Patent ID: 7326024

Claim:
A lift assembly adapted to be affixed to a vehicle for movement of a load between raised and lowered positions, said lift assembly comprising: mounting structure attachable to said vehicle; carriage structure associated with said mounting structure, said carriage structure movable along said mounting structure between a stowed position and a deployed position; platform structure having opposite first and second sides and inboard and outboard ends, said platform structure being moveably coupled to said carriage structure for movement between raised and lowered positions and a stowable position existing in-between said raised and lowered positions; first and second handrails pivotally coupled to said platform structure, said first and second handrails being movable between an extended position in which said first and second handrails extend upwardly from said platform structure, and a retracted position in which said first and second handrails are arranged along said first and second sides of said platform structure, respectively, wherein movement of at least one handrail to said extended position automatically locks said at least one handrail in said extended position; and a handrail release lever associated with said platform structure, wherein movement of said handrail release lever unlocks said at least one handrail, thereby allowing said at least one handrail to move from said extended position to said retracted position.