JP4746916B2 - Fork backlash prevention device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a fork back-preventing device that is applied to a cargo handling vehicle such as a forklift to prevent fork backlash.

Conventionally, for example, the following devices are known as this type of fork backlash prevention device.
(1) The fork is provided with an elastic member or a sliding member to prevent backlash between the fork and the finger bar (see Patent Documents 1 to 7).
(2) A bolt member, a fitting member, a leaf spring, or the like is provided on the lower hook to prevent backlash between the lower hook and the finger bar, thereby preventing backlash of the fork (see Patent Documents 8 to 13).

JP 59-17499 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-85599 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-100992 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-182300 Utility Model Registration No. 2523333 Utility Model Registration No. 2575191 JP 2002-265193 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-15978 JP 7-69596 A Japanese Patent No. 3232838 JP-A-11-171490 Japanese Patent No. 2904256 Japanese Patent No. 2914878

However, in the former, since the backlash between the fork and the finger bar is always prevented by the elastic member and the sliding member provided on the fork, the left and right forks are moved along the finger bar to adjust the interval. In doing so, the sliding resistance increased and this was difficult to do.
On the other hand, in the latter case, since the bolt member, the fitting member, the leaf spring, and the like are provided on the lower hook, it is difficult to perform this operation. As a result, this could not be easily done when moving the fork. However, since the lower hook had to be formed with screw holes and locking holes, there was a problem that the strength of the lower hook was lowered.

  The present invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and was devised to solve this problem. The problem is that when the fork is moved, this can be easily performed, and the backlash of the fork is prevented. However, it is still another object of the present invention to provide a backlash prevention device for a fork that does not reduce the strength of the fork, the lower hook, or the like.

  The backlash prevention device for a fork of the present invention is basically provided with a fork support that can be raised and lowered, a fork that is suspended laterally by the fork support, and a fork support that is rotatable about a vertical axis. A feature resides in that it is composed of a plurality of elastic rollers whose peripheral surface can be brought into contact with the back surface of the fork.

When the fork is laterally moved with respect to the fork support body, the peripheral surface of the elastic roller can be brought into contact with the back surface of the fork, or these engagements can be released.
When the peripheral surface of the elastic roller is brought into contact with the back surface of the fork, the fork is not pushed by the elasticity of the elastic roller and does not rattle against the fork support.
When the fork is moved laterally and the peripheral surface of the elastic roller is brought into contact with the back of the fork, or when these engagements are released, the elastic roller is provided so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis. The lateral movement of the fork can be easily performed, and the distance between the forks can be easily adjusted.
Since the elastic roller is provided on the fork support, it is not necessary to process the fork and the lower hook, and there is no risk of the strength being lowered, and a conventional one can be used as it is.

  The elastic roller is preferably provided on the upper part of the lower finger bar of the fork support. In this way, since the lower side of the fork can be pressed by the elastic roller, a great play prevention effect can be obtained.

  The elastic roller is preferably provided at a position corresponding to the engagement notch of the fork support. In this way, play of the fork positioned at a predetermined interval can be surely prevented, and the number of elastic rollers can be minimized.

According to the present invention, the following excellent effects can be achieved.
(1) Consists of a fork support, a fork, and an elastic roller, and in particular, a plurality of elastic rollers that can engage with the back of the fork are provided on the fork support so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis. This is easy to do and still prevents fork backlash.
(2) Since a plurality of elastic rollers capable of engaging with the back surface of the fork are provided on the fork support body so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis, the strength of the fork, the lower hook and the like is not reduced. As a result, the conventional fork can be used as it is.
(3) Since the elastic roller is brought into contact with the fork, noise can be reduced depending on the elasticity of the elastic roller.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a fork back-preventing device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1 showing only half. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of FIG.

  The fork rattle prevention device 1 is composed of a fork support 2, a fork 3, and an elastic roller 4, and the main part thereof is applied to a cargo handling vehicle such as a forklift.

  The fork support 2 can be raised and lowered. In this example, the fork support 2 is provided between the left and right lift brackets 5, the upper and lower finger bars 6 and 7 provided on the front sides thereof, and both ends thereof. Although left and right side plates 8 are provided and are not shown in the drawings, they are provided so as to be able to move up and down along a mast that can be tilted back and forth on the front side of a vehicle body of a cargo handling vehicle such as a forklift.

