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US 12,722,950 B2Granted
Load lift system and method
AssigneeTidewater Marine Sales LLC
InventorCharles Gerber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a load lift system and method for lifting load through the load lift system comprising platform arranged to hold load to be lifted, a base frame comprising one or more base bars and a plurality of articulated linkages. Each articulated linkage further comprises two linkage bars connected to the platform with the two linkage bars pivotally connected at center point to facilitate cross-link motion of the two linkage bars connected to the base frame. The load lift system further comprises an elevating mechanism operatively connected to each of the two linkage bars and the base bars. The elevating mechanism is configured to transmit force to the two linkage bars to actuate vertical movement of the platform to lift the load.
Claims14
A load lift system, comprising:
- a platform arranged to hold a load to be lifted;
- a base frame comprising one or more base bars;
- a plurality of articulated linkages, wherein each articulated linkage of the plurality of articulated linkages comprises two upper bars of each articulated linkage connected to the platform,
- wherein the two upper bars of each articulated linkage are pivotally connected at a center point to facilitate a cross-link motion of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage, and wherein the two upper bars of each articulated linkage are connected to the base frame, wherein a top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage is positioned underneath a rail system with an open area between the rail system and the top end, wherein the platform comprises the rail system that includes two rails that are in parallel, wherein the rail system is configured to slide horizontally in one or more intervals over the top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage;
- and
- an elevating mechanism operatively connected to each of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage and the base bars, wherein the elevating mechanism is configured to transmit lifting force to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage to actuate a vertical movement of the platform to lift the load, wherein the elevating mechanism includes a hydraulic mechanism that actuates the two upper bars of each articulated linkage, and a lever mechanism operatively connected to the hydraulic mechanism that transmits the lifting force from the hydraulic mechanism to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage to raise and lower the platform in a vertical direction that enables the vertical movement, wherein lever mechanism includes a hinge mechanism that connects a lever of the lever mechanism to the hydraulic mechanism, wherein the hydraulic mechanism comprises one or more pistons connected to the hinge mechanism, wherein the one or more pistons actuate the hinge mechanism and guide the lever mechanism on a track attached to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage.
3 more elements
A load lift system, comprising:
- a plurality of articulated linkages, wherein each articulated linkage of the plurality of articulated linkages comprises two upper bars connected to a platform holding a load to be lifted,
- wherein the two upper bars of each articulated linkage are pivotally connected at a center point to facilitate a cross-link motion of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage, wherein a top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage are positioned underneath a rail system, with an open area between the rail system and the top end, wherein the platform comprises the rail system that includes two rails that are in parallel, wherein the rail system is configured to slide horizontally in one or more intervals over the top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage;
- and
- an elevating mechanism operatively connected to each of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage, wherein the elevating mechanism is configured to transmit lifting force to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage to actuate a vertical movement of the platform to lift the load, wherein the elevating mechanism includes a hydraulic mechanism that actuates the two upper bars of each articulated linkage and a lever mechanism operatively connected to the hydraulic mechanism that transmits the lifting force from the hydraulic mechanism to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage to raise and lower the platform in a vertical direction that enables the vertical movement, wherein the hydraulic mechanism comprises a handlebar arranged to be pulled up or pulled down to actuate the lever mechanism, wherein the lever mechanism moves ends of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage laterally when the lever mechanism is actuated, and wherein the hydraulic mechanism comprises one or more pistons connected to the hinge mechanism that actuate the hinge mechanism and guide the lever on a track attached to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage.
1 more element
A method for lifting a load through a load lift system, the method comprising:
- actuating an elevating mechanism to enable movement of two upper bars of each articulated linkage of a plurality of articulated linkages of the load lift system, wherein the two upper bars of each articulated linkage are connected to a platform arranged to hold the load to be lifted, wherein a top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage is positioned underneath a rail system with an open area between the rail system and the top end, wherein the platform comprises the rail system that includes two rails that are in parallel, wherein the rail system is configured to slide horizontally in one or more intervals over the top end of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage, wherein the elevating mechanism includes a hydraulic mechanism that actuates the two upper bars of each articulated linkage and a lever mechanism operatively connected to the hydraulic mechanism that transmits the lifting force from the hydraulic mechanism to the upper bars of each articulated linkage to raise and lower the platform in a vertical direction that enables the vertical movement, wherein the hydraulic mechanism comprises a handlebar arranged to be pulled up or pulled down to actuate the lever mechanism, wherein the lever mechanism moves ends of the two upper bars of each articulated linkage laterally when the lever mechanism is actuated, and wherein the hydraulic mechanism comprises one or more pistons connected to the hinge mechanism that actuate the hinge mechanism and guide the lever on a track attached to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage;
- and
- transmitting force to the two upper bars of each articulated linkage to actuate the vertical movement of the platform to lift the load to a desired height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.