Multi-panel platform rollstops for wheelchair lift

In a wheelchair lift mountable on a vehicle adjacent a vehicle doorway and including:

• i) a platform having an inboard end and an outboard end, said platform being movable between at least a stowed position, a transfer level position and a ground level position;
• ii) an outboard rollstop comprising at least one primary plate having a upper edge and a lower edge, said primary plate being pivotally mounted by a first pivot adjacent said lower edge of said primary plate and adjacent to said outboard end of said platform;
• iii) means for pivoting said rollstop between at least a lowered deployed position extending generally horizontally outboard from said platform to provide for exit and entry of a wheelchair from said platform, and a raised, generally vertical safety barrier position extending upward from said platform to form a rollstop safety barrier against wheelchairs moving over said outboard end of said platform;
• the improved outboard rollstop further comprising:
• a) at least one secondary plate having a first edge and a second edge, said secondary plate being pivotally mounted by a second pivot adjacent said first edge to said primary plate adjacent said upper edge;
• and
• b) linkage which rotates said secondary plate about said second pivot between at least:
• i) an extended position generally coplanar to said primary plate when said rollstop is in said lowered deployed position and also when said rollstop is pivoted to said raised safety barrier position to vertically extend the profile of said rollstop and provide increased security to wheelchair occupants on the platform;
• and
• ii) a folded position at an angle with respect to the plane of said primary plate so that the plates are not substantially coplanar with respect to each other to decrease the vertical height of said rollstop when the rollstop is in a non-deployed position.