INTRODUCTION

GENERAL The main vertical frame of a mast is called a channel. All

masts have telescopic channels. The outer channel is
This section has the description for the mast assembly. fastened to the truck at its base by a pivot. The mast as-
The mast assembly includes: sembly tilts forward and backward on the pivot.
carriage and forks The forks are fastened to the carriage and lift the load.
lifting cylinder(s) The carriage travels on rollers within the inner channel.
outer channel The rollers decrease friction and keep the carriage
inner channel aligned between the inner channels. The load backrest
intermediate channel(s) (three and four stage only) extension is also fastened to the carriage.
crosshead and guide assembly
lifting chains As the telescopic channels and the carriage lift a load,
latch assembly (full free–lift only) stress is put on the mast assembly. To decrease friction
sequence valve (three and four stage only) caused by stress, metal strip bearings and rollers are
installed between the moving parts.
Hydraulic lifting cylinders are installed vertically on the
masts. The lifting cylinders raise and lower the carriage
and inner mast. The description and repair is in the sec-
tion on Lifting Cylinders.
A crosshead and guide assembly is fastened to the top of
the lifting cylinder rod. This assembly gives stability to
the cylinder during operation. On some masts, the cylin-
der rod is connected to the inner channel crossmember.
Sheaves are installed on the crosshead or the inner chan-
nel crossmember. The lifting chains move over the
sheaves and transfer the force from the lifting cylinder
rod to the carriage. See FIGURE 2. As the rod extends,
the length of the chains increases on both sides of the
rod. Because the length of chain is increasing between
the lifting cylinder anchor and the sheaves, the carriage
travels at two times the speed of the rod.
Lift trucks are equipped with either a standard mast or an
optional full free–lift, three or four stage mast. A stan-
dard mast is described as having less than full free–lift.
A standard mast is not always standard equipment on all
trucks. Carriage movement which does not cause an in-
crease in mast assembly height is called free–lift. Lift
rucks over 7000 kg (15,000 lb) usually do not have more
than 75 to 150 mm (3 to 6 in) of free lift. On some stan-
dard masts, there is as much as 600 mm (2 feet) of free–
lift. These masts are usually on lift truck of less than
4500 kg (10,000 lb) and are sometimes called inter-
6812
mediate free–lift. The carriage travels part way up the
inner channel before the inner channel begins to extend
FIGURE 1. MAST ASSEMBLY
from the outer channel. See FIGURE 3. On a full free–
lift mast, the carriage travels to the top of the inner chan-

1
nel before the inner channel begins to move. The three free–lift is that a load can be lifted higher under a low
and four stage masts also give full free–lift. The result of overhead object.

8 3
5

4 4

6 1
3
7
8
1. OUTER CHANNEL
2. CARRIAGE
3. INNER CHANNEL
4. LIFTING CHAINS
6 5. FORKS
6. LIFTING CYLINDER
7. LIFTING CYLINDER
1 8. ROD SHEAVE
9. PIVOT
9
2

2
5

6813

POSITION 1 POSITION 2

FIGURE 2. STANDARD MAST, CARRIAGE, AND FORKS

2
 1. OUTER CHANNEL
2. CARRIAGE
3. INNER CHANNEL 9
4. LIFTING CHAINS 8
5
5. FORKS 10
6. LIFTING CYLINDER
7. LIFTING CYLINDER
ROD 10
8. SHEAVE
9. INNER CHANNEL 4
CROSSMEMBER
10. GUIDE ASSEMBLY 3 7

7 3
8

1
2
5 6

6814
PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3
FIGURE 3. STANDARD MAST SEQUENCE

STANDARD MASTS (Mast Assemblies
Having Less Than Full Free–Lift.)
Standard masts have an outer and an inner channel. A
one stage lifting cylinder fastened to the bottom cross-
member of the outer channel. On masts with small free–
lift ability, the cylinder rod is fastened to the crossmem-
ber on the top of the inner channel. 1500 to 4000 kg
(3,000 to 10,000 lb) capacity lift trucks have approxi-
mately 600 mm (2 feet) full free–lift. These masts have a
crosshead and guide assembly fastened to the cylinder
rod. The rod is permitted to extend approximately 300
mm (1 foot) before the crosshead begins to lift the inner
channel. See FIGURE 3.
As the rod continues extending, the carriage and the in-
ner mast raise with it. A vertical guide is welded to the
inner channel crossmember. This guide gives stability to
the cylinder and crosshead when the carriage is raised
and lowered.
FULL FREE–LIFT MASTS (See FIGURE 4.)
Full free–lift masts have an outer and inner telescopic
channel. A two–stage lifting cylinder is fastened to the
bottom crossmember of the outer channel. A two stage
cylinder has two telescopic piston and rod assemblies.
The larger diameter rod is the primary. The smaller dia-
meter secondary. As the primary rod extends, the secon-
dary is raised as part of the primary rod. When the pri-
mary rod extends to the limit of its stroke, the secondary
rod begins to extend. A two stage cylinder extended to
full height is almost three times the height of a retracted
cylinder.
The cylinder is approximately one–half the height of the
retracted mast channels.
The crosshead and guide assembly is fastened to the sec-
ondary rod. The guide slides along rails welded to the in-
ner mast. The guide gives stability to the crosshead and
the lifting cylinder.

