Self-adjusting pneumatic load elevator
OwnerRobert M. Stoneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-adjusting load elevator has a base, a horizontal load platform, a vertically expandable scissors linkage coupled between the load platform and the base, and an air actuator chamber. The air actuator chamber is formed of a compressible bellows and a fixed volume reservoir. The bellows is compressible between specified maximum and minimum bellows heights which correspondingly determine substantially different maximum and minimum bellows volumes and coupled between the scissors linkage and the load platform. The air reservoir is coupled to the bellows and has a fixed volume that is substantial compared to the difference between the maximum and minimum bellows volumes. A normally closed air inlet/outlet valve is coupled to the air actuator.
Claims29
A self-adjusting load elevator comprising:
- a base;
- a load platform;
- a vertically expandable scissors linkage mechanically coupled between the load platform and base;
- an air actuator chamber comprising
- a compressible bellows,
- means for mechanically coupling said compressible bellows to said scissors linkage such that the bellows is adapted to actuate the scissors linkage, and
- an air reservoir of fixed volume isobarically air-coupled to said compressible bellows to provide air to the bellows when the bellows expands and to receive back air from the bellows when the bellows contracts, whereby said air reservoir and said bellows have substantially the same air pressure at all times;
- and
- a normally closed air inlet/outlet valve air-coupled to the air actuator chamber.
A self-adjusting load elevator comprising:
- a base;
- a load platform;
- a vertically expandable scissors linkage mechanically coupled between the load platform and the base;
- an air actuator chamber comprising
- a compressible bellows mechanically coupled between the scissors linkage and the load platform, and
- an air reservoir of fixed volume air-coupled to the bellows, the air reservoir being disposed within the load platform;
- and
- a normally closed air inlet/outlet valve air-coupled to the air actuator chamber.
A self-adjusting load elevator comprising:
- a base;
- a load platform;
- a vertically expandable scissors linkage mechanically coupled between the load platform and the base;
- an air actuator chamber comprising
- a compressible bellows,
- means for mechanically coupling said compressible bellows to said scissors linkage such that the bellows is adapted to actuate the scissors linkage, and
- a fluid reservoir of fixed volume isobarically fluidly coupled to said compressible bellows to provide fluid to the bellows when the bellows expands and to receive back fluid from the bellows when the bellows contracts, whereby said fluid reservoir and said bellows have substantially the same fluid pressure at all times;
- and
- a normally closed fluid inlet/outlet valve fluidly coupled to the actuator chamber.
A self-adjusting load elevator comprising:
- a base;
- a load platform;
- a vertically expandable scissors linkage mechanically coupled between the load platform and the base;
- an actuator chamber comprising
- a compressible bellows mechanically coupled between the scissors linkage and the base, and
- an air reservoir of fixed volume isobarically air-coupled to said compressible bellows to provide air to the bellows when the bellows expands and to receive back air from the bellows when the bellows contracts, whereby said air reservoir and said bellows have substantially the same air pressure at all times;
- and
- a normally closed air inlet/outlet valve air-coupled to the air actuator chamber.
A self-adjusting load elevator comprising:
- a base;
- a load platform;
- a vertically expandable scissors linkage mechanically coupled between the load platform and the base;
- an air actuator chamber comprising
- a compressible bellows mechanically coupled between the scissors linage and the base, and
- an air reservoir of fixed volume air-coupled to the bellows, the air reservoir being disposed within the base, and
- a normally closed air inlet/outlet valve air-coupled to the air actuator chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.