Abstract: A patient lifting device shows a lifting platform (26) connected to an upper column part (16), which is raiseable and lowerable by a jack (18) operated by an electric motor (20). A gas spring (34) is arranged between the upper column part (16) and a lower part (24) of the jack (18) to reduce the load on said jack. The lower part (24) rests on a seat (27), from which it can move in upwards direction. If the lifting platform (26) on lowering is stopped by an obstacle (30) the jack (18) will continue to retract, the lower part (24) together with an arm (28) moving upwards from the seat (27), which arm (28) acts on a switch (32) to break the current to the jack (18), which thereby is stopped.