Wheelchair lift

A combination elevator platform-stairway apparatus which is operable to transport persons, articles and the like between a lower supporting surface and an upper supporting surface comprising:

• a. a stair member having an upper surface thereon;
• b. a platform having an upper surface thereon adjacent to said stair member;
• c. means for moving said platform between a first position wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially coplanar with said lower supporting surface and a second position wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially coplanar with said upper supporting surface;
• d. means mounting said stair member so that it is vertically slidable between a lower position thereof wherein it forms a step between said platform surface and said upper supporting surface when said platform is in said first position and an upper position thereof wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially coplanar with said upper supporting surface;
• e. means for moving said stair member to the upper position thereof when said platform is moved to said second position;
• f. a first railing post attached to said platform and extending upwardly therefrom;
• g. a second railing post attached to said upper supporting surface and extending upwardly therefrom;
• and
• h. a telescoping hand railing member extending between said first and second posts and pivotally attached thereto in upwardly spaced relation to the respective surfaces thereof.

A combination elevator platform-stairway apparatus which is operable to transport persons, articles and the like between a lower supporting surface and an upper supporting surface comprising:

• a. a stair member having an upper surface thereon;
• b. a platform having an upper surface thereon adjacent to said stair member;
• c. means for moving said platform between a first position wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially coplanar with said lower supporting surface and a second position wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially coplanar with said upper supporting surface;
• d. a pair of spaced side walls disposed adjacent opposite ends of said stair member;
• e. a vertical channel member on each of said side walls adjacent the respective ends of said stair member;
• f. a slide attached to each of the ends of said stair member and traveling in the respective channel member adjacent thereto;
• g. means retaining said slides in their respective channel members for sliding movement therein;
• h. means limiting the downward movement of said slides so that when said stair member is in its lowermost position, it defines a step between said platform and said upper supporting surface when said platform is in said first position thereof;
• and
• i. means for moving said stair member to the upper position thereof when said platform is moved to said second position.