Industrial truck

• US 6,827,164 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony J. Palumbo, Jeffrey T. Major, Richard A. Hallett
• Original Assignee: Anthony J. Palumbo, Jeffrey T. Major, Richard A. Hallett
• Inventors: Palumbo, Anthony J., Major, Jeffrey T., Hallett, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Kelly E
• Application Number:
  US10/247,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20030057002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/23, 180/24.01, 180/418, 180/419, 280/442, 280/443, 280/444, 280/419, 280/426
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/123 Light trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/145 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/02 comprising a uniaxle tractor unit and a uniaxle trailer unit see B60B11/00 - B60B11/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An industrial truck having a drive portion including wheels being connected to an electric motor being connected to a power source and a trailer portion having wheels. The industrial truck includes a steering system positioned on the drive portion connected to the trailer portion to provide articulated steering of the industrial truck. The industrial truck further including a control device to vary the speed of the motor to vary the speed of the industrial truck.

Claims

1. An industrial truck comprising:

a drive portion having a motor being operatively connected to a welder having a generator and an engine;

a control device operatively connected to said motor, said generator and said engine having an engine throttle control solenoid and a potentiometer to vary voltage output of said generator, said control device having an electrical protection circuit having a series diode to protect against reverse polarity and a voltage sensing circuit to limit said voltage output above a preset limit;

a trailer portion for supporting said welder, said drive portion being pivotally connected to said trailer portion; and

a steering system positioned on said drive portion being operatively connected to said trailer portion, said steering system having a steering device operatively connected to an inline gearbox operatively connected to a first bell crank operatively connected to a pair of steering rods operatively connected to a second bell crank positioned on said trailer portion to provide articulated steering for said industrial truck.

2. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said drive portion includes wheels and said drive portion includes a drive axle for said wheels operatively connected to a gear reducer operatively connected to said motor.

3. The industrial truck of claim 2, wherein each of said wheels of said drive portion is operatively connected to a brake.

4. The industrial truck of claim 2, wherein each of said wheels of said drive portion is operatively connected to a suspension device.

5. The industrial truck of claim 4, wherein said suspension device has a pair of coil springs and shock absorbers and a four bar linkage and panard bar unit operatively connected to said drive axle.

6. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said motor is an electric motor.

7. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said drive portion includes a seat and a footrest including a pedal operatively connected to said motor.

8. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said trailer portion includes wheels.

9. The industrial truck of claim 8, wherein each of said wheels of said trailer portion is operatively connected to a brake.

10. The industrial truck of claim 8, wherein each of said wheels of said trailer portion is operatively connected to a suspension device.

11. The industrial truck of claim 8, wherein said wheels of said trailer portion are operatively connected to a second motor being operatively connected to said power source welder.

12. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said industrial truck further includes a center trailer portion positioned between said drive portion and said trailer portion.

13. The industrial truck of claim 12, wherein a bed is positioned on said center trailer portion.

14. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said steering device is a steering wheel.

15. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said control device has a speed control pedal operatively connected to said engine throttle control solenoid and said potentiometer.

16. The industrial truck of claim 15, wherein said control device has at least one switch connected to at least one relay to act as a latching circuit to control said engine throttle solenoid.

17. The industrial truck of claim 16, wherein said engine operates between high and low speeds, said high speed being latched by pressing said speed control pedal downwardly and said low speed being latched by allowing said speed control pedal to return upwardly.

18. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein said voltage sensing circuit has a normally closed over-voltage relay having contacts in series with a precharge relay and a relay coil in series with a voltage sense resistor having a value set to cause said over-voltage relay to open when said voltage output is above said preset limit.

19. The industrial truck of claim 18, wherein said voltage sensing circuit has a capacitor connected across said relay coil to prevent chattering.

20. The industrial truck of claim 18, wherein said voltage sensing circuit has an indicator lamp operatively connected to said relay to provide a visual indication that said voltage output is above said preset limit.