Patent ID: 7992919

Claim:
A lift system having a frame assembly, comprising: at least one side link, said at least one side link is part of a frame assembly, and said frame assembly is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; a main bracket attached to a frame of a vehicle, said at least one side link pivotally connects to said main bracket for rotation relative to said main bracket; a biasable member for biasing said at least one side link and said frame assembly toward said deployed position; a pivot knuckle in a pivoting relationship with said main bracket, said at least one side link pivotally connected to said main bracket through the use of said pivot knuckle; a first pin extending through a portion of said pivot knuckle and a portion of said main bracket to provide said pivoting relationship between said main bracket and said pivot knuckle; a second pin extending through a portion of said pivot knuckle and a portion said at least one side link for connecting said at least one side link to said pivot knuckle, said biasable member in contact with said first pin and said second pin such that said biasable member applies a force to said first pin and said second pin when said at least one side link is moved from said deployed position to said stowed position; and a keeper plate mounted to said main bracket to prevent the rotation of said first pin relative to said main bracket as said at least one side link pivots relative to said main bracket and said biasable member generates a force in opposition to the rotation of said at least one side link as said at least one side link moves from said deployed position to said stowed position.