Patent ID: 8540213

Claim:
A powered pallet truck comprising: a frame assembly having a base support portion and a load lift portion, the frame assembly having a central longitudinal axis extending in a fore-and-aft direction and the load lift portion of the frame assembly includes a pair of forks which extend forwardly on either side of the central longitudinal axis; a rear drive wheel having a center and a rotary axis extending therethrough, the drive wheel disposed below the base support portion; the forks each having a distal forward end and the frame assembly and the drive wheel having an overall longitudinal length extending in the fore-and-aft direction from the distal ends of the forks to the center of the drive wheel; a drive motor for driving the drive wheel and being mounted in the drive wheel with the drive wheel extending about the drive motor; a lift mechanism operable for moving the load lift portion of the frame assembly and the forks thereof up and down relative to the base support portion and being mounted to extend upwardly in general fore-and-aft alignment with the center of the drive wheel; a fluid conduit connected to the lift mechanism; and a pressurized fluid supply mechanism connected to the fluid conduit and configured to supply pressurized fluid to the lift mechanism through the fluid conduit with the pressurized fluid supply mechanism being mounted to the load lift portion of the frame assembly forward of the lift mechanism generally along the central longitudinal axis of the frame assembly.