Abstract:
The load securing device for lift trucks includes various embodiments adapted for installation upon powered hand trucks, forklifts, and pallet jacks. Each embodiment includes an upright for attachment to the lift truck structure, the upright having a tensioner installed at its upper end or elsewhere opposite the forks of the lift truck. A tensioning element (e.g., tiedown strap, etc.) passes through the tensioner, and a chain and hook extends from the distal end of the tensioning element. The hook of the load securing device is hooked to the load carried on the forks of the lift truck, and the tensioner is tightened to pull and hold the load up adjacent the vertical structure of the lift truck at the back of the forks. Two load securing devices can be used with a powered hand truck for securing a small portable building structure for movement.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/219,613, filed Sep. 16, 2015. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to tiedown and other load and cargo securing devices and systems, and particularly to a load securing device for lift trucks that provides positive attachment to the base of an object being carried on or by the forks of a lift truck. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Various lift trucks have been developed in the past, with most having adjustable forks extending from the forward end thereof. Perhaps the best known of these devices is the forklift wherein the vehicle includes a prime mover (generally an internal combustion engine, but often an electric motor) for moving the vehicle from place to place, with the prime mover also powering a hydraulic pump to provide power for the operation of the lift forks. 
         [0006]    Another type of lift truck is the powered hand truck, a powered vehicle having two main wheels that are steered by independent braking or drive. A small platform is provided at the rear of the vehicle for the operator. Such a powered lift truck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,522 issued to Steven Borntrager et al. on Oct. 6, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0007]    Still another type of lift truck is the pallet jack, in which the lift forks are generally manually powered by a hand or foot pump or the like, although they may be powered by another power source in some variations. All of these devices have in common a pair of lift forks extending from the forward end thereof. 
         [0008]    A chronic problem with such forked lift trucks and vehicles is that the load being carried is generally not positively secured to the vehicle. Forklifts commonly provide for the rear tilt of the entire forklift carriage, in order to reduce the chance of the load slipping forward off the forks. However, this is not an absolute remedy for this potential hazard, and other lift trucks may not provide for such rearward tilt of the forks at all. 
         [0009]    Thus a load securing device for lift trucks solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The load securing device for lift trucks comprises various embodiments adapted for installation upon powered hand trucks, forklifts, and pallet jacks. Each embodiment includes an upright for attachment to the lift truck structure, the upright having a tensioner (e.g., strap ratchet, etc.) installed at its upper end opposite the forks of the lift truck. A tensioning element (e.g., tiedown or nylon strap, etc.) passes through the tensioner, with a chain and hook extending from the distal end of the tensioning element. Two load securing devices are installed as a pair on the lift structure. The hooks of the two load securing devices are hooked to the load being carried on the forks of the lift truck, and the tensioners are tightened to pull and hold the load adjacent to the vertical structure of the lift truck at the back of the forks. The load securing device is particularly well-suited for use with the powered hand truck as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,522 for securing a small portable building structure to the powered hand truck for transport or relocation, although it is adaptable to numerous other types of lift trucks and loads. 
         [0011]    These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a detailed environmental elevation view of a load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention, illustrating its operation. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an environmental perspective view of the load securing device for lift trucks of  FIG. 1 , showing the device installed upon a powered hand truck. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an environmental perspective view of a second embodiment of the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention, showing the device installed upon the forks of a forklift. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an environmental perspective view of a third embodiment of the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention, showing the device installed upon a pallet jack. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of the load securing device for lift trucks of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the angular disposition of the uprights. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of a fourth embodiment of the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention, comprising a crossmember extending across the top of a single upright member. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of a fifth embodiment of the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention, wherein the crossmember and single upright member have a cruciform configuration. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a detailed perspective view of one embodiment of a hook member for installation and use with the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a detailed perspective view of another embodiment of a hook member for installation and use with the load securing device for lift trucks according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    The load securing device for lift trucks comprises various embodiments of an attachment for powered lift trucks, forklifts, pallet jacks, and similar machines having fork tines extending forwardly therefrom, for the secure carriage of large bulky objects thereon. The various embodiments differ in the length or height of the rigid uprights used to attach the devices to the lift truck, depending upon the type or configuration of lift truck, and the configuration of the hook members for attaching to the load. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings illustrate a first embodiment of the load securing device  100 , installed on a powered hand truck T. The powered hand truck T includes a mast M with a laterally disposed crossmember C at the bottom end thereof, with two laterally spaced fork tines TT extending forwardly from the crossmember C (only one such tine TT is visible in the drawings). Two such load securing devices  100  are preferably installed as a pair, with the two devices  100  being laterally separated from one another and attached to the crossmember C adjacent the respective fork tines TT to extend upward from the crossmember C. Each load securing device  100  includes an upright  102  having a lower end  104  welded or otherwise affixed (e.g., rigidly and immovably affixed) to the crossmember C, and an opposite upper end  106 . The upright  102  is preferably formed from a length of rectangular section steel channel with a plate welded across the span of the open channel at the upper end portion  106  thereof to close the channel at the upper end portion, with the resulting closed box structure remaining open at its extreme end. Other materials may be used as desired. 
