US 5,954,160 A · Wheel engaging vehicle lift

Abstract

A wheel engaging vehicle lift for raising a vehicle relative to the ground and for supporting the vehicle in a raised position includes first and second support columns standing vertically upward from the ground. A first carriage is movably attached to the first support column and a second carriage is movably attached to the second support column. A first pair of arms extend away from the first carriage and a second pair of arms extend away from the second carriage, wherein the first and second pairs of arms are each rotatable about a substantially vertical axis proximate to a first end of the arms. A wheel engaging adapter may be removably secured proximate to an opposite end of the first and second pairs of arms, wherein the adapters are each rotatable about a substantially vertical axis proximate to the second end. The structure of the invention enables a conventional two-post frame engaging lift to be easily and readily converted into a two-post wheel engaging vehicle lift, and vice versa.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A lift for raising a vehicle relative to the ground and for supporting the vehicle in a raised position, comprising:

a support column standing vertically upward from the ground;
a carriage attached to said support column, said carriage adapted for vertical movement relative to said support column;
a pair of arms pivotally attached to said carriage, each of said pair of arms being adjustable lengthwise;
and
a pair of wheel engaging adapters, each one of said pair of wheel engaging adapters being pivotally attached to a free end of one of said pair of arms and being configured to receive therein and support thereon a tire of said vehicle when in said raised position;
and
wherein each of said wheel engaging adapters has a pivot end portion attached to said free end of said respective arm, said pivot end portion being spaced from a wheel engaging end portion positioned opposite said pivot end portion of said wheel engaging adapter and in which said wheel engaging end portion is rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane relative to said respective arm of said pair of arms.

4 more elements

A vehicle lift for a vehicle, comprising:

first and second support columns;
first and second carriages, said first carriage movably attached to said first support column and said second carriage movably attached to said second support column;
a first pair of arms extending away from said first carriage and a second pair of arms extending away from said second carriage, said first and second pairs of arms each having a first end and a second end, said first and second pairs of arms each being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis proximate to said first end;
and
a pair of wheel engaging adapters, each of the pair being removably secured proximate to one of said second ends of said first and second pairs of arms, each of said wheel engaging adapters being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis proximate to said second end and being configured to receive therein and support thereon a tire of said vehicle when in a raised position;
and
wherein each of said wheel engaging adapters has a pivot end portion attached to said second end of said respective arm, said pivot end portion being spaced from a wheel engaging end portion positioned opposite said pivot end portion of said wheel engaging adapter and in which said wheel engaging end portion is rotatable about said substantially vertical axis of said second end in a substantially horizontal plane relative to said respective arm of said pair of arms.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wheel engaging vehicle lift

Life of this patent

Wheel engaging vehicle lift

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20