Abstract:
A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Pallets are often used to ship and store goods, such as goods distributed to a grocery store. Pallets typically have a deck supported above the floor by a plurality of columns The pallet may be nestable, in that the columns of one pallet may be received into openings through the deck. 
         [0002]    One type of pallet is half the width of standard pallets. As a result, the pallet can be maneuvered out of trucks and into stores more easily. Powered lifts (such as electric or hydraulic) may be used but they are large and bulky. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. 
         [0004]    The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, the proximal end of the pallet lift may be lifted to lower the contact surfaces under the pallet. By lowering the proximal end of the pallet, the contact surfaces rise under the deck of the pallet and lift the pallet off the floor. The rear support surface may be provided by a locking device having an upper finger and a lower finger pivotable relative to the base to lock the proximal end of the pallet to the pallet lift. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pallet lift according to a first embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows the pallet of  FIG. 1  engaging a pallet. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  show a first step in lifting the pallet of  FIG. 2  with the pallet lift of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a second step in lifting the pallet with the pallet lift. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the locking device in an unlocked position adjacent the pallet. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  shows the locking device of  FIG. 5  in a locked position engaged with the pallet. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the lift holding the pallet. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lift with the handle in an upright position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  shows the lift of  FIG. 8  with the handle in the collapsed position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the latch for the handle, with the latch in the latched position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is an end view of the pallet lift of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  shows the latch of  FIG. 10  in the unlatched position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is an end view of the pallet lift of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  shows the pallet lift of  FIG. 12  with the handle in the collapsed position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is an end view of the pallet lift of  FIG. 14 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a pallet lift according to a second embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  is a side view of the pallet lift of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  shows the pallet lift of  FIG. 17  with a pallet supported thereon above the floor. 
           [0024]      FIG. 19  shows the pallet lift of  FIG. 16  with the handle in the lowered position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 20  is a side view of the pallet lift of  FIG. 19 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 21  shows the pallet lift of  FIG. 20  having been positioned to engage a pallet. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    A pallet lift  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The pallet lift  10  includes a base  12  having side rails  14 , which may be generally parallel to one another and substantially horizontal. The base  12  further includes a rear structure  16  connecting rear ends of the side rails  14 . A handle  18  extends upward from the rear structure  16 . Side panels  20  extend upward proximate rear ends of the side rails  14  and are selectively connected to the handle  18 . 
         [0028]    The handle  18  includes locking structure including a pair of sleeves  22  slidably holding a pair of latch pins  23  biased away from one another by a spring  24 . The latch pins  23  are selectively connected to apertures  26  in the side panels  20  to retain the handle  18  in an upright position, as shown. Other mechanisms for selectively latching the handle  18  in an upright position could also be used. 
         [0029]    A plurality of wheels  30  or casters  30  support the base  12 , including wheels  30  at a forward end of the side rails  14 . A vertical support  32  extends upward proximate each forward end of the rails  14 . A J-shaped cradle  34  is pivotably secured to each of the vertical supports  32  and provides a contact surface for lifting a pallet. The cradles  34  are positioned inward of the rails  14   
         [0030]    On at least one of the side rails  14 , spaced away from the front end of the rail  14 , is mounted an upper locking device  36 . The upper locking device  36  includes a collar  38  rotatably fixed to the side rail  14 , but lockable in place by a thumbscrew  40 . An arm  42  extends upward from the collar  38  and has an upper finger  44  extending laterally therefrom, generally toward the interior of the pallet lift  10 . A lower finger  46 , spaced below the upper finger  44  and parallel to the upper finger  44 , may also extend laterally from the arm  42 . The lower finger  46  provides a rear support surface for a pallet, although it will be primarily supported on the cradles  34 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  shows the pallet lift  10  partially engaging a pallet  100 . The pallet  100  is preferably a molded plastic pallet  100  including an upper deck  112  for supporting goods thereon. The pallet  100  may be a half-pallet, such as a 48×20 pallet, which is substantially longer than it is wide. Drop rails  114  extend downward from each long side edge of the upper deck  112 . Columns  118  extend downward from the upper deck  112  to support the upper deck  112  at a distance above the floor. The columns  118  are spaced away from the peripheral edge of the deck  112 . The example pallet  100  is a nestable pallet  100  in that a plurality of large openings are formed in the upper deck  112  to receive the columns  118  of an identical pallet stacked thereon when the pallets  100  are not loaded with goods. 
         [0032]    The upper deck  112  includes a plurality of notches  122  formed in upper side edges, and near, but spaced away from each end edge. The notches  122  are spaced such that they can be aligned with the upper locking device  36  of the pallet lift  10 . 
         [0033]    In use, referring to  FIG. 3 , the pallet lift  10  is tilted forward (approximately  45  degrees), with the rear of the pallet lift  10  significantly off the floor. The front wheels  30  are rolled to approximately the center (e.g. just past the center). The cradles  34  engage lower edges of the drop rails  114  of the pallet  100 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the user then pulls downward on the handle  18  and the rear end of the pallet lift  10 . This causes the cradles  34  and wheels  30  to lift the center of the pallet  100  off the floor. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the upper locking device  36  is rotated inward, thereby locking the near end of the pallet  100  to the pallet lift  10 . In particular, the upper finger  44  is received in the notch  122  and the lower finger  46  is received below the upper deck  112 . The collar  38  is then locked in place with the thumbscrew  40  to the rail  14 . 
         [0036]    In this position, the weight of the pallet  100  and any goods stacked thereon bears substantially on the cradles  34  and the upper locking device  36  keeps the pallet  100  balanced on the cradles  34 . The pallet  100  can then be moved by rolling the pallet lift  10  by the user. To release the pallet  100 , the upper locking device  36  is released and rotated outward, and then the rear end of the pallet lift  10  is lifted ( FIG. 3 ). The pallet lift  10  can then be removed from the pallet  100 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the pallet lift  10  holding the pallet  100 . The J-shaped cradles  34  capture the drop rails  114  on each side of the pallet  100  in order to hold the pallet  100  securely. The contact surfaces of the cradles  34  are positioned inward of the rails  14  so that the rails  14  are positioned outward of the deck  114  of the pallet  100 , so that they can be tilted (e.g.  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the handle  18  can be folded down onto the rails  14  when not in use for easy storage after releasing the latch pins  23 . The pins  23  may also be secured to the side panels  20  in the retracted position of  FIG. 9 . As shown, the handle  18  pivots with the rear structure  16  relative to the side panels  20  and side rails  14 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show the latch pins  23 , spring  24  and latch flanges  25  in the latched position. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show the latch pins  23 , spring  24  and latch flanges  25  in the unlatched position, with the latch flanges  25  squeezed toward one another, thereby drawing the latch pins  23  inward and away from the side panels  20 . The flanges  25  are secured to the latch pins  23 . 
         [0041]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show the handle  18  in the retracted position.  FIG. 14  is similar to the view of  FIGS. 10 and 12 , but with the handle  18  folded downward. Similarly,  FIG. 15  is similar to the view of  FIGS. 11 and 13 , but with the handle  18  folded downward. Note that the rear structure  16  pivots with the handle  18 , such that the wheels  30  then project rearwardly from rear structure  16  of the pallet lift  10 , but still also protrude downward to support the pallet lift  10  off the floor. 
         [0042]      FIG. 16-21  show a pallet lift  210  according to a second embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 16 , the pallet lift  210  has much of the same structure as the first embodiment. The pallet lift  210  also includes a dedicated lift mechanism for lifting the pallet slightly off the ground so that it can be moved. The cradles  234  are pivotably supported on lift rails  250 . The lift rails  250  are pivotably connected to vertical supports  232 , which in turn are pivotably connected to the side rails  214 . Each lift rail  250  has a front and a rear vertical support  232 , thereby creating a four-bar linkage base. Lift rails  250  extend rearward from the cradles  234  to a lift handle  252 . Each lift handle  252  is parallel to the front vertical support and each lift handle  252  and has pivot axes coaxial with the pivot axes of the front vertical support  232 . The lift handle  252  includes a pair of upright portions connected to one another at upper ends by a horizontal handle portion behind the handle  218  and pivotably secured at lower ends to rearward ends of the side rails  14 . A support bracket  254  extends horizontally from one lift rail  250  to the other adjacent the lift handle  252  and provides a rear support surface. 
         [0043]      FIG. 17  is a side view of the pallet lift  210 . The lift handle  252  provides leverage to operate the lift rail  250  relative to the side rail  214  in the manner of the four-bar linkage. The lift rail  250  stays parallel to the side rail  214  and can be raised or lowered relative to the side rail  214  by pivoting the lift handle  252 . The cradles  234  and support bracket  254  raise and lower with the lift rails  250 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 18  is a side view of the pallet lift  210  with a pallet  100  on the pallet lift  210  in the lifted position, with some space between the feet of the pallet  100  and the floor so that the pallet lift  210  and pallet  100  (and any load on the pallet  100 ) can be rolled. The pallet  100  is supported on the cradles  234  and support bracket  254 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the pallet lift  210  with the lift handle  252  in the lowered position, i.e. pivoted away from the handle  218 . This causes the side rails  252  to pivot rearward and downward on the four-bar linkage, causing the cradles  234  to pivot rearward and downward. The support bracket  254  also moves rearward and downward.  FIG. 20  is a side view of the pallet lift  210  in the lowered position, with the lift rails  250  resting on the side rails  252 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 21  is a side view of the pallet lift  210  of  FIG. 19  positioned below the pallet  100 . In the lowered position, the pallet lift  210  can be rolled under the pallet  100 . The lift handle  252  is then raised, thereby raising the cradles  234  and the support bracket  254  and lifting the pallet  100  (and any goods thereon) off the floor so that it can be moved. A latch mechanism can be used to retain the lift handle  252  and lift rails  250  in the raised, support position. 
         [0047]    Note that in the first embodiment ( FIGS. 1-15 ), the pallet  100  is primarily supported by the cradles  34  near the center of the pallet  100 , with the locking device  36  mostly maintains balance (so the loaded pallet  100  does not tip forward or rearward). In the second embodiment, the cradles  234  are positioned outward of the center of the pallet  100 , so that the weight of the pallet  100  is supported and balanced on the cradles  234  and support bracket  254 . 
         [0048]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.