US2127938A

US2127938A - Lift truck or the like

Info

Publication number: US2127938A
Application number: US95510A
Authority: US
Inventors: George H Pride
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-08-12
Filing date: 1936-08-12
Publication date: 1938-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1938.

G- H. PRIDE LIFT TRUCK OR THE'LIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR )L I TTORNE Aug. 23, 1938. G. H. PFEIDE LIFT TRUCK OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1936 .5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R O T N E V m Aug. 23, 1938. a. H. PRIDE LIFT TRUCK OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l r I f i INVENTOR gi mzw' f I BY 46 Wig? ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1938. G. H. PRIDE LIFT TRUCK OR THE?LIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm 0O T. 9 uflarm & E o 8 w w 0 8 iii Aug. 23, 1938. H PRlDE 2,127,938

LIFT TRUCK OR THELIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l I I W A s '1m\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\m\\\\\\\\\\I5 INVENTOR wde Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 12,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lift trucks and is hereinafter described, for illustrative purposes, as embodied in lift trucks which are suitable for handling stacked material such as stacks of paper, cardboard, or sheet metal. A type of truck which is suitable for such purposes is fully described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 80,687, filed May 20, 1936, and the present invention is described as embodied in and in combination with a lift truck of the character referred to therein.

The truck described in said co-pending application is highly effective for its purpose and may be more easily maneuvered in restricted spaces than earlier trucks provided for similar purposes. It may, however, be extended and loaded only at one end and, consequently, it is sometimes diflicult to bring such a truck into a proper loadi'ig position, particularly where aisle space is very limited.

The present invention is adapted to achieve all the advantages of my said end-loading truck and, additionally, provides means by which lift trucks may be more readily maneuvered in very limited aisle spaces.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a lift truck which may be used to achieve loading or unloading thereof, either at an end or at either side thereof, so that the body of the truck may be easily moved to any one of several suitable positions relatively to the point of loading or unloading and the load-lifting portion .eas ily positioned to receive or discharge the load.

A further object of the invention is the provision of substantially automatic means for achieving accuracy in the positioning of the truck relatively to a load and for guiding the load-lifting portion into a proper position as the latter is arranged to receive the load.

These and other objects are achieved by means of a lift truck similar to or mechanically equivalent to the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings,-in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lift truck embodying my invention, the elevated position of the load-carrying portion being indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the truck;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the truck as viewed from the right end thereof as illustrate}! in Fig. 1 (such end being hereinafter referred to as .the rear end) Fig. 4 is a detail of the rear end, showing portions in modified positions;

1936, Serial No. 95,510

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in horizontal section on the lines 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 8;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line 6-4: of Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is a vertical cross-section 'I-l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is. a perspective view of a turntable assembly and related parts;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a switch used to facilitate proper positioning of the device relatively to a load.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is a lift truck having substantially similar opposite sides, except as otherwise indicated herein. The truck comprises a body A, suitably mounted upon truck wheels a loadcarrying frame 13; and means for elevating the latter, moving it to a position upon the truck body and turning the frame, whereby to permit it to be selectively loaded or unloaded at either side or at the rear end of the truck.

The load-carrying frame B comprises an adjustable closed end structure, L-shaped side frameworks, and an open rear end, the said frame being U-shaped in plan view. The said closed end structure is arranged to telescope to permit adjustment of the width of the frame. L-shaped blocks 2| are connected to the upper end of uprights 22 of the side framework. These blocks extend inwardly and are connected by an inner telescoping member 23 which extends into bores in the blocks 2| and is adapted to slide relatively thereto. The blocks 2i are provided at their inner ends with forwardly extending arms 24, into each of which is threaded a transverse screw 25, which may be rotated through the medium of

beveled gears

26, 21, the gear 26 being keyed to the screw and the gear 2'! being mounted at the forward end of a horizontal'block 28 and being provided with an integral nut 29 adapted to be turned by a wrench to rotate the screw 25 and thereby effect adjustment of the width of the said frame. The block 28 is restricted against movement along the screw 25 by the beveled gear 26 and a collar 30, which is pinned or otherwise fixed to the screw 25, and is restrained against rotation in a vertical plane by the inner telescoping member 23 which extends through a bore in the rear end of the said block. The telescoping member 23 is fixed against lateral movement within the said bore by a set-screw 3|. The transverse screw on the line 25 may be turned by electric or other power means, if so desired.

The side frameworks of the frame B are similar, and each comprises an upright 22, to the lower end of which is connected a horizontal side member 32, which is preferably channel-shaped in cross-section and disposed with its flanges extending outwardly, the inner surface thereof being used in conjunction with clamping means, as will hereinafter appear.

The frame B is adapted to permit the tensioning therewithin of a flexible platen of the general character disclosed in my Patent No. 2,036,- 359, which platen, in the embodiment illustrated herein, comprises a number of steel strips 33, which may be tensioned within the frame B to carry a load C, which has been previously placed upon such strips.

Although the closed end and sides of the frame may be made substantially rigid, I nevertheless provide a bridge member 34 which may be placed across the open rear end of the frame to maintain a desired spread at that end and thereby obviate possible distortion of the frame. This bridge member is preferably adjustable in length and may be hingedly mounted on one of the sides of the frame to swing in a vertical plane, whereby it may easily be dropped into a bridging position.

The means for clamping the strips 33 within the frame, as disclosed herein, are similar to means disclosed in my said Patent No. 2,036,359,

and comprise horizontal clamping bars 35 extending along the lower inner surfaces of the horizontal side members 32 and are movable relatively thereto to co-act therewith as clamps by means of a plurality of screws 36 which are fixed to the clamping bars 35 and extend outwardly through the web of the side members 32. Internally-threaded wormwheels 31 work on the outer ends of the screws 36 and are restricted against lateral movement, so that by their rotation the clamping bars 35 may be operated to engage the upturned ends or tabs of the strips 33. The co-acting inner faces of the clamping bars 35 and the side members 32 may be complementally grooved to afford an effective grip upon said strips. The wormwheels 31 are uniformly and simultaneously turned to achieve a uniform movement of the clamping bars, this being accomplished through the medium of worms 38 on a shaft 39 which may be turned manually or by a motor 40 connected thereto through an assembly of beveled gears 4|.

The frame B is supported at its forward end on jack-screws 42 and at the rear end on jackscrews 43. wheels 44 work as nuts upon each jack-screw 42, and are mounted upon the forwardly extending arms 24 of the L-shaped blocks 2| and restrained against vertical movement relatively thereto within cages 45 which are fixed to said arms. Thus the frame may be caused to move upwardly or downwardly relatively to the jackscrews 42, by rotation of the gear-wheels 44, and as the jack-screws 42 are indirectly supported upon the truck body A, the frame B may be elevated relatively thereto.

The jack-screws 43 are provided at their lower ends with non-swiveling wheels 46 which rest upon a floor or other supporting surface to afford support for said screws and for the rear end of the frame. Internally-threaded sprocketwheels 41 work on the jack-screws 43 and are restrained against vertical movement within the Internally-threaded helical gearjaws 48 of brackets 49 fixed to the rear ends of the horizontal side members 32. The helical gear-wheels 44 and the sprocket-wheels 41 work similarly and may be rotated together to raise or lower the frame B from the floor.