3
On 1000 to 1500 kg (2000 to 3000 lb) capacity lift the primary rod and crosshead extend, the carriage
trucks, the free–lift masts use two one–stage cylinders. raises to the top of the inner channel. See FIGURE 4. As
Two–stage lifting cylinders are not normally used. the secondary rod extends, the carriage lifts the inner
The full free–lift mast operates through two phases. As channel until the cylinder is extended fully.

1. OUTER CHANNEL 9 2
2. CARRIAGE
3. INNER CHANNEL
4. LIFTING CHAINS
5. FORKS
6. LIFTING CYLINDER 4 5
7. PRIMARY ROD
8. SECONDARY ROD 3
9. SHEAVE
8

9 2

4 7

PHASE 1 PHASE 2
6815

FIGURE 4. FULL FREE–LIFT MAST SEQUENCE

4
 Full free–lift masts are equipped with lug and latch as-
semblies. They are used in a design to control the correct
sequence of operation between the inner channel and the
carriage.

The inner and outer channels are locked together by the

latches until the carriage reaches the top of the inner
channel. This is the end of the free–lift cycle. When the
carriage reaches the top of the inner channel, a lug on the
carriage engages the front crank. The lug causes the
crank to rotate the shaft and its latch in a clockwise
1258
direction. This rotation unlocks the inner channel from
the outer channel. The carriage then begins to lift the in-
INNER CHANNEL LOCKED TO OUTER ner channel. This movement causes the rear crank to dis-
engage from the lug on the outer channel. This action ro-
tates the shaft and engages the latches so that the car-
riage is locked to the inner channel. This latch action
prevents the carriage from moving down as the inner
channel is raised.

THREE–STAGE MASTS (See FIGURE 6.)

1259
Three–stage masts have three channels and two one–
stage lifting cylinders. The main lifting cylinder is fas-
END OF FREE–LIFT
(Carriage Lug Unlocks Inner Channel) tened to the bottom crossmember of the outer channel.
The main cylinder rod is fastened to the top of the inter-
CARRIAGE mediate channel crossmember.
LIFTING
BLOCK
A shorter cylinder is fastened to the bottom of the inner
channel. This cylinder is called the free–lift cylinder.
The main cylinder and the free–lift cylinder are con-
nected hydraulically in series. The free–lift cylinder
raises and lowers the carriage.

This mast operates in two phases. The free–lift cylinder

1260 extends first, raising the carriage. See FIGURE 6. The
main cylinder extends after the free–lift cylinder reach-
MAST EXTENDED es the end of its stroke. The main cylinder raises the in-
(Carriage Locked to Inner Channel)
termediate channel. The inner channel also raises be-
FIGURE 5. LATCH ASSEMBLY cause it is connected to the main lifting chains.

5
 1. OUTER CHANNEL
2. CARRIAGE
3. INNER CHANNEL 2
4. INTERMEDIATE CHANNEL
5. FREE–LIFT LIFTING CHAIN
6. MAIN LIFTING CHAIN
5 10
7. MAIN LIFTING CYLINDER
8. FREE–LIFT LIFTING CYLINDER
9. MAIN CYLINDER ROD 3
10. FREE–LIFT CYLINDER ROD
8

4
9
2
6

4 3

1 7
1

6816

PHASE 1 PHASE 2

FIGURE 6. THREE–STAGE MAST (TYPE III) SEQUENCE

FOUR–STAGE MASTS (See FIGURE 7.)

1. OUTER CHANNEL
Four–stage masts have four channels and two one–stage 2. CARRIAGE
3. INNER CHANNEL
lifting cylinders. Except for an another channel, four– 4. INTERMEDIATE 7
stage masts are like three–stage masts in design and op- CHANNEL
3
eration. 5. LIFTING CHAINS
6. MAIN LIFTING
CYLINDER
SEQUENCE VALVE (See FIGURE 8.) 7. FREE–LIFT LIFTING
5
CYLINDER
The sequence valve is used for phase control on the 8. SHEAVE 8
three–stage mast assembly. It makes sure the free–lift 8 4
cylinder is fully extended before the main lifting cylin- 2
der begins to move.

7
6 6

1
2118

PHASE 1 PHASE 2
FIGURE 7. FOUR STAGE MAST SEQUENCE

6
 FREE–LIFT NEUTRAL
FREE–LIFT PILOT PORT FREE–LIFT
CYLINDER CYLINDER
PORT
SPRING FREE–FLOW
CHECK VALVE

PHASING
VALVE SPOOL LOWERING
CONTROL
VALVE
SPOOL
THROTTLING
MAIN PRESSURE
CYLINDER HOLE
MAIN
LIFT/TILT CYLINDER SUPPLY
CONTROL PORT PORT
VALVE
SPOOL BLOCKING
SPOOL OPEN

LIFTING

FREE–LIFT MAIN CYLINDER

CYLINDER FLOW FLOW
FREE–LIFT
CYLINDER
OPEN DURING RETURN FLOW
MAIN CYLINDER
LOWERING ONLY

LOWERING

2118

FIGURE 8. SEQUENCE VALVE