Loading Device of LP Gas Cylinders

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a loading device of light petroleum gas (LP gas) cylinders when LP gas is used as fuel in industrial vehicles such as a fork lift truck.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Since LP gas is economical in comparison to gasoline or the like and advantageous in that a relatively small amount of harmful substances is contained in the exhaust gas, it is now used also in industrial vehicles such as a fork lift truck.

Since LP gas is filled in an interchangeable cylinder, when the LP gas is used in a fork lift truck, a cylinder must be loaded and therefore a loading device of the cylinder must be installed on the fork lift truck. As a loading device of a cylinder for a fork lift truck in the prior art, that of loading a cylinder in a horizontal state on top of a balance weight has been generally used.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a loading device in the prior art. In FIG. 7, a loading device "a" comprises a support foot part "b" fixed on a balance weight installed at a rear side of a fork lift truck A, and a bracket "d" which is formed in a concave arc shape on the support foot part "b" so as to hold a cylinder "c" such that the cylindrical axis thereof is in a horizontal state. A tightening band "e" is mounted on both longitudinal ends of the bracket "d" so that top end portions can be engaged with each other, and the cylinder "c" can be detachably fixed to the bracket "d" through the tightening action of the tightening band "e".

In such a prior art loading device, however, since a cylinder which can be held on the balance weight is limited to one in number on account of its space (Even if two cylinders can be held in a parallel in horizontal state, the loading and unloading work will become difficult.), the cylinder in an empty state must be immediately replaced by a new cylinder. Consequently, ordinary work such as cargo work must be interrupted temporarily.

In order to decrease the length of interruption of work due to lack of fuel as above described, a cylinder of large capacity is used in the prior art. However, such a cylinder of large capacity has considerable weight and therefore the changing work requires excessive labor.

An object of the invention is to provide a loading device of LP gas cylinders which can hold two LP gas cylinders such that their cylindrical axes are a in vertical state.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loading device of LP gas cylinders wherein even when a driver seat is brought down rearward for engine inspection of an industrial vehicle, a bottom plate can be slanted forward without being obstructed by the driver seat.

In order to attain the above objects, a loading device of LP gas cylinders in industrial vehicles according to the invention comprises a rear plate extending along a rear end side of a bottom plate in rectangular form, a partition plate extending in position where the bottom plate is equally halved into right and left parts, a space provided on both sides of the partition plate for holding the cylinders with their axes in a vertical state, and tightening bands and hooks for the tightening bands installed in opposition at a top end position of the partition plate and both lateral end portions of the rear plate so as to surround the space, whereby the cylinders can be prevented from being unintentionally removed from the loading device.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a fork lift truck having a loading device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the loading device;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the loading device;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the loading device;

FIG. 5 is a partial rear elevation of the loading device illustrating the state of engagement of a tightening fitting with a hook;

FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the loading device illustrating a mounting state of the hook and the tightening fitting; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of a fork lift truck having a loading device in the prior art.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a fork lift truck A as a whole. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a body of the fork lift truck A, numeral 2 designates an engine hook, numeral 3 designates a driver seat installed on the engine hood, and numeral 4 designates a balance weight installed on the rear side of the body 1. A loading device B for supporting an LP gas cylinder 5 according to the invention is mounted on the balance weight 4. FIGS. 2 through 6 show the loading device B. FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a plan view, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 5 is a partial rear elevation, and FIG. 6 is a partial side view.

In FIG. 1 through 6, numeral 6 designates a mounting substrate fixed on a top end surface of the balance weight 4 in a horizontal state. The mounting substrate 6 is formed in nearly a rectangular shape, and is provided on both opposed longitudinal front and rear ends with flanges 6a, 6b and on both lateral ends with flanges 6c, 6c respectively formed integrally therewith by bending each side end portion upward. A bottom plate 7 is overlaid on the mounting substrate 6. The bottom plate 7 has a space on which two cylinders 5, 5 in a standing state can be held in lateral arrangement to each other, and is formed in nearly rectangular shape. A flange 7' is formed on a rear end portion of the bottom plate 7 integrally therewith by bending a side end portion upward. A front end portion of the bottom plate 7 is pivotally attached to the flange 6a by means of hinges 8, 8 so that the bottom plate 7 can be slanted or tilted by pivoting it forward about the hinges 8, 8 as follows. Chains 10, 10 to restrict the slant or tilt angle of the bottom plate 7 are stretched between the flanges 6c, 6c and flanges 9', 9' of a rear plate 9 as hereinafter described. Fixtures 11, 11 in hook form are also attached to both flanges 9', 9' at a lower end side thereof with coil springs 12, 12 interposed between a base portion of the springs 12 and an inside surface of the flanges 9', 9' so that the fixtures 11, 11 are normally biased towards the inside of the flanges 9', 9'. Inserting holes 13a, 13b; 13a, 13b for the fixtures 11 are bored in the flanges 6c, 6c and in the flanges 9', 9' corresponding to top end portions of the hook-like fixtures 11, 11. The top end portions of the fixtures 11, 11 are normally inserted in the inserting holes 13a, 13b; 13a, 13b, thereby the bottom plate 7 can be fixed in a horizontal state to the substrate 6. A hook 26 is installed at a rear side of the flange 7', and a tightening fitting 27 corresponding to the hook 26 is installed at a rear side of the rear plate 9. The horizontal fixing state of the bottom plate 7 to the mounting substrate 6 may be made stronger through the engagement between the hook 26 and the tightening fitting 27. More specifically, the hook 26 is formed by bending a plate of nearly rectangular shape. The tightening fitting 27 comprises a substrate or bracket 27a fixed to the rear plate 9, a pushing fitting 27b pivotally attached to a bottom end portion of the substrate 27a, a lateral pair of spaced-apart arms 27c, 27c pivotally attached to the pushing fitting 27b at a top end side thereof, and an engaging fitting 27d attached slidably to a top end portion of both arms 27c, 27c. Coil springs 27e, 27e are interposed between stops on spaced-apart extensions of the engaging fitting 27d and stops on lower ends of both arms 27c, 27c. The engaging fitting 27d includes a horizontal bar which is engaged with the hook 26 and the pushing fitting 27b is rotated towards the rear plate 9 against the biasing force of the coil spring 27e whereby a locking state of the tightening fitting 27 can be obtained.

On the other hand, the rear plate 9 comprises a first member which extends vertically upward from the rear end portion of the bottom plate 7, and a partition plate 14 comprises a second member which extends vertically upward at position where the bottom plate 7 is equally halved laterally, and extends between both longitudinal front and rear ends of the bottom plate 7. More specifically, the rear plate 9 has a suitable height and width and is formed in nearly rectangular shape, and a lower end porton of the rear plate 9 is fixed to the flange 7'. The partition plate 14 has the same height as that of the rear plate 9, and is formed in nearly a rectangular shape. A flange 14a is formed by bending the rear end edge of the partition plate 14 to one lateral side and the flange 14a is fixed to the rear plate 9. A flange 14b is formed by bending the lower end edge of the partition plate to one lateral side is fixed to the bottom plate 7. A separate padding plate 15 having a cross-section of approximately U-like form is placed over an upper edge portion of the rear plate 9 and the partition plate 14.

Fixtures 16, 16 are installed on both lateral ends of the rear plate 9 and are bent from an upper end portion of the rear plate 9 to oblique forward directions. Base portions of tightening bands 17, 17 are pivotally attached to free end portions of the fixtures 16, 16 through pins 18, 18 respectively and so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The tightening band 17 is curved in an arch form along a trunk portion of the cylinder 5, and a tightening fitting 19 is connected to a free end portion of each tightening band 17. A hook 20 which is engageable with the tightening fitting 19 is pivotally attached to a front end portion of the partition plate 14 and is rotatable in the horizontal direction with its length being adjustable. More specifically, a male screw 20' is threaded on a trunk of each hook 20 and threadedly engaged with a free end portion of a fixture 21 which is pivotally attached to the front end portion of the partition plate 14 and rotatable in the horizontal direction, whereby each hook 20 is rotatable in the horizontal direction with its length being adjustable.

