We first began hearing about hydraulic lifts in the year 1872. The installation of lifts made housing blocks highly attractive, as ground floor dwellings were the most sought after at that time. The invention of the lift completely changed real estate transactions and the purchase and sale of apartments.
Anyway, today we at General Elevadores are going to discuss hydraulic lifts in more detail. Let´s start at the beginning.
This machine first emerged to replace what were known as steam lifts at the time. In order to gain a better understanding of this concept, a hydraulic lift is defined as “a machine which is driven upwards through the injection of pressurised oil through a series of valves, from a tank to the piston, which is made up of a cylinder and a plunger designed to support the cabin”.
This type of lift is manufactured in two versions: direct or indirect drive. With direct drive lifts, for every centimeter the piston moves, the cabin will travel the same distance. However, with indirect drive models, for every centimeter the piston moves, the cab will travel twice far.
The choice between one type of lift or another will depend above all on what the machine is going to be used for. In the case of a lift to be installed in a residential building for common usage, you will need to decide on which is most suitable:
- Hydraulic lifts are equipped with a hydraulic pump coupled to an electric motor. The hydraulic power unit is mainly made up of the motor and the hydraulic system, which is normally located near the lift shaft.
- Electric lifts feature a motor with a pulley through which the cables run. As such, the cabin hangs on one side and a counterweight on the other that serves to balance the load of the cabin and thereby reduce the power of the machine.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require more information on this type of lift or on which one best suits your needs. :) We will clarify all your doubts! Being able to count on a trustworthy team for the sole purpose of making the right decision is of paramount importance.