         [0024]    A tensioner  108 , e.g., a tiedown strap ratchet or the like, is affixed (e.g., bolted, welded, etc.) to the upper end  106  of the upright  102 , e.g., opposite the forwardly oriented truck fork tines TT. The tensioner  108  is oriented so that its takeup reel is oriented downward to allow its flexible tension element  110  (referred to as a tiedown strap, a ratchet strap, or a nylon strap) to wind and unwind downward therefrom, generally along the length of the upright  102 . Each tension element  110  has a distal end  112 , with a load attachment extending therefrom. The load attachment may comprise a length of chain  114  having a distal end  116  opposite its attachment to the distal end  112  of the tension element  110 . A hook member  118  extends from the chain  114  for removable attachment to the structure of the load L being carried or moved by the powered lift truck T. The hook member  118  may comprise a heavy length of bar stock cut, forged, or otherwise formed of durable steel, as shown in detail in  FIG. 8  of the drawings, or other suitable component as desired.  FIG. 9  illustrates an alternative hook member  120 , formed of a section of heavy rectangular plate having a U-channel formed at one end. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  of the drawings illustrates an alternative embodiment, designated as load securing device or device  200 . The only difference between the load securing device  200  and the load securing device  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  is the length of the upright  202 . The load securing device  200  of  FIG. 3  is installed upon an otherwise conventional forklift F having a mast, a carriage R movably mounted on the mast, and laterally spaced tines FT attached to the carriage R. Each tine FT has a vertical leg A having an upper end UE and an opposite lower end LE. 
         [0026]    The lower end  204  of each upright  202  is rigidly affixed (e.g., by welding) to the upper end UE of a corresponding vertical leg A of a tine FT. As the vertical legs A have some substantial vertical extent, the uprights  202  need not be so long or tall as the uprights  102  of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Otherwise, the load securing device  200  includes the same components and structure as described further above for the embodiment  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with a tensioner  108 , e.g., a tiedown strap ratchet or the like, rigidly and permanently affixed to the upper end or upper end portion  206  of the upright  202  to the back side thereof, i.e., opposite the forwardly oriented forklift tines FT. The tensioner  108  is oriented so that its takeup reel is oriented downward to allow its flexible tension element  110  (not visible in  FIG. 3 , but comprising a tiedown strap or the like, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) to wind and unwind downward therefrom, generally along the length of the upright  202  and the tine&#39;s vertical leg A. Each tension element  110  has a distal end  112  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ), with a load attachment extending therefrom. The load attachment may comprise a length of chain  114  having a distal end  116  opposite its attachment to the distal end  112  of the tension element  110 , with a hook member  118  (or alternatively, the hook member  120  shown in detail in  FIG. 9 ) extending therefrom for removable attachment to the structure of the load L being carried or moved by the forklift F, as in the powered hand truck T of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The open ended channel configuration of the uprights  202  (or uprights  102  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), shown in  FIG. 3 , permits the distal end of the hook  118  (or other hook) to be hooked over the open upper end  206  of the upright  202  for convenient carriage of the hook and chain assembly, particularly when the tension element (e.g., tiedown strap) has been retracted onto or into the tensioner  108 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  of the drawings illustrates an alternative embodiment, designated as load securing device or device  300 . The load securing device  300  of  FIG. 4  is installed upon a conventional pallet jack P having a rearward structure S with a pair of pallet jack tines PT extending forwardly therefrom. The lower ends  304  of the first and second uprights  302  are rigidly and immovably affixed (welding, etc.) to the structure S of the pallet jack P, and/or to the rearward ends of the two fork tines PT. The only difference between the load securing device  300  and the load securing device  200  of  FIG. 3  is the length of the upright  302 , with the uprights  302  having lengths or heights similar to those of the uprights  102  of the embodiment  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As the rearward ends of the two fork tines are quite close to the underlying surface, the lower ends  304  of the uprights  302  are also close to the underlying surface, with their upper ends  306  extending upward for some distance or length above their lower attachment ends  304 . 
