Abstract: A wheeled elevator apparatus for use in transferring freight between a highway truck and a freight storage dock or building, the apparatus including an elevatable platform powered by hydraulic cylinder means and including two oppositely directed ramps hingedly connected to said platform to provide access to said platform for pallet jacks moving pallets of freight, one of said ramps being long enough to reach inside the highway truck to form a bridge from the elevatable platform to the highway truck, the bridge having side curbs and being sufficiently narrow and laterally off-set to permit an independently operated roller, skate-wheel, or belt conveyer to function simultaneously beside the elevatable platform for moving small individual packages of freight between the same building or dock and the same truck.

Abstract: Wheeled elevator apparatus for use in loading and unloading freight into and out of a highway truck; the apparatus including a platform raised and lowered by hydraulic power engaging lever arms arranged in a parallelogram structure, drawbridge access ways from the platform to the truck bed and from the platform to the loading/unloading level, the access directions being perpendicular to each other, wheels for moving the apparatus from place to place, and jacks for securing the apparatus off its wheels.

Abstract: A system in which a self-propelled fork lift truck that is collapsible to a compact structure for storage is made transportable on a highway freight handling truck, by lifting itself into an enclosed bay of the highway truck, or onto a platform attached to the highway truck, or onto a trailer pulled by the highway truck.

Abstract: The self-propelled freight handling truck is comprised of a manually guided wheeled frame on which is mounted a mast and lifting forks, with a motor for supplying power to raise, lower, and tilt the forks, to propel the vehicle, to move front wheels laterally outboard to straddle a load or laterally inboard under the load while the load is being carried, and to extend or retract the front wheels telescopically the guide handle and said forks being foldable into a collapsed, compact storage position. A beverage handling system is also provided comprising a side-loading highway truck for transporting a driver, unitized loads of beverages and freight, and the self-propelled fork lift truck mentioned above. The truck and system of this invention is particularly useful in the handling of full or partially unitized beverage loads between the side-loading highway truck and the delivery facility.