Towing hook for forklift

Abstract

To provide a towing hook for a forklift, which can easily move a load that is out of reach of the forks to a position where the forks can reach it. [Solution] The towing hook includes a fixed member 41. The fixed member has a base plate portion 42 extending in a first direction, and a pair of side plate portions 43, 44 extending from one end and the other end of the base plate portion in the first direction toward one end in a second direction, which is the plate thickness direction of the base plate portion. The fixed member forms a groove 45 on the inside of the base plate portion and the pair of side plate portions, into which a fork rail 24 of a forklift can be fitted. The towing hook includes a blocking member 50 detachably attached to one end of the pair of side plates so as to block the opening face of the groove on one end side in the second direction, and a hook member 60 fixed to the outer surface of the side plate portions.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a towing hook for a forklift. [Background technology]

[0002] Forklifts for transporting loads have been known for some time. A forklift has a load handling device at the front of the vehicle. In the load handling device, forks are attached to fork rails of a lift bracket. When transporting a load, the load is lifted from under the forks and then transported to a predetermined location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-15361 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Depending on the work site environment and the location of the cargo, the forks of the forklift may not be able to reach the cargo. In this case, the cargo must be moved to a position where the forks can reach it, which reduces work efficiency.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily move a load that is out of reach of the forks to a position where the forks can reach it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first invention is directed to a towing hook for a forklift. The towing hook includes a fixing member. The fixing member has a base portion extending in a first direction and a pair of side plate portions each extending from one end and the other end of the base portion in the first direction toward one end in a second direction, which is the thickness direction of the base portion. The fixing member forms a groove on the inside of the base portion and the pair of side plate portions into which the fork rails of the forklift can fit. The towing hook includes a blocking member detachably attached to one end of the pair of side plate portions so as to block the opening face of the groove on one end side in the second direction, and a hook member fixed to the outer surface of the side plate portions.

[0007] In the first idea, a blocking member is attached to one end of the fixed member with the fork rail fitted into the groove of the fixed member. As a result, the towing hook is supported by the fork rail. One end of an intermediate member, such as a chain, wire, or rope, is hooked onto a hook member fixed to the side plate of the fixed member, and the other end of the intermediate member is fixed to the load. In this state, the forklift can be moved to pull the load to a position within the reach of the forks.

[0008] In the second invention, in the first invention, the hook member has a first hook portion extending in the second direction and fixed to the side plate portion, a second hook portion extending in the second direction and facing the first hook portion in the first direction, and an intermediate hook portion connecting one end of the first hook portion in the second direction to one end of the second hook portion in the second direction. An opening portion connecting to the space inside the hook member is formed in the hook member between the other end of the first hook portion in the second direction and the other end of the second hook portion in the second direction.

[0009] In the second invention, the hook member has an opening, so that one end of an intermediate member such as a chain, wire, or rope can be easily inserted into the space inside the hook member.

[0010] The third invention is the second invention, in which the other end of the first hook portion is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the second hook portion.

[0011] In the third invention, the protrusion prevents the intermediate member in the space inside the hook member from coming off to the outside of the hook member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a forklift truck according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lift bracket and the fork of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the towing hook and the first fork rail of this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the towing hook of this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the third direction showing a state in which a towing hook is attached to the first fork rail of this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Since each drawing is intended to conceptually explain the present disclosure, dimensions, ratios, or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding.

[0014] In the following description, terms such as "front," "rear," "right," "left," "upper," and "lower" are used from the perspective of an operator sitting in the driver's seat of the forklift. These terms are used from the perspective of the arrows in Figures 1 and 2.

[0015] (1) Forklift configuration A forklift 10 is used to lift and transport a specified load. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the forklift 10. The forklift 10 includes a vehicle body 11 and a loading device 20 provided on the front side of the vehicle body 11. A driver's seat 12 is provided in the middle of the vehicle body 11 in the longitudinal direction. Drive wheels 13, which are front wheels, are provided on the lower front side of the vehicle body 11, and steering wheels 14, which are rear wheels, are provided on the lower rear side of the vehicle body 11. A balance weight 15 is provided on the rear of the vehicle body 11. A head guard 16 that covers the driver's seat 12 is provided on the upper part of the vehicle body 11.

[0016] The cargo handling device 20 has a pair of masts 21 extending in the vertical direction, a lift bracket 22 that moves up and down along the pair of masts 21, and a pair of forks 30 attached to the lift bracket 22. The pair of masts 21 are arranged parallel to each other, side by side on the left and right. The pair of masts 21 has outer masts that extend up and down, and inner masts that move up and down along the outer masts using lift cylinders as their drive sources.

