LIFT APPARATUS FOR STAIRS

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator arrangement for a stairway, said arrangement comprising a load supporting platform and a guide arrangement which enables the platform to be moved up and downs the stairway, wherein the guide arrangement includes at least one guide rail and a wheeled guide element which can be connected to the platform by means of a carrier element and which is adapted for movement along the guide rail, wherein the guide rail is adapted to be disposed along at least a part of said stairway and to essentially follow the slope thereof, and wherein the platform is associated with a drive arrangement that includes an hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder device associated with a pressure source for moving the platform along the guide rail.

[0002] An elevator arrangement of this kind is known from CA-A-1 266 448. The elevator arrangement described in this prior publication is adapted for wheelchairs and includes a horizontally orientated platform which can be moved up and down the stairway along rails provided on respective sides of said stairway. The platform includes arms that carry circular-cylindrical wheels which run in guide rails of rectangular cross-sectional shape. It is necessary for the frame to be given a thick construction in order to be able to manage the load to which it is subjected. For this reason, a cavity that can accommodate the frame is provided in the floor at the foot of the stairway.

[0003] Another wheelchair elevator arrangement is known from US-A- 4 438 830.

[0004] Other elevator arrangements installed in straight stairway comprise a load supporting platform which is adapted to be driven up and down the stairway along a conveyor rail fixedly mounted by the side of the stairway. The construction is expensive in manufacture and is normally electrically operated and therewith space consuming, particularly when it shall be used for heavy transports, such as wheelchair-bound persons. The construction also constitutes a troublesome obstacle for other transports up and down the stairway, despite the fact that the platform can be folded up against one wall.

[0005] Consequently, it is still a usual practice for goods in the form of beer crates, waste, garbage and like materials to be transported manually from the basement floor to the ground floor in restaurants and commercial premises, for instance, often resulting in serious back injuries to the people concerned, particularly in the case of deliveries to and from restaurants and stores, which are often carried out under great pressure with respect to time. Trolleys, wheeled rubbish bins and like devices can only be transported in such stairways with great difficulty, as stairways of this kind are normally both narrow and confined.

[0006] Should the elevator arrangement according to CA-A-1 266 448 be used to transport heavy goods, problems will occur if the goods are not positioned centrally on the platform, as this would result in a different torque load on the wheels in the guide rail and therewith possibly cause the wheels running in the rail to become jammed or stuck therein.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to eliminate this drawback.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This object has been achieved with an elevator arrangement of the kind defined in the introduction, by providing said arrangement with a guide arrangement that includes means for preventing the platform from fastening in an undesired position.

[0009] This enables heavy goods to be transported on the platform, even when the goods are not positioned centrally thereon.

[0010] Said means will suitably include at least one longitudinally extending angled guide section along the guide rail and at least one ring-shaped bevel on the rolling surface of said wheels, said guide section and said bevel being adapted to coact with one another. This prevents the wheels from becoming jammed in the guide rail.

[0011] The wheels are preferably mounted in pairs to form a bogey that includes a common axle about which the wheels can rotate, wherein said ring-shaped bevels are provided on the rolling surfaces of respective wheels, and wherein said guide rail includes two longitudinally extending and angled guide sections for coaction with the ring-shaped bevels on respective wheels. This results in greater stability, which, in turn, lowers the risk of the wheels jamming in the guide rail to an even greater extent.

[0012] The longitudinally extending guide sections will preferably extend on respective sides of the boggy wheel pairs, transversely to said axle. This reduces the risk of wheel jamming in several directions.

[0013] The load carrying platform has beneficially two generally parallel sides, of which one is positioned adjacent the guide rail, wherein the platform includes at least one carrier arm which is angled relative to the platform and adapted to extend parallel with the guide rail. The carrier arm includes at least two mutually similar and mutually spaced carrier elements, wherewith two bogeys are connected to respective carrier elements. This results in distribution of loads and torque, therewith further reducing the risk of the wheels jamming in the guide rail.

[0014] The piston-cylinder device will preferably include a piston rod that is connected to said guide element via a force transmission element that runs over guide rollers.

[0015] The guide rail will suitably comprise a part of a housing that delimits a guide element accommodating space and a space for accommodating said hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. All power transmission from the cylinder will thereby take place in a single plane, therewith avoiding torque that originates from such force transmission and therewith further avoiding wheel jamming.

