Forklift mechanism

1 . A forklift mechanism comprising:

a carriage assembly configured to be mounted to a distal end of a boom attached to a vehicle;

a first lifting structure of the vehicle configured to vertically raise the distal end of the boom, the carriage assembly, and structures (cargo) supported by the carriage assembly;

a first pair of lifting forks mounted on the carriage assembly longitudinally directed substantially toward the vehicle;

the first pair of lifting forks having a proximal end attached to the carriage assembly, a proximal end closer to the vehicle than the distal end;

the boom extending longitudinally past the distal end of the first pair of lifting forks;

a second pair of lifting forks mounted on the carriage assembly;

the second pair of lifting forks having a proximal end attached to the carriage assembly, a distal end;

the first lifting forks extending from the carriage assembly in a first longitudinal direction, the second lifting forks extending from the carriage assembly in a second longitudinal direction away from the first lifting forks; and

the second longitudinal direction substantially opposing the first longitudinal direction.

2 . The fork truck lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1 ; further comprising:

the carriage assembly comprising a first carriage removably attached to the lifting structure;

a third carriage fixed to the lifting forks; and

wherein the third carriage is removably attached to the first carriage via a latching system and retained in place via a locking system separate and cooperating with the latching system.

3 . The forklift mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the first lifting forks are laterally movable on the third carriage.

4 . The fork truck lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1 comprising a second carriage attached to the boom, wherein the second carriage is longitudinally offset from the first carriage.

5 . The fork truck lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1 , the second carriage comprising a lateral movement actuator configured to move the third carriage laterally relative to the first carriage.

6 . The fork truck lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1 further comprising;

a second lifting structure configured to be mounted to a vehicle;

the second lifting structure configured to vertically raise a third pair of lifting forks relative to the vehicle;

the third pair of lifting forks longitudinally directed substantially away from the vehicle;

the third pair of lifting forks longitudinally directed substantially toward the first pair of lifting forks;

the third pair of lifting forks having a proximal end attached to the second lifting structure, a distal end, the proximal end closer to the vehicle than the distal end.

7 . A forklift mechanism comprising:

a first lifting structure configured to be mounted to a vehicle;

a first pair of lifting forks mounted on the first lifting structure;

the first pair of lifting forks longitudinally directed substantially away from the vehicle;

the first lifting structure configured to vertically raise the first pair of lifting forks and structures (cargo) supported by the first carriage assembly relative to the vehicle;

the first pair of lifting forks having a proximal end attached to the first lifting structure, the proximal end closer to the vehicle than the distal end;

a boom extending longitudinally past the distal end of the first pair of lifting forks;

the boom having a proximal end attached to the vehicle, a distal end away therefrom;

a second pair of lifting forks attached to the distal end of the boom;

the distal end of the boom vertically movable relative to the vehicle;

the second pair of lifting forks having a proximal end attached to the distal end of the boom;

the second pair of lifting forks having a distal end;

the first pair of lifting forks extending from the first carriage assembly in a first longitudinal direction, the second pair of lifting forks extending from the distal end of the boom in a second longitudinal direction toward the first pair of lifting forks; and

the second longitudinal direction substantially opposing the first longitudinal direction.