Weigh sensed lift truck forks
First Claim
1. Weigh sensed lift truck forks used in pairs, each half of said pair comprising:
- (a) a standard fork as used on lift trucks with its tip removed, the said standard fork being further modified to provide attachment positions for reinforcing ribs that extend past the remaining front end of said standard fork;
(b) A load bearing cover with the modified tip removed from said standard fork affixed into a notch in the front end of said cover, the said cover being responsive to load weight thereon and lateral forces and providing the required full top and side surface coverage of said standard fork;
(c) at least one electronically matched load cell having an end that flexes in response to weight resulting from a load being positioned on the top surface of said cover to which said load cell is attached;
(d) fastener attaching flexing end of said load cell to underside of said cover;
(e) fasteners attaching non-flexing end of said load cell to said standard fork; and
(f) spacers through which said fasteners align, positioning the top surface of the flexing end of said load cell relative to the underside of said cover and, the non-flexing end of said load cell relative to said standard fork.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Weigh sensed lift truck forks in which each standard fork is modified to accept an assembly including load sensing cells, spacers and a fork cover. Each cover provides protection for load cells affixed through spacers between the fork and fork cover, standard fork tip functionality and a load bearing surface and structure that interfaces through the spacers with the load cells and fork subassembly to provide accurate load weight data. The design of the components and method of their assembly result in improved manufacturing efficiency and cost effectiveness, easier installation, improved load weighing functionality, improved structural robustness, easier servicing and improved safety.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. Weigh sensed lift truck forks used in pairs, each half of said pair comprising:
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(a) a standard fork as used on lift trucks with its tip removed, the said standard fork being further modified to provide attachment positions for reinforcing ribs that extend past the remaining front end of said standard fork;
(b) A load bearing cover with the modified tip removed from said standard fork affixed into a notch in the front end of said cover, the said cover being responsive to load weight thereon and lateral forces and providing the required full top and side surface coverage of said standard fork;
(c) at least one electronically matched load cell having an end that flexes in response to weight resulting from a load being positioned on the top surface of said cover to which said load cell is attached;
(d) fastener attaching flexing end of said load cell to underside of said cover;
(e) fasteners attaching non-flexing end of said load cell to said standard fork; and
(f) spacers through which said fasteners align, positioning the top surface of the flexing end of said load cell relative to the underside of said cover and, the non-flexing end of said load cell relative to said standard fork. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification