The invention relates to a container handling system, comprising an exoskeleton which is designed in such a way that it supports movements carried out by an operator of the container handling system for lifting and/or lowering objects, in particular system parts or working material.

Techniques for lifting hammer union accessories (17) and securing hammer unions (2). A hammer union accessory (17) may be lifted with the accessory lift portion (11) of the working end (5) of a hammer union securement tool (1). An arcuate surface portion (6) may be configured to mate with a complimentary arcuate surface (7) of a hammer union (2), receive a lug (9) through a hammer union lug opening (8), torque a lug (9) with a lug torque member (10), and secure a hammer union (2).

The present invention relates to a lifting and transporting device. The device of the invention is useful for lifting and moving any object which has a pair of spaced apart wheels but is particularly adapted for the lifting and transporting of hospital beds. The bed lifter includes an improved means of engaging a bed and supporting the load of the bed or bed/patient combination during lifting and transportation by engaging the bed wheels and not the bed frame.

An automation unit for handling component carriers has an enclosure for arranging components carriers within a first, a second and a third stacking space. The enclosure has a loading opening for the first stacking space, a transfer device for transferring component carriers between the stacking spaces, and a separating device to selectively separate or release the first stacking space inwardly. A safety system for an intervention area is at the loading opening to interrupt the operation of the automation unit if it detects an intervention. The safety system may switch to partial monitoring mode, to full monitoring mode after completion of an automated loading process or deactivate in a manual loading mode when the separating device separates the first stacking space. The safety system may switch to full monitoring mode before the separating device releases the first stacking space. The automation unit can be loaded both automatically and manually safely.

An automation unit for handling component carriers has an enclosure for arranging components carriers within a first, a second and a third stacking space. The enclosure has a loading opening for the first stacking space, a transfer device for transferring component carriers between the stacking spaces, and a separating device to selectively separate or release the first stacking space inwardly. A safety system for an intervention area is at the loading opening to interrupt the operation of the automation unit if it detects an intervention. The safety system may switch to partial monitoring mode, to full monitoring mode after completion of an automated loading process or deactivate in a manual loading mode when the separating device separates the first stacking space. The safety system may switch to full monitoring mode before the separating device releases the first stacking space. The automation unit can be loaded both automatically and manually safely.

A rolling cart has a wheeled frame, telescoping vertically extendable members with glide strips, and a tiltable frame having glide strips interspersed with transfer balls to easily slide slabs or sheet materials for construction such as when installing countertops. The tiltable frame includes retractable lifter feet which support a slab in transit but drop below the level of the slab automatically when the tiltable frame is tilted to horizontal.

A rolling cart has a wheeled frame, telescoping vertically extendable members with glide strips, and a tiltable frame having glide strips interspersed with transfer balls to easily slide slabs or sheet materials for construction such as when installing countertops. A method is also described for measuring a minuend desired install height, subtracting a geometrically predetermined subtrahend, and adjusting the height from a floor surface to a pivot axis on the cart to equal the difference, said adjustment being effected by powered lifting means incorporated or ancillary to the cart.

An automated lumber handling system laser-scans the top profile of multiple stacks of lumber, each of which contain boards of a unique size. Based on the scanned profiles, the system determines the order in which individual boards from a chosen stack should be transferred to a numerically controlled saw. The saw cuts the boards to proper size and in the proper sequence to facilitate orderly assembly of a roof truss or prefabricated wall. In some examples, the system lifts individual boards by driving two retractable screws, or some other piercing tool, down into the upward facing surface of the board. A track mounted cantilever, holding the screws and a laser unit, translates over the lumber stacks to retrieve and deliver individual boards and, while doing so, the laser repeatedly scans the stacked lumber profiles on-the-fly to continuously update the profiles. The open cantilever design facilitates replenishing the stacks of lumber.

In some embodiments, a method and apparatus are described for moving heavy objects while providing for precise movements and alignments along any desired path, making the apparatus ideally suited for moving heavy equipment including tunnel boring equipment or structures, such as land drilling rigs. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may include at least two load bearing subassemblies. Each load bearing subassembly can include a support structure configured to support a load, a bearing mat; and a plurality of linear actuators coupled between the support structure and the bearing mat. The plurality of linear actuators may be configured to raise, shift, and lower the load relative to the bearing mat or reference base to move the load.

A rig skidding method involving raising a rig on jacks, positioning skid tracks comprising low friction plastic underneath the rig, lowering the rig, and skidding the rig along the skid tracks to a new site for rig operations. At the new site, the process is reversed to leave the rig on the ground at the new location.