Variations
Gripper Fulcrums
The drawing shows a method of providing the Carriage with fulcrum support. Cable or pipe grippers support the Carriage by gripping and holding the Carriage position when the weight of the Carriage and the object it carries pushes down on the gripper action arm. When pressure on the arm is released the gripper releases its grip and is free to slide up the cable or pipe support.
See the example under the Proof of Concept Section: Gripper Fulcrums and Roller Chain Fulcrum
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Extended Tilt Assist Arm
There are many ways to tilt the Carriage of a Lifter. This Lifter design uses a simple lever. As was seen in the Lifter model using a Pulley Assembly, the Extended Tilt Assist Arm provides the Mechanical Advantage needed to tilt the Carriage. A Lifter, using pulleys to tilt may reach an upper limit due to the friction of pulleys. This may limit the pulley MA to 8 or less. This design depends on the placement of the fulcrums and the length of the Extended Tilt Assist Arm rather than the height to base ratio seen in previous designs using pulleys. The MA of the Lifter can be increased by simply increasing the length of the Tilt Assist Arm on either side of the Carriage.
See the example under the Proof of Concept Section: Tilt Assist Arm
Another advantage of using this design can be seen here: Sliding Weight
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Ground Assist
The power source used to tilt the Carriage of any Lifter is really left up to the imagination. There are tilt assist assemblies mated with the Carriage or as part of the Vertical Support however, as seen in the drawing to the right, there are many Ground Assist methods that could be developed. The Mechanical Advantage introduced would multiply the already high MA of an existing Lifter.
Ground Assist projects need not be powered by humans only but by animals, wind, solar and or water power.
See example under Proof of Concept: Ground Support
