Technical Field

The invention relates to forklift carrier bumpers which are used in load carrying semitrailer vehicles that carry load on highways.

The invention relates in particular to forklift carrier bumper which provides transportation of forklifts used in material loading and unloading operations at the back of semi-trailer vehicles with various sizes and driving height positions.

Prior Art

Semi-trailer vehicles are mostly used in order to carry loads of high tonnage and great volume in the logistics sector. Numerous semi-trailer vehicles are present nowadays as per the diversity of the loads included in this category and special transportation requirements.

Loading and unloading operations can differ in prior art according to the vehicle kinds and properties of the carried load. In container transportation, while containers at the top of vehicles are taken from the vehicle by completely lifting mostly by cranes, materials carried on vehicles such as platform vehicles, tilt vehicles and refrigerated vehicles are removed by being taken from the vehicles by forklifts or cranes grouped in the form of pallets. Vehicles such as cranes or forklifts needed for loading and unloading of the materials carried by said methods are required to be present at loading points. In the event when cranes or forklifts suitable for the container are not present at the region of load delivery, major problems are being experienced. Thus, serious constraints could be possible in semi-trailer transportation, and to overcome these problems for enabling unloading of the load on the vehicle, carrying out of loading and unloading operations are being provided at all places which the vehicle goes by carrying one each forklift together with the vehicle. However, transportation of rather heavy and large forklift creates a significant problem. Since transportation of the forklift on the vehicle reduces the loading area considerably, a very big disadvantage is of concern. Therefore, it becomes possible to transport the forklift by hanging to the back part of the vehicle in the way highway regulations grant conformity.

For the transportation of the forklift at the back of the semi-trailer vehicles, it is necessary to design the vehicles in a suitable configuration or to render the vehicle to have suitable configuration by additions made later. Because of this, bumpers in foldable construction are being used in semi-trailer vehicles. In the usage of foldable bumper, by engaging forks of the forklift into the profiles at the back of the vehicle, forklift raising itself above, and foldable bumper and forklift wheels not striking the bumper profile are provided. Because of this reason, the configuration of foldable bumpers is different than that of standard bumpers. Since standard bumpers are welded to the vehicle, it is necessary to make retrievable permanent modifications on the vehicle to enable to use of the standard bumper and the back configuration vehicle. The foldable bumper supporting the forklift from below forms an extra safety point. That is to say, a vehicle having the feature of transporting forklift cannot transition to standard bumper due to welding operation. Because of this, it is necessary to make very significant modifications to the vehicle and this does not turn out to be a sound operation.

In the prior art, foldable bumpers which are much heavier compared to standard bumpers create disadvantage in the event when forklift is not being transported. Foldable bumpers suitable to carry forklift with welded construction have different designs according to the driving height of the vehicle too. Bumpers having high driving positions cannot be installed on vehicles with low driving height. In the present situation, forklift carrying profiles which can open and close are being born from the below of the bumper. And this can make it difficult to conform to regulation conformity rules because of being close to the ground in vehicles with low driving position. Also, it can get damaged by striking the ground in exiting from ferryboat and similar situations.

Consequently, the existence of the above problems and insufficiency of existing solutions have made it compulsory to perform a development in the respective technical field.

The purpose of the invention The present invention relates to forklift carrier bumper which eliminates the above- mentioned disadvantages and which provides new advantages to the respective technical field.

The main purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which enables the forklifts used in material loading and unloading operations to be transported at the back of semi-trailer vehicles in various dimension and driving height positions.

The purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which is suitable for all semitrailer types which are suitable for high and low driving positions and in a configuration which is suitable for chassis widths.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which performs the duty of bumper in a configuration conforming to highway regulations and at the same time enabling transportation of forklift in conformity with the regulations.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which enables transportation of forklift on the vehicle by being easily connected over the vehicle during or after the production of the semi-trailer vehicles.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which can be used again by making modification and parts replacement in the event when it gets damaged because of any reasons thanks to being able to be connected over the existing bumper of the vehicle after the production of the semi-trailer vehicles.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which can be supplied as a spare part after the procurement of the semi-trailer vehicles.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper in a foldable configuration having forklift carrying profiles in an openable and closeable configuration.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper which can be used in semi-trailer vehicles having various dimensions and driving height positions in conformity with highway regulations and in a construction which hinders the bumper to strike the ground and get damaged during loading or unloading operations. Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a carrier bumper of which opening and closing hardness can be adjusted by means of being born by polymers sliding into the profile bearing of forklift carrying profiles which enable transportation of the forklift, of which manufacturing costs have been lowered and maintenance period times have been prolonged.

In order to fulfill all goals mentioned above and which can be deduced from the detailed description, the invention relates to a forklift carrier bumper which enables the forklifts used in semi-trailer vehicles that transport load on highways and used in material loading and unloading operations to be transported at the back of semi-trailer vehicles in various dimension and driving height positions comprising;

- bumper level profiles connected perpendicularly to edge surface and bumper body connected to the semi-trailer vehicle chassis by the chassis connection plate positioned horizontally over the bumper level profiles, forklift carrying profile which opens perpendicular to the bumper body within the profile bearing extending perpendicularly inside the bumper body and thus forklift is carried over it,

- foldable bumper profile which opens and closes on both ends of the bumper body and hinders striking of forklift wheels during transportation of the forklift.

