Forklift Improvements

I am a junior at Sun Prairie High School. My forklift is designed to optimize maneuverability, safety and fun.

I used Tinkercad for this design.

My forklift is designed with safety, fun and maneuverability in mind.

The wheels I would put on my forklift would be a swivel wheel, like those found on an office chair. They would be scaled up to forklift size and given a rubber, slightly grippy layer. In an effort to be more sustainable, the new forklift should switch to a more sustainable rubber, like the tires being made from the guayule shrub. The new tires will allow the forklift to work in tighter quarters and make tighter turns, while being better for the environment.

My next addition is the Lift Grippys. These are extra arms on the top of the lift mechanism that will flip down to secure tall or wobbly loads to keep them from falling off. Once a load is picked up the Lift Grippys will flip down to secure the objects.

I would also add an optional basketball attachment. The hoop rim would be made with two C clamp-esque brackets attached to be able to slide onto either side of the forks to hang between. A less stable arrangement could be to hang it off the outside of one fork with one clamp. The basket can then be raised or lowered to accommodate different heights. Just no dunking!