[0017] 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lift bracket 22 and the fork 30. The lift bracket 22 has a backrest 23, a first fork rail 24, and a second fork rail 25. The backrest 23 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The backrest 23 has a pair of support columns 23a extending vertically and a beam 23b extending left and right and connecting the upper ends of the pair of support columns 23a.

[0018] The first fork rail 24 and the second fork rail 25 are members for supporting the fork 30. The first fork rail 24 and the second fork rail 25 extend in the left-right direction and are fixed to a pair of support columns 23a. The first fork rail 24 is an upper finger bar, and the second fork rail 25 is a lower finger bar. The first fork rail 24 has a rectangular pillar-shaped first rail body 24a extending left-right and a first protrusion 24b protruding upward from the front end of the upper surface of the first rail body 24a. The first protrusion 24b extends left-right along the first rail body 24a. The second fork rail 25 has a rectangular pillar-shaped second rail body 25a extending left-right and a second protrusion 25b protruding downward from the front end of the lower surface of the second rail body 25a. The first protrusion 24b has multiple notches 26 formed in it. The notches 26 are formed at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. The notch 26 is formed in a concave shape extending downward from the upper end of the first protrusion 24b, forming a space in the shape of a square pillar.

[0019] The pair of forks 30 are supported on the first fork rail 24 in a lined-up state. Each of the pair of forks 30 has a rising portion 31 that extends vertically and an extending portion 32 that extends forward from the lower end of the rising portion 31. A loading surface on which cargo is loaded is formed above the extending portion 32.

[0020] A first engagement portion 31a that engages with the first protrusion 24b is formed at the upper end of the rising portion 31. The first engagement portion 31a hooks onto the first protrusion 24b from above. A second engagement portion 31b that engages with the second protrusion 25b is formed at the lower end of the rising portion 31. The second engagement portion 31b hooks onto the second protrusion 25b from below. By engaging with the forks 30 and the fork rails 24 and 25, the forks 30 are fixed to the fork rails 24 and 25.

[0021] A lock pin 33 that can move up and down is provided at the upper end of each of the pair of fork rails 24, 25. When the lock pin 33 moves downward, it fits into the notch 26 of the first protrusion 24b. This allows the relative position of the fork 30 and the first fork rail 24 in the left-right direction to be determined.

[0022] (2) Towing hook configuration The towing hook 40 is used to tow loads that the forks 30 of the forklift 10 cannot reach sufficiently via an intermediate member 5 such as a chain, wire, or rope. The towing hook 40 is configured to be detachably attached to the first fork rail 24 of the forklift 10. The detailed configuration of the towing hook 40 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of essential parts of the towing hook 40 and the first fork rail 24. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the towing hook 40. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the towing hook 40 in the attached state, taken along the front-rear direction. In the following description, the "first direction" corresponds to the up-down direction, the "second direction" corresponds to the front-rear direction, and the "third direction" corresponds to the left-right direction. One end in the first direction corresponds to the upper end, and the other end in the first direction corresponds to the lower end. One end in the second direction corresponds to the front end, and the other end in the second direction corresponds to the rear end. The towing hook 40 has a fixing member 41, a blocking member 50, and a hook member 60.

[0023] (2-1) Fixing member The fixing member 41 is a member for fixing the towing hook 40 to the first fork rail 24. The material of the fixing member 41 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably made of a metal material. The fixing member 41 is made of, for example, carbon steel, specifically SS400. When viewed in the third direction (viewed in the left-right direction), the fixing member 41 is formed in a generally U-shape with an open front side. The fixing member 41 has a base plate portion 42 and a pair of side plate portions 43, 44. In the fixing member 41, a groove 45 is formed between the base plate portion 42 and the pair of side plate portions 43, 44, into which the first fork rail 24 can be fitted.

[0024] The substrate portion 42 is formed in a plate shape extending in the up-down direction from one end to the other end in the first direction. The substrate portion 42 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in the first direction. The substrate portion 42 has a thickness in the second direction. The pair of side plate portions 43, 44 is composed of a first side plate portion 43 continuous with the upper end of the substrate portion 42 and a second side plate portion 44 continuous with the lower end of the substrate portion 42.

