Abstract: The present invention provides a lift used for automobile maintenance, which has a novel link mechanism consisting of a smaller number of parts required to have significantly high precision, and is manufactured at a relatively low cost. The lift allows a mechanic to check and repair a lower portion of a vehicle in a standing attitude. The link mechanism of the invention has a smaller number of joints, thus effectively preventing excessive looseness of the lift even after long-term use. The lift of the invention includes a pair of base elements placed in a pair of pits, a pair of tables for supporting a lower body frame of a vehicle other than four wheels, and a pair of link mechanisms where a long arm crosses and is fixed to a short arm at a position in the middle of the long arm via a center shaft. Each short arm is integrally fixed at a first end thereof to a connection shaft, which is rotatably attached to one side of the base elements.

Abstract: The invention provides a movable one-post lift used for maintenance of a vehicle including: a base with transport wheels which are drawn up to and taken out of the base; an upright support post mounted on the rear end of the base; a driving mechanism disposed in the support post; a cantilever beam ascending and descending along the support post by the driving mechanism; a pair of parallel drive-on-plates fixed to the cantilever beam for supporting the body of the vehicle; and a stopper attached to a suitable position of the base for fixing the base at a predetermined location on the floor. This structure allows efficient car maintenance in a limited space as well as smooth transport and space-saving storage of the lift. The lift also includes riding plates which are connected to both ends of the drive-on-plate and pivotally moved downward when the drive-on-plate is lifted up from the floor level.

Abstract: An underground lift for use in the repair of a vehicle comprises (i) a pair of lifting apparatuses located in a pit and each having a hydraulically-operated ram which can be extended and retracted from and into the pit and (ii) a vehicle support mounted on the ram and including a pair of sliders and a pair of hydraulic actuating members each connected to one of the sliders for moving the slider toward or away from the other slider, each of the sliders including an attachment holder in which a desired attachment for directly supporting a bottom of a vehicle can be removably set. At least one of the lifting apparatuses is movable toward or away from the other lifting apparatus.

Abstract: A mechanism is disclosed which automatically locks and unlocks a lever including (i) a link connected pivotally to an fixed object and having opposed plates and (ii) a rod with a lower portion located between the opposed plates and with a lower end pivotally connected to the link. The locking mechanism comprises two stopper means fixed between the opposed plates and so located as to allow the rod to make a pivotal movement for a predetermined angle relative to the link, a hook connected pivotally to the link, a lock pin projecting from the fixed object and so located as to engage with the hook to lock the lever when the lever is located in a position predetermined relative to the fixed object, means for urging the hook toward the lower end of the rod, and an unlock pin projecting from the hook and so located as to engage with the rod to disengage the hook from the lock pin against the action of the urging means, when the rod is turned toward one of the stopper means, thereby unlocking the lever.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically fixing a slide plate mounted on a vehicle-body support plate of a lifting apparatus of a system for lifting a motor vehicle for repair thereof comprises a rack and a stopper which are capable of engaging each other to fix the slide plate to the first support plate, or vehicle-body support plate, of an upper lifting element of the lifting apparatus when the first support plate is moved to a lowest position relative to a second support plate, or wheels support plate, of a lower lifting element of the lifting apparatus. According to one embodiment of the invention, the rack may be connected to the slide plate, and the stopper provided in the second support plate. Alternatively, according to another embodiment of the invention, the rack may be connected to the second support plate, and the stopper connected to the slide plate.

Abstract: Either a reciprocating or a stationary part in each of juxtaposed cylinder devices is provided with a scale having alternate projections and depressions which are arranged with regular pitches in a direction of reciprocation of the reciprocating part, while the other part is provided with a sensor engaging the scale for determining whether it is a projection or depression of the scale that the sensor engages at a particular point of time, and producing a pulse whenever it falls in any of the depressions. According to one preferred embodiment, the projections and the depessions of the scale of one of the cylinder devices are staggered relative to those of the scale of the other cylinder device by half a pitch. Thus, when the two cylinder devices are in synchronous operation, the sensors of the cylinder devices produce alternate pulses which do not overlap with each other in the time of occurrence.

