A load-bearing assembly including a clamping-force sensor in a pivoting support assembly that is adjustable to vary a radial spacing between a pivot pin and a clamp pad supported on the support assembly. A plurality of clamping-force sensors may be included in a plurality of pivoting clamp pad support assemblies to support a clamp pad and may be arranged to sense the magnitude of a clamping force exerted by a particular adjustable pivoting clamp pad support assembly and send signals indicative of the magnitude of the force to a controller. Force values sensed and transmitted to the controller may be used to evaluate and adjust the clamp arm assembly to grasp a load with a desired clamping force or distribution of clamping forces.

A manipulator for transporting a load laterally with respect to a vehicle includes a support frame adapted for mounting on a vehicle. A movable guide is supported by the support frame for lateral translation with respect to the support frame. A carriage which is capable of supporting a load engaging attachment for supporting a load is supported by the guide for translation with respect to the guide in the lengthwise direction of the guide. The carriage can translate with respect to the guide in the lengthwise direction of the guide at the same time that the guide is translating laterally with respect to the support frame.

A load-bearing assembly including a clamping-force sensor in a pivoting support assembly that is adjustable to vary a radial spacing between a pivot pin and a clamp pad mounted on the support assembly. A plurality of clamping-force sensors may be included in a plurality of pivoting clamp pad support assemblies to support a clamp pad and may be arranged to sense the magnitude of a clamping force exerted by a particular adjustable pivoting clamp pad support assembly and send signals indicative of the magnitude of the force to a controller. A load sensor may be located between a pivot pin and a bearing block, or strain gauges may be mounted in the pivoting bearing block so as to measure forces carried through the bearing block. Force values sensed and transmitted to the controller may be used to evaluate and adjust the clamp arm assembly to grasp a load with a desired clamping force or distribution of clamping forces.

A load-supporting apparatus includes a pair of support assemblies each including a base, and a slide, formed with an abutment, mounted to the base for movement between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base. The support assemblies extend in the same direction, and a linkage assembly interconnects the slides and enables adjustment of the support assemblies toward and away from one another. The abutments of the slides define contact points that engage and stabilize a load relative to the support assemblies, when the load is supported by the slides. The bases of the support assemblies are concurrently mountable releasably to a lift operable for raising and lowering the load-supporting apparatus between raised and lowered positions. The support assemblies are enabled for adjustment toward and away from one another via the linkage assembly, when the bases of the support assemblies are concurrently mounted releasably to the lift.

A transfer device includes: a mounting unit (132) on which a target article (90) is to be mounted; and a transfer unit (T) that transfers the target article (90) between a storage unit (A) and the mounting unit (132), the transfer unit (T) includes a first transfer device (10T) that holds the target article (90) and moves the target article (90) in a depth direction (L), and a second transfer device (20T) that moves a portion of the target article (90) in the depth direction (L), the portion being mounted on the mounting unit (132), a first transfer distance (dl) by which the target article (90) is to be moved by the first transfer device (10T) is shorter than a total transfer distance by which the target article (90) is to be moved in the depth direction (L) between the mounting unit (132) and the storage unit (A).

A method for operating a conveying system is provided. An overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle is provided, wherein the OHT vehicle includes a gripping member configured to grip and hold a carrier, and a receiver configured to receive a signal. The signal is transmitted to the receiver of the OHT vehicle. The OHT vehicle is moved toward the carrier, and the carrier is gripped by the gripping member of the OHT vehicle. A lifting force is determined based on a weight of a carrier, a number of workpieces in the carrier, or a vertical distance between the OHT vehicle and the carrier, and the lifting force is applied to the carrier.

A handling unit, comprising a gripper device provided on a supporting plate for products, the gripper device comprising two opposite longitudinal grip blades, configured to move independently of each other, each one of the blades having a free end, first translation elements of the blades in a first direction which is parallel to the direction of extension of the blades, second translation elements of the blades, in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and lies on a plane which is parallel to a plane of arrangement of the plate, elements for a controlled mutual approach/distancing of the free ends of the blades; and retractable elements for engagement on the blades for the products.

Hydraulic valve circuitry adapted for automatic weight-responsive control of load-clamping members of a load-lifting system having a free lift mast. The load-lifting system generally includes one or more fluid power actuator for applying a gripping force to a load, at least one elongate, longitudinally-extensible fluid power lifting device having a free lift range of motion and at least one main lift range of motion, and manually operated load-clamping and load-lifting selector valves. The hydraulic valve circuitry provides, independently, weight-responsive control of the load-clamping members when lifting a load, full-time automatic weight-responsive force control of the load-clamping members without concurrent manual actuation of load-clamping or load-lifting selector valves, and equalization of sensed load weight so that the sensed load weight is substantially independent of the longitudinally-extensible position of the lifting device.

A gripper for forklifts including a support frame that can be coupled to a forklift and a pair of jaws that are mounted on the support frame in a movable manner with respect to one another between at least one closing position and one opening position respectively for clamping and releasing a product to be transported and vice versa, wherein each jaw includes a support plate-shaped body that is coupled to a mounting body, which is in turn coupled in a movable manner to the support frame, wherein the support plate-shaped body includes a first face that faces the other jaw and a second face opposite the first face, a clamping panel that is supported by the support plate-shaped body to which it is connected with connecting members.

Methods and systems for wirelessly transmitting power and/or data.