Patent ID: 8230976

Claim:
A pallet truck comprising: a traction motor for driving the truck; a vertically displaceable carriage having a pair of load bearing forks coupled to the traction motor; an actuator for driving the carriage vertically; and a controller configured to: store a value corresponding to a present height of the carriage; monitor the actuator for an input signal to drive the carriage; direct a vertical movement of the carriage in response to the input signal; measure a length of time the carriage is directed to move in a vertical direction; adjust the stored value corresponding to the height of the carriage by an amount corresponding to the length of time the carriage is directed to move; compare the value corresponding to the height of the carriage to a predetermined minimum travel height value; and reduce a maximum allowable travel speed of the pallet truck if the value corresponding to the carriage height is less than the minimum travel height value.