Cantilevered pallet positioner with safety devices

A load handling apparatus comprising:

• support means including an upwardly and downwardly extending support structure;
• a platform assembly movable up-and-down on said support structure between an uppermost position and a lowermost position, said platform assembly including a rotatable platform;
• means for controlling movement of said platform assembly;
• and
• means for preventing rotation of said platform in said lowermost position, said preventing means including a retaining member for holding said platform against rotation and means for urging said retaining member towards said platform in said lowermost position with a spring action.

A method of handling loads comprising the steps of:

• raising a platform from a lowermost position to an elevated position;
• placing a load on said platform while said platform is in said elevated position;
• moving said platform from said elevated position to said lowermost position;
• removing said load from said platform while said platform is in said lowermost position;
• returning said platform to said elevated position;
• repeating the raising, placing, moving, removing and returning steps;
• and
• automatically stopping each moving step at a substantially fixed intermediate position between said elevated position and said lowermost position.

A method of handling a load comprising the steps of:

• raising a platform from a lowermost position to an elevated position;
• placing one part of said load on said platform while said platform is in said elevated position;
• rotating said platform;
• placing another part of said load on said platform following the rotating step;
• returning said platform to said lowermost position;
• and
• preventing rotation of said platform while said platform is in said lowermost position using a retaining member designed to hold said platform against rotation, the preventing step including urging said retaining member towards said platform with a spring action.