Vertical Mast Man Lift

On self-propelled vertical mast lifts (e.g., personnel lifts used in industrial and maintenance environments), pothole protection is a safety feature that prevents the platform from being elevated over uneven surfaces, depressions, or openings that could cause instability or tipping.
1. Purpose of Pothole Protection
Pothole protection is designed to:
Prevent the vertical mast lift from being raised when wheels/outriggers are positioned over a drop, hole, or depression in the floor.
Ensure all wheels and support points are on firm, continuous ground before elevation.
Reduce risk of overturning due to loss of support.
This is especially important for vertical mast lifts, which are narrow and have a higher center of gravity when extended.
2. Core Components
A typical implementation uses one or more of these systems:
Mechanical Ground Contact Sensors
Spring-loaded pads or rollers mounted near the wheels or on outriggers.
They extend below the wheels and must be in contact with the ground for the lift to be operable.
If a wheel approaches a depression, the pad retracts or loses contact → signal sent to lock elevation.
How it works (mechanically):
A mechanical linkage (rod, lever arm) is actuated by ground contact.
If the linkage isn't fully deployed (no ground), it blocks the elevation circuit (interlocks).
Electrical/Proximity Sensing Switches
Mounted on the same pads/arms near each wheel.
Use microswitches or proximity sensors to detect if the pad is not flush with the surface.
When any pad lifts away (indicating a hole), the switch opens → elevation command inhibited.

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