[0025] The first side plate 43 extends forward from the upper end of the base plate 42. The first side plate 43 has a thickness in the first direction. The first side plate 43 is composed of a thick portion 43a formed toward the rear and a thin portion 43b that is thinner in the first direction than the thick portion 43a. The thick portion 43a is formed in a rectangular prism shape that is continuous with the base plate 42. The thin portion 43b is formed in a rectangular prism shape that protrudes forward from the front upper end of the thick portion 43a. A stepped groove 45a, which is part of the groove 45 described above, is formed between the lower surface of the thick portion 43a and the entire surface of the thin portion 43b. The stepped groove 45a extends from both the left and right ends of the fixing member 41. The first protrusion 24b of the first fork rail 24 is fitted into the stepped groove 45a. The second side plate 44 extends forward from the upper end of the base plate 42. The second side plate portion 44 has a thickness in the first direction and is thinner than the thick portion 43a.

[0026] (2-2) Closure member The blocking member 50 is detachably attached to one end of the pair of side plate portions 43, 44 so as to block the opening surface of one end side of the groove 45 in the second direction. The material of the blocking member 50 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably made of a metal material. The blocking member 50 is made of, for example, carbon steel, specifically SS400. The blocking member 50 is formed in a plate shape having a thickness in the second direction. The blocking member 50 has a plate-shaped blocking plate 51 and a protrusion 52 protruding rearward from the rear surface of the blocking plate 51. The blocking plate 51 is formed in a vertically long rectangular shape when viewed in the second direction. The protrusion 52 is provided slightly toward the upper end of the rear surface of the blocking plate 51, in the middle in the left-right direction. The protrusion 52 is formed in a rectangular prism shape that is long in the left-right direction.

[0027] 5, the closing member 50 is fixed to the fixing member 41 by fastening members 53 such as screws or bolts. In this embodiment, fastening holes to which the fastening members 53 are fastened are formed in each of the four corners of the closing member 50 when viewed in the second direction. Fastening holes corresponding to the two upper fastening members 53 are formed in the front surface of the first side plate portion 43, and fastening holes corresponding to the two lower fastening members 53 are formed in the front surface of the second side plate portion 44.

[0028] When the blocking member 50 is attached to the fixing member 41, the protrusion 52 fits into the notch 26 of the first fork rail 24. As a result, the relative positions of the towing hook 40 and the first fork rail 24 in the third direction (left-right direction) are determined. In addition, movement of the towing hook 40 in the left-right direction is restricted.

[0029] (2-3) Hook member The hook member 60 is fixed to the outer surface (upper surface) of the first side plate portion 43. The material of the hook member 60 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably made of a metal material. The hook member 60 is made of, for example, carbon steel, specifically SS400.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the hook member 60 is a member for hooking an intermediate member 5 such as a chain, wire, or rope. When viewed in the third direction, the hook member 60 is formed in a generally U-shape with an open portion 61 on the rear side. The hook member 60 has a height lower than that of the fixing member 41. The width of the fixing member 41 in the left-right direction is smaller than the width of the hook member 60 in the left-right direction. The hook member 60 has a lower hook portion 62 which is a first portion, an upper hook portion 63 which is a second portion, and an intermediate hook portion 64 which is a third portion.

[0031] The lower hook portion 62 is fixed to the first side plate portion 43 of the fixing member 41. The lower hook portion 62 is provided at a central position in the left-right direction of the first side plate portion 43. The lower hook portion 62 extends linearly in the second direction along the first side plate portion 43. The lower hook portion 62 is formed in a rectangular prism shape with the second direction as its longitudinal direction. The lower hook portion 62 is fixed to the fixing member 41 by welding, for example, but may also be fixed to the fixing member 41 by adhesive bonding, fastening, or the like. As shown in FIG. 5 , the welded portion between the lower hook portion 62 and the fixing member 41 is formed in a range that overlaps the thick-walled portion 43a but does not overlap the thin-walled portion 43b when viewed in the third direction.

[0032] The upper hook portion 63 extends in the second direction and faces the lower hook portion 62 in the up-down direction. The upper hook portion 63 extends linearly in the second direction along the lower hook portion 62. The lower hook portion 62 is formed in the shape of a quadrangular prism with its longitudinal direction in the second direction. The rear end of the upper hook portion 63 overlaps with the rear end of the lower hook portion 62 when viewed in the first direction.

[0033] The intermediate hook portion 64 connects one end (front end) of the lower hook portion 62 in the second direction to one end (front end) of the upper hook portion 63 in the second direction. The intermediate hook portion 64 has a first inclined portion 64a extending obliquely upward and to the front from the lower hook portion 62, a vertical portion 64b extending upward from the upper end of the first inclined portion 64a, and a second inclined portion 64c extending obliquely upward and to the rear from the upper end of the vertical portion 64b. The first inclined portion 64a, the vertical portion 64b, and the second inclined portion 64c are each formed in a quadrangular prism shape.

