Safety device for vehicle lifts

Claim 2

A combined nonrotating and safety device for a vehicle lift of the type having a superstructure raised and lowered with respect to a floor comprising: a hollow tubular housing embedded in the floor beneath said superstructure, a hollow tube connected to said superstructure and telescopically received within said housing, an elongate lever, support means within said tube suspending said lever for laterally slidable movement therein, a detent member connected to said lever and adapted to project through a detent opening in said tube slightly above floor level when the lift is raised, the horizontal extent of said detent member and said lever being less than the inside diameter of said tube whereby said lever may be laterally moved in said tube with said detent member retracted within said tube by lateral sliding movement of said lever, said tube having an access opening whereby said lever may be manually engaged and laterally moved to a position within said tube in which said detent member is retracted, and means for returning said lever to the position thereof whereat said detent member projects through said detent opening.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means has two laterally and vertically spaced support surfaces separated by a shoulder, said lever being supported by the vertically higher one of said support surfaces when said detent member projects outwardly of said tube and being supported by the lower of said support surfaces when said detent member is located within said tube, and wherein said means for returning said lever includes a release member projecting through a release opening in said tube when said lever is supported by said lower of said support surfaces, said release member engaging a part fixed in relation to the floor surrounding said tube as said tube lowers, and bias means engaging said lever.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said detent member is lower than said detent opening when said lever is supported by the lower of said support surfaces.

Claim 5

In a vehicle lift of the type having a jacking unit including a vertically movable lift piston and a superstructure connected to and vertically movable with said piston, a safety device for preventing accidental lowering of said superstructure from a raised position comprising a vertically oriented hollow tube connected to said superstructure and movable into a cavity in the floor adjacent said jacking unit, an elongate safety member housed within said hollow tube, support means within said hollow tube suspending said safety member therein, said support means having a first support surface supporting said safety member in a first position within said tube, a second support surface for supporting said safety member in a laterally spaced and vertically lower second position within said tube, and a shoulder between said first surface and said second surface; said hollow tube having a detent opening and said safety member having a deTent member projecting through said detent opening when said safety member is in said first position, said hollow tube further having an access opening in the wall thereof whereby said safety member may be manually engaged and laterally moved from said first position whereupon said safety member drops to said second position, said detent member being withdrawn into said hollow tube as said safety member is moved from said first position to said second position, bias means engaging said safety member for retaining said safety member in said first position, and release means for raising said safety member relative to said tube when said tube lowers into said cavity, said bias means returning said safety member to said first position after said safety member is raised sufficiently by said release means.

Claim 6

In a vehicle lift of the type having a jacking unit including a vertically movable lift piston and a superstructure connected to and vertically movable with said piston, a safety device for preventing accidental lowering of said superstructure from a raised position comprising a vertically oriented hollow tube connected to said superstructure and movable into a cavity in the floor adjacent said jacking unit, an elongate safety member housed within said hollow tube, support means within said hollow tube suspending said safety member therein, said support means having a first support surface supporting said safety member in a first position within said tube, a second support surface for supporting said safety member in a laterally spaced and vertically lower second position within said tube, and a shoulder between said first surface and said second surface; said hollow tube having a detent opening and said safety member having a deTent member projecting through said detent opening when said safety member is in said first position, said hollow tube further having an access opening in the wall thereof whereby said safety member may be manually engaged and laterally moved from said first position whereupon said safety member drops to said second position, said detent member being withdrawn into said hollow tube as said safety member is moved from said first position to said second position, bias means engaging said safety member for retaining said safety member in said first position, and release means for raising said safety member relative to said tube when said tube lowers into said cavity, said bias means returning said safety member to said first position after said safety member is raised sufficiently by said release means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said release means comprises a release pin projecting from said safety member and located above said detent member and projecting in the opposite direction from said detent member, said hollow tube further having a release opening through which said release pin projects when said safety member is in said second position, said release pin abutting a part fixed in relation to the floor adjacent said hollow tube as said tube lowers into said cavity whereupon said safety member is moved relatively upwardly within said tube.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said support means comprises a first stud welded to said hollow tube on the inside thereof, and a second stud connected to said first stud, and wherein said safety member is suspended from said support means by a bail connected to the upper end of said safety member.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said detent member is lower than said detent opening when said safety member is supported by said second support surface.

