Patent ID: 8677905

Claim:
A load maneuvering system, comprising: first and second runway rails that extend parallel to a generally horizontal runway axis; a bridge including a single bridge rail that extends along a bridge axis that is generally horizontal and perpendicular to the runway axis and that is movable on the runway rails along the runway axis, wherein the bridge includes a plurality of first bridge wheels connected to the bridge rail and supported on the first runway rail, and a plurality of second bridge wheels connected to the bridge rail and supported on the second runway rail, a carriage having a plurality of carriage wheels thereon permitting movement of the carriage along the bridge rail; and a manipulator configured for holding a load, wherein the manipulator is supported by the carriage and is positionable to cause a first moment to be imposed through the carriage wheels on the bridge rail in a first direction about the bridge axis, wherein the manipulator is positionable to cause a second moment to be imposed through the carriage wheels on the bridge rail in a second direction about the bridge axis that is generally opposite to the first direction about the bridge axis, wherein the manipulator is positionable to cause a third moment to be imposed through the carriage wheels on the bridge rail in a first direction about the runway axis, and wherein the manipulator is positionable to cause a fourth moment to be imposed through the carriage wheels on the bridge rail in a second direction about the runway axis that is generally opposite to the first direction about the runway axis, wherein the bridge rail includes an enclosed, unitary member that extends along the bridge axis, a load weight support surface supported by the enclosed member and oriented to support the weight of the load, a first moment support surface supported by a first portion of an exterior surface of the enclosed member and oriented to resist the first moment, a second moment support surface supported by a second portion of the exterior surface of the enclosed member that is spaced from the first portion of the exterior surface and oriented to resist the second moment, a third moment support surface supported by the exterior surface of the enclosed member and oriented to resist the third moment, and a fourth moment support surface supported by the exterior surface of the enclosed member and oriented to resist the fourth moment, and wherein the first and second bridge wheels are positioned so as to resist rotation of the bridge rail from the first and second moments.