Power to turn the gear-wheels 44 and the sprocketwheels 41 may be derived from electric motors 50 having pinions 5|, on the motor spindles, meshin with and driving gear-wheels 52 which are keyed to laterally-disposed driveshafts 53. Helical gears 54 are keyed to the shafts 53 and mesh with and drive the gear-wheels 44. Worms 55, which are keyed to the outer ends of the drive-shafts 53, drive worm-wheels 56 fixed to the upper ends of vertical shafts 51. to rotate the. latter. Sprocket-wheels 58 are fixed to the lower ends of the shafts 51, and a sprocket-chain 59 is provided to transmit power from the sprocket-wheels 58 to the sprocket-wheels 41, whereby to turn the latter. It will be understood that the motors 50 and the various worms and gears transmitting power therefrom to the helical gear-wheels 44 and to the sprocket-wheels 41 are designed and connected tofproduce a uniform vertical movement at both ends and sides of the frame B to maintain the latter in a horizontal position at all times.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the manner in which the jack-screws 42 and the forward end of the frame B are supported upon the truck body, whereby to permit horizontal movement of the frame relatively thereto and also to permit the frame to be rotated when it is at rest with its load on the top of the truck body, so that it may be extended either from the end of the truck body or from either side thereof, as desired.

I provide a pair of similar, substantially parallel runways 60, in each of which is slidably mounted a shoe 6 I, to the rear ends of which the lower ends of the jack-screws 42 are non-rotatably fixed. The forward end of each shoe 6| has a portion 63 extending upwardly beyond the level of the runway 60, to which portion is fixed the forward end of a side gusset member 62 which extends outwardly from said shoe, as seen in Fig. 2; thence forwardly and downwardly, as best seen in Fig. 1; and is connected at its rearward end to the mounting of the wheel 46 at the rear end of the frame B, whereby to maintain a fixed relationship between the lower ends of the

jackscrews

42 and 43.

The upwardly-extending portions 63 of the opposite shoes are oppositely threaded internally to receive a complementally threaded cross-screw 64 which is mounted to rotate freely and to move vertically to a limited extent within an elliptical transverse bore in a centrally-located block 65. This block is threaded onto and works as a. nut on an elongated screw 66 which is journaled to its ends upon a pair of longitudinal I-beams 61; the latter, as will hereinafter appear, being fixed against longitudinal horizontal movement relatively to the truck body. The screw 66 may be turned by any suitable means, such as an electric motor 68, through the medium of a beveled gear assembly 89.

It will be understood that when a load is being lowered and comes to rest upon the top of the truck body, a continuous rotation of the helical gear-wheels 44 and of the sprocket-wheels 41 causes the jack-

screws

42 and 43 to move upwardly relatively to the truck body and the floor, respectively. This, incidentally, causes the wheels 46 to be raised from the floor, as indi- '46 from the floor, as aforesaid, the portions of said shoes which extend underneath the inturned flanges of the runways are of lesser vertical diameter than the vertical inner dimensions of said runways, thus leaving a working clearance 18, as best seen in Fig. 6.

Collars 1| are fixed to the cross-screw 64 on each side of the block 65 to prevent lateral movement of the cross-screw relatively to the said block. The oppositely-arranged threads toward the ends of the cross-screw 64 are of similar pitch and, therefore, while said screw -may turn freely as a result of the adjustment of the width of the frame B,-nevertheless, this screw maintains a uniform spacing of the two sides of the frame relatively to the elongated screw 66.

While in my said co-pending application the runways and the longitudinally-disposed elongated screw are mounted directly upon the top of the truck body, I provide, according to my present invention, means for mounting the corresponding parts on a turn-table arrangement,- so that the elongated screw 66, the runways 68, and the frame B supported thereupon may all be freely rotated in a horizontal plane to any desirable extent. I

The tum-table assembly and the parts co-acting therewith are clearly illustrated in perspective in Fig. 10 and indicated in various elevational views in the other figures. A, square or rectangular, laterally slidable mounting plate 12 is retained upon the top of the truck body by cleats 8| at opposite ends of said plate and has an upwardly and inwardly extending circular flange 13 on its top surface within which is retained a turntable 14 rotatably secured to the plate I2 by a center bolt I5.

