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In this paper, a detachable front fork unit is designed in response to major physical safety accidents caused by the forklift’s overhanging end. The front fork in this unit is attached to the fork base by the screw-thread connection. When the forklift is traveling in a non-carrying state, the overhanging end can be removed to flatten the front end of the forklift, enabling the forklift to travel in a state similar to that of a car, which can greatly reduce accidental safety incidents caused by the forklift to pedestrians. The mechanical finite element of the front safety fork is also analyzed, and the results have shown that both the maximum stress and largest deformation, in critical working conditions, appear in the lower part of the fork base that contacts the fork frame. The maximum stress can be up to 2.5×107 N/m2, lower than the yield strength of the frame material. The largest displacement occurs at the tip of the front fork, which is 1.111 mm and satisfies the design requirement. This front fork unit is mainly designed for the fittings of forklifts driven by internal combustion engines or electric motors, which has no impact on forklifts’ original operating efficiency and substantially improves the safety of forklifts. The proposed front safety fork unit is of great significance in enhancing the comprehensive performance of forklifts.
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