A mobile lifting apparatus includes (a) a bottom tower section having a first bottom sidewall and an opposed second bottom sidewall; (b) a top tower section coupled to and vertically translatable relative to the bottom tower section; (c) a work platform coupled to and vertically translatable with th
A mobile lifting apparatus includes (a) a bottom tower section having a first bottom sidewall and an opposed second bottom sidewall; (b) a top tower section coupled to and vertically translatable relative to the bottom tower section; (c) a work platform coupled to and vertically translatable with the top tower section; and (d) an elevating assembly operable to translate the top tower section relative to the bottom tower section between a raised position in which a work surface of the work platform is at an elevation above the bottom tower section, and a lowered position in which the top tower section and the work surface are at least partially nested within the bottom tower section with the work surface at an elevation below upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls for reducing the entry and exit height of the work platform.
대표청구항▼
1. A mobile lifting apparatus for raising and lowering one or more persons, comprising: a) a bottom tower section having a first bottom sidewall and an opposed second bottom sidewall spaced laterally apart from the first bottom sidewall, the first and second bottom sidewalls having respective upper
1. A mobile lifting apparatus for raising and lowering one or more persons, comprising: a) a bottom tower section having a first bottom sidewall and an opposed second bottom sidewall spaced laterally apart from the first bottom sidewall, the first and second bottom sidewalls having respective upper edges;b) a top tower section coupled to and vertically translatable relative to the bottom tower section;c) a work platform coupled to and vertically translatable with the top tower section, the work platform including a generally horizontal work surface for supporting at least one person; andd) an elevating assembly operable to translate the top tower section relative to the bottom tower section between a raised position in which the work surface is at an elevation above the bottom tower section, and a lowered position in which the top tower section and the work surface are at least partially nested within the bottom tower section between the first and second bottom sidewalls with the work surface at an elevation below the upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls for reducing an entry and exit height of the work platform,wherein the first and second bottom sidewalls extend longitudinally between a bottom front face and a longitudinally spaced apart bottom rear face of the bottom tower section, the bottom front face including a bottom front wall extending laterally between respective lower portions of the first and second bottom sidewalls, and an upper portion vertically intermediate an upper end of the bottom front wall and the upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls and bounded laterally by respective upper portions of the first and second bottom sidewalls, the work platform overhanging the bottom front wall and extending longitudinally through the upper portion when the top tower section is in the lowered position. 2. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the work platform includes a safety railing generally surrounding the perimeter of the work surface, the railing at least partially nested within the bottom tower section between the first and second bottom sidewalls when the top tower section is in the lowered position. 3. The lifting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the railing has a railing upper edge fixed at a railing height above the work surface, and when the top tower section is in the lowered position, the work surface is spaced below the upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls by an offset distance generally equal to the railing height. 4. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the work surface includes a first surface portion longitudinally inboard of the first and second bottom side walls and at least one second surface portion extending longitudinally outboard of the first and second bottom side walls. 5. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top tower section includes a first top sidewall and an opposed second top sidewall spaced laterally apart from the first top sidewall, the first and second top sidewalls laterally bounding the work surface and having upper edges spaced above the work surface. 6. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bottom cover movably coupled to the bottom tower section, the bottom cover generally clear of the upper portion of the bottom front face when the top tower section is in the lowered position and generally covering the upper portion of the bottom front face when the top tower section is in the raised position. 7. The lifting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bottom cover includes a first bottom cover panel and a second bottom cover panel each vertically translatable relative to the first and second bottom sidewalls, the panels generally overlapping the bottom front wall in horizontally offset relation and clear of the upper portion of the bottom front face when the top tower section is in the lowered position, and the panels vertically displaced relative to one another and the bottom front wall and generally covering the upper portion of the bottom front face when the top tower section is in the raised position. 8. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one intermediate tower section coupling the top and bottom tower sections and vertically translatable relative to each of the top and bottom tower sections, the at least one intermediate tower section including a first intermediate sidewall and an opposed second intermediate sidewall spaced laterally apart from the first intermediate sidewall, and wherein the at least one intermediate tower section extends vertically between the bottom tower section and the top tower section when the top tower section is in the raised position, and when the top tower section is in the lowered position the top tower section and the work surface are at least partially nested within the at least one intermediate tower section between the first and second intermediate sidewalls and the at least one intermediate tower section is at least partially nested within the bottom tower section between the first and second bottom sidewalls. 9. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of wheel assemblies mounted to longitudinally opposite faces of the bottom tower section for supporting the bottom tower section above a ground surface, the pair of wheel assemblies generally laterally inboard and longitudinally outboard of the bottom tower section, and each wheel assembly including at least one wheel rotatable about a respective axis for rollingly engaging the ground surface, and wherein the bottom tower section has a bottom face opposite the upper edges of the first and second sidewalls, the bottom face at an elevation below each wheel axis. 10. The lifting apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the wheel assemblies includes at least two wheels and at least one electric motor for at least one of steering and driving rotation of at least one of the wheels, each motor mounted external the bottom tower section at an elevation above the bottom face of the bottom tower section. 11. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting apparatus is all-electric and free of hydraulic components. 12. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the top tower section is in the lowered position, the lifting apparatus has an overall apparatus height and the work surface is at a work surface height less than half of the overall apparatus height. 13. The lifting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second bottom sidewalls extend vertically between respective upper and lower edges and define a bottom tower section height, the bottom tower section height at least 80% of the overall apparatus height. 14. A lifting apparatus for raising and lowering one or more persons, comprising: a) a bottom tower section including a first bottom sidewall, an opposed second bottom sidewall spaced horizontally apart from the first bottom sidewall, and a plurality of vertically extending and horizontally spaced apart bottom guide members fixed relative to the bottom sidewalls;b) at least one intermediate tower section coupled and vertically translatable relative to the bottom tower section, the at least one intermediate tower section including an intermediate carriage having a plurality of intermediate carriage rollers each in engagement with a respective bottom guide member, the intermediate carriage rollers linked together to roll vertically along respective bottom guide members in unison for facilitating vertical translation and inhibiting tilting of the intermediate tower section relative to the bottom tower section;c) the at least one intermediate tower section further including a first intermediate sidewall, an opposed second intermediate sidewall spaced horizontally apart from the first intermediate sidewall, and a plurality of vertically extending and horizontally spaced apart intermediate guide members fixed relative to the intermediate sidewalls;d) a top tower section coupled and vertically translatable relative to the intermediate and bottom tower sections, the top tower section including a top carriage having a plurality of top carriage rollers each in engagement with a respective intermediate guide member, the top carriage rollers linked together to roll vertically along respective intermediate guide members in unison for facilitating vertical translation and inhibiting tilting of the top tower section relative to the intermediate tower section;e) a work platform coupled to and vertically translatable with the top tower section, the work platform including a generally horizontal work surface for supporting at least one person; andf) an elevating assembly operable to raise and lower the at least one intermediate tower section and the top tower section relative to one another and the bottom tower section. 15. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the elevating assembly includes a lift actuator operable to drive rotation of the intermediate and top carriage rollers for raising and lowering the at least one intermediate tower section and the top tower section relative to one another and the bottom tower section. 16. The lifting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the lift actuator is operable to simultaneously drive the intermediate carriage rollers and the top carriage rollers for vertically translating the top tower section relative to the at least one intermediate tower section and the at least one intermediate tower section relative to the bottom tower section simultaneously. 17. The lifting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the lift actuator includes an intermediate motor mounted on and movable with the intermediate carriage and operable to drive rotation of the intermediate carriage rollers for vertically translating the at least one intermediate tower section relative to the bottom tower section, and a top motor mounted on and movable with the top carriage and operable to drive rotation of the top carriage rollers for vertically translating the top tower section relative to the at least one intermediate tower section, the top motor operable independently of the intermediate motor. 18. The lifting apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an intermediate controller mounted on and movable with the at least one intermediate carriage for controlling the intermediate motor, and a top controller mounted on and movable with the top carriage for controlling the top carriage motor. 19. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein each roller is rotatable in a respective first direction for raising a respective tower section and in a respective second direction for lowering the respective tower section, and each carriage includes a respective gear train linking the carriage rollers of that carriage, and at least one of the gear trains is self-braking to resist rotation of respective carriage rollers in the second direction and inhibit lowering of the respective carriage. 20. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the elevating assembly is operable to translate the top tower section relative to the bottom tower section between a raised position in which the work surface is at an elevation above the bottom tower section, and a lowered position in which the top carriage, the intermediate carriage, and the work surface are nested within the bottom tower section between the first and second bottom sidewalls with the work surface at an elevation below upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls for reducing an entry and exit height of the work platform. 21. The lifting apparatus of claim 20, wherein when the top tower section is in the lowered position the lifting apparatus has an overall apparatus height, and the work surface is at a height less than half of the overall height, the top carriage is generally below the work surface, and the intermediate carriage is generally below the top carriage. 22. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein each bottom sidewall extends vertically between respective upper and lower edges and defines a bottom tower section height, and each bottom guide member has a vertical extent generally equal to the bottom tower section height. 23. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second bottom sidewalls each include at least one bracing member to resist deflection of the bottom sidewalls and the bottom guide members. 24. The lifting apparatus of claim 23, wherein each bottom guide member is fixed to a respective bracing member. 25. The lifting apparatus of claim 23, wherein each bottom sidewall includes a front edge and a rear edge spaced longitudinally apart from the front edge, and the at least one bracing member includes a front upright adjacent each front edge and a rear upright adjacent each rear edge. 26. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one intermediate tower section comprises a lower intermediate tower section including the intermediate carriage and an upper intermediate tower section movably supported by the lower intermediate tower section and including the first and second sidewalls and the intermediate guide members. 27. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein each guide member includes a vertically extending rack, and each carriage roller includes a pinion engaging a respective rack. 28. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the lifting apparatus is all-electric and free of hydraulic components.
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