Towmotor Corporation

Dafydd W Evans

Steering apparatus is provided for a vehicle which has a steering axle assembly which is movable between a first position at which the turning radius in a first direction of the vehicle is at a preselected minimum value, a second position at which the turning radius of the vehicle is infinite, and a third position at which the turning radius in a second direction of the vehicle is at a preselected minimum value. The second position is intermediate the first and third positions. The steering apparatus controls the turning radius of the vehicle in response to a predetermined operational rate by automatically restricting the movement of the steering axle assembly towards the first and third positions while leaving the steering axle assembly free for movement towards the second position.

Steering apparatus

A fluid tank apparatus has mounting structure including linkage assemblies for moving the tank between first and second positions in response to moving a pivotally movable structure of the vehicle. The mounting structure is of a construction sufficient for maintaining the tank at substantially a preselected attitude at and between said first and second tank positions.

Mounting assembly for a controllably movable fluid tank

An article hold-down device is disclosed which is capable of restraining movement of a heavy article away from a supporting platform. The hold-down device includes a lower clamping member adaptable to be secured to the platform, an upper clamping member having a projection thereon adaptable to be positioned into a close overlapping orientation with respect to the article, and a coupling member for quickly permitting vertical adjustment of the upper clamping member on the lower clamping member and for positively connecting the clamping members together upon reaching the close, overlapping orientation and to provide a secured condition of the article. The hold-down device is particularly adaptable to restrain vertical movement of a battery on a vehicle.

Article hold-down device

An energy conserving hydraulic system for a lift truck or the like including a hydraulic tilt cylinder and a hydraulic lift cylinder subject to varying load requirements, manually operable valves for controlling the cylinders, a first, high volume hydraulic pump, a second, low volume hydraulic pump, a reversible, bidirectional DC motor for simultaneously driving both the pumps, and a piping system connecting the pumps to the valves such that for one direction of drive of the motor, the first pump will deliver a high volume of hydraulic fluid to the valve for operation of the lift cylinder, and for the other direction of drive of the motor, the first pump will be unloaded. A conduit is also arranged such that for the other direction of drive, the second pump will deliver a low volume of hydraulic fluid to the valve for directing the same to the tilt cylinder. An electrical direction control for controlling the direction of drive is responsive to the valves.

Hydraulic system for electric lift trucks

An improved hoisting arrangement is provided for raising and lowering a load supporting carriage upon a front lift mast of an industrial lift truck which arrangement removes the normally vertically disposed carriage hoisting jack from between the upright channel members of the lift mast and positions such jack in a horizontal, rearwardly extending relation with respect to such lift mast so as to provide the lift truck operator with greater forward visibility.

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Euclid, OH, United States of America

Dafydd W Evans