[0034] A barbed portion 62a that protrudes upward is formed at the rear end of the upper surface of the lower hook portion 62. The barbed portion 62a is configured as a rectangular pillar-shaped protrusion. In the hook member 60, an open portion 61 is formed between the rear end of the lower hook portion 62 and the rear end of the upper hook portion 63. The open portion 61 forms a space for inserting the intermediate member 5 inside the hook member 60. The barbed portion 62a narrows the vertical height of the space formed by the open portion 61.

[0035] (3) Use of towing hooks An example of use of the towing hook 40 will be described. When the forks 30 of the forklift 10 cannot directly reach a load, the towing hook 40 is used to move the load to a position where the forks 30 can reach it.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, the worker attaches the fixing member 41 to the first fork rail 24. Specifically, the first fork rail 24 is fitted into the groove 45 of the fixing member 41. At this time, the first protrusion 24b is fitted into the stepped groove 45a. Next, the worker attaches the blocking member 50 to the front end of the fixing member 41. At this time, the protrusion 52 of the blocking member 50 is fitted into the notch 26 of the first fork rail 24. Next, the worker secures the fixing member 41 and the blocking member 50, which have the first fork rail 24 sandwiched between them, with the fastening member 53. As a result, the towing hook 40 is attached to the first fork rail 24, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0037] Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the worker hooks one end of the intermediate member 5 onto the hook member 60. Specifically, one end of the closed-loop intermediate member 5 is hooked onto the inside of the hook member 60. The other end of the intermediate member 5 is attached to a load (not shown). In this state, by moving the forklift 10 backward, the load can be moved to a position where the forks 30 can reach it.

[0038] When the towing hook 40 is attached, the front end of the towing hook 40 is located rearward of the front surface of the rising portion 31 of the fork 30. Therefore, when a load is placed on the fork 30, the load can be prevented from coming into contact with the towing hook 40. Therefore, with the towing hook 40 attached to the fork rails 24, 25, the worker can use the fork 30 to perform the next task.

[0039] (4) Effects of the embodiment The towing hook 40 can be easily attached to the first fork rail 24 by fitting the first fork rail 24 of the forklift 10 into the groove 45 of the fixing member 41 and attaching the blocking member 50 to the fixing member 41. In this state, one end of the intermediate member 5 is hooked onto the hook member 60 and the other end is attached to the cargo, so that the cargo can be easily moved to a position where the forks 30 can reach it.

[0040] For example, if an intermediate member 5 such as a chain were directly attached to a predetermined component of the forklift 10, there is a possibility that the component would be damaged or deformed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the intermediate member 5 is attached to the towing hook 40, which prevents the components of the forklift 10 from being damaged or deformed. In particular, this prevents the intermediate member 5, such as a chain, from coming into contact with electronic components or sensors of the forklift 10, resulting in malfunction. Furthermore, if the intermediate member 5 were directly attached to the forklift 10, there is a possibility that the intermediate member 5 would come off. However, this embodiment includes a hook member 60 specifically designed for towing, which reduces this risk. Furthermore, if the towing hook 40 is attached to the forklift 10, the towing hook 40 serves as a guide for attaching the intermediate member 5. This prevents an operator from attaching the intermediate member 5, such as a chain, to another component.

[0041] The towing hook 40 is detachable from the forklift 10, so the towing hook 40 can be used without changing the specifications of the forklift 10. Furthermore, the towing hook 40 can be applied to different forklifts 10.

[0042] The fork rails 24, 25 are members for supporting the forks 30 and have relatively high rigidity. Therefore, there is an extremely low risk of the fork rails 24, 25 being deformed when the towing hook 40 is attached and a load is towed. Because the shapes of the fork rails 24, 25 are determined to correspond to various types of interchangeable forks, the shapes of the fork rails 24, 25 can easily be standardized even for different forklifts 10. Therefore, the towing hook 40 can be applied to multiple types of forklifts 10.

[0043] The fixing member 41 is generally U-shaped when viewed in the third direction, and the first fork rail 24 fits into an internal groove 45. The inner surface of the fixing member 41 is formed to follow the shape of the outer surface of the first fork rail 24. Therefore, when a pulling force during towing acts diagonally downward, the rotation of the fixing member 41 is restricted by the fork rail 24.

