Abstract: For accurate positioning of a conveyor vehicle relative to a fixed docking station, the conveyor vehicle comprises a load carrying platform, which is displaceably supported on a base portion of the vehicle. The load carrying platform can be extended towards said docking station and is provided with positioning members at its front side. By these positioning members the platform is lifted at its front side onto the level of the docking station and is positioned relative thereto. The platform furthermore is provided with a leveling device, so that the rear side of the platform is lifted substantially simultaneously together with the front side while it is extended towards the docking station.

Abstract: A security device for monitoring unmanned vehicles within an area, the device comprising at least two oppositely directed light barriers associated with the area. Each light barrier includes a light emitter, a reflector, and a light receiver. The light barriers are disposed such that their light-beams are interrupted by the vehicles entering the area. Reflectors are arranged laterally on authorized vehicles, thereby making them undetectable by the security device. Another embodiment uses the light barriers attacted to the vehicle such that unauthorized objects will cause the vehicle to stop.

Abstract: Each transport device contains at least two drive wheels which are driven at individual speeds V.sub.A and V.sub.B and which are pivotable by related steering angles .alpha. and .beta.. Identical servo-drive units are associated with the drive wheels and their mode of operation and mutual coupling is adapted by switch devices to the steering angles .alpha. and .beta. such that the required speed adjustment must not be computed in accordance with the relationship V.sub.B =(cos.alpha./cos.beta.). V.sub.A but the speed is automatically adjusted through the entire steering angle range of -90.degree. to +90.degree.. At .alpha.=.beta.=0.degree. the leading servo-drive unit is rigidly guided by its speed regulation loop as a MASTER servo-drive unit and its armature current is supplied as a reference magnitude to the armature current regulation loop of the trailing servo-drive unit which is operated as a SLAVE servo-drive unit. At .alpha.=.beta.=.+-.90.degree.

Abstract: The passive track system comprises a passive track formed as a highly reflective strip adhered to the floor and containing a bar code, vehicle-supported passive track reading devices for forward and reverse travel as well as a bar code reading device. The passive track system can be operated as a passive track guidance system or as a passive track control system or both. The vehicle follows the passive track or guide path by continuously monitoring the travel lane on both sides of the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle using track sensors located in reading heads. In the method, sets of actual values thus measured are cross-correlated with a set of reference values corresponding to the track positions and stored in an electronic evaluation device. The appropriate cross-correlation function is calculated for each "observation" using a special track guidance algorithm and then a track position of the vehicle as well as a quality or system condition factor for the passive track system are derived.

Abstract: This device prevents individual components of a load from being thrown off during halting of a conveying vehicle at a high rate of deceleration. A blocking device for the suspension of the caster which instantly assumes a front position as viewed in the direction of travel, prevents the vehicle from forwardly and downwardly dipping about the axle of the center-mounted drive wheels. The blocking device automatically adjusts itself corresponding to the direction of motion. A sliding stop vertically displaceably mounted on a pivotable part of a caster arrangement and a stop component fixedly mounted on the vehicle body cooperate to block the suspension of this front caster when the front caster experiences a predetermined degree of suspension displacement. At the caster instantly assuming the rear position, the stop component and the sliding stop are positioned at 180.degree. to one another, thus precluding inadvertent engagement and permitting full suspension displacement.

Abstract: The industrial truck or vehicle comprises a support body or member supporting an elevatable platform. The support body is supported and guided on both ends by a respective transverse pivot joint of a respective driving module or unit. The width of the support body and the platform is narrower than the width of the two driving units. This narrowing or reduction in width of the industrial vehicle ensures that the complete platform region on both longitudinal sides of the industrial vehicle is manually accessible despite providing good lateral vehicle stability. Furthermore, the torsional elasticity of the support body is increased such that the support body in combination with the transverse pivot joints provide sufficient travel surface adhesion or floor traction of all drive wheels and support or free-running wheels even over irregular or uneven travel surfaces.

Abstract: This joint allows a drive member and a driven member of a transversely divided or separated vehicle to be deflected relative to each other about a virtual pivot axis which extends in a direction transversely to the vehicle. The drive member and the driven member are connected on each side by a first support element which supports against forces acting parallel to the transverse and vertical axes of the drive member and by a second support element which supports against traction and braking forces. Each first support element contains a support roll rotatably supported in a support at the driven member and guided in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a slide bracket arranged at the drive member. Each second support element comprises a hinged link rotatably mounted about a respective transverse axis at the drive member and the driven member.