Mechanical and vacuum operated roll handling apparatus

Claim 1

AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCK HAVING A LOAD CARRIAGE VERTICALLY MOVABLE ON A TILTABLE ELEVATOR FRAME AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING CYLINDRICAL LOADS SUCH AS PAPER ROLLS AND THE LIKE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A BASE ROTATABLE ON THE CARRIAGE ABOUT A NORMALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, A PAIR OF OPPOSED JAWS EACH TRANSLATABLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, HYDRAULIC CLYINDER MOTOR MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE BASE AND PROVIDING A PAIR OF DOUBLE ACTING PISTONS WITH ALIGNED PISTON RODS CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE JAWS FOR TRANSLATING THE JAWS ON THE BASE, VACUUM PAD MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON OUTBOARD ENDS OF RESPECTIVE SAID JAWS AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LOCATONS THE CYLINDRICAL SURFACE OF A LOAD AND TO BE MOVED WITH SAID JAWS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR APPLYING A VACUUM TO SAID PAD MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PROVIDE A VACUUM LOAD ENGAGEMENT, AND CONTROL MEANS WHEREBY A CYLINDRICAL LOAD MAY BE ENGAGED SELECTIVELY BY MECHANICAL ACTION ALONE OF SAID JAWS OPERATED BY SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER MEANS, BY LOAD GRIPPING VACUUM ACTION APPLIED TO SAID PADS, OR BY BOTH ACTION, SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER MOTOR MEANS INCLUDING A COMMON CYLINDER FOR SAID PISTONS, FLOATING CENTER MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID CYLINDER TO THE BASE, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID RODS TO RESPECTIVE JAWS WITH A LIMITED DEGREE OF UNIVERSAL MOTION.