         [0028]    Otherwise, the load securing devices  300  include the same components and structure as described further above for the embodiments  100  and  200  of  FIGS. 1 through 3 , with each having a tensioner  108 , e.g., a tiedown strap ratchet or the like, rigidly affixed to the upper end or upper end portion  306  of the upright  302  to the back side thereof, i.e., opposite the forwardly oriented pallet jack tines PT. The tensioner  108  is oriented so that its takeup reel is oriented downward to allow its flexible tension element  110  to wind and unwind downward therefrom, generally along the length of the upright  302 . Each tension element  110  has a distal end  112 , with a load attachment extending therefrom. The load attachment may comprise a length of chain  114  having a distal end  116  opposite its attachment to the distal end  112  of the tension element  110 , with a hook member  118  (or alternatively, the hook member  120  shown in detail in  FIG. 9 ) extending therefrom for removable attachment to the structure of the load being carried or moved by the pallet jack P, as in the powered hand truck T of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It will be noted in  FIG. 4  that the hook member  120  is stowed by hooking its distal end into the open upper end  306  of the upright  302 , similarly to the stored disposition of the hook member  118  shown for the embodiment  200  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  of the drawings illustrates further details of the load securing device for lift trucks, particularly the embodiment  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It will be noted that the forks TT of the powered lift truck T are not laterally adjustable, i.e., they define a fixed distance therebetween. In many instances, relatively large and wide loads must be supported by the two fork tines TT, as in the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, it is desirable to space the two hook members  118  or  120  relatively widely apart, in order to provide longer lateral arms from the center of the load to the attachments of the two hook members  118  or  120  to the load. It will be seen that this arrangement will spread the two tension elements  110  and their chains  114  laterally, which applies an outward lateral load on the two uprights  102  if those uprights are installed vertically to the crossmember C. 
         [0030]    Accordingly, the two uprights  102  are preferably installed so that their upper ends  106  are angled toward one another from the vertical (assuming the crossmember C is horizontal), as represented by the vertical lines V in  FIG. 5 . This places the upper ends  106  of the two uprights  102  closer to one another and to the central mast M than their lower ends  104 , as shown by the angular displacements D in  FIG. 5 . Thus, the outwardly angled tension elements  110  extend along paths substantially parallel to the two uprights  102 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , thereby obviating or at least substantially reducing lateral forces on the uprights  102 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  also provides a front elevation view of an additional brace structure that may be installed with the load securing devices  100 . The two braces  122  extend between the lift truck structure, e.g., the crossmember C (shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 ) of the powered lift truck T illustrated in  FIG. 2 , and the respective upright  102 , e.g., attaching to the medial portion thereof. The two braces  122  provide some additional fore and aft reinforcement for the attachments of the lower ends  104  of the uprights  102  to the crossmember C in the embodiment  100  of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 . It will be seen that the inwardly angled upper ends of the uprights, and braces for the uprights, may be applied to any of the embodiments described herein, but are particularly effective in the load securing device  100  of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate two additional embodiments of the load securing device for lift trucks. The embodiment  400  of  FIG. 6  includes a single upright  402  extending upward from the center of the lateral crossmember C, with the upper end  406  of the upright  402  having a crossmember  407  extending laterally thereacross, essentially parallel to the lower crossmember C. Each end  409   a  and  409   b  has a tensioner  108  secured thereto. In this manner, the widely spread tensioners  108  have a sufficiently large span therebetween that it is not necessary to set them at an angle other than the vertical. This embodiment may be applied to any of the various lift truck configurations described herein, and/or other lift truck configurations, as practicable. 
         [0033]    The load securing device  500  of  FIG. 7  includes a single upright  502  extending upward from the center of the lateral crossmember C, with a crossmember  507  extending laterally thereacross, essentially parallel to the lower crossmember C. The crossmember  507  is installed at some point across the upright  502  below the upper end thereof, to form a generally cruciform configuration with the upright. The upright  502  may comprise the mast M of the powered hand truck embodiment  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Each end  509   a  and  509   b  of the crossmember  507  has a tensioner  108  secured thereto. In this manner, the widely spread tensioners  108  have a sufficiently large span therebetween that it is not necessary to set them at an angle other than the vertical. This embodiment is particularly applicable to the powered hand truck embodiment  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , as noted above, but may be applied to any of the various lift truck configurations described herein, and/or other lift truck configurations, as practicable. 
         [0034]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.