Abstract
The lifting platform (10) has at least two lateral pillars (12, 14, 33). Each pillar has height-changeable, pivotable arms (13, 34, 44) that are displaceable telescopically in length. An end of each arm has a decoupling device with a receptacle (31, 41) for supporting an object. A carrying device (11, 50) has receiving points corresponding to the number of the receptacles (31, 41). The lifting platform and the carrying device are positioned with respect to each other without impairing an object resting on the at least one receptacle. The at least one receptacle (31, 41) is placed onto the at least one receiving point, and the carrying device (11, 50) together with the transferred at least one receptacle (31, 41) and an object thereon is removed from a region of the lifting platform (10).
Claims
1. A method for increasing utilization of a vehicle lifting platform by transferring a lifted vehicle from the lifting platform to a carrying device, the lifting platform having at least two laterally spaced apart pillars each of which has at least one height-changeable pivotable arm, each of the arms being telescopically displaceable in length and an end of each of the arms remote from the respective pillar having an opening, coupling and decoupling devices that include internally threaded sleeves temporarily arranged in the openings of the respective arms, externally threaded bolts threadedly engaged respectively with the internally threaded sleeves, bores extending into bottom ends of the bolts and supporting plates fixed to top ends of the bolts for supporting the vehicle, the method comprising: displacing the arms so that the supporting plates align respectively with receiving points on an underbody of the vehicle; raising the arms relative to the pillars so that the supporting plates approach the receiving points on the underbody of the vehicle; rotating the bolts relative to the sleeves so that all of the supporting plates engage the receiving points on the underbody of the vehicle; raising the arms farther along the pillars to lift the vehicle sufficiently to work on the underbody; transferring the vehicle to the carrying device during a work interruption by: positioning the carrying device under the vehicle; individually adjusting receiving points of the carrying device to align with the bores in the bolts; lowering the arms along the pillars so that the receiving points engage in the bores; continuing lowering the arms so that the sleeves, the bolts and the supporting plates separate from the arms and remain on the receiving points; moving the carrying device away from the lifting platform; and positioning new coupling and decoupling devices on the arms so that a further vehicle can be worked on during the work interruption.
2. The method of claim 1, in which the carrying device has first and second crossbars, at least the first crossbars being displaceable relative to the second crossbar, left and right arms mounted at opposite ends of each of the crossbars, each of the arms being pivotable and movable telescopically relative to the respective crossbar, and the receiving point located on said arm comprises a stud onto which the threaded sleeve of the receptacle is plugged, and the step of individually adjusting the receiving points of the carrying device to align with the bores in the bolts comprises individually pivoting the arms relative to the respective crossbar and individually telescopically moving the arms relative to the respective crossbar so that the receiving points of the carrying device align respectively with the bores in the bolts.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrying device is a vehicle skid.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the carrying device away from the lifting platform region is carried out by operating a traction apparatus.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a motor vehicle on a lifting platform in a garage and a carrying device to which the vehicle can be transferred.
(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a receptacle at the end of an arm of the lifting platform.
(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a receptacle that is about to be transferred from the lifting platform onto the carrying device.
(4) FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a receptacle that has been transferred from the lifting platform onto the carrying device.
(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carrying device designed as a vehicle skid.
(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a skid sleeve and the seat thereof on a bolt of an embodiment of a carrying device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(7) FIG. 1 shows a lifting platform 10 with two lateral pillars 12 and 14. Two pivotable arms 13 are supported on each lateral pillar 12, 14, and each pivotable arm 13 is displaceable telescopically in length. A motor vehicle 15 is supported on receptacles of each arm 13 for repair at a position above the garage floor and is in a state of repair where the motor vehicle 15 cannot be rolled on its wheels. However, scheduling of parts or the like require the motor vehicle 15 to be moved from the lifting platform 10. Accordingly, a skid 11 is used to transfer the partly disassembled motor vehicle 15 from the lifting platform 10. The skid 11 is a carrying device that is moved to position below the motor vehicle 15.
(8) FIG. 2 is a sectional image of a receptacle that is plugged into an end 24 of an arm 13 of the lifting platform 10 and can be removed from the arm 13 (FIG. 1). The receptacle has a flat supporting plate 21 fixed to a top end of a threaded bolt 22 that is accommodated in a threaded sleeve 23. The supporting plate 21 and the threaded bolt 22 fixed thereto can be rotated to adjust height of the receptacle to adapt to conditions on an underbody of the motor vehicle 15. A bore 25 extends up into the lower end of the threaded bolt 22.
(9) FIG. 3 shows the two receptacles 31 associated with one lateral pillar 33 of the lifting platform 10 of FIG. 1. The motor vehicle located on the receptacles 31 has been omitted for better visibility of the operation. The vehicle skid 11 has pivotable arms that are changeable telescopically in length. Bolts 32 are provided on the pivotable arms 13 of the vehicle skid 11 and are positioned below the receptacles 31 that still are located in the arms 34 of the lifting platform 10 (note alignment lines formed by dashed arrows). The lifting platform is lowered slowly so that the bolts 32 enter centrally into the respective bores of the receptacles 31. The lifting platform 10 then is lowered until the bolts 32 of the carrying device or skid 11 completely fill the respective bores on the lower side of the receptacles 31. The receptacles 32 lift out of the holders at the end of the arms 13 of the lifting platform 10 and are no longer in contact with the ends of the arms 10 of the lifting platform 10. For this purpose, the bolts 32 of the carrying device or skid 11 have to have a suitable length.
(10) FIG. 4 shows a receptacle 41 that has remained on a bolt 43 at an end of an arm 42 of the carrying device or skid 11. The arm 44 of the lifting platform 10 that previously contained the receptacle 41 has been shortened in length telescopically and thereby releases the bolt of the carrying device 11. The opening at the end of the arm 44 has a width so that the bolt 43 located on the carrying device can be guided out of the opening, but not the threaded sleeve of the receptacle 41. The threaded sleeve 23 was released only by lowering the lifting platform 10. The vehicle 11 has to be secured to the carrying device with a corresponding securing means (lashing straps, cable winch, chain hoist, etc.) before the lifting platform arms 13 are pulled back so that slipping of the load is avoided when the loaded carrying device or skid 11 is moved. The arms 13 of the lifting platform 10 then are pivoted to the side and the vehicle skid 11 can be removed together with the picked up motor vehicle 15 from the lifting platform region.
(11) FIG. 5 shows a carrying device 50 designed as a vehicle skid with a rectangular frame 53. Two displaceable crossbars 54 are located in the upper region of the frame 53, and pivotable arms 55 are located at both ends of each of the crossbars 54. Each pivotable arm 55 can be changed in length telescopically and an end of each arm 55 has a receiving point with a bolt 52 of suitable length and thickness for introducing into a correspondingly designed bore of a respective receptacle. Four further receptacles 51 are kept at a lower region of the frame 53. After transfer of the first four receptacles out of the arms 13 of the lifting platform 10 on which the motor vehicle is located. The four further receptacles can be introduced again into the now empty openings at the end of the arms of the lifting platform. The lifting platform is therefore provided for reuse.
(12) FIG. 6 shows a skid sleeve 64 that has been designed according to manufacturer specifications for a receiving point on the underbody of the motor vehicle. The receiving point has a bore 61 that can receive a bolt 63 at the end of a telescoping and pivotable arm 62 of the carrying device. The skid sleeve 64 is used whenever the four supporting plates are located at positions on the underbody of the motor vehicle in which further receiving points provided by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle are not overlapped, and therefore the motor vehicle can be deposited onto the carrying device directly, i.e. without decoupling the four receptacles located in the arms on the lifting platform.
