Stertil Koni, a UK based manufacturer and supplier of heavy duty commercial vehicle lifts, has been awarded a European patent for its Skylift. Offering three models with capacities of 20, 25 and 35 tonnes, the Skylift is a revolutionary space-saving vertical platform lift.
Designed without cross beams, the Skylift can be installed to a width compatible with a customer’s needs and within space limitations of the workshop. This is aided by the Skylift’s vertical lifting and lowering movement which, unlike a parallelogram lift, means there are no obtrusive overhangs.
Easily installed, moved and maintained, the Skylift succeeds in terms of efficiency, versatility and safety. Varying platform lengths accommodate any vehicle from tractors to articulated bendibuses, whilst remaining unobstructed from all sides and giving unrivalled access to the underside of raised vehicles. Significantly, all models can be installed either recessed or surface mounted. A fully galvanised model has also been designed specifically for use in wash bays and chassis wash facilities.
The Skylift can be used in tandem, linking two lifts in a line to provide a total lifting capacity up to 70 tonnes. The user can operate the two lifts as a synchronised pair or operate both lifts independently. This is especially necessary when lifting articulated buses, trucks and semi-trailers or vehicles with an uneven weight distribution, such as a truck and crane combination.
The patent has been issued by the European Patent Office in recognition of the design of the Skylift. One element of the design is a Y-shaped construction that supports the lift’s base plates thereby ensuring that load forces are distributed as effectively as possible. By contrast, conventionally built platform lifts often incorporate diverse assembly elements individually welded to the underside of the carrier which can cause issues with alignment due to the high vertical and horizontal forces.
The design of the Skylift offers many benefits including unobstructed freedom of movement for engineers working under the platform and ease of operation via a compact control box that incorporates a self-diagnostics system. Also, total safety is assured by the lift’s independent mechanical locking system supported by an integral overload mechanism.
Tony Edge, general manager of Stertil Koni, said, “Our products are constantly evolving to ensure the highest quality vehicle lifting equipment is available to our customers. Receiving this patent for our Skylift is the ultimate confirmation of our commitment to designing and manufacturing a range of safe, reliable and innovative lifts that continue to set new standards throughout the industry.”
