Abstract: This level detector comprises a tubular body closed at each of its ends and displaying a planar or slightly concave roller track, a ball suited to roll on the said roller track toward one or the other of the said closed ends of the body as a function of the inclination of the detector to the horizontal, and two receptors to detect the presence of the ball respectively at one and the other of the said ends and to emit a signal in response to this detection. This level detector can be installed on a grabbing apparatus in order to remember and preserve during hoisting the initial attitude of a load seized by the grabbing apparatus.

Abstract: A device for seizing and handling a load which has a given inclination includes a frame which is adapted to be suspended at a point of the frame from a handling machine. The frame is adapted to be locked to the load. A device is provided for shifting the suspension point in a reference direction relative to the frame. A level detector is mounted on the frame to pivot in a vertical plane parallel to the reference direction and produces a signal when it deviates from a horizontal position. The device for shifting the suspension point is responsive to the signal and shifts the suspension point, upon the hoisting of the load, to a position in which the load cancels out the deviation from horizontality of the level detector. Regulating apparatus regulate the relative angular position of the detector relative to the frame in the vertical plane so as to bring the detector to a horizontal position in which it stores the given inclination of the load.