Scissors lift with combination wedge and lever mechanism

A lifting device, comprising:

• a scissors mechanism having a first arm with a pivotally mounted end and a second arm with a traveling end;
• the scissors mechanism being movable from a contracted position to an expanded position as the traveling end moves toward the pivotally mounted end, and being movable from the expanded position to the contracted position as the traveling end moves away from the pivotally mounted end;
• a wedging device configured to move the scissors mechanism through lifting action applied during an initial portion of the motion of the scissors mechanism from the contracted position to the expanded position;
• a lever device configured to move the scissors mechanism through translation action applied to the traveling end of the second arm during continued movement of the scissors mechanism from the contracted position to the expanded position;
• an actuator movable from a first position to a second position;
• and
• a linkage configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the wedging device during an initial portion of the movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position, and configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the lever device during continued movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position.

24 A lifting device, comprising:

• a scissors mechanism having a first arm with a pivotally mounted end and a second arm with a traveling end;
• the scissors mechanism being movable from a contracted position to an expanded position as the traveling end moves toward the pivotally mounted end, and being movable from the expanded position to the contracted position as the traveling end moves away from the pivotally mounted end;
• a wedging device configured to move the scissors mechanism through lifting action applied to a lifting surface during an initial portion of the motion of the scissors mechanism from the contracted position to the expanded position;
• wedging device comprising:
• a cam surface,
• a first roller configured to travel along the cam surface,
• a second roller configured to travel along the lifting surface,
• a movable carriage coupled to the actuator, the movable carriage also coupled to the cam surface, the first roller, or the second roller, and
• whereby the wedging device imparts the lifting action on the scissors mechanism as the first roller travels along the cam surface and the second roller travels along the lifting surface under the force of the actuator coupled through the movable carriage;
• a lever device configured to move the scissors mechanism through translation action applied to the traveling end of the second arm during continued movement of the scissors mechanism from the contracted position to the expanded position;
• the lever device further configured to move the scissors mechanism through translation action applied to the traveling end of the second arm during an initial portion of the movement of the scissors mechanism from the expanded position to the contracted position;
• the wedging device further configured to move the scissors mechanism during continued movement of the scissors mechanism from the expanded position to the contracted position;
• and
• an actuator movable from a first position to a second position;
• a linkage configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the wedging device during an initial portion of the movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position, and configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the lever device during continued movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position;
• the linkage further configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the lever device during an initial portion of the movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position, and configured to couple the movement of the actuator to the wedging device during continued movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position;
• and
• wherein the motion of the linear actuator between the first position and the second is substantially perpendicular to the movement of the scissors mechanism between the contracted position to the expanded position.