Patent ID: 8465005

Claim:
A load-balancing device comprising: a lifting member; a pneumatic lift chamber operably connected with the lifting member and configured to provide a raising force to said lifting member; an inflatable reservoir for storing a volume of air at a reservoir pressure selected to maintain the device in a balanced condition when a load is being lifted by said lifting member, an inflation valve for controlling inflation of the reservoir in order to set the reservoir pressure in response to operator input; an amplifier in fluid communication with a pressurized air supply and in independent selective fluid communication with the reservoir, the amplifier providing a flow of air from the pressurized air supply to the lift chamber at the reservoir pressure while the device is engaged with the load; and, a selector valve coupled to said reservoir and to said amplifier and configured to provide the reservoir pressure from said reservoir to said amplifier while the device is engaged with the load, the reservoir pressure causing said amplifier to regulate the pressurized air supply to said lift chamber to balance the load.