Vacuum handling apparatus

Claim 1

A LOAD LIFTING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ATTACHMENT FOR AN INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK, SAID ATTACHMENT INCLUDING A CURTAIN UNIT HAVING A REAR SECTION, A TOP SECTION AND FLEXIBLE SIDE SECTIONS DEFINING A LOAD SPACE, SAID CURTAIN UNIT HAVING AN OPEN FRONT AND BOTTOM, A LOAD SUPPORT HAVING A BOTTOM SECTION ON WHICH THE LOAD MAY REST AND AN UPRIGHT SECTION, SAID BOTTOM SECTION BEING OF A SIZE TO APPROXIMATELY SPAN THE OPEN BOTTOM OF SAID CURTAIN UNIT, SAID UPRIGHT SECTION BEING OF A SIZE TO APPROXIMATELY SPAN THE FRONT OF SAID UNIT SO THAT WHEN SAID UNIT IS DISPOSED IN EMBRACING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO A LOAD ON SAID SUPPORT SAID LOAD WILL BE ENCLOSED ON ALL SIDES, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING A SOURCE OF VACUUM TO THE SPACE DEFINED BY THE CURTAIN UNIT AND LOAD SUPPORT TO CREATE A SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WITHIN SAID SPACE TO ENABLE THE LOAD TO BE LIFTED.