A vehicle has at least two axles, each having at least one wheel for lifting, transporting, and lowering load carriers. A first axle is mounted in a chassis. Lifting elements are provided for lifting and lowering the load carriers. The distance of the second axle relative to the first axle can be changed in the horizontal longitudinal vehicle direction, and the lifting elements are lifted or lowered by a change in the distance of the second axle from the first axle. The at least one wheel of the first axle can be driven by a drive motor that is arranged on the chassis, and at least one lifting element is displaced horizontally inward or outward by the change in the distance of the second axle from the first axle in the transverse vehicle direction.

The invention relates to a chassis comprising a base (12) and four wheels (14) each being mounted on the base by way of a respective supporting device (16) and each being capable of being brought out of a transport position into an operating position of the chassis (10), and vice versa, wherein each supporting device comprises a support or carrier arm (18), which is arranged on the base via a proximal end (20) to be pivotable out of the transport position into the operating position of the chassis, and vice versa, and at a distal end (22) receives an axle journal (24) for rotation, a first control (30) for pivoting the support or carrier arm out of the transport position into the operating position of the chassis, and vice versa, the axle journal rotatably arranged at the distal end of the support or carrier arm, a stub axle (40), which is pivotably arranged on the axle journal and receives the wheel for rotation at a distal end (42) of the axle journal; and a second control (44) for pivoting the stub axle against the axle journal.

A vehicle has at least two axles, each having at least one wheel for lifting, transporting, and lowering load carriers. A first axle is mounted in a chassis. Lifting elements are provided for lifting and lowering the load carriers. The distance of the second axle relative to the first axle can be changed in the horizontal longitudinal vehicle direction, and the lifting elements are lifted or lowered by a change in the distance of the second axle from the first axle. The at least one wheel of the first axle can be driven by a drive motor that is arranged on the chassis, and at least one lifting element is displaced horizontally inward or outward by the change in the distance of the second axle from the first axle in the transverse vehicle direction.

A transport device is for carrying and moving objects from one location to another. In an embodiment, the transport device includes a chassis and at least four motor-driven omnidirectional wheels arranged on the chassis. The chassis is configured to adapt the wheelbase and the track gauge of the omnidirectional wheels according to the size of the object. A corresponding method for operating such transport device is further specified in an embodiment. The embodiments of the application lie in the universal usage of the transport device for nearly all sizes and shapes of an object.

A lift device includes a wheel assembly coupled to a frame. The wheel assembly includes a rim having an inner barrel, an outer barrel, and a lip defining a first surface and a second surface. The lift device also includes an adapter plate and an axle having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end including a hub. The adapter plate includes a barrel portion defining a first face and a second face, a hub portion directly coupled to the hub, and a transition portion extending between the barrel portion and the hub portion. The second surface of the lip engages the first face of the barrel portion when the wheel assembly is in a first configuration and the second face of the barrel portion when the wheel assembly is in a second configuration thereby reducing a track width of the lift device.

Features are disclosed for a mobile drive unit and systems including mobile drive units that eliminate the need for dedicated lifting motors. The mobile drive unit arrangements described leverage existing motors used to drive the rolling elements (e.g., wheels) of the mobile drive unit to perform the lifting. For example, a mobile drive unit may include four locomotion motors. Because each motor can be individually controlled, the distance between front and rear (or left and right) rolling elements can be used to actuate mechanisms for lifting payloads without requiring a dedicated lifting motor.

Apparatus for lifting and supporting an item above a floor includes a frame and a pair of upright telescoping post assemblies having two opposite ends and which are positionable on opposite sides of the item to be lifted. A pair of guide posts are arranged as to extend substantially vertically of the frame and adjacent the post assemblies. A carriage assembly having an elongated member is mounted upon each post assembly for cooperating between the item and an adjacent guide post, and jacks are utilized for moving the ends of the post assemblies apart so that by positioning the elongated members of the carriage assemblies in cooperating relationship with an end of the item and moving the ends of the post assemblies apart, the end of the item is lifted by a corresponding amount and the carriage assemblies are guided along the guide posts.

Features are disclosed for a mobile drive unit and systems including mobile drive units that eliminate the need for dedicated lifting motors. The mobile drive unit arrangements described leverage existing motors used to drive the rolling elements (e.g., wheels) of the mobile drive unit to perform the lifting. For example, a mobile drive unit may include four locomotion motors. Because each motor can be individually controlled, the distance between front and rear (or left and right) rolling elements can be used to actuate mechanisms for lifting payloads without requiring a dedicated lifting motor.

A vehicle having two chassis components, which are connected by a sloping plane, especially by a guidance device and/or sliding bearing along a sloping plane, a first drive wheel being situated on at least one of the chassis components, and one wheel on the other chassis component, a rotational speed differential between the rotational speed of the drive wheel and the rotational speed of the wheel being able to be induced by a device.

A forklift includes a vehicle including a pair of straddle legs extending forward from a lower part of a vehicle body and provided at an interval in a vehicle width direction, a cargo handling device including a mast provided between the pair of straddle legs and extending in an up-down direction, a lift bracket provided at the mast such that the lift bracket is capable of being raised and lowered, and a pair of forks extending forward from the lift bracket, a reach mechanism including an advance/retract drive unit capable of performing advance/retract drive in a front-back direction on each of the pair of straddle legs, and a coupling portion coupling the mast and the advance/retract drive unit, in which the coupling portion includes a protrusion provided at one of the advance/retract drive unit and the mast and extending in the up-down direction toward the other of the advance/retract drive unit and the mast, and an accommodating portion provided at the other of the advance/retract drive unit and the mast and including an accommodating hole into which the protrusion is inserted from the up-down direction with a gap.