Patent ID: 7165908

Claim:
A lifting apparatus comprising a first lifting beam, said first lifting beam being telescopable in a second lifting beam and being fixed to a driving means for driving said first lifting beam to and fro in relation to and inside said second lifting beam by being displaced from a retracted position to a protruded position by said driving means, said first lifting beam and said second lifting beam being surrounded by two telescopic tubes, an outer one of said two telescopic tubes being fixed to an outer end of said first lifting beam and telescoping over an inner one of said two telescopic tubes, which extends slidingly telescopically over said first lifting beam, a coupling between said two telescopic tubes consisting of a first part at an inner end of said outer tube and a second part at an outer end of said inner tube, said two parts being engaged when said tubes are drawn apart and are disengaged when said outer tube is retracted on said inner tube, and a bearing tube attached at the outer end of said second lifting beam on which said bearing tube said inner telescopic tube slides, a length of said outer tube corresponding to about half a length of said first lifting beam and a length of said inner tube is of such a length that said inner tube supports said first lifting beam at a point which is at a distance from the outer end of the second lifting beam when the first lifting beam is in a most protruded position.