Lifting and carrying device

Abstract

 A lifting and carrying device comprises a carrying means (2) and a lifting means (1) operatively associated therewith, in which the lifting means (1) comprises at least one externally screw-threaded rod (7) adapted to engage a complementary, internally screw-threaded cylinder (8) and a drive means (9) adapted to act on the lifting means (1) to cause the carrying means (2) to be raised or lowered.
The lifting and carrying device may be adapted to be attached to a vehicle for use. The drive means (9) may comprise a motor, or may be manual drive means.
The carrying means (2) may comprise a platform on which an object to be carried can be placed, or may comprise a frame to which the object can be attached.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to lifting and carrying devices and particularly, but not exclusively, to a device adapted to be attached to a vehicle for lifting and carrying a wheelchair.

[0002] Many people require the use of a wheelchair for mobility. Such chairs are often motorised, and can be bulky and heavy. When a wheelchair-user is travelling by car, for example, the wheelchair has to be stored, usually inside the car, which can be difficult owing to its size and weight. It would be desirable to provide a lifting and carrying device for a wheelchair, which device is also suitable for attachment to a vehicle.

[0003] According to the present invention there is provided a lifting and carrying device comprising a carrying means and a lifting means operatively associated therewith, in which the lifting means comprises at least one externally screw-threaded rod adapted to engage a complementary, internally screw-threaded cylinder and a drive means adapted to act on the lifting means to cause the carrying means to be raised or lowered.

[0004] The present invention also provides a lifting and carrying device as described in the immediately-preceding paragraph, in which the device is adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

[0005] The drive means may comprise, for example, a motor, such as a 12V electric motor. The motor may be powered by means of a battery or from a vehicle to which the lifting and carrying device is attached.

[0006] Alternatively, the drive means may comprise manual drive means, for example a crank. The drive means may be provided with a cover.

[0007] The or each rod may be provided with a housing to protect the screw-threading. The or each housing may be of any suitable cross-section, for example square cross-section, and may conveniently be of sufficient size to further accommodate the cylinder associated with the or each rod.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment the lifting means comprises two substantially parallel, box-section tubes which are attached to opposite parallel edges of a mounting plate. Each of the tubes constitutes a housing for a threaded rod-and-cylinder assembly. The rods are rotatable, either by manual or by motorised drive means, to raise and lower the cylinders to which the carrying means is attached. The drive means comprises an electric motor which is operatively connected to the tubes housing the rod-and-cylinder assemblies.

[0009] The carrying means may comprise a platform on which an object to be carried can be placed. Alternatively, the carrying means may comprise a frame to which the object can be attached. In a preferred embodiment, the carrying means comprises two pairs of legs, each leg being attached by one end to a tube, which in turn is attached to the lifting means. The legs of each pair are movable along the length of the tube, such that the distance between each pair of legs and between the legs of each pair is adjustable. In use, a wheel of a wheelchair can be placed between each of the legs of each pair and the legs brought together to grasp the wheel. Securing means may be provided to retain the legs in contact with each wheel. The legs may be rotatable about the axis of the tube, whereby they can be placed in a "stored" position when not in use.

[0010] The lifting and carrying device, when attached for use to a vehicle, is most preferably attached at the rear of the vehicle. The device may, for example, be attached to a towing device provided on the vehicle. The mounting-plate of the lifting means may be suitably used for attaching the device to the vehicle.

[0011] The invention will now be illustrated, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lifting and carrying device according to the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a section on line II-II in Figure 1.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a lifting and carrying device comprising lifting means 1 and carrying means 2. The lifting means comprises two substantially parallel tubes 3 and 4, each made of box-section pipe. Each tube is attached, for example by welding, along a longitudinal edge thereof to opposite parallel edges of a mounting-plate 5. A tie-bar 6 is attached to the upper ends of the tubes 3 and 4 and along the upper edge of the plate 5. Means (not shown) are provided on the mounting-plate to attach the plate to a towing device provided on a vehicle, such that the tubes 3 and 4 are substantially vertical.

[0013] Each of the tubes 3 and 4 constitutes a housing (only one such housing is shown in Figure 2) for an externally screw-threaded rod 7 which is in screw-threaded engagement with an internally screw-threaded cylinder 8. A 12V electric motor 9 is attached to the tube 4. The drive mechanism of the motor (not shown) is operatively connected to the upper end of each threaded rod. Operation of the motor 9 causes both rods to rotate. This causes the cylinders to become engaged with their respective rods, whereby, depending on the direction of rotation, the cylinders, to which the carrying means is attached, are raised or lowered. A safety device (such as a cut-out) is provided to prevent the motor from attempting to lift too heavy a load. A coupling 10 for a manual drive means is also provided, at the upper end of the rod 7, for manually rotating the rods if necessary.

