The present disclosure relates to a rotary encoder utilized in cooperation with existing rotary motion of a vehicle mast configured to raise and lower relative to the ground. In particular, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a rotary encoder integrated within a mounting boss of a sheave of a lifting tether pulley to ascertain and communicate mast height to a user and a safety system of the associated vehicle.

The present disclosure relates to a rotary encoder utilized in cooperation with existing rotary motion of a vehicle mast configured to raise and lower relative to the ground. In particular, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a rotary encoder integrated within a mounting boss of a sheave of a lifting tether pulley to ascertain and communicate mast height to a user and a safety system of the associated vehicle.

To realize a fork lift device capable of contributing to space-saving for an aisle width at a warehouse. A fork lift device according to an embodiment of the present includes: a first fork and a second fork moveable in a lateral direction and a vertical direction with respect to a traveling direction; and an interchanging mechanism configured to interchange vertical positions of the first fork and the second fork.

A materials handling vehicle includes a mast, a load handling structure supported on the mast, one or more operator controls, and a lifting structure having a chain structure for performing a lifting and lowering of the load handling structure. The materials handling vehicle further includes a height sensor for generating a height signal corresponding to vertical movement of the load handling structure relative to the mast, and a vehicle control module for processing the height signal received from the height sensor and an operator control signal received from the one or more operator controls. The vehicle control module evaluates the height signal and the operator control signal and disables one or more vehicle functions if the height signal does not correspond to the operator control signal.

A materials handling vehicle includes a mast, a load handling structure supported on the mast, one or more operator controls, and a lifting structure having a chain structure for performing a lifting and lowering of the load handling structure. The materials handling vehicle further includes a height sensor for generating a height signal corresponding to vertical movement of the load handling structure relative to the mast, and a vehicle control module for processing the height signal received from the height sensor and an operator control signal received from the one or more operator controls. The vehicle control module evaluates the height signal and the operator control signal and disables one or more vehicle functions if the height signal does not correspond to the operator control signal.

A counterbalanced vertical track assembly which may be configured with three types of pulley support assemblies are herein disclosed. The first type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules having an elongate structural element interposed the two pulley modules which are attached to end plates at both ends of the elongate structural element. The second type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules which include male end connectors for demountable engagement of the pulley modules with another module of the system with female ends. The third type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules wherein the modules' pulley brackets are repositionable to varying angular orientations by alternating screw mount positions selected on mount components at opposite ends of an elongate structural element.

A counterbalanced vertical track assembly which may be configured with three types of pulley support assemblies are herein disclosed. The first type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules having an elongate structural element interposed the two pulley modules which are attached to end plates at both ends of the elongate structural element. The second type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules which include male end connectors for demountable engagement of the pulley modules with another module of the system with female ends. The third type of pulley support assembly has a pair of opposed pulley modules wherein the modules' pulley brackets are repositionable to varying angular orientations by alternating screw mount positions selected on mount components at opposite ends of an elongate structural element.

A method and apparatus for rapid loading stacks of items aboard vessels which can include rotating palletized items to depalletize the items, and then placing the items on a lifting robot, lifting the robot and items into the hold of a vessel, removing the items from the robot using a load push lift truck, and then using the load push lift truck to stow the items in a stowage location. The empty robot can be removed from the hold of the vessel and put in a position to receive a another depalletized stack of cartons. In one option the robot has a plurality of fork channels for receiving the blades of a load push lift truck along with receiving the blades or a rotating lift truck.

A vertical support for a transport robot includes a column assembly and a driving assembly. The vertical support includes a fixed column frame and a movable column frame movably arranged on the fixed column frame. The driving assembly includes a traction assembly and a retractable assembly connected to the traction assembly. The traction assembly is connected to the carrying device and configured to drive a carrying device of the transport robot to move relative to the movable column frame. The traction assembly includes two sets of traction assemblies located at two opposed sides of the carrying device respectively, the retractable assembly is configured to drive the two sets of the traction assemblies to synchronously drive the carrying device to ascend or descend.

A coupling structure includes an outer member attached over first and second column members, a first inner member between the first column member and the outer member, a second inner member between the second column member and the outer member, a first fixing member to fix the outer member to the first column member along with the first inner member, a second fixing member to fix the outer member to the second column member along with the second inner member, a third fixing member to fix the first inner member to the first column member, and a fourth fixing member to fix the second inner member to the second column member. The outer member and the first inner member are provided with a first positioner, and the outer member and the second inner member are provided with a second positioner.