Apparatus for locking a wheelchair lift in the stowed position

A wheelchair lift system, comprising:

• a vehicle having a floor;
• a door formed in said vehicle;
• a lifting frame mounted in said vehicle;
• a hydraulic cylinder actuator operable with the lifting frame;
• a platform assembly movably mounted in said lifting frame and adapted to move with the hydraulic cylinder actuator between an extended deployed orientation and a folded stowed orientation;
• and
• a locking assembly further comprising:
• a post connected to said platform assembly;
• a notched lever arm pivotably connected to said lifting frame;
• a biasing member extending between said notched lever arm and said lifting frame;
• and
• a motion-damping member extending between said notched lever arm and said lifting frame in opposition to the biasing member;
• and
• wherein positioning the platform assembly in the stowed orientation causes disengagement of the post and the lever arm while drift of the hydraulic cylinder actuator allows the notched lever arm to be biased and to lockingly engage said post when said platform assembly is moved from the stowed orientation.

A wheelchair lift assembly for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a floor, comprising:

• a lifting frame mountable to the floor of the vehicle;
• a hydraulic cylinder actuator operable with the lifting frame;
• a lifting arm/platform assembly, comprising:
• a platform;
• and
• at least one lifting arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said lifting frame and a second end connected to said platform and adapted to pivot said platform between a substantially vertical stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position with the hydraulic cylinder actuator;
• a post extending from said lifting arm/platform assembly;
• and
• a locking assembly coupled to the lifting frame and further comprising:
• a lever arm pivotably coupled to said lifting frame, wherein positioning the platform to the substantially vertical stowed position causes disengagement of the post and the lever arm;
• wherein drift of the hydraulic cylinder actuator pivoting said platform from the vertical stowed position engages said post with said lever arm by allowing the mechanical spring to operate in opposition to the gas spring.

A device for lifting a wheelchair, comprising:

• a vehicle having a floor;
• a door formed in said vehicle;
• a lifting frame mounted in said vehicle;
• a hydraulic cylinder actuator operable with the lifting frame;
• a platform assembly movably mounted in said lifting frame and adapted to move with the hydraulic cylinder actuator between an extended deployed orientation and a folded stowed orientation;
• and
• a locking assembly further comprising:
• a post connected to said platform assembly;
• a notched lever arm pivotably connected to said lifting frame;
• wherein positioning the platform assembly in the stowed orientation causes disengagement of the post and the lever arm while drift of the hydraulic cylinder actuator allows the notched lever arm to be biased to lockingly engage said post when said platform assembly is moved from the stowed orientation.

A wheelchair lift for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a floor, comprising:

• a lifting frame mountable to the floor of the vehicle;
• a hydraulic cylinder actuator operable with the lifting frame;
• a platform for providing wheelchair access to the vehicle;
• a lifting arm pivotably coupled between the platform and the lifting frame to pivot the platform between a substantially vertical stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position with the hydraulic cylinder actuator;
• and
• a platform securement assembly disengaged with the positioning of the platform to the substantially vertical stowed position and engageable with the platform upon drift of the hydraulic cylinder actuator to limit outward movement of the platform from the vertical stowed position.