Patent ID: 8740539

Claim:
A lift comprising: a vertically extending parallel pair of fixedly spaced apart guide surfaces; a linear actuator suspended vertically between said pair of guide surfaces; a vertically elongate runner member having a pivotal connection to a lower end of said linear actuator to be vertically reciprocated by said actuator; a load bearing member at a lower end of said runner member at a location spaced downwardly from said pivotal connection; and a vertically spaced apart pair of sliding clearance members mounted on said runner member for relatively slidable contact with said pair of guide surfaces during vertical reciprocation of said runner member by said actuator, a first one of said sliding clearance members being mounted at an upper end of said runner member, a second of said sliding clearance members being mounted on an intermediate portion of said runner member between said first sliding clearance member and said pivotal connection, wherein said pair of sliding clearance members are mounted on opposite sides of said runner member for contact with opposite ones of said pair of guide surfaces; wherein each of said sliding clearance members comprises a projecting contact pad having a surface for slidable contact with one of said guide surfaces; wherein each of said sliding clearance members comprises an adjustable mounting mechanism for adjustably mounting the sliding clearance member on the runner member to maintain substantial uniform contact therebetween essentially throughout an axial width of said contact pad; wherein each sliding clearance member comprises: a clearance contact pad having a surface for slidable contact with one of said guide surfaces; and a mounting system supporting the clearance contact pad, for adjustably mounting the clearance contact pad on the runner member, the mounting system including an adjustment system for selectively adjusting the distance between the clearance contact pad and the respective guide surface; and wherein said adjustment system comprises: a base configured for supporting the clearance contact pad; and a tapered spacer mounted on the runner opposite a guide surface, the spacer including engagement mechanisms for engaging the base at different locations along the length of the spacer for selectively adjusting the distance between the clearance contact pad and the guide surface.