Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to an elevator for a mobile
home, and in particular to an elevator for gaining access to the
roof of a vehicle.
In general, it i6 difficult to load luggage onto the
roof of a mobile or motor home. Most such vehicles come
equipped with a ladde~ permanently attached to the rear of the
vehicle. Climbing the ladder while carrying luggage requires a
certain amount of agility, and is out of the question for the
elderly. Accordingly, a clear need exists for an elevator for
use on mobile homes.
A search in the patent literature fails to provide a
solution to the problem. Lifts or elevators of generally the
type proposed herein are described in U.S. Patents Nos.
3,521,774, which issued to K.A. Raypholtz on July 28, 1970 and
3,720,334, which issued to A.A. Permut et al on March 13, 1973.
However, neither the Raypholtz nor the Permut system is suitable
for hois~ing a per60n and/or luggage to the roof of a motor home.
The object of the present invention is to meet the
above defined need by providing a relatively simple, compact
elevator for a mobile home which is easy to install and operate.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to an
elevator for use on a mobile home comprising track means for
mounting on the mobile home; carriage means slidably mounted on
said track means for movement between the bottom of the
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mobile home body and the top thereof; platform means for
carrying a passenger or material connected to said carriage
means for movement therewith, said platform means being
collapsible from a use position, in which the platform means
extends horizontally outwardly from said track means, to a
storage position, in which said platform means is substantially
parallel to said track means; and drive means for moving said
carriage means and consequently said platform means between the
bottom and top of the mobile home body.
The invention will be described in greater detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a
preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 i8 a perspective view from one side of an
elevator in accordance with the present invention i the use
position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the elevator of Fig.
1, with parts omitted, in the folded or non-use position;
Figure 3 is a side view of the elevator of E'igs, 1 and
2:
Figure 4 i~ a plan view of the upper end of the
elevator of Figs. 1 to 3;
Figure 5 i5 a partly sectioned, front view of the
elevator of Yigs. 1 to 3:
Figure 6 is a cross 6ection taken generally along
line VI-VI of Fig. 5;
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Figure / is a cross section taken generally along line
VII-VII of Fig. 5;
Figure 8 is a cross section taken generally along line
VIII-VIII of Fig. 3:
Figure 9, which appears on the third sheet of
drawings, is a cross section taken generally along line IX-IX of
Fig. 3;
Figure lo is a schematic front view of a drive system
used to raise and lower the elevator of Figs. 1 to 3:
Figure 11 is a side view of the outer bottom end of
one track and carriage slide used in the elevator of F'igs. 1 to
3;
Figure 12 is a cross section showing the other side of
the slide of Fig. 11;
Figure 13 is a cross section of one track and one end
of the carriage used in the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3;
Figure 14 is a side view of the inner top end of one
track used in the elevator of Figs. 1 to 3;
Figure lS is a cross section taken generally along
the line XV-XV of Fig. 1~:
Figure 16 is a side view of the top end of the other
track used in the elevator of Figs. 1 to 3; and
Figure 17 is a cros6- section taken generally along
line XVII-XVII of Fig. 16.
With reference to the drawings the elevator of the
present invention. which is generally indicated at 1, is
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intended for mounting on the rear end 2 of a mobile or motor
home 3. The principal elements of the elevator aLe a pair of
I-beam tracks 5, a carriage generally indicated at 6 slidably
mounted on the tracks 5, and a platform 7 connected to the
carriage 6 for movement therewith. The bottom ends of the
tracks 5 are connected to the rear bumper 8 and to the frame 9
(Figs. 1, 3 and 5 to 8) of the motor home 3 by a generally
C-shaped frame lo. The frame 10, which is formed of angle iron,
is welded to the bumper 8, the frame 9 and the inner surfaces
of the tracks 5. A top platform or deck 12 defined by a frame
13 and aluminum grating 14 extends between and is connected to
an upper crossbar 15 and the roof 17 of the motor home 3. The
lower ends of the tracks 5 are interconnected by the frame 10
and by a crossbar 18.
