Improvements in or relating to domestic through-floor, vertical lifts for use by persons with limited mobility

(19)

(11)

EP 0 739 852 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	18.12.1996 Bulletin 1996/51

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	30.10.1996 Bulletin 1996/44

(21)	Application number: 96302917.8

(22)	Date of filing: 25.04.1996

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁶: B66B 11/02, B66B 5/16, B66B 11/04

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	DE ES FR GB IT NL SE

(30)

Priority:

28.04.1995 GB 9508747

(71)	Applicant: Wessex Medical Equipment Company Limited
	Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0HA (GB)

(72)	Inventors:
	Erlam, David Paul Winchester, Hampshire SO22 4JL (GB) Steele, Robert Adrian Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 5UW (GB)

(74)	Representative: White, Martin David et al
	MARKS & CLERK, 57/60 Lincoln's Inn Fields London WC2A 3LS London WC2A 3LS (GB)

(54)	Improvements in or relating to domestic through-floor, vertical lifts for use by persons with limited mobility

(57) A domestic, through-floor, vertical lift (10) is adapted for use by persons with limited mobility, the lift (10) being of a type serving only two floors and comprising a car (12) adapted and arranged to ascend and descend vertically between the two floors. The car (12) is lightweight and comprises a chassis (16) engaging rails (14) at the back of the car (12) only. Side panels (18) and a floor panel (20) are assembled to each other and to the chassis (16) by interlocking flanges and are held togther by pre-loaded struts (36, 38, 68) in end-to-end compression.
To brake the car (12) from runaway descent, a cord (138) extends up from the car (12) to a low speed governor (144) with a winder (142) which stops unwinding the cord (138) when the descent speed is too fast. The resultant pull on the cord 138 causes it to pull two toothed brake segments (114) into the "on" position, so that their teeth (120) bite into the guide rails (14) to stop the car.
With a mains supply failure to the primary motor 184, a battery-driven secondary motor (192) is arranged to be connected by a clutch (202) to take over from the primary motor (184) and the primary motor brake (210) is released.

Search report