US 3,994,474 AGranted

Device for lifting vehicles

OwnerWalter Finkbeinerinventor

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Abstract

Onto a rectangular bottom frame a lifting platform is hinged by a parallelogram guiding linkage to move vertically above the bottom frame. Between the lifting platform and the bottom platform an air bellows is fitted. A wedge plate is connected at one edge to the lifting platform to move up and down at that edge with the bottom platform while the opposite edge is drawn back and forth along a guide on the bottom platform. The wedge plate forms one side of the parallelogram and the guide forms a second side. The forward edge of the wedge plate is pivotable with respect to its remainder and cooperates with detents extending from the bottom platform to lock the lifting platform in elevated positions. The device travels on wheels which pass into the bottom platform as the bottom platform is urged to the ground under the weight of the vehicle.

Claims35

Dependent claims

Device for lifting of very heavy vehicles by means of compressed air comprising:

a. a ground frame,
b. a lifting platform located above an area of said ground frame, said lifting platform being at least as wide as the contact area of conventional truck twin tires and at least as long as this contact area,
c. an air bellows between said lifting platform and said ground frame having a top side connected to said lifting platform and a bottom side connected to said ground frame,
d. guide means pivotably connected to said lifting platform and to said ground frame, for guiding said lifting platform at right angles to said ground frame and parallel to itself,
e. a wedge plate having a rearward side, pivotably connected to the drive-on side of said lifting platform and being movable up and down together with said lifting platform, and having a forward area guided by said ground frame in proximity to the ground,
f. a disconnectable locking device for securing said lifting platform against lowering at a predetermined elevation of said lifting platform, and
g. wheels for moving said device which under vehicle load assume an alternate position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.