[0016] The guide arrangement will preferably include two such guide rails disposed parallel with one another on their respective sides of the platform. This results in force symmetry therewith reducing torque in the guide arrangement and consequently avoiding wheel jamming to a still greater extent.

[0017] In addition, or alternatively, the guide arrangement includes a first further guide rail disposed essentially above the first-mentioned guide rail, and a second further guide rail disposed essentially below said first-mentioned guide rail, said first and said second further guide rails being disposed parallel with the first-mentioned guide rail, and the guide arrangement includes at least one upper wheel for movement along said first further guide rail, and a second wheel for movement along said second further guide rail, wherewith the rotational axes of said upper and lower wheels respectively are perpendicular to the rotational axis of the guide element wheel.

[0018] The platform is preferably a one-piece structure and has a thickness of 10-20 mm. This obviates the need of providing the floor with a platform accommodating cavity at the foot of the stairway.

[0019] The platform is suitably a one-piece structure having a thickness of 12 mm. This thickness is an optimal thickness for a load of 600 kg.

[0020] Respective carrying elements will preferably include means for adjusting the height and angle of the platform. This reduces the accuracy required when installing the guide rails, therewith enabling installation to be effected relatively quickly.

DRAWING SUMMARY

[0021] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an elevator arrangement according to a first embodiment that includes a carrier arm;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III in Figure 2 and showing a carrier element, among other things;

Figure 4a is a view of the carrier element shown in Figure 1 from above;

Figure 4b illustrates a carrier element connecting device;

Figure 5a illustrates an alternative carrier arm;

Figure 5b is a sectional view taken on the line VB-VB in Figure 5a;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an inventive elevator arrangement;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an inventive elevator arrangement; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII in Figure 7 and seen obliquely from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of an elevator arrangement 2 according to the invention. A housing 4 accommodates a guide arrangement 6 that includes a guide rail 8 mounted on one side of a stairway 10. The housing 4 may either be secured to a wall (not shown) or to vertical posts or braces (not shown).

[0023] The elevator arrangement also includes a load carrying platform 12 which includes a carrier arm 14 that extends parallel with the housing 4, i.e. parallel with the guide rail 8. Also housed in the housing 4 is a drive arrangement in the form of an hydraulic piston-cylinder device 16 connected to a hydraulic pump 18 via conduits 20a, 20b, for movement of the platform 12 up and down the stairway 10.

[0024] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 4 and shows an elevator arrangement 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The piston-cylinder device 16 is accommodated in an upper space 22, with respective ends of the cylinder connected to the conduits 20a, 20b. A piston rod 24 extends upwardly along the housing 4, from the upper end of the cylinder. One end 28 of a chain 26 is connected to the upper end of the housing. The chain 26 runs around a guide roller 30 in the form of a toothed wheel carried on the upper end of the piston rod 24. The chain 26 also runs around a further guide roller 32 in the form of a toothed wheel carried at the upper end of said housing.

[0025] The bottom space 34 in the housing 4 accommodates bottom and top carrier elements 36a, 36b, which are fixedly disposed in said carrier arm 14. Each carrier element 36a, 36b includes a guide element 38 that coacts with the bottom space 34 of the housing 4, said bottom space functioning to form the guide rail 8. The upper end of the upper carrier element 36b is connected to the other end 40 of the chain 26.

[0026] As the piston rod 24 of the cylinder 16 pulls on the chain 26, the chain is caused to run over the toothed wheels 30,32 and the pulling force is transmitted to the carrier arm 14, causing the platform 12 to move from a bottom limit position to a top limit position, i.e. from the foot of the stairway to its top.

[0027] When wishing to move the platform 12 from the upper limit position to the lower limit position, the cylinder piston rod 24 is caused to move upwards in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

[0028] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 4, which is an aluminium profile in the illustrated case. The guide element 8 forms the bottom space 34 in which the guide element 38 is accommodated, by means of a floor 42, a lower and an upper projection 44, 46 that together define a longitudinally extending slot 47, an inner wall 48 and a roof 50. The guide element 38 includes a pair of wheels 52, 54 that form a bogey 55 with a common axle A-A. The wheels 52, 54 are adapted to roll on either the floor 42 or on the roof 50 depending on the torque exerted on the carrier arm 14 by the load carried on the platform 12. The lower and the upper projection 44, 46 prevent the wheel 54 from sliding off the floor 42 through the slot 47.

