport arrangement is alleviated. The lift mast transporting arrangement is particularly suited for use on a material handling vehicle.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A material handling vehicle, comprising:
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a frame having first and second spaced apart end portions, and a longitudinal vehicle axis extending between said first and second end portions; a first guide rail connected to said frame, said first guide rail being substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis; a second guide rail connected to said frame at a location spaced from said first guide rail, said second guide rail being substantially parallel to the first guide rail; a lift mast assembly having a pair of spaced apart upright guide members, and a carriage assembly connected to and elevationally movable along said upright guide members; transport means for connecting said lift mast assembly to said first and second guide rails and guiding movement of said lift mast assembly along said first and second guide rails in directions substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis; power means for moving said transport means along said first and second guide rails between a first position at which said lift mast assembly is adjacent the frame first end portion, and a second position at which the lift mast assembly is spaced from the first position and between the first and second end portions; and coupling means for connecting said power means to said transport means and providing a preselected amount of free movement of the transport means relative to said power means in directions transverse to the first and second guide rails. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automatic guided vehicle, comprising:
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a frame having first and second spaced apart end portions, and a longitudinal vehicle axis; a first guide rail having a side thrust guide surface and being connected to the frame, said first guide rail side thrust guide surface being substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis; a second guide rail having a side thrust guide surface and being connected to said frame, said second guide rail side thrust guide surface being substantially parallel to the first guide rail side thrust guide surface and spaced from the first guide rail side thrust guide surface; a lift mast assembly having a pair of spaced apart elevationally oriented upright guide members, and a carriage assembly connected to and elevationally movable along said upright guide members; transport means for connecting said lift mast assembly to said first and second guide rails and movably guiding said lift mast assembly along said first and second guide rails in directions substantially parallel to said side thrust guide surfaces, said transport means being engageable with said side thrust guide surfaces; a shaft having first and second spaced apart end portions and being connected at said first and second shaft end portions to said frame, said shaft being substantially parallel to said longitudinal vehicle axis; a coupling having a guiding portion mounted on and movable along said shaft, and a connecting portion mounted on and movable with said transport means, said connecting portion being connected to said guiding portion and movable in response to movement of said guiding portion along said shaft, said connecting portion being movable relative to the guiding portion in directions transverse to the side thrust guide surface of the first and second rails in response to movement of the transport means in said directions transverse of said side thrust guide surfaces; and power means for moving said coupling along said shaft between a first position at which the lift mast assembly is adjacent the frame first end portion and a second position at which the lift mast assembly is spaced from said first position and between the first and second frame end portions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification