Patent ID: 7712558

Claim:
A motorized, walk-behind transporter for moving a rolltainer, a trolley, and various other multi-wheeled containers that roll on a surface, the transporter comprising: a tripodal wheel assembly in use rolling on the surface, the wheel assembly comprising: a forward, transversely centered, caster wheel; two rearward, transversely spaced-apart, steerable, drive wheels, each drive wheel comprising an electric hub motor; a rotating, lever-assisted container connector, the connector being positioned medial the forward and rearward wheels; the connector rotating between a capture position and release position; the connector comprising: at least two transversely spaced-apart, forks for engaging a container undercarriage component, the forks being positioned always medial the forward and rearward wheels; the forks lifting the undercarriage component upwards and towards the drive wheels as the connector rotates from the release position to the capture position; the forks lifting the undercarriage component so that at least one container wheel is lifted from the surface; the forks lifting the undercarriage component so that at least another container wheel rolls on the support surface and contacts the surface forward of the caster wheel; the forks in the capture position cradling the undercarriage component to limit forward and rearward container movement with respect to the transporter; a transporter controller, the controller mounted upwards and rearwards beyond the drive wheels; the controller comprising: a steering component for drive wheel steering; and a driving component for controlling hub motor rotation.