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US 8,418,814 B1Granted
Lifting system
OwnerThomas L. Byersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lifting system for raising and lowering objects to and from a storage or holding area, having a support and drive assembly which raises and lowers a platform assembly having an lifting platform for holding objects and preferably a closure platform for closing an opening of a ceiling portal through which the object is raised and lowered on the platform assembly.
Claims34
A lifting and closure system, comprising:
- a platform assembly comprising (1) a lifting platform having a width and a length, (2) a closure platform having a width and a length and positioned below and facing the lifting platform, wherein the width and length of the closure platform exceed the width and length, respectively, of the lifting platform, (3) a platform frame connected to and extending above the lifting platform, and (4) a biasing mechanism attached to the closure platform for urging the closure platform toward the lifting platform;
- and
- a support and drive assembly positioned on a support structure, the support structure having an upper surface, an opposing lower surface and a portal which interconnects the upper and lower surfaces, the support and drive assembly positioned above the platform assembly and operatively connected to the platform assembly for raising the platform assembly into the portal, the portal having an upper entrance extending through the upper surface of the support structure, and a lower entrance extending through the lower surface of the support structure in a position below the upper entrance, and wherein the portal has a width, a length, and a depth, wherein the depth comprises a distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the support structure, and wherein the width and length of the portal are less than the width and length, respectively, of the closure platform, and wherein when the platform assembly is raised into the portal, the closure platform engages and is urged against the lower surface of the support structure by the biasing mechanism causing the closure platform to cover the lower entrance of the portal, and wherein the biasing mechanism is self-adjustable to enable the lifting platform to be raised through the portal to rest at a final elevation substantially equal to an elevation of the upper surface of the support structure to facilitate sliding transfer of cargo from the lifting platform to the upper surface.
A lifting and closure system, comprising:
- a platform assembly comprising (1) a lifting platform having a width and a length, (2) a closure platform having a width and a length and positioned below and facing the lifting platform, wherein the width and length of the closure platform exceed the width and length, respectively, of the lifting platform, (3) a platform frame connected to and extending above the lifting platform, wherein the platform frame has a first end frame connected to the lifting platform, and a second end frame opposite the first end frame and connected to the lifting platform, the first end frame and the second end frame each extending upwardly from the lifting platform, and the first end frame and second end frame defining a cargo space therebetween, and each first end frame and second end frame having a first side and a second side of substantially equal length which extend upwardly from the lifting platform for a lower portion of their length and converge toward each other for an upper portion of their length thereby forming a first end converging portion and a second end converging portion of the second end frame, and (4) a biasing mechanism attached to the closure platform for urging the closure platform toward the lifting platform and wherein the biasing mechanism is connected to the platform frame thereby operatively connecting the closure platform to the platform frame, and wherein the biasing mechanism extends above the lifting platform;
- and
- a support and drive assembly positioned on a support structure, the support structure having an upper surface, a lower surface and a portal, the support and drive assembly positioned above the platform assembly and operatively connected to the platform assembly for raising the platform assembly into the portal, the portal having an upper entrance extending through the upper surface of the support structure, and a lower entrance extending through the lower surface of the support structure in a position below the upper entrance, and wherein the portal has a width, a length, and a depth, wherein the depth comprises a distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the support structure, and wherein the width and length of the portal are less than the width and length, respectively, of the closure platform, and wherein when the platform assembly is raised into the portal, the closure platform engages and is urged against the lower surface of the support structure by the biasing mechanism causing the closure platform to cover the lower entrance of the portal and the lifting platform to come to rest at an elevational substantially equal to an elevation of the upper surface, and wherein the biasing mechanism is self-adjustable to enable the closure platform to be positioned a variable distance from the lifting platform for adjusting to differences in portal depths among different support structures.
A lifting and closure system, comprising:
- a platform assembly comprising a lifting platform having a width and a length, a closure platform having a width and a length and positioned below and facing the lifting platform wherein the width and length of the closure platform exceed the width and length, respectively, of the lifting platform, and a biasing mechanism attached to the closure platform for urging the closure platform toward the lifting platform, the biasing mechanism being self-adjustable to enable the closure platform to be positioned a variable separation distance from the lifting platform responsive to contact between the closure platform and a lower surface of a support structure;
- and
- a support and drive assembly positioned on an opposing upper surface of the support structure adjacent a portal extending through said support structure having a width, a length and a depth, the portal width and length less than the width and length, respectively, of the closure platform, the support and drive assembly adapted to raise the platform assembly into the portal so that the closure platform engages and is urged against the lower surface of the support structure by the biasing mechanism, causing the closure platform to cover a lower entrance of the portal in stationary abutment against the lower surface as the support and drive assembly continues to raise the lifting platform through the portal and induce said variable separation distance between the closure platform and the lifting platform in relation to said portal depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.