Stairlift with separate handle or suspended seat

摘要

Two stairlifts are disclosed. The first 10 includes two carriages 13, 14 mounted for independent movement up and down respective rails 11, 12 by means of a motorised winch 16, 17 winding onto at least one drum 15 first and second flexible members 18, 19 connected to the carriages 13, 14, with a folding handle 22 mounted to one of the carriages 14, and a folding seat or platform 23 to the other of the carriages 13. The upper rail 12 may be used as a handrail. The second stairlift includes a rail (11 fig 2) with curved portions, a plurality of carriages 13 resiliently connected to form an articulated train movable along the rail, a drive mechanism to drive the carriages 13 along the rail and a suspension structure 48, 49 connecting the carriages 13 to a pivoting suspension member (50 fig. 4) upon which is supported a seat 123. The resilient connection between the carriages may be a helical spring (52 fig. 5) received in an aperture in each carriage 13. The suspension structure may include two elongate members 48, 49 pivotally connected to one another at one end and pivotally connected to respective carriages 13 at the other end.