The top of the truck body A is provided with a transverse recess 16, as best seen in Fig. 6, within which a transverse screw 18 is suitably mounted in journals 19 on a cross-member of the truck body. A motor 88 is also mounted within said recess and connected to the screw 18 to turn the latter. This screw is threaded into and works within blocks Tl fixed to the underside of the mounting plate I2. It will be seen that by rotating the transverse screw 18, a limited transverse horizontal movement of the mounting plate 12 and of the structure carried thereon is obtainupon the turn-table 1|. Runway retainers 85,

" also preferably channel-shaped in cross-section,

are mounted upon the runway supports 84. They have upwardly and inwardly extending flanges and slidably embrace the runways 68 therewithin. Downwardly-extending tongues 86 are formed integrally upon the bottom surfaces of the retainers 85 and extend through slots 81 in the runway supports 84 to permit said retainers on opposite sides of the truck to move relatively to each other with the adjustment of the width of the frame. The tongues 86 are capped or otherwise enlarged, as at 88, to prevent their unintentional displacement relatively to the runway supports. The longitudinal I-beams 81, carrying the enlongated screw 66 with its appurtenances, are fixedly mounted upon the supports 84 in a position between and substantially parallel to the runways.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the frame B is in a position above the level of the top of the truck body, rotation of the elongated screw 66 will cause the shoes 6| and the jack-screws 42 carried thereby to slide longitudinally within the said runways, thus moving the said frame horizontally to a position over the turn-table.

The truck, in practical operation, may not always be guided by the operator as closely as possible to a load to be handled, this being particularly true in sidewise loading. It is, therefore,

.desirable, for the purpose of obviating the need for maneuvering the truck to a precise position, to provide means for extending the frame B somewhat beyond the limits of extension imposed by the possible movement of the shoes 6| within the runways 68. To this end the runways 68 are slidable longitudinally, to a limited extent, within the runway retainers 85. Stops 89 are interiorly disposed at the rear end of the runways and similar stops 98 are provided at the forward end thereof, as best seen in Fig. 5, the stops 89 being engaged by the shoes when the latter, upon being moved rearwardly, reach the position indicated in Fig. 5 in full lines; whereupon a. continued rotation of the screw 66 causes the runways 68 to slide'rearwardly within the runway retainers 85 to an extreme extended position substantially as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. Similarly, when the frame is moved forward horizontally, the shoes will engage the stops 98 at the forward end of the runways and cause the latter to slide forwardly and, return to their initial position. The frame B, by this means, may be additionally extended sufficiently to permit loads to be readily handled at either side and at the end of the truck.

In the practical operation of a lift truck, it is somewhat difficult to precisely position it to engage a load. My invention minimizes this difficulty by providing means which co-act with the load to automatically shift the closed end of the frame B laterally to bring the frame into alignment with the load and into a proper spaced relationship therewith as the frame is moved horizontally into a position about the load. I provide a bell-crank 9| pivoted on the mounting of each of the wheels 46, each bell-crank having an arm extending inwardly and a roller 92 at the end of said arm to work against the load. The other arm of each bell-crank extends forwardly and carries an electric contact 93 adapted to engage and close an electric switch 94. A compression spring 95 also engages this latter arm and a lug 96 to maintain said switch in an open position except when closed by contact of the roller 82 with the load. Another lug, 81, is also provided to engage with and restrict the rearward motion of the said inwardly-extending arm.

The leads from the two switches 94 are connected to a drum and brush switch, or a toggle switch, or any other type of electric switch in which the connection of the said leads may, by the rotation of the turn-table 14 relatively to the mounting plate 12, be automatically shifted to other leads which reversibly control either the motor 88 or the propulsion motors of the truck.

The arrangement of the connections of the several switches should be such that the two switches 84 operate the propulsion motors in opposite directions when the turn-table carries the frame B in a transverse position for side loading and also operate to control the motor 88 in opposite directions when the turn-table carries the frame in a longitudinal position for end loading. The switch arrangement, further, should be such that,-regardless of the position of the tumtable,-the closing of the switch on one side of the frame will always cause the closed end of the frame to shift in the same direction relatively to the open end of the frame to bring the latter into alignment with the load.

