Patent Publication Number: US-3876090-A

Title: Fork lift

Description:
Umted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,876,090  
 Holland Apr. 8, 1975 [541 FORK LIFT 3,004,677 10/1961 Reynolds 214/766 [76] Inventor: J. D. Holland, Rt. 7, Scottsville, Ky.  
  42164 Primary E.\&#39;aminerAlbert J. Makay [22] Filed; Jan. 18, 1973 Assistant E.\&#39;ami11er.|erold M. Forsberg [21] Appl. No.: 324,654  
 - [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 214/131 A; 214/750; 214/766 [5 1] Int. Cl B66f 9/00 A farm tractor lift. having a threepoim hitch can be [58] Field Of Search 214/766, 750, 145, 131 used for practically any material up to a weight of Se eral tons despite the fact that mild steel is used practi- [56] References C&#39;ted Cally throughout its construction.  
 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,314,792 3/1943 Korner 214/750 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures FORK LIFT This invention relates to farm equipment, more particularly to tractor transport accesories.  
  A principal object of this invention is to provide a farm tractor lift that will do heavy work by employing a unique construction that uses mostly mild steel. The only high carbon steel employed is a simple reenforcement member in each fork. The resulting heavy duty assembly weighs no more than about 300 pounds. Three points of attachment, one at the top center and one near the top at each side, suffice to give the necessary rigidity for a great variety of tests around the farm.  
  Another object of this invention is to provide a fork lift of the type described that lends itself easy to jig welding in manufacture which, in combination with the use of mild steel, results in a low price, yet rugged product.  
  These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:  
 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower corner construction.  
  Referring to the figures, the fork lift 10, according to the invention, comprises a supporting weldment 11 and a pair of forks 12.  
 Frame 11 is constructed of a bridging member 13, a  
 center post 14, a pair of vertical members 15, a pair of upper frame-enclosing members 16 and a lower halfround member 17. For the purpose of re-enforcing frame 11, upper knee braces 18 are welded between members 14 and 16, outer angle braces 19 are welded between member 13 and member 16, and finally a vertical pair of members 20 are welded at the lower end to member 13, at the upper end 20a to upper face 16a of member 16 and along one edge to members 15.  
  Post 14 may be a piece of channel or, alternately, be a weldment of a web bar 14a and two flange bars 14b. In either event, flanges 14b are extended through slots 16a in member 16 to form tractor-attachment members 140. Holes 21 are then provided for tractor attachment means.  
  Two outer points of attachment comprise a pair of posts 22 passing through members 15, welded thereto, in contact with and welded to members 20 as best seen at 20a.  
  Each fork 12 comprises a formed channel member 23 and a re-enforcement member 24. Member 23 is formed of a tapering web 23a to which are welded an upper flange 23b and a lower flange 23c. Flanges 23b and 23c terminate in contact and thereat are pointed as seen at 23d. Re-enforcement members 24, the only high carbon steel present in the invention, are welded against flanges 23a.  
  ln final assembly, forks 12 are welded to frame 11 at the lower end 15a and pairs of re-enforcing braces 26 are welded between members 15 and upper flanges 23b.  
  In order to gain a practical picture of the preferred embodiment, the following description and sizes of members are given, It should be understood, however, that variations from this embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as stated in the forthcoming claims. 7  
  Member 13 is a piece of 3 inch channel 35 /2 inches long. Post 14 may be made with a 3 inch by /2 inch by 23 inch bar and a pair of 2 /2 inch by 3 inch by 23 inch bars. Members 15 and 16 are 3 inch angle iron. Members 17 is a half section of 3% inch diameter pipe 35 inches long. Supports 22 are 1 /8 inch diameter steel pins 5 inches long. Forks 12 have 2% inch eyebeamsections at the wide end. Re-enforcement pieces 24 are cut from /2 inch by 41 inches long high carbon steel.  
  The present invention, carefully constructed, will be found adequate for severe load jobs such as large bales of hay, fence posts, sick or dead animals, and loads on pallets such as steel, brick and the like. The fork lift can also carry an 8 by 10 platform for hauling material in rough and muddy areas that are inaccessible with a truck.  
 What I claim is:  
  1. A fork lift for attachment to a tractor, comprising in combination, a tractor attachment means and a pair of horizontal fork members extending therefrom, said tractor attachment means and said horizontal members being a unified weldment of seperate mild steel members, said tractor attachment means comprising a vertical frame from the lower corners of which said horizontal members extend in parallel, spaced apart relation, said horizontal members being reinforced with bars of high carbon steel, the tractor attachment frame being provided with post members engageable with the tractor for supporting the attachment therefrom, said tractor attachment frame representing substantially in elevation, the appearance of a figure eight lying on its side wherein a center member is longer than the outside members parallel thereto, and an upper end of said member having holes for tractor attachment thereto, said horizontal fork members comprising tapered channels having webs reinforced by welding high carbon steel bars thereto, said frame being provided with internal knee braces and the attachment of horizontal members to said frame being reinforced by knee braces therebetween.