Patent ID: 9598250
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: B65G,E04H

Claim:
1. A forklift fall protection apparatus for a warehouse environment with a loading bay for receiving a flatbed trailer from which cargo can be loaded and unloaded by a forklift truck that services the flatbed trailer, the apparatus comprising: a. a first barrier platform disposed on a first side of the loading bay and a second barrier platform disposed on a second side of the loading bay opposite the first side of the loading bay; b. a first pair of carrier stanchions disposed to the first side of the loading bay and carrying the first barrier platform, each of the carrier stanchions of the first pair of carrier stanchions extending vertically above the loading bay and being spaced apart along the lengthwise direction of the loading bay; c. a second pair of carrier stanchions disposed to the second side of the loading bay and carrying the second barrier platform, each of the carrier stanchions of the second pair of carrier stanchions extending vertically above the loading bay and being spaced apart along the lengthwise direction of the loading bay; d. a first motor mechanically connected to the first barrier platform so that operation of the first motor selectively moves the first barrier platform vertically along the first pair of carrier stanchions; e. a second motor mechanically connected to the second barrier platform so that operation of the second motor selectively moves the second barrier platform vertically along the second pair of carrier stanchions; f. a first forklift rub rail carried by the first barrier platform and extending along substantially the entire length of the first barrier platform and disposed facing the second barrier platform; g. a second forklift rub rail carried by the second barrier platform and extending along substantially the entire length of the second barrier platform and disposed facing the first barrier platform; h. a first front main drive carriage connected to the first barrier platform, a first rear main drive carriage connected to the first barrier platform and spaced apart from the first front main drive carriage by a distance comparable to the distance separating the two carrier stanchions in the first pair of carrier stanchions, the first front main drive carriage slidably engaging one of the carrier stanchions of the first pair of carrier stanchions and the first rear main drive carriage slidably engaging the other one of the carrier stanchions of the first pair of carrier stanchions; i. a second front main drive carriage connected to the second barrier platform, a second rear main drive carriage connected to the second barrier platform and spaced apart from the second front main drive carriage by a distance comparable to the distance separating the two carrier stanchions in the second pair of carrier stanchions, the second front main drive carriage slidably engaging one of the carrier stanchions of the second pair of carrier stanchions and the second rear main drive carriage slidably engaging the other one of the carrier stanchions of the second pair of carrier stanchions; and j. wherein each respective main drive carriage being configured to cooperate with the respective slidably engaged carrier stanchion so as to resiliently absorb impacts from collisions between the forklift truck and the respective forklift rub rail of the respective barrier platform connected to the respective main drive carriage.