Vehicle-lift superstructure

Abstract

A lift superstructure of the type comprising a bolster plate mounted on the top of a lift piston and having two horizontally pivotable swinging arms extending from each side for supporting a vehicle upon them, wherein each pair of swing arms extending from a given side of the bolster is mounted and pivoted upon the top half of the bolster opposite from the edge from which the pair of swing arms extends, so that the pivoted ends of the two pairs of swing arms overlap each other partially. Preferably the two swing arms extending from one edge are located between the swing arms extending from the opposite edge, with respect to a dimension extending generally at right angles to the swing arms. A safety bridge in the form of a generally U-shaped bracket preferably extends over each adjacent pair of swing arms and is fastened to the top surface of the bolster, to provide safety restraint of the swing arms should a pivot bolt break. The arrangement makes possible a considerably narrower bolster plate than is usually employed while retaining sufficient support of the swing arms by the bolster plate, and because of the narrower bolster plate dimension the underside of the vehicle being lifted is made more readily accessible for observation and work thereon.