The lift bracket 5 has a plate shape.
The upper finger bar 6 has a horizontally long prismatic shape, is erected on the upper front surface of both lift brackets 5, and has a concave groove 9 in the upper part, and an upward protrusion on its front side. 10 is formed. The protrusions 10 of the upper finger bar 6 are formed with engagement notches 11 for engaging positioning stopper pins (not shown) at predetermined intervals, and these restrict the movement of the fork 3 in the left-right direction. As a result, the distance between the forks 3 can be adjusted.
The lower finger bar 7 has a horizontally long prismatic shape, is erected on the lower front surface of the lift brackets 5, and has a concave groove 12 in the lower part, and a downward protrusion on the front side thereof. Article 13 is formed. A notch 14 for inserting and removing the fork 3 is formed at the center of the protrusion 13 of the lower finger bar 7.

The fork 3 is suspended from the fork support 2 so as to be laterally movable. In this example, the fork 3 is a pair of left and right, and has a substantially L shape including a vertical piece 15 and a horizontal piece 16, respectively. An upper hook 17 is attached to the upper back surface of the piece 15 so as to have an inverted substantially L shape and is hooked on the protrusion 10 of the upper finger bar 6. And a lower hook 18 is attached to be engaged with the protrusion 13 of the lower finger bar 7.
Although not shown, the upper hook 17 is provided with a positioning stopper pin that is biased downward by a spring.

The elastic roller 4 is provided on the fork support 2 so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis, and its peripheral surface can be brought into contact with the back of the fork 3. In this example, the lower finger bar of the fork support 2 is provided. 7 and at a position corresponding to the hooking notch 11 of the fork support 2.
The elastic roller 4 has an annular shape and is made of an elastic material such as rubber or synthetic resin. The elastic roller 4 has a vertical axis depending on a bolt 19 screwed into a screw hole formed in the lower finger bar 7 of the fork support 2. It is supported so that it can rotate around.

Next, the operation will be described based on such a configuration.
When the fork 3 is laterally moved (moved) with respect to the fork support 2, the peripheral surface of the elastic roller 4 is brought into contact with the back surface of the vertical piece 15 of the fork 3, or these engagements are released. I can do things.
When the peripheral surface of the elastic roller 4 is brought into contact with the back surface of the vertical piece 15 of the fork 3, the lower side of the vertical piece 15 of the fork 3 is pressed forward by the elasticity of the elastic roller 4, and the upper finger of the fork support 2. The bar 6 and the lower finger bar 7 will not rattle.

When the fork 3 is moved laterally so that the peripheral surface of the elastic roller 4 is brought into contact with the back surface of the fork 3 or the engagement is released, the elastic roller 4 is rotated around the vertical axis by the bolt 19. Since it is provided, the fork 3 can be moved laterally and the distance between the forks 3 can be adjusted easily.
Since the elastic roller 4 is provided on the fork support 2, it is not necessary to process the fork 3 and the lower hook 18, and there is no risk of the strength being lowered, and a conventional one can be used as it is.
Since the elastic roller 4 is provided on the upper part of the lower finger bar 7 of the fork support body 2, the lower side of the fork 3 can be pressed by the elastic roller 4, and a large backlash prevention effect can be obtained.
Since the elastic roller 4 is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement notch 11 of the fork support 2, it is possible to reliably prevent the fork 3 positioned at a predetermined interval and to minimize the number of elastic rollers 4. Just do it.

In the above example, both the finger bars 6 and 7 of the fork support body 2 are formed with ridges on the rear side depending on the concave grooves 9 and 12. As described in Patent Documents 1 to 13 (excluding Patent Document 12), the rear protrusion may be omitted.
In the previous example, the elastic roller 4 is provided on the upper part of the lower finger bar 7 of the fork support 2, but this is not a limitation. For example, as shown by the chain line in FIG. You may provide in the lower part.
In the previous example, the elastic roller 4 is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement notch 11 of the fork support 2, but is not limited thereto, and may be provided at regular intervals, for example.

The longitudinal side view which shows the backlash prevention apparatus for forks of this invention. The front view of FIG. 1 which shows only the right half. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fork back prevention apparatus, 2 ... Fork support body, 3 ... Fork, 4 ... Elastic roller, 5 ... Lift bracket, 6 ... Upper finger bar, 7 ... Lower finger bar, 8 ... Side plate, 9 ... Concave groove, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Projection, 11 ... Engagement notch, 12 ... Groove, 13 ... Projection, 14 ... Notch, 15 ... Vertical piece, 16 ... Horizontal piece, 17 ... Upper hook, 18 ... Lower hook, 19 ... Bolt

Claims (3)

A fork support that can be raised and lowered, a fork suspended so as to be laterally movable on the fork support, a plurality of vertical axes provided on the upper part of the lower finger bar or on the lower part of the upper finger bar, and each vertical axis A fork rattle prevention device comprising: an elastic roller which is provided so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis and whose peripheral surface can be brought into contact with the back surface of the fork.
  The fork backlash prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic roller is provided on an upper part of the lower finger bar of the fork support. The fork rattle prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic roller is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement notch of the fork support.

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