[0029] In order to prevent the wheels 52, 54 becoming jammed against the wall 48 and the projections 44, 46, said projections are provided with an angled section or surface 56 at their junction with the roof 50 and the floor 42 respectively. The wheels 52, 54 are provided with a bevel 58 corresponding to the angled sections 56, to the same end.

[0030] The piston-cylinder device 16 is accommodated in the upper space 22. The cylinder is covered by a removable cover 60 along the full length of the housing 4.

[0031] Figure 4a shows the upper carrier element 36b from above. It will be seen that the carrier element 36b includes two inner wheels 52, which are adapted to be disposed proximal to the wall 48, and two outer wheels 54, which are adapted to be disposed proximal to the projections 44, 46. The carrier element also includes a spherical bearing 62 and a fastener device 63 for said other end 40 of the chain 26.

[0032] Figure 4b illustrates a connector 64 which includes an eccentrically disposed pin 66 adapted for insertion into the spherical bearing 62. The connector 64 also includes a threaded hole 68 for receiving a screw for connection of the carrier element 36a, 36b to the carrier arm 14.

[0033] The carrier arm 14 is connected to two carrier elements 36a, 36b by means of a respective connector 64. Rotation of the connector 64 causes the eccentric pin to raise or lower the carrier arm 14 to a corresponding degree. This enables the height and the angle of the platform to be adjusted relative to the floor, at either end of the stairway 10.

[0034] Figure 5a illustrates an alternative carrier arm 14" connected to the platform 12, two carrier elements 36a, 36b, and to an upper support element 70 and a lower support element 72.

[0035] Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of the housing 4 and a cross-sectional view of a hollow upper guide rail 74 and a hollow lower guide rail 76. A wheel or a wheel pair forming a bogey of the upper support element 70 runs in the upper guide rail 74, while a wheel or a wheel pair forming a bogey of the lower support element 72 runs in the lower guide rail 76.

[0036] The wheels of respective support elements 70 and 72 have an axle B-B which extends perpendicular to the axle A-A of the wheels 52, 54. This enables torque resulting from loads placed on the platform 12 to be taken-up.

[0037] Figure 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the inventive elevator arrangement 2. This second embodiment coincides with the first embodiment described above in all details with the exception that a housing 4 is provided on both sides of the stairway, as seen in their longitudinal direction. The platform 12 is provided with two carrier arms 14, each of which is connected to two carrier elements 36a, 36b that are moveable in the bottom space 34 of the carrier arm 14, said space being formed by respective guide elements 8.

[0038] Only one of the housings 4 is provided with a hydraulic piston-cylinder device.

[0039] In the case of this embodiment, the alternative carrier arm 14' may be arranged on the carrier platform, in which case the guide rails 74, 76 will be disposed above and beneath respective housings 4.

[0040] Figure 7 illustrates a third embodiment of an elevator arrangement 2 according to the invention. This third embodiment differs from the second embodiment by virtue of an hydraulic piston-cylinder device mounted in respective housings 4.

[0041] The alternative carrier arm 14' may, of course, also be disposed on the platform 12 in accordance with this embodiment, in which case the guide rails 74, 76 will be arranged as in the second embodiment.

[0042] Figure 8 is a perspective, cross-sectional view of the left housing 4 shown in Figure 7.

[0043] The elevator arrangement is constructed so that when the platform is located in its lowermost position, it will rest flat on the lowermost plane and, owing to the thinness of the platform, will not obstruct the stairway. The platform 12 has a thickness of between 10 and 20 mm.

[0044] Tests have shown that a steel plate produced as a one-piece structure and given a thickness of 12 mm is able to manage loads of about 600 kg.

[0045] It will naturally understood that the piston-cylinder device may alternatively be a pneumatic device.

[0046] The aforedescribed chain may be replaced with a rope or a belt, in which case the toothed wheels will be replaced with rollers.

