A universal gripper is disclosed for transferring totes and sub-totes, for example in an order fulfillment center. The universal gripper includes adjustable tines and pins capable of being positioned to engage within slots in the different configurations of totes and sub-totes.

Systems for safety grip control of telescoping sheet lifters are provided. The systems incorporate at least one load interlock element and at least two alignment interlock elements joined to a carrying angle of the telescoping sheet lifter. The load interlock element detecting the presence of a load on the sheet lifter. The alignment interlock elements detecting the alignment of the load on the sheet lifter. The systems define three different load conditions: empty lifter, properly aligned sheets, and misaligned sheets. Corresponding or associated methods are also provided.

An overhead transport vehicle includes a conveyor to travel along a track, a holder to hold an object to be conveyed, and a lifting driver to lift and lower the holder. The holder includes a base, a holder including a body and a pair of grippers connected to the body in an openable/closable manner, the holder being attached to the base so as to be movable along an opening/closing direction of the pair of grippers, and a first elastic member to restrict, between the base and the body, movement of the holder along the opening/closing direction.

A traffic barrier lifter mountable on a boom and having a gearbox with a first and a second rotating axis; a pair of opposing arms directly mounted to the first and second rotating axis and a rotator capable of rotating the lifter relative to the boom, wherein the gearbox is capable of moving the pair of opposing arms from an open position to a closed position such that the arms can clamp onto a traffic barrier. The rotator being capable of rotating the arms and traffic barrier relative to the boom.

A C-gripper for arranging at a cross-member or at a suspension element and a cross-member having at least one such C-gripper for transporting loads. The height of the C-gripper is adjustable.

Systems and methods for preventing improper lifting of tubular members are described, in which sensing devices are used to detect when a tubular reaches a selected position within a lifting device suitable for engagement, and/or to detect when a lifting operation is initiated that would exceed the capacity of a lifting device. Operators are engaged with the tubular member and provided with a preselected force corresponding to the weight of one or more tubular members, such that when the weight of a lifting operation exceeds the preselected force, an audible device may be actuated responsive to sensor output, to immediately alert individuals, such that the improper lifting operation may be halted. Similarly, an audible device may be actuated responsive to sensor output when a tubular member reaches a selected position within the lifting device, such that additional movement may be ceased.

A traffic barrier lifter mountable on a boom and having a gearbox with a first and a second rotating axis; a pair of opposing arms directly mounted to the first and second rotating axis and a rotator capable of rotating the lifter relative to the boom, wherein the gearbox is capable of moving the pair of opposing arms from an open position to a closed position such that the arms can clamp onto a traffic barrier. The rotator being capable of rotating the arms and traffic barrier relative to the boom.

An apparatus according to an embodiment includes a receptacle configured to be coupled to an aerial vehicle, a winch configured to be coupled to the receptacle and the aerial vehicle, and a grasper having a multi-bar linkage. The grasper is configured to be coupled to the winch by a tether. The multi-bar linkage of the grasper is configured to be releasably coupled to a package. The grasper is configured to be rotated to a predefined alignment as the winch raises the grasper and the grasper contacts the receptacle.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first member, a second member configured to be coupled to a tether, a first link, a second link, a third link, and a fourth link. First end portions of the first and second links are each pivotably coupled to the second member. The third link has a distal end portion configured to interface with a package on a first side, a proximal end portion pivotably coupled to the first member, and an intermediate portion pivotably coupled to a second end portion of the first link. The fourth link has a distal end portion configured to interface with a package on a second side opposite the first side, a proximal end portion pivotably coupled to the first member, and an intermediate portion disposed between the distal and proximal end portions of the fourth link and pivotably coupled to a second end portion of the second link.

An apparatus according to an embodiment includes a winch and a grasper having a multi-bar linkage that can be releasably coupled to a package. A hook can be coupled to the winch and configured to be selectively releasably coupled to the package. The hook can move from a first position in which the hook is not coupled to the package to a second position in which the hook is coupled to the package, in response to an engagement signal sent by a controller coupled to the hook. The grasper can release, via the multi-bar linkage, the package (1) at a landing surface in response to the package being lowered by the tether and the package contacting the landing surface and (2) from a location a non-zero distance above the landing surface in response to the hook being moved from the second position towards the first position concurrently with a tension in the tether being removed or substantially reduced. The hook can move from the second position towards the first position in response to the controller sending a release signal.