Patent ID: 8306703

Claim:
A remotely controlled side loading attachment for use with a forklift truck having a pair of forwardly extending forks, said attachment comprising: a support frame having a pair of hollow sleeves to receive said forklift forks; a guide frame rigidly secured to said support frame; a sliding bracket slidably mounted to said guide frame; first drive means to effect movement of said sliding bracket along said guide frame; a support arm rigidly secured to said sliding bracket; a rotatable carriage pivotally and elevatably mounted to said support arm; second drive means to effect rotation of said rotatable carriage; an elevating hydraulic cylinder mounted to said support arm from one end and to said rotatable carriage from the other end to effect elevating movement of said rotatable carriage relatively to said support arm; a pair of load forks mounted to said rotatable carriage; a control unit for controlling said elevating hydraulic cylinder and said first and second drive means; and a remote control for sending control signals to said control unit; whereby a driver of said forklift truck using said remote control can rotate said load forks to face either side of said forklift truck and can shift said load forks laterally to the longitudinal axis of said truck and can activate said elevating hydraulic cylinder to enable said load forks to operate adjacent to said forklift forks to engage a palletized load at ground level to the side of said truck then activate said elevating hydraulic cylinder again to lift said palletized load up then activate said first drive means to shift said palletized load from above said forklift forks during side loading operation.