Tilting service lift for automotive equipment with folding lift unit

Claim 1

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams, each base beam comprising an upwardly facing channel; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel vehicle receiving platform beams, each platform beam comprising a downwardly facing channel disposed directly above a corresponding base beam and pivoted at one end thereto; (c) a pair of connectors for said base beams and a pair of cross members connecting said platform beams wherein each of said base beam connectors and platform beam cross members comprises a pair of telescoping tubes, a bolt extending axially along one tube and havings its head protruding therefrom, a nut affixed within the other tube, and said bolt being threaded in said nut, whereby turning the bolt head serves to vary the overall length of the telescoped tubes and thereby the spacing between the base beams and the platform beams; (d) at least one folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism entirely enclosed within the space formed by an upwardly facing base beam channel and a mating downwardly facing platform beam channel; (e) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said mating channels and to said lever mechanism and said lever mechanism also being connected to the other of said mating channels; and (f) means for applying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams.

Claim 2

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams, each base beam comprising an upwardly facing channel; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel vehicle receiving platform beams, each platform beam comprising a downwardly facing channel disposed directly above a corresponding base beam and pivoted at one end thereto; (c) a pair of connectors for said base beams and a pair of cross members connecting said platform beams wherein each of said base beam connectors and platform beam cross members comprises a pair of telescoping tubes, a bolt extending axially along one tube and havings its head protruding therefrom, a nut affixed within the other tube, and said bolt being threaded in said nut, whereby turning the bolt head serves to vary the overall length of the telescoped tubes and thereby the spacing between the base beams and the platform beams; (d) at least one folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism entirely enclosed within the space formed by an upwardly facing base beam channel and a mating downwardly facing platform beam channel; (e) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said mating channels and to said lever mechanism and said lever mechanism also being connected to the other of said mating channels; and (f) means for applying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams.

Claim 10

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for supplying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) a safety mechanism for each of said lift units comprising: i -- a rack pivotally secured at one end to the fluid pressure applying device; ii -- a safety housing secured to the fluid pressure applying device, said rack passing through openings in said housing and being guided in its travel by one of said openings; iii -- a latch pawl engaging said rack and pivoted within said housing; iv -- said pawl being retained in engagement with the teeth of the rack by a tension spring means connected to the pawl so as to prevent collapse of the platform beams in the event of fluid pressure failure; v -- a single acting pressure fluid cylinder pivotally connected to and within the safety housing and having a piston rod pivotally connected to said pawl; vi -- a moveable cage; vii -- a moveable pin within said cage and pressing through an opening in the pawl on the end opposite the pawl tooth and spaced from the pawl pivot; viii -- said tension spring means being connected to said pin at one end and to a wall in the safety housing at the other end, said piston rod of the single acting pressure fluid cylinder being connected to said cage; ix -- said cage having a contact bar which, upon actuation of said cylinder and movement of said cage, engages the pawl to turn the same out of engagement with the rack against the opposition of said tension spring means and permit lowering of the platform beams.

Claim 11

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for supplying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) a safety mechanism for each of said lift units comprising: i -- a rack pivotally secured at one end to the fluid pressure applying device; ii -- a safety housing secured to the fluid pressure applying device, said rack passing through openings in said housing and being guided in its travel by one of said openings; iii -- a latch pawl engaging said rack and pivoted within said housing; iv -- said pawl being retained in engagement with the teeth of the rack by a tension spring means connected to the pawl so as to prevent collapse of the platform beams in the event of fluid pressure failure; v -- a single acting pressure fluid cylinder pivotally connected to and within the safety housing and having a piston rod pivotally connected to said pawl; vi -- a moveable cage; vii -- a moveable pin within said cage and pressing through an opening in the pawl on the end opposite the pawl tooth and spaced from the pawl pivot; viii -- said tension spring means being connected to said pin at one end and to a wall in the safety housing at the other end, said piston rod of the single acting pressure fluid cylinder being connected to said cage; ix -- said cage having a contact bar which, upon actuation of said cylinder and movement of said cage, engages the pawl to turn the same out of engagement with the rack against the opposition of said tension spring means and permit lowering of the platform beams.

Claim 13

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for supplying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) an individual ramp detachably secured to each of said base beams adjacent the ends of said beams opposite the pivots of said platform beams, said ramps completely covering the space between and overlapping one another in the direction transversely of the base beams and having adjustable cross members for varying the ramp spacing in said transverse direction.

Claim 14

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for supplying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) an individual ramp detachably secured to each of said base beams adjacent the ends of said beams opposite the pivots of said platform beams, said ramps completely covering the space between and overlapping one another in the direction transversely of the base beams and having adjustable cross members for varying the ramp spacing in said transverse direction.

Claim 17

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for suppying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) an accessory for freeing the wheels of a vehicle loaded on the platform beams for wheel servicing, said accessory comprising a pair of telescoped tubes for placement transversely of the platform beams, a pair of bracket members each having a vertical plate secured to the outer end of one of said tubes and a horizontal flange for engaging under a vehicle frame portion, and a pair of pressure fluid lift jacks removeably placeable on said platform beams and under said flanges of the bracket members.

Claim 18

A device for tilting a vehicle to permit servicing of the running gear and underside thereof, comprising: (a) a pair of spaced, parallel base beams; (b) a pair of spaced, parallel, vehicle receiving platform beams, each of said platform beams being pivoted at one end to and above one of said base beams; (c) a folding lift unit including a fluid pressure applying device and a lever mechanism housed within and between one of said base beams and its associated platform beam; (d) said fluid pressure applying device being connected to one of said members of said associated base and platform beams, and to one part of said lever mechanism, and another part of said lever mechanism being connected to the other member of said associated base and platform beam; (e) means for suppying fluid pressure to said pressure applying device whereby to tilt said platform beams relative to said base beams; and (f) an accessory for freeing the wheels of a vehicle loaded on the platform beams for wheel servicing, said accessory comprising a pair of telescoped tubes for placement transversely of the platform beams, a pair of bracket members each having a vertical plate secured to the outer end of one of said tubes and a horizontal flange for engaging under a vehicle frame portion, and a pair of pressure fluid lift jacks removeably placeable on said platform beams and under said flanges of the bracket members.