Patent ID: RE43943

Claim:
A mobile vehicle for lifting a load, comprising: a vehicle body including front and rear wheel assemblies each including at least a pair of wheels supporting respective front and rear vehicle body parts; an implement attached to the vehicle body for lifting said load; a drive motor and controlling hydraulic pump mounted on the vehicle to said rear vehicle body part such that a substantial portion of the vehicle weight is carried by the rear vehicle body part of the vehicle ; an independent extension and retraction assembly responsive to actuation of the drive motor and mounted within said vehicle body; a controller for actuating the extension and retraction assembly responsive to an input from an operator of the vehicle; wherein the extension and retraction assembly allows the vehicle to move between a retracted state in which the extension and retraction assembly is fully retracted and the body parts are in opposition and where a wheel base distance is at a minimum for the vehicle and an extended state in which the extension and retraction assembly is fully extended so that the body parts are at least partially separated and the wheel base is set at a maximum for the vehicle; wherein, when the vehicle is extended, one wheel assembly supporting one of said body parts is displaced relative to the other wheel assembly supporting the other body part, the drive motor providing counterbalance for said load and resistance against overturning under said load , ; wherein at least one wheel of one or both said front wheel assemblies assembly includes at least one an independent hydraulic wheel motor and wherein a hydraulic network is provided comprising a plurality of hydraulic hoses and one or more associated hose guides in which said hoses travel to accommodate displacement of the body parts between a said controlling pump mounted on one of the front and rear body parts part and said at least one wheel motor displace to accommodate displacement of the body parts of said front wheel assembly .