Platform lift

Claim 1

A vehicle having a platform lift comprising a framework mounted within the vehicle doorway, a slide frame mounted at its top end on said framework for pivotal movement in a vertical plane between a stored position and an operative position in which the slide frame is pivoted slightly outwardly from said framework, a platform mounted for elevational movement along said slide frame, said platform being pivotal from a substantially vertical stored position to a substantially horizontal operative position, a ramp pivotally connected to the lower horizontal part of said framework and having a width substantially the same width as said platform whereby the ramp forms a continuous support between said platform and said framework, said ramp being pivotal about its pivotal connection from a substantially vertical stored position to a substantially horizontal operative position, a hydraulic cylinder for moving said platform and said ramp to and from said stored and said operative positions and selectively lowering and raising said platform through a range of positions below and to a position disposed adjacent said lower horizontal part, said hydraulic cylinder being connected to said platform at a point spaced outwardly from the pivot point of the platform to said slide frame, locking means on said frame for selectively locking said platform in its horizontal position, and manually operable means for selectively raising and lowering said platform independently of said hydraulic cylinder, whereby upon failure of said hydraulic cylinder the manually operable means may be used to operate said platform.