A rack and a hoist system. The rack is L-shaped with a first planar floor/leg and a second planar floor/foot, which is a solid plate. The first floor has three pairs of wheels with the middle pair larger than the other pairs and a mount to couple to the hoist via a hooked line that couples to a double-hooked line that hooks into apertures through paired mounting plates near the top end of the leg. The foot includes a tag-line mount from which a tag-line may be mounted to help guide movement thereof using the hoist. The foot includes wheels such that when the first floor is tipped up while being lifted, the wheels of the foot engage with the surface while the wheels on the leg are disengaging. There are flanking posts, strap structures, and flanking plates that help to secure the load (e.g. rebars, pipes, and sheet rock).

A ship or other large and heavy load may be supported on a fluid cushion comprising a two dimensional array of airbags constrained within elastic mesh compartments (81) and inflated by individual valve assemblies (188, 189, 231 . . . ) which are connected by a grid of airlines and distributed over a flexible web (60) separating respective horizontal layers of the assembly. The ship rests on an upper layer while the compartments of a lower layer are inflated and deflated in sequence to generate a travelling contraction which moves through the fluid cushion to translate its base surface over the ground in any desired direction of travel, with the load gradually moving by fluid pressure in the same direction. The deflated cushion assembly can be stored and deployed on a spool (see FIG. 1-3) rotated by a hydraulic motor. Independent claims are included to the cushion assembly including an elastic or other tension force generating means, the compartmentalized structure, the layered structure, the deployment spool, the distributed valve assemblies, and corresponding methods of operation.

A ship or other large and heavy load may be supported on a fluid cushion comprising a two dimensional array of airbags constrained within elastic mesh compartments (81) and inflated by individual valve assemblies (188, 189, 231 . . . ) which are connected by a grid of airlines and distributed over a flexible web (60) separating respective horizontal layers of the assembly. The ship rests on an upper layer while the compartments of a lower layer are inflated and deflated in sequence to generate a travelling contraction which moves through the fluid cushion to translate its base surface over the ground in any desired direction of travel, with the load gradually moving by fluid pressure in the same direction. The deflated cushion assembly can be stored and deployed on a spool (see FIG. 1-3) rotated by a hydraulic motor. Independent claims are included to the cushion assembly including an elastic or other tension force generating means, the compartmentalized structure, the layered structure, the deployment spool, the distributed valve assemblies, and corresponding methods of operation.

A rack and a hoist system. The rack is L-shaped with a first planar floor/leg and a second planar floor/foot, which is a solid plate. The first floor has three pairs of wheels with the middle pair larger than the other pairs and a mount to couple to the hoist via a hooked line that couples to a double-hooked line that hooks into apertures through paired mounting plates near the top end of the leg. The foot includes a tag-line mount from which a tag-line may be mounted to help guide movement thereof using the hoist. The foot includes wheels such that when the first floor is tipped up while being lifted, the wheels of the foot engage with the surface while the wheels on the leg are disengaging. There are flanking posts, strap structures, and flanking plates that help to secure the load (e.g. rebars, pipes, and sheet rock).

A walking apparatus uses a unique single substantially planar interface between the top of support foot and the bottom of load plate to move a load both laterally, longitudinally, and in any curved, angular, diagonal, or non-linear direction. The single substantially planar interface used for moving the load plate in different directions provides the walking apparatus with a low vertical profile that can be installed in load bearing frames with lower ground clearances. In one example, a load bearing device provides a single steering plane movable over a support foot in different directions. A travel mechanism is coupled between the support foot and the load bearing device and is configured to change a horizontal path of the load while the weight of the load is transferred onto the support foot and the travel mechanism is moving the load relative to the support foot.

A walking apparatus uses a unique single substantially planar interface between the top of support foot and the bottom of load plate to move a load both laterally, longitudinally, and in any curved, angular, diagonal, or non-linear direction. The single substantially planar interface used for moving the load plate in different directions provides the walking apparatus with a low vertical profile that can be installed in load bearing frames with lower ground clearances. In one example, a load bearing device provides a single steering plane movable over a support foot in different directions. A travel mechanism is coupled between the support foot and the load bearing device and is configured to change a horizontal path of the load while the weight of the load is transferred onto the support foot and the travel mechanism is moving the load relative to the support foot.

A method and apparatus for transporting heavy machinery, equipment or other heavy load from one location to another, whereby the apparatus is constructed to steer the load in order to move the load in a desired path to a set position, one embodiment directed to a walking machine including a plurality of lifting assemblies operative to lift the load above the supporting surface and then move or rotate the load relative to the supporting surface by transporting the load via rollers or tracks in the walking machines, the lifting assembly including a steering mechanism using an actuator operative for rotating, via a multi-linkage assembly, whereby the lifting assembly lower structure is rotated relative to the lifting assembly structure to set the walking machine at a desired angle so that lifting assemblies may be driven in a desired walking direction.

The invention relates to a lifting and transport apparatus (I) for lifting and transporting a heavy load (2), comprising a frame (4) that can be moved back and forth at least in a horizontal displacement direction (X), the frame having four vertical supports (5) of adjustable length which are designed as lifting supports (5), each with an assigned lifting device, there also being securing means (14) provided on the frame (4) for the releasable attachment of the heavy load (2), characterized in that the frame (4) comprises at least eight vertical supports (5, 6) of adjustable length. The present invention also relates to a method for transporting a heavy load (2) using a lifting and transport apparatus (I) according to the invention.

The invention relates to a lifting and transport apparatus (I) for lifting and transporting a heavy load (2), comprising a frame (4) that can be moved back and forth at least in a horizontal displacement direction (X), the frame having four vertical supports (5) of adjustable length which are designed as lifting supports (5), each with an assigned lifting device, there also being securing means (14) provided on the frame (4) for the releasable attachment of the heavy load (2), characterized in that the frame (4) comprises at least eight vertical supports (5, 6) of adjustable length. The present invention also relates to a method for transporting a heavy load (2) using a lifting and transport apparatus (I) according to the invention.

A crane-free system for moving a pre-fabricated enclosure includes a beam system and a system of coordinated self-contained hydraulic jack units, which in conjunction allow a pre-fabricated enclosure to be lifted off a semi-trailer, positioned by rolling on the system of beams above a pre-laid foundation, and lowered to the foundation. Optionally, the sliding beam system may be rotated using rotatable rollers to allow the pre-fabricated enclosure to move in a rotated direction. Optionally, a centering device and hydraulic ram may be used to center the pre-fabricated enclosure on the foundation.