Patent ID: 7909563
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: B66F

Abstract:
1. A fork positioner mountable on a load-lifting carriage having, prior to mounting of said fork positioner on said carriage, an elongate upper transverse fork-supporting member extending longitudinally in a transverse direction and capable of operably vertically supporting a transversely-movable pair of load lifting forks, and a lower transverse member below said upper transverse fork-supporting member, said fork positioner comprising: (a) a pair of elongate hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies having respective longitudinal axes, said piston and cylinder assemblies being interconnectable, without any mounting of said piston and cylinder assemblies on said carriage, as an elongate, substantially rigid unit with said axes in a substantially parallel, longitudinally overlapping relationship, said rigid unit being operably mountable on said carriage in an inserted position with said piston and cylinder assemblies located vertically between said upper transverse fork-supporting member and said lower transverse member of said carriage and with said respective longitudinal axes extending substantially in said transverse direction in a vertically spaced relationship; and (b) a pair of fork-positioning guide members, each having a fork engagement surface, each operably mountable on said rigid unit so as to be movable transversely by a respective one of said pair of piston and cylinder assemblies between respective fork-positioning locations when said rigid unit is mounted in said inserted position.