A lift assembly for a storage area includes a floor supported by a scissor mechanism, an actuator for raising the floor from a neutral position to an elevated position, a plurality of members attached to the floor, guide members within which the plurality of members move, and a detent movable between an extended position wherein a portion of the detent protrudes into the guide member and contacts one of the at least two members sufficient to resist movement of the at least two members and a retracted position wherein the at least two members freely move within the guide members. The floor is movable between a non-extended position and a fully extended position when the scissor mechanism and the floor are in the neutral position, the elevated position, or any position between the neutral and elevated positions, and may be removed from the assembly.

A mechanism is disclosed for controlling the position of a heavy object, such as a part of a vehicle, in an x, y, z coordinate plane. The mechanism includes linear positioners, such as rail-guided carriage assemblies spanning the width of the mechanism, as well as longitudinal rails and blocks running the length of the mechanism. A lift table is mounted to the linear positioners such that the mechanism can be used to move the heavy object to virtually any desired position and orientation in the x, y, z coordinate plane.

A combined lift and tilt system including a lower frame, an upper frame, a first lever arm rotatably connected to the lower frame, and a second lever arm rotatably connected to the first lever arm and to the upper frame and in sliding engagement with the lower frame. The system further including a first linear power source rotatably connected to the lower frame and to the first lever arm, and a second linear power source rotatably connected to the upper frame and to the second lever arm.

An article handling system for a naval surface warfare vessel/ship comprises a lower frame and an upper frame interconnected by a plurality of scissor lift linkages. A plurality of drive units are configured to translate an article mounted article bed in an upward and a downward, a forward and a rearward, and a tilting translational degrees of freedom. Each of said drive units are configured to switch said article handling system from a retracted position to an extended operating position. The article handling system may be controlled manually or by a control unit or a handheld controller.