Abstract: A lifting system for moving mobile homes that includes wheeled jack assemblies, jack units assembled from such assemblies and a segmented track for supporting such assemblies and units. Each jack assembly preferably includes a jack rollingly carried on wheels, and a roller head operatively connected to the working end of the jack to move from a lowered position to a raised position. The wheels allow lateral adjustment of the home, while the roller head allows longitudinal adjustment of the home. In the preferred embodiment, each jack unit includes two jack assemblies, with one of the assemblies further including a drive motor operatively connected to its wheels. Furthermore, the assemblies are interconnected by a hydraulic power unit in the form of a housing that encloses and protects the hydraulics for controlling each jack and drive motor. Each segment in the segmented track generally includes a pair of rails structurally interconnected, with a hole formed adjacent each end of the segment.

Abstract: A novel vertical drive assembly for a storage and retrieval vehicle wherein a cable drive motor is horizontally juxtaposed between a lift cable winding and unwinding drum. The vertical drive assembly is modularly assembled on a frame and is attachable and detachable from the vehicle as a unit. The vertical drive assembly comprises, in seriatim, the motor, a belt drive sprocket wheel, a drive belt, a belt driven sprocket wheel, and, juxtaposed and on the same axis as the driven sprocket wheel, an input adapter, a speed reducer, and the drum. The motor is attached to the frame by jacks used to raise and lower the motor to adjust tension in the belt. To stay within the width of the vehicle, the input adapter and speed reducer are at least partly disposed within the core of the drum with the speed reducer providing a bearing for the drum. To reduce starting inertia, sprocket wheels are fabricated from lightweight material.

Abstract: A novel dual mast storage and retrieval vehicle comprising structure which maintains each mast essentially vertical as variably weighted heavy loads are placed on a carriage disposed between the masts. Each mast is disposed near the center of a separately supported base such that bending of the base under such loads induces little off-vertical deflection to the mast. The separately supported bases are coupled by a connector which comprises cross-aisle and vertical degrees of freedom but is strictly constrained in the down-aisle direction. In the currently preferred embodiment, two down-aisle drive motors, in master/slave relationship, provide a synchronous drive for the vehicle. Further, interconnecting joints a strut at the top of the masts and of the carriage comprise hinges which resist propagation of mast induced moments caused by beam deflection or vehicle dynamics.