In the loading device B according to the invention as shown in FIG. 4, various parts such as the bottom plate 7, the rear plate 9, the partition plate 14 and the like can be assembled and disassembled through engagement of bolts and nuts. In FIG. 4, numeral 22 designates a coupling hose both ends of which are threadedly engaged with valves 23, 23 of the two cylinders 5, 5. The coupling hose 22 is mounted on upper end portion of the rear plate 9 through fixtures 24, 24. Numeral 25 designates a fuel hose, and one end of the fuel hose 25 is connected to an intermediate portion of the coupling hose 22 and the other end thereof is connected to a carburetor (not whown).

A method of using the apparatus disclosed in the above embodiment will now be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the mounting substrate 6 of the loading device B is fixed on the balance weight 4 of the fork lift truck A, the cylinders 5, 5 are held on both lateral sides of the bottom plate 7 and the tightening fittings 19, 19 of the tightening bands 17, 17 are engaged with the hooks 20, 20 respectively and hooked, thereby the cylinders 5, 5 are clamped against the rear plate 9 and the partition plate 14 through the tightening action of the bands 17, 17 so as to fix the cylinders 5, 5. When the cylinders 5, 5 are fixed in such manner, both ends of the coupling hose 22 are threadedly engaged with the valves 23, 23 of the cylinders 5, 5 whereby LP gas can be forwarded to the fuel hose 25 connected to the coupling hose 22 from either of the right and left cylinders 5, 5. Consequently, when one cylinder 5 becomes empty, the valve 23 of other cylinder 5 is opened whereby the fuel can be supplied continuously.

On the other hand, in order to change the empty cylinder 5, the engagement between the hook 20 and the tightening fitting 19 is released whereby the cylinder 5 can be easily removed. In the fork lift truck A, an inspection port for access to the engine part is located at the upper end surface of the engine hood 2 and is normally closed by the driver seat 3. When the engine part is inspected, the driver seat 3 is brought down rearward and the inspection work is performed. In such inspection work, the bottom plate 7 is slanted forward whereby the driver seat 3 can be brought down smoothly without impinging on the loading device B. That is, during the normal state, the bottom plate 7 is locked doubly in a horizontal state to the mounting substrate 6 through the engaging action of the fixture 11 in the inserting holes 13a, 13b and engaging action of the tightening fitting 27 with the hook 26. During inspection, however, the double lock state of the fixture 11 and the tightening fitting 27 is released, and the bottom plate 7 is tilted as shown in the dash-and-dot line of FIG. 1 whereby the loading device B can be rotated rearwardly. Also the loading device B can be held in the tilted position by the chains 10, 10.

Although the loading device B is held in a definite tilted position when tilted forward by the chains 10 in the above mentioned embodiment, in place of the chains 10, for example, both ends of two link rods formed so as to be folded into two may be rotatably attached to the mounting substrate 6 and the bottom plate 7, respectively. The loading device need not always have a function of pivoting the bottom plate 7 such as in the case of a vehicle other than the fork lift truck or depending on the mounting position. In such case the mounting substrate 6 is not used but the bottom plate 7 can be mounted directly on the vehicle body. Furthermore, although the tightening band 17 is installed at a side of the rear plate 9 and the hook 20 is installed at a side of the partition plate 14 in the above-mentioned embodiment, the invention is not limited to this but the tightening band 17 and the hook 20 may be reversed in their mounting positions.

In the invention of above-mentioned constitution, the two cylinders are held in a vertical state on the balance weight. Accordingly, the invention has the following effects:

(1) Since two cylinders can always be loaded, there is no fear of lack of fuel during the work.

(2) Since a cylinder to be loaded may be relatively small, changing of the cylinder is simple and excessive labor is not required.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made thereto which fall within the scope of the appended claims.