Claims

1. An elevator arrangement for a stairway (10) that comprises a load carrying platform (12) and a guide arrangement (5) for movement of the platform (12) up and down the stairway (10), wherein the guide arrangement (6) includes at least one guide rail (8) and a wheeled (52, 54) guide element (38), which guide element is connectable to the platform (12) by means of at least one carrier element (36a, 36b) and adapted for movement along the guide rail (8), wherein the guide rail is adapted to be disposed along at least part of said stairway (10) and generally follow the slope thereof, wherein the platform (12) is associated with a drive arrangement that includes an hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder device (16) associated with a pressure source (18) for moving the platform (12) along the guide rail (8), characterised in that the guide arrangement (6) is provided with means for preventing fastening of the platform in an undesired position, said means including at least one longitudinally extending, angled guide section (56) along said guide rail (8), and at least one ring-shaped bevel (58) on respective rolling surfaces of said wheels, wherein said guide sections (56) and said bevels (58) are adapted to coact with one another.

2. An elevator arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein said wheels (52,54) are arranged in pairs to form a bogey (55) that has a common axle (A-A) about which the wheels can rotate, wherein said ring-shaped bevels (58) are provided on the rolling surface of respective wheels, and wherein said guide rail (8) is provided with two longitudinally extending, angled guide sections (56) adapted to coact with the ring-shaped bevel on respective wheels.

3. An elevator arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein said longitudinally extending guide sections (56) extend on respective sides of the wheel pairs (52, 54) of said bogey (55), transversely to said axle (A-A).

4. An elevator arrangement according to Claim 3, wherein the platform (12) has two generally parallel sides, of which one is disposed adjacent said guide rail (8), and wherein said platform (12) includes at least one carrier arm (14, 14') which is disposed at an angle to the platform (12) and is adapted to extend parallel with said guide rail (8) and is provided with at least two similar, mutually spaced carrier elements (38), and wherein two bogeys (55) are connected to respective carrier elements (38).

5. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the piston-cylinder device (16) includes a piston rod (24) which is connected to said guide element (8) by means of a force transmission element (26) that runs over guide rollers (30, 32).

6. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the pieceding Claims, wherein the guide rail (8) forms part of a housing (4) that delimits a space (34) for said guide elements and a space (22) for said hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder device

7. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide arrangement includes two mutually similar guide rails (8) disposed parallel with each other on respective sides of the platform. (12).

8. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide arrangement (8) includes a first further guide rail (74) disposed essentially above the first-mennoned guide rail (8), and a second further guide rail (76) disposed essentially beneath said first-mentioned guide rail (8), wherein said first and said second further guide rails (74, 76) extend parallel with said first-mentioned guide rail (8), and wherein the guide arrangement (6) includes at least one upper wheel (70) which is adapted for movement along said first further guide rail (74), and a lower wheel (72) which is adapted for movement along said second further guide rail (76), and wherein the rotational axis (B-B) of said respective upper and lower wheels (70, 72) is perpendicular to the rotarional axis (A-A) of said guide element wheels (52, 54).

9. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the platform (12) is a one-piece structure and has a thickness of 10-20 mm.

10. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the platform (12) is a one-piece structure and has a thickness of 12 mm.

11. An elevator arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein respective carrier elements (36a 36b) include an adjustment means (62, 66) for enabling adjustment of the height and angle of the platform (12).

Ansprüche

1. Hebevorrichtung für eine Treppe (10) mit einer lasttragenden Bühne (12) und einer Führungseinrichtung (5) , um die Bühne (12) aufwärts und abwärts der Treppe (10) zu bewegen, wobei die Führungseinrichtung (6) zumindest eine Führungsschiene (8) und ein rädriges (52, 54) Führungselement (38) hat, und das Führungselement mit der Bühne (12) mittels wenigstens einem Tragelement (36a, 36b) verbindbar ist und zur Bewegung entlang der Führungsschiene (8) angeordnet ist, wobei die Führungsschiene angeordnet ist, um wenigstens teilweise entlang der Treppe (10) angeordnet zu sein und im wesentlichen ihrer Neigung zu folgen, wobei die Bühne (12) mit einer Antriebseinrichtung im Zusammenhang steht, die ein hydraulische oder pneumatische Kolben-Zylindergerät hat (16), das mit einer Druckquelle (18) zum Bewegen der Bühne (12) entlang der Führungsschiene (8) zusammenwirkt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Führungseinrichtung (6) mit einer Einrichtung zum Verhindern eines Befestigen der Bühne in einer ungewollten Position versehen ist, wobei die Einrichtung zumindest einen sich in Längsrichtung erstreckenden, winkligen Führungsbereich (56) entlang der Führungsschiene (8) und zumindest eine ringartige Schräge (58) an entsprechenden Rolloberflächen der Räder hat, wobei die Führungsbereiche (56) und die Schrägen (58) angeordnet sind, um zusammenzuwirken.

2. Hebevorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Räder (52, 54) in Paaren angeordnet sind, um ein Laufgestell (55) zu bilden, das eine gemeinsame Achse (A-A) hat, um die die Räder rotieren können, wobei die ringartigen Schrägen (58) an der Rolloberfläche der jeweiligen Räder vorgesehen sind, und wobei die Führungsschiene (8) mit zwei sich in Längsrichtung erstreckenden, winkligen Führungsbereichen (56) versehen ist, die angeordnet sind, um mit der ringartigen Schräge an den jeweiligen Rädern zusammenzuwirken.

3. Hebevorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, wobei sich die sich in Längsrichtung erstreckenden Führungsbereiche (56) an entsprechenden Seiten der Radpaare (52, 54) des Laufgestells (55) transversal zur Achse (A-A) erstrecken.

4. Hebevorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, wobei die Bühne (12) zwei im wesentlichen parallele Seiten hat, von denen eine angrenzend zur Führungsschiene (8) angeordnet ist, und wobei die Bühne (12) zumindest einen Tragarm (14, 14') hat, der in einem Winkel zur Bühne (12) angeordnet ist, und angeordnet ist, um sich parallel mit der Führungsschiene (8) zu erstrecken, und mit zumindest zwei ähnlichen, gegenseitig beabstandeten Tragelementen (38) versehen ist, und wobei zwei Laufgestelle (55) mit den jeweiligen Tragelementen (38) verbunden sind.

5. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Kolben-Zylindergerät (16) eine Kolbenstange (24) hat, die mit dem Führungselement (8) mittels einem Kraftübertragungselement (26) verbunden ist, das über Führungsrollen (30, 32) läuft.

6. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Führungsschiene (8) einen Teil eines Gehäuses (4) bildet, das einen Raum (34) für die Führungselemente und einen Raum (22) für das hydraulische oder pneumatische Kolben-Zylindergerät begrenzt.

7. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Führungseinrichtung zwei aneinander ähnliche Führungsschienen (8) hat, die an jeweiligen Seiten der Bühne (12) parallel zueinander angeordnet sind.

8. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Führungseinrichtung (8) eine erste weitere Führungsschiene (74), die im wesentlichen über der erst genannten Führungsschiene (8) angeordnet ist, und eine zweite weitere Führungsschiene (76) hat, die im wesentlichen unter der erst genannten Führungsschiene (8) angeordnet ist, wobei sich die ersten und zweiten weiteren Führungsschienen (74, 76) parallel mit der erst genannten Führungsschiene (8) erstrecken, und wobei die Führungseinrichtung (6) zumindest ein oberes Rad (70), das für eine Bewegung entlang der ersten weiteren Führungsschiene (74) angeordnet ist, und ein unteres Rad (72) hat, das für eine Bewegung entlang der zweiten weiteren Führungsschiene (76) angeordnet ist, und wobei die Drehachse (B-B) des jeweiligen oberen und unteren Rades (70, 72) senkrecht zur Drehachse (A-A) der Führungselementräder (52, 54) ist.

9. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Bühne (12) eine einteilige Struktur und eine Dicke von 10-20 mm hat.

10. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Bühne (12) eine einteilige Struktur und eine Dicke von 12 mm hat.

11. Hebevorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die jeweiligen Tragelemente (36a, 36b) eine Einstelleinrichtung (62, 66) zum Ermöglichen einer Einstellung der Höhe und des Winkels der Bühne (12) haben.

