Weight-sensing fork blade assembly for engaging pallets in different alternative directions of approach

• US 9,316,528 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cascade Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cascade Corporation
• Inventors: Richards, Lawrence E., White, Brian Sinclair, Campbell, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US14/459,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20160047688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/12 Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

An exceptionally thin load-weighing fork assembly, having its weight sensors mounted on a fork base, overcomes fork-insertion limitations with respect to commonly used standard pallets without sacrificing load-handling capacity.

Claims

1. A load-weighing fork assembly including:

(a) a blade member having an elongate load-supporting surface;

(b) a fork base, having an elongate bottom surface, operably connected to said blade member with said bottom surface spaced from, and facing generally opposite to, said load-supporting surface;

(c) multiple load-weighing sensors, operably mounted between said elongate load-supporting surface and said elongate bottom surface, adapted to measure a weight of a load supported by said load-supporting surface; and

(d) said elongate load-supporting surface and said elongate bottom surface being separated by a distance extending perpendicular to said elongate bottom surface substantially no greater than about 1.8 inches.

2. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongate load-supporting surface has a load-contacting tip at one end thereof, said tip and said elongate bottom surface being separated by a distance extending perpendicular to said elongate bottom surface substantially no greater than about 1.5 inches.

3. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said load-weighing fork assembly is operable to support a load on said load-supporting surface of at least about 2500 pounds.

4. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said fork base is supported by said load-weighing fork assembly at only one end of said load-supporting surface, said load-weighing assembly being operable to support a load on said load-supporting surface of at least about 2500 pounds having a center of gravity located 24 inches from said one end of said load-supporting surface.

5. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongate load-supporting surface has a width greater than 5.2 inches.

6. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongate load-supporting surface has a width of at least about 6.4 inches.

7. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said load-supporting surface has an opposing underside surface with at least one elongate passageway formed therein capable of containing electrical conduits attached to said multiple load-weighing sensors.

8. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongate load-supporting surface has a tip end having a load-contacting tip, and an opposite end, further including a fastener more closely adjacent to said opposite end than to said tip end which interconnects said blade member with said fork base through one of said load-weighing sensors.

9. The load-weighing fork assembly of claim 1 where said elongate load-supporting surface is principally composed of a material having a higher tensile strength than that of the material of which said fork base is principally composed.