A mobile gantry for transporting heavy loads includes first, second, and third booms which are supported on the ground by respective wheel sets. The booms are spaced from one another so to present a generally triangular configuration when viewed from above. First, second, and third lift legs telescope to extend and retract the booms, and the lift legs are interconnected to one another and can raise and lower a load. The load can be maintained level by individually adjusting the length of each boom by extending and retracting the lift legs. A pivot axle, attached to each one of the wheel sets, allows each of the wheel sets to pivot about an axis that is at least generally parallel to the ground, thus maintaining a uniform load while the mobile gantry encounters changes in slope or other surface irregularities.

Motorized carriage (1) that is able to move in translation along a longitudinal axis (X) along a horizontal rail, said carriage (1) comprising at least one wheel (4), in particular of the friction wheel type, that is driven in rotation by an electric motor (5) and is mounted so as to pivot about a transverse axis (Y) on a holder (3) which carries said motor (5), said carriage (1) comprising a chassis (2) incorporating guide means (23, 24) mounted so as to slide on the chassis (2) along a vertical axis (Z) orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (X) and transverse axis (Y) and cooperating with elastic stressing means (25, 26) that are designed to move the guide means (23, 24) in the direction of the rail, where the holder (3) is in sliding contact with said guide means (23, 24) along the longitudinal axis (X) and vertical axis (Z), this sliding contact being designed to convert a movement of the holder (3) along the longitudinal axis (X) into a concurrent movement of the holder (3) along the vertical axis (Z) in the direction of the rail. Said carriage (1) can be used in video surveillance systems.

A straddle carrier is operable to lift and convey a shipping container. The straddle carrier has a plurality of wheeled structures between weight-bearing portions and the ground. Each wheeled structure has two or more wheels. Each of the wheels is turnable (i.e. steerable) relative to the wheeled structure to which it is connected. Each wheeled structure is also pivotable (by at least by at least 90 in a horizontal plane) relative to the weight-bearing portion which it supports. Consequently, the wheeled structures can be oriented so as to enable the straddle carrier to move forward, to steer by turning (steering) one or more wheels, or to move perpendicular to the straddle carrier's forward direction.