Truck with power means for moving vacuum gripping device

Claim 1

IN A TRUCK OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING A LOAD CARRIAGE MOUNTED FOR LIFTING MOVEMENT, A LOAD GRIPPING VACUUM DEVICE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DEVICE ON SAID LOAD CARRIAGE, SAID DEVICE HAVING LOAD CONTACTING SURFACES THAT ARE ADAPTED FOR VACCUUM SEALING CONTACT WITH A LOAD, A FIRST PORTION OF SAID DEVICE SECURED TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT WITH THE TRUCK SO AS TO CONTACT THE LOAD AS THE TRUCK MOVES BODILY INTO A PARTICULAR POSITION RELATIVELY TO THE LOAD, SECOND PORTIONS OF SAID VACUUM DEVICE ARRANGED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST PORTION AND ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST PORTION TO CHANGE THE RELATIVE POSITION BETWEEN THE LOAD CONTACTING SURFACES TO THE SAID DEVICE, SAID LOAD CONTACTING SURFACES EXTENDING ON EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS OF THE DEVICE, POWER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND PORTIONS OF THE VACUUM DEVICE TO MOVE SAID PORTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST PORTION, AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE POWER MEANS TO MOVE THE SECOND PORTIONS OF THE DEVICE TO POSITIONS MATCHING THE CONTOUR OF A LOAD AFTER THE FIRST PORTION HAS MOVED INTO THE TRUCK, SO THAT SAID IN SAID PARTICULAR POSITION OF THE TRUCK, SO THAT SAID SURFACES MAY EASILY ESTABLISH SEALING CONTACT WITH LOAD SURFACES OF VARYING SHAPES.