The carriage 6 is defined by a frame, which includes a
pair of slides Z3 of generally U-shaped cross section mounted on
the tracks 5. For such purpose, a pair of rollers 24 (Figs. 11
and 13) are provided in each slide 23 for riding on inner
surfaces of the front and rear, outer arms of the tracks 5. The
rollers 24 are mounted on bolts 26 extending through the outer
arm~ of th slides 23. The slides 23 are interconnected by upper
and lower crossbars 28 and 29, respectively. The slides 23 are
movable between lower stops 30 and upper stops 32 (Figs. 3, 14
and 17). Movement of the carriage is li~ited by the lower and
upper limit switches 33 and 35, respectively. As best shown in
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].ic~. 5 thf~ switch 38 i.s carried b~r one track 5 and the swit-h ~5
is carried by the o~her tra~k 5.
Movement of the carriage 6 is effectecl by means of a
winch 36 drlven by cJn electric motor 37. The winch 36 ancl motol
37 are moul1ted on a brac~ket 39 (Figs. 1. and 5) on one track 5. A
cable 40 wound on the winch 36 e~tends upwardly behind one track
around an upper pulley 42 (Figs. 4 5 14 and 15) ~ownwarclly
along -the inner side of the same -track 5 to a lower anchor
bracket 43. The pulley 4 is mour1ted on a bolt 44 e;tending
between plates 45 and 46 welded in the upper end of the t:rack 5.
In order to enstlre that the carriage 6 moves smoc)thly on the
tracks 5, additional rollers 48 and 49 are mounted on bolts 51 and
52, respectively extending between the front of -the crossbar 29
and plates 54 and 55 (~iCJS. 5 and 13) respecti.vely welded to the
hottom and top respecti.vely o~ opposite ends o~ the crossbar ~8
so -that. the rollers 48 ancl 49 extend thr(:Ju-Jh s].-~ts 56 (one sl1own)
in the slicdes 23 into the inner slides of the tracks 5. A seconc1
cable 57 extends from an anchor bracket 58 at t.he bottom end of
the trac]c 5 carrying the winch 36 over the pulley 43 and under
the pulley 49 to another anchor bracket 59 at the top end of the
other track 5. Thus the slides 23 of the carriage 6 are forced
to move together i.e. the carriage 6 is caused to move smoothly
along the tracks 5.
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Referring to Figs. 6 to 9, the elevator is completed
by the platform 7 which is integral with the carriage 6. The
platform 7 includes a rectangular base 62 defined by sides 63,
ends 64 and an aluminum grating floor panel 66. The inner end
of the base 62 is pivotally connected to inner, square cross
section posts or balusters 67 by bolts 68 (Fig. 2). The posts
67 are welded to the slides 23 for movement therewith. Movement
of the base 62 from the vertical (Fig. 2) to the horizontal
position (Figs. 1 and 6 to 8) is limited by a pair of wire ropes
70 extending between the outer ends of the sides 63 of the base
and the posts 67. A second post or baluster 71 is pivotally
connected to the outer end of each side 63 of the base 62 by a
bolt 73 (Figs. 1 and 2). Handrails 74 extend between and are
pivotally connected to the top ends of the posts 67 and 71. A
lS latch 76 (Fig6 2 and 3) maintains the platform 7 in the folded,
non-use position. A safety gate defined by a bar 78 is provided
at the outer top end of the platform 7. The bar 78 is pivotally
connected at one end to one post 71. A notch (not shown) i6
provided in the bottom edge of the other end of the bar 78 for
releasably engaging a pin (not shown) extending outwardly from
the other post 71.
Power for the elevator is provided by a 12 volt
vehicle battery. THE elevator motor 37 is controlled by a
weatherproof control panel (not shown) mounted on the rear end 2
of the mobile home. In order to use the elevator, the platform
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catch 76 is released and the platform 7 is moved to the lower
position (Figs. 1 and 3). The motoL 37 is started to turn the
winch ~6 which causes the carriaga 6 to move vertically along
the tracks 7. The limit switch 35 prevents upward movement of
the carriage 6 and the carriage 7. The limit switch 35 prevents
upward movemen~ of the carriage 6 and the carriage 7 beyond the
upper position, in which the platform base 62 is aligned with
the deck 12. The motor 37 is reversed to return the carriage 6
and the platform 7 to the lower position. The platform 7 is
manually folded to the non-use or storage position (Fig. 2) and
the catch 76 is engaged.
Because most of the elements of the elevator are
formed of aluminum, the device is relatively lightweight and
easy to operate.
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