Abstract: A damping system (43) for use in a lift truck (10) to damp oscillating motions of the vehicle frame (14). The system includes a pair of hydraulic tilt cylinders (46a, 46b) which sense moments of force of a carried load (12). A pair of second hydraulic cylinders (72a, 72b) are in communication to a rear axle (28) of the vehicle. The rear axle is resiliently mounted from a second end portion (18) of the vehicle frame (14), and is moved by the second cylinders in directions substantially normal to the vehicle frame. Such movement is responsive to sensed moments of force of the lifted load.

Abstract: Cooling of one or more clutch disks (23), to extend service life by avoiding overheating, is provided for by directing a jet of oil into the central opening of the annular pressure plate (29) of the clutch (11). Centrifugal force impels such oil outwardly towards the inner end of the annular clutch disk friction facing material region (46) between the pressure plate (29) and the drive input member (12) where the fluid then passes along grooves (27) in the friction facing material (26). To assure a high volume flow by reducing scattering of the fluid to other regions of the clutch (11) and to reduce turbulence and foaming, an annular deflector member (56) is seated at a beveled inner surface (57) of the pressure plate (29) and forms an annular flow path (59) which continuously increases in diameter toward the friction facing material region (46). Aided by centrifugal force, the deflector member (56) entraps a volume of oil and guides the entrapped oil into the region (46 ) of the friction facing material (26).

Abstract: A container handling attachment is provided for lift trucks and the like to permit such trucks to load and transport relatively large horizontally disposed cylindrical objects. The attachment includes a pair of sleeve members which are slidably received over the forks of a conventional lift mast to permit easy attachment thereto. The attachment also includes a pair of lifting lugs which are selectively positionable in underlying engagement with a pair of longitudinally spaced lifting bars provided on the object. Latching means are positionable around such lifting bars to prevent their disengagement from the lifting lugs. Bumper stops are also provided for engagement with the legs of the object to prevent rotation of the object about its longitudinal axis when it is raised from the ground.