Claim 10

In a vehicle lift of the type having a superstructure raised and lowered with respect to a floor, a safety device including a vertically extending, hollow nonrotating tube connected to said superstructure for vertical movement therewith and slidable in a cavity in the floor to prevent rotation of said superstructure, a support mounted in said tube and having two laterally and vertically spaced support surfaces, an elongate lever, means connected to said lever suspending said lever from said support and freely pivotally mounting said lever within said tube, a detent pin connected to said lever adjacent its lower end and projecting out of an aperture in said tube closely adjacent the surrounding floor when the lift is raised and when said lever is suspended from the vertically higher one of said support surfaces, said detent pin coacting between the surrounding floor and said hollow tube to prevent substantial accidental lowering of said lift, bias means engaging said lever for retaining said lever in a position to be supported by said higher one of said support surfaces, said tube having an access opening whereby said lever may be manually engaged and laterally moved from said higher one of said support surfaces to the other, lower one of said support surfaces against the bias of said bias means whereupon said detent pin is moved into said nonrotating tube, said lever thereupon falling to said lower one of said support surfaces, and a release pin connected to said lever above said detent pin and projecting through an aperture in said tube when said lever is suspended from said lower one of said surfaces, said release pin projecting outwardly of said tube to be engaged by the floor as said lift is lowered, thereby to raise said lever relative to said tube upon continued lowering thereof, said bias means thereupon moving said lever into a location wherein it is again supported by said higher one of said support surfaces.

Claim 11

In a vehicle lift of the type having a superstructure raised and lowered with respect to a floor, a safety device including a vertically extending, hollow nonrotating tube connected to said superstructure for vertical movement therewith and slidable in a cavity in the floor to prevent rotation of said superstructure, a support mounted in said tube and having two laterally and vertically spaced support surfaces, an elongate lever, means connected to said lever suspending said lever from said support and freely pivotally mounting said lever within said tube, a detent pin connected to said lever adjacent its lower end and projecting out of an aperture in said tube closely adjacent the surrounding floor when the lift is raised and when said lever is suspended from the vertically higher one of said support surfaces, said detent pin coacting between the surrounding floor and said hollow tube to prevent substantial accidental lowering of said lift, bias means engaging said lever for retaining said lever in a position to be supported by said higher one of said support surfaces, said tube having an access opening whereby said lever may be manually engaged and laterally moved from said higher one of said support surfaces to the other, lower one of said support surfaces against the bias of said bias means whereupon said detent pin is moved into said nonrotating tube, said lever thereupon falling to said lower one of said support surfaces, and a release pin connected to said lever above said detent pin and projecting through an aperture in said tube when said lever is suspended from said lower one of said surfaces, said release pin projecting outwardly of said tube to be engaged by the floor as said lift is lowered, thereby to raise said lever relative to said tube upon continued lowering thereof, said bias means thereupon moving said lever into a location wherein it is again supported by said higher one of said support surfaces.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said nonrotating tube is telescopically received within a housing projecting into the floor, the free end of said detent pin engaging the inside surface of said housing after said bias means has returned saiD lever to its position of support by said higher one of said support surfaces while said detent pin is below floor level.

Claim 13

In a vehicle lift of the type having a superstructure raised and lowered with respect to a floor and having a vertically extending, hollow nonrotating tube connected to said superstructure and slidable in a cavity in the floor to prevent rotation of said superstructure, means for use with said nonrotating tube for preventing accidental lowering of said lift comprising an elongate lever, support means suspending said lever within said nonrotating tube, said support means having a pair of laterally and vertically spaced support surfaces, a detent member projecting from said lever adjacent its lower end, a release pin connected to said lever above said detent member and in the opposite direction from said detent member, said detent member being adapted to project through a detent opening in said tube when said lever is supported by the higher one of said surfaces and said release pin being adapted to project through another opening in said tube when said lever is supported by the lower one of said surfaces, and bias means within said tube biasing said lever toward the detent opening in said tube.

Claim 14

In a vehicle lift of the type having a superstructure raised and lowered with respect to a floor and having a vertically extending, hollow nonrotating tube connected to said superstructure and slidable in a cavity in the floor to prevent rotation of said superstructure, means for use with said nonrotating tube for preventing accidental lowering of said lift comprising an elongate lever, support means suspending said lever within said nonrotating tube, said support means having a pair of laterally and vertically spaced support surfaces, a detent member projecting from said lever adjacent its lower end, a release pin connected to said lever above said detent member and in the opposite direction from said detent member, said detent member being adapted to project through a detent opening in said tube when said lever is supported by the higher one of said surfaces and said release pin being adapted to project through another opening in said tube when said lever is supported by the lower one of said surfaces, and bias means within said tube biasing said lever toward the detent opening in said tube.