Support is provided for the frame B when it is in a position over the truck body. For this purpose I provide outwardly-extending supporting arms 88, which may be of the shape of an inverted channel in cross-section and may be welded or otherwise secured to the outer sides of the runways 88, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 10. These supporting arms are, of course, so positioned on the runways that they will not interfere with the longitudinal sliding action of the runways within the runway supports 84.

The foregoing description of the structure of my device will be more easily understood from an understanding of the operation of the device in actual practice.

Let us suppose that it is desired to pick up a stacked load which is resting upon a floor in such a position relatively to other loads or objects that it may be most easily approached with the side of the truck adjacent to the load. Under these conditions the frame B is first brought to a retracted position extending across the body of the truck, which is then propelled to a position where the wheels 48 are as close as possible to the line of the near side of the load and also where said wheels are substantially equidistant from lines of the adjacent opposite sides of the load.

frame B clear of the supporting arms 98, after which the motor 68 may be operated to rotate the elongated screw 68, whereby to move the frame B horizontally toward an extended position about the stacked load. As the frame B moves into position about the load, any lack of uniformity in the spacing between the wheels 48 and the adjacent sides of the load causes one or the other bell-crank 9i to operate the propulsion motors to move the truck body either forwardly or rearwardly to correct any discrepancy in such spacing. As the frame moves toward an extended position, the shoes 6i engage the stops 89 on the runways and may slide the latter to a suitable extended position. Upon the frame reaching a suitable extended position, the motors 40 are operated to open the clamping bars 35, and as the open spaces between said clamping bars and the horiz'ontal side members 32 will bCLdiI'BCtIY over the up-turned tabs of the steelstrips 83, the frame The electric motors 50 are then operated to lift the may thereupon be lowered by operation of the motors 50 to a position where the frame will a horizontal position across the open end of the frame.

The motors 40 are then operated to lock the said up-turned tabs between the clamping bars 35 and the horizontal side members 82, the outward motion of said bars operating to effect a sub stantially uniform tension in the several steel strips 33, as is best explained in my Patent No. 2,036,359, hereinbefore referred to. The frame B with the load is then elevated to a higher level than the top of the truck body; then, by operating motor 68, the frame and load are retracted to a position over the truck body; whereupon the load is lowered and brought to rest upon the supporting arms 98. The several jack-screws and the wheels 46 are elevated to a position where the latter are clear of the floor by briefly continuing the operation of the motors 58. The frame and load may be left in this position while the truck is being propelled to another location where it is desired to discharge the load, or, if preferred, the motor 83 may be operated, whereby to rotate the turntable 14 for the purpose of bringing the frame and load in a longitudinal position corresponding to that of the truck body.

Assuming, now, that it is desired to discharge this load upon another similar load (hereinafter referred to as the lower load), which load is so positioned that it may be most conveniently approached by bringing the rear end of the truck to a position adjacent said lower load; and assuming, further, that the turn-table has been rotated, as aforesaid, the truck is moved to a position .where the wheels 46 are as near as possible to the said lower load and substantially uniformly spaced relatively to the sides thereof. The meters 58 are first operated to elevate the frame B from the truck to a higher level than the top of the lower load; then the motor 88 is operated to move the frame and its lead (hereinafter referred to as the upper load") toward a position directly over the lower load. As this horizontal movement of the frame takes place, the bell-cranks 9| will engage the sides of the lower load and operate one or the other of the switches 84, which, with the turning of the turn-table to bring the frame from a sidewise to an endwise position, have automatically been changed over to control the motor 88 ,and will cause the latter to slide the laterally slidable mounting plate 12 to one side or the other in order to establish and maintain a substantial parallelism and substantially uniform spacing between the frame B and the lower load. Thus, the frame B may be extended in such a way that the upper load will be directly above the lower load and may then be lowered to rest thereon by the operation of motors 58.