Structural and characteristic features all advantages of the invention will be understood more clearly by means of the drawings and the detailed description written by referring to those drawings given below. Therefore it should be appreciated by considering these drawings and the detailed description.

Drawings which will aid in understanding the invention

Figure 1 is the perspective view of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention.

Figure 2 is the view of the open state of the forklift carrying profiles belonging to the forklift carrier bumper of the invention.

Figure 3 is the side sectional view of the forklift carrying profile belonging to the forklift carrier bumper of the invention.

Figure 3a is the view of the section detail of the forklift carrying profile belonging to the forklift carrier bumper of the invention. Figure 4 is the bottom perspective view of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention.

Figure 4a is the detailed view of the level adjustable polymer retainer belonging to the forklift carrier bumper of the invention.

Figure 5 is the view of the closed state of forklift carrying profiles of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention over the semi-trailer vehicle.

Figure 6 is the view of the opened state of forklift carrying profiles of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention over the semi-trailer vehicle.

Description of Part References

10. Bumper body

11. Chassis connection plate

12. Bumper level profile

13. Profile bearing

14. Protection sheet

20. Forklift carrying profile

21. Profile locking pin

30. Sliding polymer

40. Level adjustable polymer retainer

50. Level adjustment bolt

60. Foldable bumper profile

61. Profile hinge

62. Profile pin

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description the forklift carrier bumper of the invention is described aimed at only better understanding of the subject and without forming any limiting effect.

In Figure 1 , overall view of forklift carrier bumper of the invention has been provided. Accordingly, the forklift carrier bumper in its most fundamental state comprises bumper body (10) connected to the semi-trailer vehicle chassis, forklift carrying profile (20) over which forklift is being transported by opening and closing perpendicularly to the bumper body (10) inside the bumper body (10), sliding polymer (30) of which level can be adjusted which hinders wearing of the forklift carrying profile (20) which opens and closes by moving back and forth inside the profile bearing (13) by being connected by the level adjustable polymer retainer (40) to the inside of the profile bearing (13) which extends perpendicularly inside the bumper body (10), foldable bumper profile (60) which opens and closes at both ends of the bumper body (10) and which hinders striking of forklift wheels during transportation of the forklift.

Although bumper body (10) forms the main structure of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention, it serves to function as a bumper in the semi-trailer vehicle. Bumper body (10) generally has bumper level profiles (12) connected perpendicularly to edge surface, chassis connection plate (1 1 ) positioned horizontally over bumper level profiles (12), profile bearings (13) positioned inside the bumper body (10) at certain distances to each other, protection sheet (14) connected to the bottom surface of the bumper body (10) and which hinders the bumper body (10) to get damaged in the event when it contacts the ground.

Bumper body (10) has been connected to the chassis of the semi-trailer vehicle with welded or bolted connection by the chassis connection plate (1 1 ). The height of the bumper level profiles (12) can be changed in order to enable adaptation of the bumper body (10) to vehicles of different driving heights.

As shown in Figure 2, forklift carrying profiles (20) which open and close perpendicularly to the bumper body (10) have been placed the inside the profile bearings (13) that are positioned inside the bumper body (10) at certain distances to each other. When said carrying profiles (20) are in opened position, the forklift is being carried over them. Carrying profiles (20) are being locked by the profile locking pins (21 ) fitted over the profile bearings (13).

Sliding polymers (30) have been placed inside the profile bearings (13) as shown in Figure 3 and 3a for the purpose of hindering wearing of carrying profiles (20) caused by back and forth motion inside the profile bearings (13). Said sliding polymers (30) by being connected to the bottom surface of profile bearings (13) by the level adjustable polymer retainer (40) as shown in Figure 4 and 4a have been secured inside the profile bearings (13) by the level adjustment bolt (50) fitted to the level adjustable polymer retainer (40). The height of the sliding polymers (30) inside the profile bearings (13) can be adjusted by the level adjustment bolt (50). Bumper profiles (60) with foldable configuration by opening and closing are in connection with both ends of the bumper body (10) via the profile hinge (61 ). Striking of forklift wheels to the bumper body (10) has been hindered by closing the foldable bumper profiles (60) during transportation of the forklift over the carrying profiles (20). Foldable bumper profiles (60) which can be folded by opening and closing at both ends of the bumper body (10) are being locked to the bumper body (10) by the profile pins (62) fitted over the profile hinge (61 ).

The use of the forklift carrier bumper of the invention is as follows:

As shown in Figure 5, carrying profiles (20) on the forklift carrier bumper are in closed position. At the time of transporting the forklift, carrying profiles (20) located inside the profile bearings (13) open by being pulled towards the front as shown in Figure 6, and are being locked in open position by the profile locking pins (21 ) fitted on the profile bearings (13).

During transportation of the forklift, foldable bumper profiles (60) at both ends of the bumper body (10) close for the purpose of forklift wheels not striking and are being folded, and locked to the bumper body (10) by the profile pins (62) fitted over the profile hinge (61 ).