Lifting device

Abstract

 This invention relates to a lifting device (1) intended to be mounted on a lift fork (2) of a fork lift truck.
When lifting objects by means of a fork lift truck which objects cannot be engaged from below by the lift forks, home-made lifting straps of different types are used which have great drawbacks in several respects.
The device (1) of the invention is characterized in that it can be mounted and fixed in a simple and safe manner on a lift fork (2), the required clamping being achieved by the object to be lifted. Clamping is carried out by means of a pivotally suspended lifting lever (9) supporting the object to be lifted at one end and having clamping means (13) at its other end which bears against the underside of the lift fork (2) in active position.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a lifting device (1) intended to be mounted on a lift fork (2) of a fork lift truck.

[0002] As is well-known, fork lift trucks are normally used for lifting goods placed on a pallet, the construction of the load pallet permitting insertion of the the lift forks under the goods at lifting.

[0003] However, it also occurs that the lift forks of the truck are used for lifting objects having such a form that they cannot be lifted from below by the aid of a pair of lift forks. To be able to still use the lift forks a lot of "home-made" solutions with wires, hooks and the like exist which provide a lifting strap between the object and the lift fork. It is also known to make apertures in the lift forks so as to be able to fly the wires and the hooks to the lift fork more easily in this way.

[0004] It is immediately realized that these types of "home-made" lifting straps are time-consuming to "produce", one one hand, and, on the other hand, have great drawbacks in respect of workers' safety.

[0005] It is the object of this invention to show a lifting device of the kind indicated above which can be mounted on the lift fork of a fork lift truck in a simple way satisfactory in respect of safety.

[0006] This object of the invention is realized by means of a lifting device which has been given the characteristic features set forth in the following claims.

[0007] An illustrative example of the invention will be described below with reference to the enclosed drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a lateral view of the device of the invention, Fig. 2 is an end view of the device of the invention and Fig. 3 is a plan view from the underside of the device of the invention.

[0008] Thus, the lifting device 1 shown in Figs. 1-3 is mounted on a lift fork 2 of a fork lift truck.

[0009] The lifting device 1 comprises a support sleeve 3 which has a rectangular cross section in the illustrative example shown. Thus, the support sleeve 3 has a bottom 4, side walls 5 and an upper wall 6, the bottom 4 having an extension in a direction away from the free end of the lift fork which is essentially less than the extension of the side walls 5 and the upper wall 6.

[0010] A handle 7 arranged on top of the upper wall 6 is used when the lifting device 1 is mounted on the lift fork 2.

[0011] In the region of their ends turned from the free end of the lift fork 2 the side walls 5 are downwardly extended in the form of shoulders which should prevent anybody from getting his fingers pinched by mistake between the clamping means 13 and the lift fork 2.

[0012] Two attaching members 8 in the form of plates which are parallel and spaced somewhat from each other are placed on the underside of the bottom 4.

[0013] A lifting lever 9 is pivotally attached in the space between the attaching members via a joint 10.

[0014] At its end extending towards the free end of the lift fork 2 the lifting lever 9 is provided with a lifting hook 11 which is pivotally attached between two retaining members 12 in the form of plates which, in turn, are attached to the lifting lever 9 e.g. by welding.

[0015] In the region of its other end the lifting lever 9 is bent upwards, a clamping means 13 being adapted at said upwardly bent end. In the illustrative example shown the clamping means 13 has the form of a cylinder extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the lifting lever 9.

[0016] The lifting device 1 described above functions as follows.

[0017] When mounting the lifting device 1 on a lift fork 2 the lifting device 1 is pushed onto the lift fork 2 from its free end. How far this pushing is to be carried the operator can decide himself as locking of the lifting device in principle can be done at an arbitrary position along the lifting lever 2. What should be considered in this connection is how big a load is to be lifted, pushing being carried out a longer way the bigger the load concerned is.

[0018] When the lifting device 1 is accurately pushed onto the lift fork 2 clamping of the lifting device to the lift fork is effected by pivoting the lifting lever 9 around the joint 10 so that the cylindrical clamping means 13 bears against the underside of the lift fork 2.

[0019] It is immediately appreciated considering Fig. 1 that when the object to be lifted is hung on the lifting hook 11 the clamping means 13 will be pressed harder against the underside of the lift fork 2, a safe locking of the lifting device 1 being obtained during the very lifting operation.

[0020] The constructive embodiment of the lifting device involves, thus, an increased clamping effect as soon as it is carrying a load, which is essential in view of workers' safety.

[0021] Fork lift trucks found on the market have different lifting capacity, the dimensions of the lift forks normally being adapted to said capacity. In order to avoid overload of the lifting device of the invention it therefore seems suitable to let the inside dimensions of the support sleeve 3 be correlated to the lifting capacity of the other parts of the lifting device.

[0022] The invention is by no means limited to the illustrative example described above but can be freely varied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Lifting device (1) intended to be mounted on a lift fork (2) of a fork lift truck, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a means (3) similar to a sleeve in which the lift fork (2) is intended to be received, and that a lifting lever (9) is pivotally attached to the lower portion of the sleeve-like means (3) in position of use, the lifting lever (9) having means (11) at one end for connection to the object to be lifted, and that a clamping means (13) is arranged at the other end of the lifting arm (9) which bears against the underside of a lift fork (2) in mounted position of the device on said lift fork.

2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the lifting lever (9) is attached to the underside of the sleeve-like means (3) via attaching plates (8) passed by a joint (10).

3. The device of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the end of the lifting lever (9) provided with the clamping means (13) extends past the bottom (4) of the sleeve-like means (3).

4. The device of any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the sleeve-like means (3) is provided with a handle (7).

5. The device of any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the clamping means (13) is cylindrical, the rotary shaft of the cylinder extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the lift fork (2).

Drawing