A Vehicle-operated Hoist
Page 45
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ALTHOUGH designed primarily for the greasing and inspection of private cars, the Clearway car lift can also be used for commercial vehicles with a wheelbase not exceeding 11 ft. 6 ins. It is stated to be capable of withstanding any weight which is likely to be found in conjunction with such wheelbases and we understand that the test load was, in fact, greatly in excess of anything of the kind.
The outstanding feature of the Clear
way lift is that it is operated by the engine of the vehicle being lifted. When the vehicle is in position, its driving wheels rest on rollers, which are connected by chain to a countershaft. Bevel gears on the ends of this shaft drive other horizontal shafts running from front to rear. At each end, on each side, is a large nut on a squarethreaded vertical column and this nut is rotated, so that it climbs up or down the column and carries with it the runways supporting the front wheels and, by way of the rollers, the back wheels.
In this way, the structure is raised evenly and steadily by forces applied at the four corners. In demonstration with an ordinary private car, a full lift of about 3 ft. was made in approximately.45 seconds, without speeding up the engine noticeably.
We understand that the vehicle can be lifted and lowered again in less than a minute. To deal with rare cases in which the engine power might not be available, owing to some transmission fault, the roller shaft has a square end to which a handle can be fitted.
The Clearway lift, which is made by Thomas Coleman and Sons, Ltd., Alfreton Road, Derby, is soundly constructed. There is, of course, a simple adjustable device to hold the vehicle in its correct position while it is driving the rollers. Small vertical rollers prevent the driving wheels from working ove.,-. to one side or the other on the main rollers. There is an adjustment to suit different tracks. The price is competitive.