Tiltable cart with shiftable load table

A lift apparatus comprising:

• a lift apparatus base;
• a lift deck positioned above the lift apparatus base;
• a lift mechanism engaged between the lift apparatus base and the lift deck and operable to raise and lower the lift deck relative to the lift apparatus base;
• a load support platform positioned above the lift deck;
• a plurality of caster units connected to and extending below the lift apparatus base, the plurality of caster units cooperating to enable the lift apparatus base to be selectively moved about a support surface supporting the lift apparatus;
• and
• a steering handle operably connected to the lift apparatus base and engageable by a user to impart selective movement of the lift apparatus about the support surface, wherein the steering handle and the lift apparatus base are configured in such a manner as to enable the steering handle to be stowed on the lift apparatus base;
• wherein
• the lift apparatus base includes a pair of side members supported in laterally spaced relation;
• each of the side members has a handle arm guide member extending therealong;
• and
• the steering handle includes an end member and a pair of steering handle arms extending therefrom, each steering handle arm terminating in a respective arm end, each of the arm ends is slidably and pivotably connected relative to a respective one of the handle arm guide members such that each steering handle arm is pivotable upward while sliding the arm ends toward a front of each side member to deploy the steering handle and is pivotable downward while sliding toward a rear of each side member to stow the steering handle on the lift apparatus base.

A lift apparatus comprising:

• a lift apparatus base;
• a lift deck positioned above the lift apparatus base;
• a lift mechanism engaged between the lift apparatus base and the lift deck and operable to raise and lower the lift deck relative to the lift apparatus base;
• a load support platform positioned above the lift deck;
• a plurality of caster units connected to and extending below the lift apparatus base, the plurality of caster units cooperating to enable the lift apparatus base to be selectively moved about a support surface supporting the lift apparatus;
• and
• a steering handle operably connected to the lift apparatus base and engageable by a user to impart selective movement of the lift apparatus about the support surface, wherein the steering handle and the lift apparatus base are configured in such a manner as to enable the steering handle to be stowed on the lift apparatus base;
• wherein:
• the lift apparatus base includes a front member and a rear member positioned in front to back relation and a pair of side members supported in laterally spaced relation and extending between the front and rear members;
• each of the side members has an elongated channel extending therealong, each elongated channel has a stop member positioned adjacent the front member of the lift apparatus base;
• each elongated channel has a respective slide block slidably positioned therein;
• and
• the steering handle is substantially U-shaped and formed by a horizontally extending end member with a pair of steering handle arms extending therefrom and terminating in a respective arm end;
• each of the arm ends is connected to a respective slide block;
• the steering handle is manipulated to slide each slide block toward the front member to deploy the steering handle and to slide each slide block toward the rear member to thereby stow the steering handle on the lift apparatus base;
• and the steering handle is manipulated to slide each slide block away from the front member to enable use of the steering handle for selective movement of the lift apparatus about a support surface supporting the lift apparatus.

A lift apparatus comprising:

• a lift apparatus base;
• a lift deck positioned above the lift apparatus base;
• a lift mechanism engaged between the lift apparatus base and the lift deck and operable to raise and lower the lift deck relative to the lift apparatus base;
• a load support platform positioned above the lift deck;
• a plurality of caster units connected to and extending below the lift apparatus base, the plurality of caster units cooperating to enable the lift apparatus base to be selectively moved about a support surface supporting the lift apparatus;
• and
• a steering handle operably connected to the lift apparatus base and engageable by a user to impart selective movement of the lift apparatus about the support surface, wherein the steering handle and the lift apparatus base are configured in such a manner as to enable the steering handle to be stowed on the lift apparatus base;
• wherein:
• the lift deck is substantially rectangular and includes lift deck corners;
• the load support platform is slidably supported on a tilt deck by an array of bearings positioned between the load support platform and the tilt deck, the tilt deck is substantially rectangular and includes tilt deck corners, each tilt deck corner is vertically aligned above a respective lift deck corner;
• and the lift apparatus further comprises:
• a plurality of platform tilt mechanisms, each of the plurality of platform lift mechanisms is engaged between a respective lift deck corner and the vertically aligned tilt deck corner, the platform tilt mechanisms being independently operable to tilt the load support platform at a selected angle with respect to the lift deck.

A lift apparatus comprising:

• a lift apparatus base;
• a plurality of rollers connected to and extending below the lift apparatus base, the plurality of rollers operable to support the lift apparatus base on a support surface and allowing rolling movement of the lift apparatus relative to the support surface;
• a lift deck connected to and supported above the lift apparatus base;
• a tilt deck supported above the lift deck by a plurality of platform tilt mechanisms positioned in a substantially horizontal array and engaged respectively between the lift deck and the tilt deck, each of the plurality of tilt mechanisms being independently operable to tilt the tilt deck to a selected angle with respect to the lift deck;
• a load support platform slidably mounted on the tilt deck by an array of bearings positioned between the tilt deck and the load support platform;
• and
• a scissor lift mechanism engaged between the lift apparatus base and the lift deck and operable to raise and lower the lift deck relative to the lift apparatus base.