On a basic level, platform lifts connect floors of a home or building, but the movement and propulsion mechanisms vary. Rotation, through a screw drive, can move a platform up a level; through our product selection, Apex Green lifts incorporate a screw drive. With the platform atop a large nut, a motor powers the screw drive to wind up or down. A hydraulic drive is a second option. Unlike hydraulic elevators, however, platform lifts with this mechanism require neither machine room nor pit, but the operation is identical. For the platform to move up to a level, fluid streams from a reservoir into a piston. To go down, the system pushes the fluid back into the reservoir.

Traveling up to a landing or moving back down, a vertical platform lift can go 14 feet above the ground. Smaller systems – those just extending six feet – have no walls surrounding the platform; lifts beyond this point are required to have this type of enclosure. Made out of acrylic and metal, the enclosure is accessed through a full-height door at the base and a gate or door on top. For safety, doors are flush with the inner enclosure wall and secured with an inner lock. As falls are a concern, the doors stay closed until the platform is level with the landing.

Landings cannot be installed through every floor or near every door. Inclined platform lifts, instead, create the connection between two floors. Also referred to as a platform stair lift, this system runs alongside a staircase, either straight or curved. Sold as a Delta or Omega model, these inclined platform lifts run on battery power, holding strong through a power outage and charging at either end of the system. Safety sensors for detecting harmful obstructions, emergency buttons, and folding platforms round out the features. As not all stairways are straight but accessibility is essential regardless, Apex develops custom platform stair lifts that align precisely with the shapes, curves, angles, and unique features.

Platform lifts are an asset in more ways than one. For expanding accessibility or offering an alternative to a tortuous ramp, and pleasing your customers and workers in the process, learn more about all Apex Wheelchair Lifts products and quickly get a project quote with our online form.