Enhanced visibility rider reach fork lift truck

• US 6,182,797 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Henshaw, Robert J., Tebbe, Patrick A., Magoto, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Dean J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Paul T.
• Application Number:
  US09/270,619
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 187/234, 187/222, 187/227, 187/272, 187/229
• US Class Current: 187/227
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07531 Battery compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07545 Overhead guards
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07572 Propulsion arrangements

Abstract

A fork lift truck is provided comprising: a power unit including an operator'"'"'s compartment and at least one equipment compartment; a pair of forks; a fork carriage assembly coupled to the forks; and a mast assembly. The mast assembly is coupled to the fork carriage assembly and the power unit for vertically moving the fork carriage assembly including the forks relative to the power unit. A hydraulic pump system is also provided. It has at least one hydraulic motor/pump assembly mounted in the at least one equipment compartment and at least one fluid reservoir located laterally of the mast assembly.

Claims

1. A fork lift truck comprising:

a power unit including an operator'"'"'s compartment and at least one equipment compartment;

a pair of forks;

a fork carriage assembly coupled to said forks;

a mast assembly coupled to said fork carriage assembly and said power unit for vertically moving said fork carriage assembly including said forks relative to said power unit; and

a hydraulic pump system having at least one hydraulic motor/pump assembly mounted in said at least one equipment compartment and at least one fluid reservoir located laterally of said mast assembly.

2. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir comprises a pair of fluid reservoirs, one fluid reservoir being located on each side of said mast assembly and being located adjacent an outer surface of a front wall of said power unit.

3. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 2, wherein said equipment compartment is located in a rear corner of said power unit opposite said front wall of said power unit.

4. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 1, wherein said at least one equipment compartment comprises first and second equipment compartments, said first equipment compartment being located in a rear corner of said power unit and housing a traction motor/brake assembly coupled to a wheel which together effect movement of said power unit, said second equipment compartment being located on a side of said power unit and forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment.

5. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 4, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir comprises a fluid reservoir located on a front corner of said power unit adjacent said second equipment compartment and laterally of said mast assembly.

6. The fork lift truck as set out in claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir is mounted adjacent to a front wall of said power unit to reduce heat transfer from said reservoir to said operator'"'"'s compartment.

7. The fork lift truck as set out in claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir is mounted forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment.

8. A fork lift truck comprising:

a power unit including an operator'"'"'s compartment, at least one equipment compartment, and a battery compartment housing a battery located forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment, said height of at least a portion of said power unit being limited to approximately the height of said battery compartment;

a pair of forks;

a fork carriage assembly coupled to said forks;

a mast assembly coupled to said fork carriage assembly and said power unit for vertically moving said fork carriage assembly including said forks relative to said power unit; and

a hydraulic pump system having at least one hydraulic motor/pump assembly mounted in said at least one equipment compartment, at least one fluid reservoir, and a manifold, said at least one fluid reservoir being located laterally of said mast assembly.

9. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 8, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir comprises two fluid reservoirs with one fluid reservoir being located on each side of said mast assembly and being coupled to an outer surface of a front wall of said power unit.

10. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 9, wherein said equipment compartment is located in a rear corner of said power unit opposite said front wall of said power unit.

11. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 10, wherein said manifold is mounted above said battery compartment forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment and positioned along a first edge of said power unit such that the height of said power unit from a second edge of said power unit opposite to said first edge to said manifold is limited to approximately the height of said battery compartment.

12. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 8, wherein said at least one equipment compartment comprises first and second equipment compartments, said first equipment compartment being located in a rear corner of said power unit and housing a traction motor/brake assembly coupled to a wheel which together define a drive mechanism for effecting movement of said power unit, said second equipment compartment being located on a side of said power unit and forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment.

13. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 12, wherein said second equipment compartment is located in line with said battery compartment.

14. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 13, wherein said at least one hydraulic motor/pump assembly comprises a pair of hydraulic motor/pump assemblies mounted in said second equipment compartment.

15. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 14, wherein said fluid reservoir is located on a front corner of said power unit adjacent said second equipment compartment and laterally of said mast assembly.

16. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 15, wherein said manifold is mounted above said pair of hydraulic motor/pump assemblies and said power unit further includes a drip shelf positioned between said manifold and said motor/pump assemblies.

17. A fork lift truck as set out in claim 8, wherein an upper surface of said power unit slopes downwardly from said operator'"'"'s compartment toward a front wall of said power unit to permit improved operator visibility.

18. The fork lift truck as set out in claim 8, wherein said at least one fluid reservoir is mounted forward of said operator'"'"'s compartment.