US 11,807,509 B2
Material handling apparatus for a utility vehicle
David M. O'Brien, Asbury, IA (US); Arun Narayanan, East Moline, IL (US); Jason M. Simmons, Platteville, WI (US); Christopher P Kelley, Dubuque, IA (US); Devendra Thakur, Pune (IN); Rajan Kadam, Pune (IN); and William M. Banish, Dubuque, IA (US)
Assigned to Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed by Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/451,491.
Prior Publication US 2023/0119845 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. B66F 9/18 (2006.01); B66F 9/075 (2006.01)
CPC B66F 9/18 (2013.01) [B66F 9/07504 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material handling attachment for a utility vehicle comprising:
a clamping device comprising:
a first clamping device frame element coupled with a portion of a work tool coupled with the utility vehicle, wherein the work tool comprises fork tines;
a second clamping device frame element pivotally coupled with the first clamping device frame element, where the second clamping device frame element includes a first section and a second section, where the first section and the second section are positioned at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to each other where the first section is generally parallel to the fork tines and the second section is generally perpendicular to the fork tines in a clamp position where the second section has an end proximate an end of the fork tines; and
a first movement actuator that movably couples the first clamping device frame element and the second clamping device frame element;
further comprising a third clamping device frame element, where the third clamping frame device element is movably coupled with the first section of the second clamping device frame element by a second movement actuator,
wherein the third clamping device frame element is movably coupled with the first section of the second clamping device frame element by a scissor mechanism, wherein the scissor mechanism comprises a first scissor mechanism element pivotally coupled with a second scissor mechanism element, and
wherein a surface of the third clamping device frame element is movable into a position in which the surface is approximately parallel to a work tool surface during a first movement of the third clamping device frame element and the surface is movable into a position in which the surface is approximately perpendicular to the work tool surface during a second movement of the third clamping device frame element.