A method of operating a payload-carrying vehicle having two laterally disposed wheels positioned along a central axis is described. The method includes measuring a force applied by a user to the hand truck, where the measured force comprising a direction and a magnitude, and providing torque to each wheel to cause each wheel to rotate in a respective direction as a function of the measured magnitude and direction. The amount of torque provided to each wheel in response to the force from the user is such that the magnitude of measured force applied by the user is not greater than a predetermined threshold value.

A magazine for bundles of blanks includes a vertical channel configured for inserting and extracting bundles of blanks and a succession of groups of supporting parts distributed along the channel. The supporting parts are configured to support the underside of a respective bundle of blanks. More specifically, each supporting part is movable between an extracted position, where it projects from the channel, towards the inside of the channel, to intercept a bundle that is moving down along the channel and to provide a steady support for the bundle, and a retracted position, where the supporting part is aligned or recessed with respect to the channel to allow the bundle to move along the channel towards a portion under the supporting part. The magazine also includes, for each supporting part, an actuating device configured to promote the passage of the supporting part from the retracted position to the extracted position and controllable by an operator, preferably manually.

A drum transporter that can be used to move a drum from a first bed at a first location to a second bed at a second location is described. The drum transporter can be coupled to a drive cart and powered thereby. The drum transporter is operable to grab a drum on the first bed and pull the drum onto a support bed of the drum transporter for subsequent movement to the second location. The drum transporter is operable to push the drum off the support bed and onto the second bed.

A hand truck for use loading and unloading items from a pallet, the hand truck having a base having a arms spaced evenly apart; a back having two or more rails, the two or more rails extending upward from two or more of the arms of the base; a handle secured to the back; and two or more wheels attached to the two or more rails; the two or more arms, the two or more rails, and the two or more wheels are horizontally aligned, thereby creating a spacings for allowing one or more elongated members of the pallet and/or shelving to fit therethrough.

A conveyance device including a frame and at least one wheel coupled to the frame. The device further includes a storage compartment coupled to the frame, where the storage compartment has a pair of opposed side walls configured such that at least a portion of at least one side wall has an upper edge that is less than 49 inches above a bottom of the wheel to enable manual loading of the storage compartment. The conveyance device further includes a conveyor positioned in the storage compartment, wherein the conveyor is positioned to convey items in the storage compartment at least partially upwardly and out of the storage compartment.

A method of operating a payload-carrying vehicle having two laterally disposed wheels positioned along a central axis is described. The method includes measuring a force applied by a user to the hand truck, where the measured force comprising a direction and a magnitude, and providing torque to each wheel to cause each wheel to rotate in a respective direction as a function of the measured magnitude and direction. The amount of torque provided to each wheel in response to the force from the user is such that the magnitude of measured force applied by the user is not greater than a predetermined threshold value.

A motorized cart with a frame, the frame having a floor, a first elongated side wall, a second elongated side wall, a rear wall, and a front wall that is hingedly connected to the floor. The cart includes a winch that is situated on the rear wall of the cart. A winch belt with a hook on the end of it extends forward from the rear wall. The cart has two wheels that are longitudinally aligned with one another so that one wheel is directly in front of the other wheel, and the wheels are centered longitudinally within the floor of the cart. The cart also has an electric motor that is powered by a battery and is operable in both forward and reverse gear.

A drum transporter that can be used to move a drum from a first bed at a first location to a second bed at a second location is described. The drum transporter can be coupled to a drive cart and powered thereby. The drum transporter is operable to grab a drum on the first bed and pull the drum onto a support bed of the transporter for subsequent movement to the second location. The drum transporter is operable to push the drum off the support bed and onto the second bed.

A trailer for a tugger train having a frame, which has a lifting apparatus with a lift platform. An inner wagon to be transported rests in a raised state on the lift platform. The lifting apparatus has a pull/push rod and at least one triangular lever. Each triangular lever is mounted pivotably with a first end on the frame, a second end on the lift platform and a third end on the pull/push rod, wherein the lift platform can be adjusted in height using the triangular lever(s), with which the lift platform performs an arc-shaped pivot movement, and with a lowering movement is lowered to such an extent that the inner wagon is released from the lift platform and is pushed out of the frame, transverse to the lowering direction, by a predetermined path.

A device is operable to lift and transport a pipe at a worksite. The device includes a base, a mast coupled to the base, and a carriage coupled to the mast upon which the pipe is supportable. The device further includes a lifting assembly that is operable to move the mast and the carriage in a first direction to a desired elevation relative to the base and a positioning assembly that is operable to move the carriage relative to the mast in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction.