Infinitely adjustable and constrainable movable structure for a vehicle lift

摘要

A vehicle lift comprises a lifting mechanism configured to lift a vehicle for servicing, and at least one horizontal platform attached to a top of the lifting mechanism to engage with an underside of the vehicle. Adjustable slide members are movably attached to opposite ends of the horizontal platform and each are configured to move linearly in a horizontal path to align with the lifting points on the vehicle. Each slide member is both pivotally and slidingly engaged with the horizontal platform, and each slide member has a normally horizontal position. When the slide member is horizontal, the slide member is automatically constrained or locked to prevent linear movement of the slide member. When one end of the slide member is lifted to an angular position, the constraint is automatically disengaged and a linear slide bearing is engaged. When the slide member is in the angular position, the slide member can be easily adjusted via the bearings to match with a pick up point on an underside of a vehicle. Once the adjustment point has been reached, the slide member is returned to the horizontal position to automatically re-engage the constraint.

主权项

1. An adjustable lift for a vehicle comprising:
a lift configured to move vertically up and down; an elongate horizontal platform attached to the lift and having a first end and a second end; at least one slider member movably attached to a respective one of said first and second ends of the horizontal platform, each said at least one slider member having a respective weight; each said at least one slider member being movable towards or away from the lift along a horizontal linear path, wherein the movable slider member is further configured to be moved to any point along the linear path that aligns the slider member with a respective pick up point on an underside of the vehicle; each said at least one slider member having at least one associated slide bearing associated therewith, the respective weight of each said at least one slider member being supported by the horizontal platform through said associated slide bearing when said at least one slider member is being moved; and a constraint for each said at least one slider member configured to arrest linear movement of the at least one slider member at any point along the linear path, wherein when the at least one slider member is oriented to be moved along the linear path, the slider member is disengaged from the constraint and engaged with and supported by the slide bearing, and when the slider member is oriented to be stopped at any point along the linear path, the slider member is disengaged from the slide bearing and fully engaged with the constraint to prevent further linear movement of the slider member.