[0014] The carrying means 2 comprises two pairs of legs 11, each leg being attached at one end to a first tube 12 and to a second tube 13. Attachment of the legs to the two tubes is conveniently achieved by means of a hinge-member comprising a pair of sleeves, each sleeve being secured tangentially to the other so that the hinge-member is of substantially figure-of-eight transverse section. One sleeve of each pair of sleeves engages the first tube 12 and the other engages the second tube 13, whereby the tubes 12 and 13 are maintained in a spaced-apart relationship with their axes parallel. Suitably, each sleeve is made of metal and may be provided on its inner surface with a layer of a friction-reducing material or other lubricating means. The legs project radially relative to the tube 12 and are movable therealong, and may be placed at any required location along the length of the tube. Thus, the spacing between each pair of legs and between the legs in each pair may be adjusted to accommodate wheelchairs of different sizes. When in use the legs project substantially horizontally from the tube 12. When not in use, the legs may be rotated about the axis of the tube to rest in a substantially vertical position, parallel to and in the plane of the lifting means.

[0015] The lifting means is rigidly attached to the carrying means by welding the lower end of the cylinder 8 of the lifting means to the tube 12 of the carrying means, so that the lifting means is in an approximately central location along the tube 12.

[0016] When not in use, the lifting and carrying device is operated so as to lift the carrying means clear of the ground (preferably to approximately the height of the bumper of the vehicle) and the legs of the carrying means are rotated into a position substantially parallel to the lifting means. To use the lifting and carrying device, the legs are rotated into an approximately horizontal position, and the motor 9 operated to lower the carrying means to approximately the level of the ground. A wheelchair is positioned on the carrying means such that the wheels on one side of the wheelchair rest between one pair of legs and the other wheels rest between the other pair of legs, and the back of the wheelchair is adjacent the lifting means. The lifting means is then operated to raise the carrying means such that the innermost leg of each pair of legs just engages the chassis of the wheelchair. The spacing between the legs in each pair is then adjusted to securely hold the wheels of the chair between the legs. The motor is operated to raise the carrying means and the wheelchair to the required height. Should the wheelchair obscure the number plate of the vehicle, an additional number plate may be attached to the wheelchair to be visible from the rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A lifting and carrying device, characterised by a carrying means (2), a lifting means (1) and a drive means, all operatively associated with one another, and further characterised in that the lifting means (1) comprises at least one externally screw-threaded rod (7) adapted to engage a complementary, internally screw-threaded cylinder (8) and in that the drive means acts on the lifting means (1) to cause the carrying means (2) to be raised or lowered.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the drive means comprises a motor (9), for example a 12 volt electric motor powered by means of at least one battery.

3. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the drive means comprises a motor (9) powered from a vehicle to which the device is adapted to be attached.

4. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the drive means comprises manual drive means, for example a crank.

5. A according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the drive means is provided with a cover.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the or each rod (7) is provided with a housing (3,4) to protect the screw-threading.

7. A device according to Claim 6, characterised in that the or each housing (3,4) is of sufficient size to further accommodate the cylinder (8) associated with the or each rod (7).

8. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the lifting means (1) comprises two substantially parallel, box-section tubes (3,4) which are attached to opposite parallel edges of a mounting plate (5), and in that each tube constitutes a housing (3,4) for a threaded rod-and-cylinder assembly, the rods (7) of which are rotatable to raise and lower the cylinders (8) to which the carrying means (2) is attached.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the carrying means (2) comprises a platform on which an object to be carried can be placed.

10. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the carrying means (2) comprises a frame to which an object to be carried can be attached.

11. A device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the carrying means (2) comprises two pairs of legs (11), each leg being attached by one end to a tube (12), which in turn is attached to the lifting means (1).

12. A device according to Claim 11, characterised in that the legs (11) of each pair are movable along the length of the tube (12), such that the distance between each pair of legs and between the legs of each pair is adjustable.

13. A device according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, characterised in that the legs (11) are rotatable about the axis of the tube (12), whereby they can be placed in a stored position when not in use.

14. A device according to any of Claims 11, 12 or 13, characterised in that securing means are provided to retain the legs (11) in contact with the object to be carried.

15. A device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the device is adapted to be attached to a vehicle, for example at the rear of the vehicle.

16. A device according to Claim 15, characterised in that the device is attached to a towing device provided on the vehicle.

17. A device according to Claim 15 or Claim 16, characterised in that the mounting-plate (5) of the lifting means (1) is used for attaching the device to the vehicle.

Drawing