Projector ceiling lift

An improved lifting device for suspending and concealing a visual aid projector from within a ceiling structure and enclosure, said enclosure having a ceiling surface below said ceiling structure and a floor or support surface spaced downwardly from said ceiling surface, said lifting device being capable of being raised and concealed within said ceiling structure and lowered to a position near the floor surface so that the projector can be easily installed and removed from the lifting device, said lifting device being capable of installation and concealment within a minimal overhead clearance available within the ceiling structure, the lifting device comprising:

• a) support framework means having means for attaching the framework means to said structure whereby the entire lifting device is concealed within said ceiling structure when in a raised position;
• b) carriage structure means having means for mounting said projector in at least a partially recessed position within said carriage structure means, said carriage structure means includes a pair of spaced parallel side members and said projector mounting means is an inverted U-shaped bracket connected between said side members, said side members having an outside surface which forms the perimeter of the carriage structure means and is opposite said U-shaped bracket, said projector when mounted in said inverted U-shaped bracket is recessed upwardly between said side members to minimize the overall height of the device and to allow the projector and lifting device to be concealed within said ceiling structure;
• c) cable drum means mounted on said support framework means and having at least one cable extending from said cable drum means to said carriage structure means so as to support the carriage structure means, said cable drum means including a drive means to controllably rotate the drum means to lower or raise the cable and the carriage structure means between a lowered position near the floor of said enclosure where the projector can be installed or removed to a raised position where the carriage structure means is positioned above said ceiling surface whereby it is concealed within said ceiling structure;
• d) stabilizing means mounted between said support framework means and said carriage structure means to restrict the lateral movement of the carriage means when the carriage means and projector are suspended in an intermediate position between said raised and lowered positions;
• and
• e) the support framework means includes at least two parallel side rails, said side rails having an outside which is the perimeter of the support framework means and which correspond to the side members of the carriage means, and said stabilizing means is mounted on the outside surface of the side members and side rails to allow the carriage means and mounted projector to be enveloped within the stabilizing means so as to minimize the overall total height of the lifting device when in the raised position.