US Patent 9682645 Transporter

A transporter for the transport of a large payload across an uneven ground surface is described. The transporter has a body (4); ground contacting transport means below the body, provided with drive means (1,2) to move the body across a ground surface in use; a payload support module (5) to support a payload above the body in use; and a plurality of elongate extendable elevators (6) each having a first articulated joint (17) with the body at a first end and a second articulated joint (13) with the payload support module at a second end. It is characterised in that each of the plurality of elongate extendable elevators is independently operable so as to enable the elongate extendable elevators (6) together to vary both the height and the attitude of the payload relative to the body; and in that at least one of each of the first (17) or second (13) articulated joints comprises a rotationally restricted joint that allows the elongate extendable elevator (6) to pivot relative to an axis orthogonal to its elongate direction but acts to prevent its rotation about an axis parallel to its elongate direction. The elongate extendable elevators are the means both by which the payload is lifted and by which the attitude of the payload is adjusted to enable it to balance.