Elevating lift
AssigneeEngineered Support Systems, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey S. Fitzgerald, Edward V. Carter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an elevating lift for raising and lowering a load (such as a sensor suite) onboard a vehicle, such as a Humvee, which can allow for the transport of the vehicle in a standard transport without removal of the sensor suite from the vehicle, and can provide for a more stable support for the load than is available from a traditional mast. The elevating lift may also able to maintain the load in a parallel position as it is raised, and may be able to lock in a intermediate position where the sensor suite can be used while the vehicle is in motion.
Claims13
A vehicle including an elevating lift comprising:
- A vehicle, said vehicle having a plane in which it travels;
- A load table upon which a load to be lifted is placed;
- A support, attached to said vehicle;
- At least two arms, each of said arms pivotally attached at a first end to said load table and pivotally attached at an opposing end to said support at a point spaced vertically above where said support is attached to said vehicle;
- A linear actuator positioned such that when said linear actuator changes length, said arms are forced to rotate at said opposing ends in an arc relative to said support, said arms being parallel to each other as said arms traverse said arc;
- and
- A motion translator operatively connected to said load table such that as said arms rotate, said load table also rotates in a manner such that said load table is in a generally parallel plane to said plane of said vehicle at all positions of said arms.
A vehicle including an elevating lift comprising:
- A vehicle having a bed and a cab;
- A load table upon which a load to be lifted is placed;
- A support, attached in said bed of said vehicle;
- At least two arms, each of said arms pivotally attached at a first end to said load table and pivotally attached at an opposing end to said support;
- A linear actuator positioned such that when said linear actuator changes length, said arms are forced to rotate at said opposing ends in an arc relative to said support, said arms being parallel to each other as said arms traverse said arc;
- and
- A motion translator operatively connected to said load table such that as said arms rotate, said load table also rotates in a manner such that said load table is in a generally parallel plane to said plane of said vehicle at all positions of said arms;
- wherein said load table can be moved from a lowered position wherein said load is generally within said bed of said vehicle, to an intermediate position wherein said load is above the highest point of said cab, to a higher point above said intermediate point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.