Design Challenge - Advanced Lift-truck Technology International 2010

POPE DESIGN

“Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel (or forklift mast) I went by the KISS philosophy: Keep It Simple, Stupid. With that in mind I decided the best way was to move the blind spot created by the mast to where it doesn’t matter.

It seems like the materials handling vehicles most affected by the lack of visibility around the mast are reach trucks used in warehouses on concrete floors. Reach trucks are a different breed of forklifts. The mast is such an obstruction that these machines usually travel backwards, whether with or without a load. They have many different types of operator stance setups, but it seems the most common is with the operator standing up and sideways at all times, and they are all rear-entry machines.

I chose to modify this type of truck. To reduce the mast’s obstruction, I simply mounted it on the rear side, behind the sideways standing operator. This instantly and dramatically improves forwards visibility, overall visibility of the load and visibility while lifting the load for placement on low and high storage racks in warehouses.

The mast is narrowed and a frame hugs the right side of the reach truck and wraps around the front to join to the fork assembly. This closed-box side frame that joins the mast to the fork assembly incorporates an aperture to allow for operator side visibility while frame and forks are up and obstructing operator right-side visibility. It also helps lighten up the closed-box frame.
A cast iron counterweight is mounted over the drive/steering wheel which is on the opposite left side of where the mast is located. This helps counterbalance the asymmetrically mounted mast. It also helps keep weight over the drive/steering wheel while making left turns. Instead of just one steering wheel on the rear right side of the machine there are two mounted under the mast, to compensate for its extra weight. Lack of room would require a separate turning motor to steer the parallel-linked set of wheels so they can steer parallel to the left rear powered steering wheel.

A big advantage to a rear-mounted mast comes when the mast is fully extended and carrying a load. The centre of gravity is pushed back away from the load more towards the rear of the reach truck, helping make the machine more stable.”

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BIOGRAPHY

I would have to say just about 100% of my Matchbox and Tonka toys were trucks and construction equipment. Basically I have been fascinated with heavy equipment for as long as I can remember.  I received a B.S. for Industrial design at University of Bridgeport and I have been an industrial designer for 15 years. The last 12 of those years have been specializing in heavy equipment. I have worked on projects for several different OEM’s while I was employed at Teague and later as a design consultant. I’ve had the pleasure to work on projects from a 400 ton dump truck to a powered wheelchair. I also have a bad habit of designing conceptual construction in my spare time.

CONTACT DETAILS

Email: contact@pope-design.net Tel: +1 201 343 9065