Portable load handling apparatus

Claim 1

A load handling apparatus comprising, a movable vehicle including a frame, an elongated boom arm having opposite end portions, means for operatively connecting said boom arm to said frame for pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis and a first generally vertical axis, primary power means connected to said boom arm and frame for pivotally moving said boom arm about said first horizontal axis and first vertical axis, said boom arm being longitudinally extendable and retractable for movement of one end portion toward and away from said first horizontal axis and said primary power means including means for longitudinally extending and retracting said boom arm, a load support member, wrist means interconnecting said load support member and said one end portion of said boom arm for pivotal movement of said load support member adjacent said one end portion of said boom arm and about first and second axes disposed generally perpendicular to one another and to the longitudinal centerline of said boom arm, means for supporting said wrist means on said one end portion of said boom arm for pivotal movement of said wrist means about a third axis disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said boom arm, secondary power means connected to said wrist means for pivotally moving said load support member about said first and second axes and for pivotally moving said wrist means about said third axis, and control means for selectively actuating said primary and secondary power means for movement of at least one of said boom arm and load support member about at least a selected one of said axes, said control means including an elongated control arm having opposite ends, means for connecting said control arm to said frame for pivotal movement about a second generally horizontal axis and a second generally vertical axis, means for extending and retracting said control arm for movement of said one end toward and away from said second horizontal axis, means for actuating said primary power means to pivotally move said boom arm about said first horizontal axis and first vertical axis in response to pivotal movement of the control arm about the second horizontal axis and second vertical axis respectively and means for actuating said primary power means to longitudinally extend and retract said boom arm in response to extension and retraction of said control arm such that said boom arm follows the movements of said control arm, a control handle operatively connected to said one end of said control arm with freedom of pivotal movement of at least a portion of said handle about fourth and fifth axes disposed generally perpendicular to one another and to the longitudinal centerline of said control arm, means for supporting said control handle on said one end of said control arm for pivotal movement of said control handle about a sixth axis disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said control arm, and means for actuating said secondary power means to pivotally move said load support member about said first and second axes in response to pivotal movement of at least said portion of the control handle about said fourth and fifth axes respectively and to pivotally move said wrist means about said third axis in response to pivotal movement of said control handle about said sixth axis such that said load support member follows the movements of said control handle.