Patent ID: 7384233

Claim:
Vehicle, of the industrial truck type, for handling loads, comprising a chassis ( 3 ), at least three wheels ( 4 4 ′) arranged to support the chassis ( 3 ) while resting on the ground, a lifting unit ( 8 ) connected to the chassis ( 3 ) and having one or more members ( 9 ) arranged to carry loads and a power arrangement to raise and lower the load-carrying members ( 9 ) relative to the chassis ( 3 ), a beam ( 12 ) carrying the lifting unit ( 8 ) and pivotably connected to the chassis ( 3 ) about a first substantially horizontal axis ( 26 ) extending between at least two of the three wheels ( 4 , 4 ′), and the power arrangement comprising first power means ( 27 ) arranged to pivot the beam ( 12 ) around this axis ( 26 ) relative to the chassis ( 3 ), wherein the beam ( 12 ) comprises several elongated beam members ( 28 ) that are displaceable relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the beam ( 12 ), and the power arrangement comprises second power means ( 29 ) arranged to displace said beam members ( 28 ) relative to each other to change the length of the beam ( 12 ), the load-carrying members ( 9 ) are arranged in the vicinity of a free end of the beam ( 12 ) that is distant from the chassis ( 3 ), the load-carrying members ( 9 ) are pivotably connected to the beam ( 12 ) about a substantially horizontal second axis ( 30 ), and the power arrangement comprises third power means ( 31 ) arranged to cause pivoting of the load-carrying members or a part carrying these about said second horizontal axis ( 30 ), a control device ( 16 ) is arranged to coordinate the control of said first, second and third power means ( 27 , 29 , 31 ) to achieve the desired movement pattern in a vertical plane of the load-carrying members ( 9 ) height-wise, length-wise and in the rotating direction, and the control device ( 16 ) is arranged to carry out said co-ordination so that the load-carrying members ( 9 ) maintain a constant angle relative to a horizontal plane during said displacement movement and/or pivoting movements of the beam ( 12 ).