A load-handling clamp mountable on a lift truck has one or more hydraulic clamping cylinders of the type having two or more sequentially extensible stages capable of applying either load-weight-responsive variable hydraulic load-clamping force or, alternatively, load-size-responsive variable hydraulic load-clamping force, without risking the clamp's dropping of a clamped load. The length of the hydraulic clamping cylinder(s) may in some applications extend generally forwardly from a supporting lift truck, and in other applications extend generally laterally from a supporting lift truck.

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 water bottle lifting and rotating device includes a base supporting a pair of rolling wheels and forwardly extending supports. The base further supports a vertically extending mast upon which a bottle clasp is lifted and lowered by a cable arrangement. A drive motor also supported on the base is operative in combination with the pulley and cable arrangement to raise and lower the bottle clasp and thereby raise and lower a captive water bottle. The bottle clasp supporting a water bottle is automatically rotated to an inverted position by a gear and gear rack arrangement operative between the mast and the bottle clasp.

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

Different exemplary control systems for a hydraulically powered load-handling clamp, of the type usually mountable on industrial lift trucks or automatically guided vehicles, are disclosed. The disclosed systems variably limit a hydraulic force, by which load-clamping arms move a load substantially transversely, automatically depending on the weight of the load being moved, so as to avoid excessive transverse force applied to fragile loads.

An article handling apparatus comprising a handling frame comprising a plurality of arm members adapted to grip the article, at least one of the plurality of arm members being of variable length. There is also disclosed means for dismounting a tire from a wheel, the means comprising a housing and a pad, the housing being adapted to be releasably attached to gripping means and the pad adapted to break the bead of the tire to facilitate removal of the tire from the wheel.

A gripping apparatus for outfitting vehicles for handling loads include a structure, which can be removably coupled with an operating arm of a vehicle for handling of loads. It includes: a support element which comprises a coupling base for connection with a corresponding coupling head which is fitted to the operating arm, a holding element which is fixed to the coupling base and can rotate, on command, with respect to the coupling base and about a first axis. The holding element is provided with a load gripping apparatus for gripping a load. A load handled by the load gripping apparatus can translate along a predetermined direction contained in a plane extending perpendicularly with respect to the first axis.

A clamp adaptor is mountable on a bale squeeze attachment of a lift vehicle or truck to allow the lift vehicle or truck to lift a filled or partially-filled malleable bag. The clamp adaptor has first and second symmetrically mirrored opposing clamp-sides, each having a part-cylindrical side wall with a curvature about a vertical axis and a flat part-circular bottom plate fixedly coupled with the part-cylindrical side wall. The clamp adaptor also includes at least one stopper bar attached to one of the first and second symmetrically mirrored opposing clamp-sides to stop the first and second symmetrically mirrored opposing clamp-sides from moving closer than a minimum distance to prevent damage to a bag between the first and second symmetrically mirrored opposing clamp-sides.

Hydraulic valve circuitry adapted for hydraulic connection to a lift truck having a mast and at least one lift cylinder for alternately raising and lowering the mast. The hydraulic assembly is also adapted for hydraulic connection to an attachment to the lift truck, the attachment having opposed clamps actuated by respective clamp cylinders. The hydraulic assembly preferably comprises a valve circuit capable of causing the at least one lift cylinder to be an accumulator.

A clamp device for a mobile lift system and a mobile lift system is provided, where the clamp device has a supporting part and two gripper arms movably connected to the supporting part. An actuating system is arranged on the supporting part, where an actuator is connected to each of the gripper arms. The actuators functions as a main cylinder and a slave cylinder respectively. At least one accumulator is connected to the slave cylinder where the accumulator creates an opposing pressure as a result of the gripper arms' position.