Abstract: A vehicle jack comprises a base with means for moving the jack smoothly on a ground, an upright shell located on the base, an upright hydraulic ram located inside the shell and including a cylinder construction and a hollow rod, a vehicle support for directly supporting the bottom of a vehicle to be jacked up, a hydraulic source for raising the cylinder construction, and a locking means for mechanically preventing the cylinder construction from lowering from a raised position. The cylinder construction may include an outer cylindrical wall, an intermediate, slidable cylindrical wall capable of being extended upwardly from the rest of the cylinder construction and having openings through any one of which a pin may be inserted to fix the intermediate cylindrical wall at a required height, and an inner cylindrical wall defining an inner cylinder chamber.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically preventing a motor vehicle from dropping from a wheels support plate of a lifting apparatus of a system for lifting the vehicle for repair thereof comprises (i) a barrier wall connected to one end portion of the support plate along a width direction thereof for pivotal movement between a vertical position and a horizontal position which is on the support plate, (b) positioner for maintaining the barrier wall in the vertical position when the support plate is not in a lowest position, so that if a motor vehicle driven onto the support plate from a direction opposite to said one end portion of the support plate and supported thereon should accidentally move forward, the barrier wall engages a front wheel of the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from dropping from said one end portion of the support plate, and (c) leveler which brings the barrier wall down to the horizontal position when the support plate has been moved to a lowest position.

Abstract: A vehicle lifting system includes a pair of parallel posts upstanding from a horizontal base and each having a rectangular cross section. A carriage is vertically movably supported on each post. Two swing arms, i.e. a long arm and a short arm, are horizontally rotatably supported on each carriage. Each arm has one end connected to the carriage, while the other end thereof is provided with a vehicle support. The posts define therebetween an open space in which a vehicle can be received to rest on the vehicle supports. Each carriage is supported on that side of the corresponding post which faces one side of the system through which the vehicle is moved forward thereinto, so that the open space and hence the system may have an effective width which is equal to the distance between the posts.

Abstract: A lift which can, for example, be used for lifting a container onto a truck, or for lowering it, includes a horizontal base equipped with wheels and capable of being raised above a floor and thereby supported on the wheels so that the lift as a whole may be moved, while the base can otherwise rest on the floor. A horizontal frame is mounted on the base and has a horizontally projecting portion, and a scissors jack is provided on the frame. A horizontal container-carrying table is supported vertically movably on the jack and has a horizontally projecting portion lying above the projecting portion of the frame. The table is provided along a pair of longitudinal edges with a pair of wheel guide grooves. The lift includes a mechanism associated with the base and the wheels for raising and lowering the base, and a mechanism connected between the jack and the table for opening and closing the jack to move the table vertically.

Abstract: A safety device for a jacking system comprising a plurality of jacks which are designed for simultaneous operation, at least one table supported on the jacks, and a mechanism connecting the jacks for their simultaneous operation. Each jack is provided with a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder for moving the jack to raise and lower the table, a pawl and rack mechanism which is normally held in its engaged position for holding the table in its raised position, and an AC solenoid connected to the pawl and rack mechanism for moving it to its disengaged position to allow the table to be lowered. The device includes a resistor connected in series to the solenoid. An integrating circuit is connected in parallel to the resistor, includes a capacitor and produces an electrical signal indicating any failure of the pawl and rack mechanism to be moved to its disengaged position. A relay is connected in parallel to the capacitor for operation in response to the signal to stop any lowering motion of the cylinder.

Abstract: A vehicle lift of the type which is installed in a pit includes at least two vertically expanding and contracting jacks disposed in the pit in a mutually juxtaposed relation and each comprising a pair of vertically disposed parallel link mechanisms which can be vertically expanded and contracted together. A pair of rollers are provided on each jack. A pair of rails are provided at the bottom of the pit in that area thereof in which each jack is situated, and the rollers are rollably supported on the rails, respectively. A vehicle supporting table is horizontally supported on each jack. A hydraulic cylinder is provided on each jack and has a piston rod connected to the link mechanisms for expanding and contracting them and thereby the jack to thereby raise and lower the table. At least one of the jacks is provided with another pair of rollers supported rollably on the rails, and a system for moving the jack horizontally along the rails toward and away from the other jack.