Patent Publication Number: US-5897286-A

Title: Forklift pallet stop

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to forklift trucks, and more particularly, to a forklift pallet stop for use on a forklift blade to aid in accurately aligning a load, and to prevent damage to adjacent pallets and materials by forklift blades. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Forklift trucks for moving pallets and goods thereon are widely used. Because of the different materials and pallets which may be moved by known forklifts, adapters, alignment devices, covers, protectors, and other means have been developed therefor. Examples of such known means for forklifts are shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,102,464, 4,239,446, 4,395,190, 4,669,949, 4,747,610, 4,802,813 4,919,465, 5,174,710, 5,208,753 and 5,221,176. However, these known devices and means do not provide for the exact positioning of the blades of a forklift, under a pallet, to prevent damage to adjacent pallets when a series of pallets is to be moved from or lowered into position. 
     Furthermore, it is known to provide elements or plates for posts and/or pallets to protect such pallets when used with forklifts. Examples of pallet protectors are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,113,110, 4,292,899 and 5,076,175. 
     After numerous attempts to solve the problems which occur because of the length of forklift blades extending from under a pallet, and the damage caused thereby, the need for a simple, low-cost, easy-to-manufacture pallet stop which may be mounted on either or both of the blades of a forklift vehicle, to aid in accurately aligning a load, and to prevent damage by the blades, and which pallet stop has a long life, is simple and comparatively low in cost to manufacture, and is not easily lost or detached from the forklift or blade on which it is used, still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a pallet stop for a forklift blade. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a pair of stops for the blades of a forklift. It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide pallet stops for forklift blades to be used with metal pallets. It is a further particular object of the present invention to provide forklift blade pallet stops having magnetic holding means secured therein. And, it is yet a more particular object of the present invention to provide pallet stops for easy insertion into and removal from openings formed in modified forklift blades. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pallet stop having an elongated body for support on a forklift blade, so as to aid in aligning the load and preventing the ends of the blades from extending outwardly, past the pallet. The pallet stops are usually used in pairs, for accurately controlling the distance a pair of forklift blades are inserted under a pallet, when moving the pallet, and may take the form of elongated, rectangular elements with magnetic holders, or elements inserted and held in openings formed in the forklift blades. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a forklift, having a pair of pallet stops of a first embodiment of the present invention mounted on the blades of the forklift, prior to the insertion of the blades under a pallet; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the first embodiment of the pallet stop of the present invention, showing a pair of magnetic holders secured therein; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of a modified forklift blade having a second embodiment of a pallet stop, comprising an elongated pin, secured in a threaded opening thereon; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the elongated pin pallet stop. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to describe a pallet stop for use on a forklift blade. 
     A first embodiment of a pallet stop is shown at 10, and is generally used in pairs, for mounting or securing on a pair of blades 12 of a standard forklift 14, such as shown in FIG. 1. Although pallet stops 10 may generally be mounted and held on any metallic forklift blade for use with any pallet, the stop 10 of the present invention are preferably used when moving metal pallets 16, having a predetermined width. 
     The first embodiment of the pallet stop 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings. Pallet stop 10 comprises an elongated body 18, preferably made from plastic or wood, such as an impact-resistant plastic, in any known or desired manner. The elongated body 18 is preferably rectangular and includes a top surface 20, a bottom surface 22, two ends 23, 24 and a pair of holders 26. The holders 26 may take any desired form, but are preferably one or more magnets, or the like, held in one or more openings formed in bottom surface 22. 
     FIGS. 2 through 5 most clearly show the elongated, rectangular body 18, while FIG. 1 most clearly shows how a pair of the pallet stops 10 are removably mounted on the forklift blades 12, with their bottom surfaces 22 secured thereto by the holders 26. In addition, each of the pallet stops 10 is shown as being formed with one substantially flat end 23, and a curved end 24, which curved end 24, mates with the attached end of the forklift blade 12, when mounted thereon. 
     The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 is preferably for use with existing forklift blades as they come from the manufacturers. The pallet stops 10 are formed in a known manner, and are mounted so as to extend along the blades 12, with the rounded ends 24 pressed against the interior or attached ends of the blades 12, and the flat ends 23 pointing towards free ends 32 and extending perpendicularly to each blade. In this position, when the free ends 32 of the blades 12 of the forklift are inserted into openings 28, formed under the pallet 16, the free ends 32 of the blades will be limited or stopped in their forward progress when the flat ends 23 reach or abut against a first side edge 30 of pallet 16. In the fully inserted position, the free ends 32 of the blades will be aligned with or behind a second side edge 34 of pallet 16, and both flat ends 23 will abut against first side edge 30. The pallet stops 10 are preferably sized and dimensioned so that they are the same width as the blades 12, with their lengths less than the blades, so that when the stops are mounted on the blades, a space 36 is formed on each blade, between flat ends 23 of the stops 10 and the free ends 32 of the blades. This space 36 is selected so as to be equal to the width &#34;w&#34; of pallet 16. 
     For example, the pallet stop 10 may be made from plastic or wood, for use with 22 inch wide steel pallets. Each of the stops 10 would be approximately 2 inches thick by 6 inches wide by 26 inches long, for use on steel forklift blades that are about 4 feet long. A pair of holes or openings are milled or formed in the bottom surface 22 of each pallet stop 10, and a pair of magnets 26, approximately 2 inches wide by 3 inches long and 1 inch thick, are inserted and held therein, as by the use of an epoxy. The magnets are sufficiently strong to securely hold the stops on the forklift blades, as shown in solid line in FIG. 1, or to store the stops on side rails 38 of the forklift mast, as shown in broken line in FIG. 1, to prevent loss or misplacement thereof. 
     A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 of the drawings. This second embodiment is for use with new forklift blades, which have been produced by, or with the authorization of the forklift manufacturer, and which conform with all safety, security and strength standards. The second embodiment comprises a pallet stop 40, having an elongated body of any desired shape, but which is preferably cylindrical, with a threaded, lower or holding portion 41, and a stop element or upper portion 42, with an opening 43, to aid in turning the pallet stop in a threaded opening. The threaded, lower holding portion 41 may be selectively screwed into a plurality of threaded openings 44, formed in predetermined locations along a centerline of a forklift blade 46. The forklift blade 46 should preferably be engineered by the manufacturer, so as to meet all safety, security and strength requirements. The threaded openings 44, preferably three in number, should not extend entirely through the thickness of the blade, but be bottomed-out therein, as shown in FIG. 6. The threaded openings are spaced apart predetermined distances from each other and from an outer end 48 of the blade 46. For example, the first or outer threaded opening 44 could be spaced approximately 20 to 22 inches from the end 48 of the blade 46, while the other two openings would be spaced about 3 inches or so from the first threaded opening and each other. 
     It, therefore, can be seen that the pallet stops 10, 40 of the present invention include integral holding and stop portions. The holding portions are selectively securely fixed to forklift blades. Furthermore, the pallet stops are made from material which provides sufficient strength and are ideally sized to aid in aligning a pallet on the forklift blades, and to prevent the outer ends 32, 48 of the forklift blades from extending outwardly from a pallet held on the blades. That is, when a pallet slides on the blades, it will stop when it contacts the pallet stops, thus preventing the forklift blades from extending outwardly from the pallet to thereby avoid damaging adjacent pallets or materials. Furthermore, with the stops on blades 12, 48, pallets 16 may be quickly and easily loaded and aligned on the blades 12, 48, and then moved by the forklift. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.