Patent ID: 7360262

Claim:
A lifting and transfer apparatus comprising a base having a plurality of castors; an upwardly extending lifting column having a first end and a spaced apart second end, said lifting column adapted to support an outrigger arm; a swivel interconnecting the first end of said lifting column to said base; a plurality of legs pivotally connected to said base, each of said legs having a ground engaging wheel disposed thereon, said legs pivotal about a substantially vertical axis, the plurality of legs including a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs; and an actuator disposed on said base including a telescoping arm linked to a linkage system, the linkage system having a linkage member coupled to one of the first pair of legs at a first position spaced from the connection of the one of the first pair of legs to the base, the first position intermediate the connection of the one of the first pair of legs to the base and the ground engaging wheel of the one of the first pair of legs, the linkage member coupled to one of the second pair of legs at a second position spaced from the connection of the one of the second pair of legs to the base, the second position not intermediate the connection of the one of the second pair of legs to the base and the ground engaging wheel of the one of the second pair of legs, said actuator selectively causing the linkage system to pivot the plurality of legs between a retracted position when the arm is caused to telescope outward, wherein the ground engaging wheel of each of the first pair of legs is folded inside of the ground engaging wheel of each of the second pair of legs, the ground engaging wheel of each of the second pair of legs overlapping the ground engaging wheel of each of the first pair of legs, and an extended position when the arm is caused to telescope inward.