After bringing the upper load to rest upon the lower load, the motors 48 are operated to release the clamping bars 85, and the frame B is then raised to an elevated position; andafter raising the bridge member 34 to a vertical position, the frame B is retracted to a position over the truck body and lowered to rest on the supporting arms 88, whereupon the truck is ready for further similar service.

It should be understood that the foregoing description and the appended drawings are illustrative only, and show one means of utilizing my invention, which, obviously, may be carried out in various ways. For example, it may be embodied in various types of load-lifting apparatus in which may be employed various types of load-engaging means, switches, turn-tables, means for elevating the load and for moving it horizontally over the truck, etc.,-all without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lift truck or the like, comprising a mobile body, a load-carrying support, rotatable relatively to said body in a horizontal plane whereby to permit handling of material at a plurality of radial points about the truck and being also horizontally movable in a plurality of radial lines relatively to said body, and means coacting with the latter and with a floor or similar surface independent of said body for supporting and vertically moving said load-carrying support while maintaining the latter in a substantially, unchanged horizontal attitude.

2. A lift truck or the like, according to claim 1, the load-carrying support being mounted upon a turntable carried upon said body.

3. A lift truck or the like, according to claim 1, v

the load-carrying support being mounted upon a turntable carried upon said body and the said means being adapted to be displaced from coacting engagement with the floor or similar surface whereby to permit rotation of the turntable and the load-carrying support mounted thereon, in a horizontal plane.

4. A lift truck or the like according to claim 1, the said means comprising Jackscrews disposed at opposite sides of the said load-carrying support. 5. A lift truck or the like, comprising a mobile body, a rotatable element mounted on said body and disposed to rotate in a horizontal plane, a load-carrying member supported at one extremity thereof upon said element and supported at a substantially opposite extremity thereof independently of said body, and means, coacting partly with the truck body and partly independently thereof and alsocoacting with said member for moving the latter vertically and horizontally outwardly between a position in which the frame is supported entirely upon the rotatable element in a position to be transported upon the truck and a loading or discharging position adjacent the truck, the said member further, coacting with the rotatable element to rotate therewith, whereby to permit the handling of loads at a plurality of points adjacent to the truck.

6. A lift truck or the like, according to claim 5, in which the said rotatable element is carried upon a laterally slidable mounting plate, whereby to facilitate the alignment of the load-carrying member relatively to the point of loading or unloading.

7. A lift truck or the like, comprising a mobile body, a laterally slidable mounting plate on said body, a rotatable element mounted on said mounting plate and disposed to rotate in a horizontal plane, a load-carrying member supported at an inner extremity thereof upon said rotatable element and supported independently of the body at a substantially opposite outer extremity, the said load-carrying member being adapted to rotate with the rotatable element and to be. extended substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom toward any one of a plurality of positions about the body, the truck, further, having reversible means for propelling the truck body as the loadcarrying member is being extended at a side of the truck'and also having reversible means for sliding the mounting plate laterally as'the loadcarrying member is being extended at an end of the truck, whereby to permit shifting of the *id inner extremity of the load-carrying member to bring the latter into alignment with a load to he handled.

8. A lift truck or the like according to claim '1, further characterized-in having electric motive means for propelling the truck and for laterally sliding the mounting plate and having an electric switch disposed upon supporting means at each side of the outer extremity of the load-carrying member, the said switches coacting withopposite sides of a load to control said motive means whereby to shift the inner extremity of the loadcarrying member to bring the latter into alignment with the load.

9. A lift truck or the like according to claim 7, further characterized in having electric motive means for propelling the truck and for laterally sliding the mounting plate and having an electric switch disposed upon supporting means at each side of the outer extremity of the load-carrying member, the said switches coacting with opposite sides of a load to control said motive means whereby to shift the inner extremity of the loadcarrying member to bring the latter into alignment with the load, the truck further having switching means, controlled by the rotation of the rotatable element and arranged to connect said switches to the motive means for propelling the truck when the load-carrying member is in position to be extended at either side of the body' and to connect said switches to the motive means for laterally sliding the mounting plate when said member is in position to be extended at an end of the body.