Revendications

1. Agencement d'élévateur destiné à un escalier (10) qui comporte une plate-forme de support de charge (12) et un agencement de guidage (6) du déplacement de la plate-forme (12) vers le haut et vers le bas de l'escalier (10), dans lequel l'agencement de guidage (6) comporte au moins un rail de guidage (8) et un élément de guidage (38) muni d'une roue (52, 54), lequel élément de guidage peut être relié à la plate-forme (12) par l'intermédiaire d'au moins un élément de support (36a, 36b) et est adapté pour se déplacer le long dudit rail de guidage (8), dans lequel le rail de guidage est adapté pour être disposé le long d'au moins une partie dudit escalier (10) et suit de manière générale la pente de celui-ci, dans lequel la plate-forme (12) est associée à un agencement d'entraînement qui comporte un dispositif (16) du type piston-cylindre hydraulique ou pneumatique associé à une source de pression (18) pour déplacer la plate-forme (12) le long du rail de guidage (8), caractérisé en ce que l'agencement de guidage (6) est muni de moyens pour empêcher une fixation de la plate-forme dans une position non-voulue, lesdits moyens comportant au moins un tronçon de guidage incliné (56) s'étendant longitudinalement le long dudit rail de guidage (8) et au moins un biseau en forme d'anneau (58) sur les surfaces de roulement respectives desdites roues, dans lequel lesdits tronçons de guidage (56) et lesdits biseaux (58) sont adaptés pour agir conjointement l'un avec l'autre.

2. Agencement d'élévateur selon la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdites roues (52, 54) sont agencées par paires pour former un boggie (55) qui a un essieu commun (A-A) autour duquel les roues peuvent tourner, dans lequel lesdits biseaux en forme d'anneau (58) sont agencés sur la surface de roulement de roues respectives, et dans lequel ledit rail de guidage (8) est muni de deux tronçons de guidage inclinés (56) s'étendant longitudinalement, adaptés pour agir conjointement avec le biseau en forme d'anneau sur des roues respectives.

3. Agencement d'élévateur selon la revendication 2, dans lequel lesdits tronçons de guidage s'étendant longitudinalement (56) s'étendent sur des côtés respectifs des paires de roues (52, 54) dudit boggie (55), transversalement audit essieu (A-A).

4. Agencement d'élévateur selon la revendication 3, dans lequel la plate-forme (12) a deux côtés généralement parallèles, dont un premier est disposé adjacent audit rail de guidage (8), et dans lequel ladite plate-forme (12) comporte au moins un bras de support (14, 14') qui est disposé en faisant un angle par rapport à la plate-forme (12) et est adapté pour s'étendre parallèlement audit rail de guidage (8) et est muni d'au moins deux éléments de support similaires mutuellement espacés (38), et dans lequel deux boggies (55) sont reliés aux éléments de support respectifs (38).

5. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le dispositif formant piston-cylindre (16) comporte une tige de piston (24) qui est reliée audit élément de guidage (8) par l'intermédiaire d'un élément de transmission de force (26) qui se déplace sur des rouleaux de guidage (30, 32).

6. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le rail de guidage (8) forme une partie d'un boîtier (4) qui délimite un espace (34) pour lesdits éléments de guidage et un espace (22) pour ledit dispositif formant piston-cylindre hydraulique ou pneumatique.

7. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'agencement de guidage comporte deux rails de guidage mutuellement similaires (8) disposés parallèlement l'un à l'autre sur des côtés respectifs de la plate-forme (12).

8. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'agencement de guidage (8) comporte un premier rail de guidage supplémentaire (74) disposé essentiellement au-dessus du rail de guidage (8) mentionné en premier, et un second rail de guidage supplémentaire (76) disposé essentiellement en dessous dudit rail de guidage (8) mentionné en premier, dans lequel lesdits premier et second rails de guidage supplémentaires (74, 76) s'étendent parallèlement audit rail de guidage (8) mentionné en premier, et dans lequel l'agencement de guidage (6) comporte au moins une roue supérieure (70) qui est adaptée pour se déplacer le long dudit premier rail de guidage supplémentaire (74), et une roue inférieure (72) qui est adaptée pour se déplacer le long dudit second rail de guidage supplémentaire (76), et dans lequel l'axe de rotation (B-B) desdites roues supérieure et inférieure respectives (70, 72) est perpendiculaire à l'axe de rotation (A-A) desdites roues d'élément de guidage (52, 54).

9. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la plate-forme (12) a une structure en une seule pièce et a une épaisseur de 10 à 20 mm.

10. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la plate-forme (12) a une structure en une seule pièce et a une épaisseur de 12 mm.

11. Agencement d'élévateur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les éléments de support respectifs (36a, 36b) comportent des moyens d'ajustement (62, 66) pour permettre l'ajustement de la hauteur et de l'inclinaison de la plate-forme (12).

Drawing