Patent ID: 6138846
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B66C

Abstract:
A system for lifting and transferring load containers which comprises:a frame;a container lifting device;a cable attached to said frame and lifting device;a first actuator for raising and lowering said lifting device via said cable;said lifting device having a plurality of remotely controllable latches for engaging and disengaging latchable portions of said containers, to permit grasping and lifting of a container by said lifting device;a plurality of telescopic vertical legs that are vertically extendable andtelescopic horizontal bar members carried by said vertical legs, said horizontal bar members being horizontally extendable and retractable;latches being carried on said horizontal bar members with said latches being positioned horizontally along said bar members away from said vertical legs;other latches carried on spaced portions of said upper structure and being positioned above said latches carried on said horizontal bar members, said other latches being positioned to engage latchable portions positioned on container top walls;rotatable arms having pivot axes with imaginary lines extending through said pivot axes defining a parallegram linkage;said rotatable arm members being connected to said vertical legs to provide movement of said vertical legs horizontally inwardly and outwardly in a direction perpendicular to the extendable and retractable direction of said telescopic horizontal bar members to adjust the spacing of said latches being carried by said horizontal bar members;whereby the container lifting device may be retracted into a compact unit and may be variably extended to lift containers and stacks of containers of varying sizes.