Abstract: A vacuum lifter for a moving load having an adhesion surface comprising at least one suction head having several annular seals projecting from its suction side and forming vacuum spaces enclosed by the seals. The vacuum spaces communicate with a vacuum source. The vacuum source communicates through valves with the outer vacuum space. The valves are controlled by sensors detecting the magnitude of the adhesion surface of the load. In order to prevent impulsive detachment and especially unwanted renewed lifting of the load after it has been deposited, a compressed-air system associated with at least one of the vacuum spaces and a control system turns ON and OFF the compressed-air system in order to initially raise the pressure to atmospheric and to thereafter generate a positive pressure air cushion separating the lifter from the load.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vacuum lifter to transport loads with an adhesion surface and comprises at least one suction head with at least one projecting annular seal on its suction side, where the vacuum chamber(s) enclosed by the annular seal(s) is (are) hooked up to a main vacuum source and where additionally a battery-fed emergency vacuum source is provided which can be started by an emergency switch. In order to avert as much as possible crashes when using such a vacuum lifter, a pressure pickup (67) is associated with the or at least one of the vacuum chambers (13) and is coupled in such a way with a malfunction alarm (69) that when a preset limit pressure is exceeded during vacuum operation, the malfunction alarm (69) shall be turned ON.