A shipping container is configured to transport goods from a distribution center, to a retail location, and onto the sales floor of the retail location. The shipping container glides on wheels and is stackable. The shipping container is configured to receive forklift forks from multiple sides. At least one of the channels includes a surrounding framework to safeguard against tilting. The lid is selectively mountable in two orientations to close the container or to provide handles for propelling and/or steering the shipping container. An expandable storage location for empty packaging is provided at an exterior of the shipping container.

An automatic unloading dolly that automatically unloads pallets therefrom that includes a frame having a loading/unloading side and a pusher side, a conveyor platform that extends between the loading/unloading side and the pusher side, one or more wheels connected to the frame, a multi-bar linkage system mounted to the frame and connected to a pusher that moves along the conveyor platform from the pusher side toward the loading/unloading side between a pusher base position and a pusher triggered position, and a contact arm link connected to the multi-bar linkage system such that movement of the contact arm link relative to the frame from a contact arm link base position to a contact arm link triggered position moves the multi-bar linkage system and the pusher from the pusher base position to the pusher triggered position.

A material cart including a wheeled rectangular base frame includes corner members having an end portion of reduced size at one end thereof and which are arrangable in either reduced end-up or a reduced end-down orientation at the corners of the material cart to facilitate the stacking of the material cart with a material cart of like construction. If desired, these corner members enable the weight of the cart to be supported upon the underlying floor through the corner members, rather than through the wheels of the cart. The cart also includes a top assembly by which the cart is capable of being lifted, and a fork-accepting mount is securable to the top assembly in alternative orientations to enable the material cart to be lifted with the fork of a forklift which approaches the mount from either a side of the cart or from an end of the cart.

A material handling vehicle may include a clamp assembly, the clamp assembly including a housing, a grip assembly, and a power source. The grip assembly may be pivotally engaged with the housing. The power source may be in electrical communication with the grip assembly. The grip assembly includes a lobe pivotally engaged with the housing and a contact supported by the lobe, the contact being electrically conductive.

A lift-truck having a height adjustable load engagement means and a lifting/lowering unit and a support wheel and a climbing wheel and comprising a detection sensor arranged to detect a pallet located in front of the load engagement means and in a control unit to control the lifting/lowering unit, in response to a signal indicative of a detected pallet, to move the load engagement means to place the climbing wheel at a first predetermined height over the ground surface and, control the lifting/lowering unit to lower the load engagement means to place the climbing wheel at a second predetermined height over the ground surface when an operational parameter, indicative of movement of the lift-truck, equals a predetermined value.

An automatic unloading dolly that automatically unloads pallets therefrom that includes a frame having a loading/unloading side and a pusher side, a conveyor platform that extends between the loading/unloading side and the pusher side, one or more wheels connected to the frame, a multi-bar linkage system mounted to the frame and connected to a pusher that moves along the conveyor platform from the pusher side toward the loading/unloading side between a pusher base position and a pusher triggered position, and a contact arm link connected to the multi-bar linkage system such that movement of the contact arm link relative to the frame from a contact arm link base position to a contact arm link triggered position moves the multi-bar linkage system and the pusher from the pusher base position to the pusher triggered position.

According to one embodiment, an object to be transported by an automatic guided transportation vehicle includes: a housing having an entry route through which the automatic guided transportation vehicle enters; a marker that can be recognized by a sensor provided in the automatic guided transportation vehicle; and a marker holder configured to hold the marker retractably at an initial position where the marker contacts with the automatic guided transportation vehicle in the entry route.

A load handling system for a vehicle includes a set of forks that concurrently supports two or more pallets including a first pallet and a second pallet linearly positioned along a length of the forks, and a lifting system to raise and lower the forks. A traction system moves the vehicle in a direction of travel associated with withdrawing the forks from the pallets. Additionally, an actuation device generates an activation signal in response to being actuated by an operator, and a vehicle controller places the vehicle in an automated mode of operation in response to receiving the activation signal. In the automated mode of operation, a front end of the forks moves from the second pallet to the first pallet, and the first pallet is raised while the second pallet remains on a transport surface. The first pallet is then spaced apart from the second pallet by a predetermined distance and then lowered to the transport surface.

A loading frame includes a rectangular u-shaped frame with an opening at one side, forks extendable and retractable between the closed side and the open side of the U-shaped frame, loading frame wheels on one arm of the U-shaped frame, and a truck interface on the other arm of the U-shaped frame. The loading frame wheels and truck interface support travel of the frame in a direction other than the direction of travel of the forks between the open and closed sides of the U-shaped frame.

A loading frame includes a rectangular u-shaped frame with an opening at one side, forks extendable and retractable between the closed side and the open side of the U-shaped frame, loading frame wheels on one arm of the U-shaped frame, and a truck interface on the other arm of the U-shaped frame. The loading frame wheels and truck interface support travel of the frame in a direction other than the direction of travel of the forks between the open and closed sides of the U-shaped frame.