Adjustable span tine pallet jack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10988155-B2
Application number	US-202016800169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A pallet jack includes a base and a pair of tines extending from the base. The pair of tines including a first tine and a second tine. A load wheel supports an outer end of each of the pair of tines. Each load wheel is configured to move toward and away from the respective tine to raise the tine off a floor on which the load wheel is supported. The first tine including a support surface configured to selectively be a lowermost surface of the tine to facilitate lateral displacement of the first tine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet jack comprising:
a base;
a first tine and a second tine extending from the base, wherein the first tine is selectively movable toward and away from the second tine;
a tine spacing actuator configured to move the first tine toward and away from the second tine, wherein the tine spacing actuator is hydraulic, pneumatic or electric;
a first load wheel supporting an outer end of the first tine, wherein the first load wheel is configured to move away from the first tine to raise the first tine off a floor on which the first load wheel is supported;
a push rod in the first tine, the push rod coupled to the first load wheel;
a lift mechanism configured to leverage the first load wheel via the push rod, wherein movement of the push rod in a first direction parallel to the first tine causes the first load wheel to move away from the first tine;
a side wheel configured to selectively be a lowermost surface of the first tine to facilitate lateral displacement of the first tine relative to the second tine, wherein the side wheel is rotatable on an axis perpendicular to an axis of the first load wheel of the first tine; and
a pair of side arms pivotably mounted to the axis of the first load wheel, wherein the side wheel is rotatably mounted between the pair of side arms, a spring biasing the side wheel toward the first tine, wherein further movement by the lift mechanism of the push rod in the first direction in the first tine causes the side wheel to move away from the first tine such that the side wheel contacts the floor.

2. The pallet jack of claim 1 further including a pair of load arms pivotably mounted to the first tine, the first load wheel rotatably mounted between the pair of load arms, a first stop projecting from one of the pair of load arms, wherein the first stop contacts one of the pair of side arms to move the side wheel away from the first tine.

3. The pallet jack of claim 1 wherein the lift mechanism is configured to cause the support surface to contact the floor before the tine spacing actuator moves the first tine relative to the second tine.

Assignees

• Rehrig Pacific Co

Inventors

• Kalinowski Dane Gin Mun

Classifications

• B62B3/0618

  using fluid lifting mechanisms · CPC title

• B62B3/0612

  power operated · CPC title

• B62B3/06 Primary

  for simply clearing the load from the ground (masted lift trucks B66F) · CPC title

• B62B2203/20

  using forks or tines · CPC title

• B66F9/12

  Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members · CPC title