10. In a lift truck or the like, means for mounting a load-carrying member thereon comprising a laterally slidable mounting plate mounted upon the truck, a runway disposed upon said mounting plate and a shoe adapted to slide along said runwas. the shoe having a support for the loadcarrying member fixed thereto.

11. In a lift truck or the like, means according to claim 10 wherein the runway is slidable longitudinally within a runway retainer and has stops at each end adapted to be engaged by the shoe to cause said runway to slide longitudinally with the longitudinal movement of the shoe, whereby to permit a greater amplitude of .movement of the shoe andconsequently a greater extension of a load-carrying frame supported thereby.

12. In a lift truck or the like, means for mounting a load-carrying member thereon comprising a horizontal turntable mounted upon the truck, a runway retainer secured upon the turntable, a channel-shaped runway disposed within said retainer and a shoe adapted to slide within said runway, the shoe having a support for the loadcarrying member fixed thereto, and the runway being slidable longitudinally within the retainer and having a stop at each end adapted to be engaged by the shoe to cause said runway to slide longitudinally with the longitudinal movement of the shoe, whereby to permit a greater amplitude of movement of the shoe and consequently a greater extension of a load-carrying frame supported thereby.

I 13. A lift truck or the like, comprising a mobile body, a laterally slidable mounting plate on said body, and a load carrying member partially supported at an inner extremity thereof upon said mounting plate, the said load-carrying member being adapted to be extended substantially horizontally angularly relatively to the movement of said plate, to a position where it may receive a load disposed outside the body, said slidable mounting plate being adapted to entirely support the load-carrying member in a retracted position and to laterally shift the said member, when so supported, in either of two opposite directions whereby to facilitate the alignment of the said member with a load to be engaged.

14. A lift truck or the like, comprising a mobile body, load carrying apparatus, horizontally rotatable relatively to said body and supported in a substantially stable condition at a plurality of points, partly at a substantially stable portion of said body and partly upon a stable surface independent of said body in a substantially horizontal attitude, means for uniformly imparting vertical movement to said apparatus at the several points of support thereof and means for substantially horizontally moving said apparatus, when the latter is in an elevated position, between positions substantially over and substantially outside of said body at any one of a plurality of radial points thereab'out.

15. A 1m truck or the like, having a mobile, body and apparatus coacting therewith forre ceiving a load and moving it between a point sub: stantially over said body and any one of a plurality of radial points outside of and about said body, said apparatus comprising a load-carrying element, a plurality of supports adapted to aii'orda substantially stable support to said element, one

or more of said supports normally resting upon said body and one or more of said supports normally resting upon a floor or like supporting surface independent of said body, means coacting with said supports for substantially uniformly raising and lowering said element without substantially disturbing its horizontal attitude, means for substantially horizontally moving said apparatus relatively to said body, and means for rotating said apparatus, horizontally relatively to said body.

16. A lift truck or'the like according to claim 15, the support or supports, normally resting upon a floor or like supporting surface, having wheels working on said surface for aiding the horizontal movement of said apparatus thereupon.

17. A lift truck or the like according to claim 15, further characterized in having an inverted L- shaped bracing member connecting a lower portion of a. support resting upon the mobile body and a lower portion of a support resting upon a floor or like supporting surface, a horizontal arm of said bracing member being disposed higher than the top of the truck body whereby to permit its passage thereover when horizontallymoved,

. and a depending arm of said bracing member being connected to a supportresting upon a floor or like supporting surface andbeing in such an at- ;titudegclosely approaching the vertical, that the latter supportmay be substantially moved horiiillltally to the tmck "azoaanmpnm