Convertible pallet jack with rollers

Abstract

A pallet jack has a rotatable forked platform that match the pallet arms of the host fork where the host fork has embedded rollers. The rotatable forked platform has gaps that enclose the rollers embedded in the host fork to provide a smooth surface like that of a conventional pallet jack. The rollers are located at intervals from the front of the host fork to the rear of the overlay platform. When the forked platform is raised to expose the rollers, the rollers work in conjunction with an inclined ramp, also having embedded rollers, attached to the front of the arms to lift a container onto the forks. Once a container is aligned in front of the inclined ramp, the pallet jack is driven forward. The momentum of the pallet jack causes the inclined ramp to lift the container onto the arms.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pallet jack comprising:
 host support arms for supporting a load positioned thereon; the host support arms having proximal ends and distal ends; the proximal ends being adjacent to a bulkhead; the distal ends being removably attached to an inclined ramp;   wherein said inclined ramp has rollers embedded within such that the rollers rise above a top surface of the inclined ramp in a manner sufficient to allow a container to move across the top surface of the inclined ramp unimpeded onto an overlay platform;   wherein the overlay platform is attached at a base of a host bulkhead such that the overlay platform may rotate from a vertical position to a horizontal position to cover the host support arms; and   wherein between said proximal end and said distal end of the host support arms are a plurality of rollers embedded in the host support arms such that the rollers rise above a top surface of the host support arms in a manner sufficient to allow the container to roll across the top surface of the host support arms unimpeded;   wherein the overlay platform has at least two gaps such that when the overlay platform is in the horizontal position a top surface of the overlay platform is above a highest vertical point of the rollers.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two gaps corresponds to a shape of the rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the overlay platform is solid. 
     
     
         4 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the overlay platform is attached to the host support arms via a hinge and an overlay platform axle. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined ramp attaches to an axle mounted on distal ends of the host support arms. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined ramp is attached to gear holes in outer sides of the host support arms to allow the inclined ramp to be hydraulically lifted and vertically pivot so as not allow the inclined ramp to drag on a floor after loading or unloading the container. 
     
     
         7 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined ramp is attached to the pallet jack via an axle welded to the pallet jack. 
     
     
         8 . The pallet jack of  claim 1 , wherein the rollers in the host support arms are configured to with a suspension system such that the rollers may lower. 
     
     
         9 . The pallet jack of  claim 1  wherein the inclined ramp is inclined at approximately a 45 degree angle from a floor. 
     
     
         10 . A pallet jack comprising:
 host support arms integral with the pallet jack for supporting a load positioned thereon;   the host support arms having proximal and distal ends; the proximal ends being adjacent to a host bulkhead;   wherein an overlay platform generally matching a shape of the host support arms of the pallet jack is attached by a hinge at a base of the host bulkhead such that the overlay platform may rotate from a vertical position to a horizontal position to cover the host support arms;   wherein between said proximal end and said distal end of the host support arms are a plurality of rollers embedded in the host support arms such that the rollers rise above a top surface of the host support arms in a manner sufficient to allow a container to roll across the top surface of the host support arms unimpeded; and   wherein the overlay platform has gaps corresponding to a shape of the rollers embedded in the top surface of the host support arms such that when the overlay platform is in the horizontal position the overlay platform does not contact the rollers and a top surface of the overlay platform is above a highest vertical point of the rollers.   
     
     
         11 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein the overlay platform is held in the vertical position by a pin and clip attachment with the host bulkhead. 
     
     
         12 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein the overlay platform is locked in the vertical position using a clip or tie attached to a slotted opening. 
     
     
         13 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein the host support arms are attached to at least two rotatable guard rails. 
     
     
         14 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein overlay platform support arms are connected by at least one fork stabilizer. 
     
     
         15 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein the rollers are cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         16 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein an inclined ramp having rollers is attached to the front of the host support arms. 
     
     
         17 . The pallet jack of  claim 10 , wherein an axle is fused to a front of the host support arms for attachment of an inclined ramp. 
     
     
         18 . A pallet jack comprising:
 host support arms integral with the pallet jack for supporting a load positioned thereon;   the host support arms having proximal and distal ends; the proximal ends being adjacent to a host bulkhead;   wherein an overlay platform generally matching a shape of the host support arms of the pallet jack is attached at the host bulkhead such that the overlay platform may move from a vertical position to a horizontal position to cover the host support arms; and   wherein when the overlay platform is in the horizontal position the overlay platform encloses the rollers such that a top surface of the overlay platform is above a highest vertical point of the rollers.   
     
     
         19 . The pallet jack of  claim 18 , wherein the overlay platform covers the rollers. 
     
     
         20 . The pallet jack of  claim 18 , wherein the pallet jack is attached at a base of the host bulkhead by a hinge.