[0044] The hook member 60 has an open portion 61 at the rear thereof. Therefore, the intermediate member 5 can be easily inserted into the inside of the hook member 60 through the space of the open portion 61. The open portion 61 is always open and does not have a stopper mechanism for closing the open portion 61. Therefore, the structure of the hook member 60 can be simplified and the hook member 60 can be prevented from interfering with other components.

[0045] The other end (rear end) of the lower hook portion 62 is provided with a convex barb 62a that protrudes toward the upper hook portion 63. This prevents the intermediate member 5 hooked on the hook member 60 from falling off through the open portion 61. This configuration also eliminates the need to provide a stopper mechanism in the open portion 61.

[0046] When the towing hook 40 is attached, the front end of the towing hook 40 is located rearward of the front surface of the rising portion 31 of the fork 30. Therefore, when a load is placed on the fork 30, the load can be prevented from coming into contact with the towing hook 40.

[0047] By providing a protrusion 52 on the rear surface of the blocking member 50 and fitting this protrusion 52 into the cutout 26 of the fork rails 24, 25, even if a pulling force acts on the towing hook 40 in the third direction (left-right direction), the towing hook 40 can be prevented from moving in the third direction.

[0048] By fitting the first protrusion 24b of the fork rails 24, 25 into the step groove 45a of the fixed member 41, the first protrusion 24b functions as a stopper that restricts the rotation of the fixed member 41 when a pulling force during towing acts diagonally downward.

[0049] The weld between the hook member 60 and the fixing member 41 is provided in the thick portion 43a, but not in the thin portion 43b. If the weld range of the weld is provided in the thin portion 43b, there is a possibility that the thin portion 43b will be distorted by heat, but this can be prevented. By providing the weld range of the weld in the thick portion 43a, it is possible to obtain high joint strength while preventing thermal distortion.

[0050] The width of the fixing member 41 in the third direction is greater than the width of the hook member 60 in the third direction. This allows the contact surface between the first fork rail 24 and the fixing member 41 to be expanded in the third direction. As a result, rotation of the fixing member 41 around the second direction during towing can be prevented. In addition, by expanding the contact surface between the first fork rail 24 and the fixing member 41 in the third direction, the surface pressure acting on the first fork rail 24 can be dispersed, preventing deformation of the first fork rail 24.

[0051] (5) Other embodiments The shape of the hook member 60 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The hook member 60 may be fishhook-shaped, and the member constituting the hook member 60 may be cylindrical or have an arc-shaped outer diameter. The opening of the hook member 60 may be provided with a stopper mechanism that can open and close the opening.

[0052] The hook member 60 may be fixed to a side plate portion of the fixing member 41, such as the bottom surface, right surface, or left surface.

[0053] The fixing member 41 may be removably attached to the second fork rail 25 below the first fork rail 24 .

[0054] Although the embodiments and modifications have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications in form and details are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Furthermore, the above embodiments, modifications, and other embodiments may be combined or substituted as appropriate as long as the functionality of the subject matter of the present disclosure is not impaired.

[0055] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc. mentioned above are used to distinguish the terms to which these terms are attached, and do not limit the number or order of the terms. [Industrial Applicability]

[0056] As described above, the present invention is useful for towing hooks for forklifts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 10. Forklift 24,25 fork rail 41 Fixing member 42 Circuit board 43 First side plate part 44 Second side plate part 45 Groove 50 Closure member 60 Hook member 61 Open area 62 Lower hook part (first hook part) 63 Upper hook part (second hook part) 64 Middle hook part

Claims

1. A towing hook for a forklift, a fixing member having a base plate portion extending in a first direction and a pair of side plate portions extending from one end and the other end of the base plate portion in the first direction toward one end of the base plate portion in a second direction, which is a plate thickness direction of the base plate portion, and forming grooves on the inside of the base plate portion and the pair of side plate portions into which fork rails of a forklift can be fitted; a closing member detachably attached to one end of the pair of side plates so as to close an opening surface of the groove at one end side in the second direction; and a hook member fixed to the outer surface of the side plate portion. Towing hook for forklifts.

2. The hook member is a first hook portion extending in the second direction and fixed to the side plate portion; a second hook portion extending in the second direction and facing the first hook portion in the first direction; an intermediate hook portion connecting one end of the first hook portion in the second direction and one end of the second hook portion in the second direction; The hook member has an opening formed between the other end of the first hook portion in the second direction and the other end of the second hook portion in the second direction, the opening connecting to the space inside the hook member. The towing hook for a forklift according to claim 1.

3. The other end of the first hook portion is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the second hook portion. The towing hook for a forklift according to claim 2.

Images