Top Hat LIFT SYSTEM completed. Allows easy trash can removal for emptying

[about2]

My Top Hat lift system.

I have included pics of my design and while rather crude and very unattractive it is fully functional.   I designed it to have a 2 ? inch ?throw?, plenty of room to raise the Top Hat and slide out the trash can.

The first pic shows my dust collector on a stand with the Top Hat below and sitting on the Brute trash can.   It is hard to see but there is a center vertical two piece column in the middle front and a two piece vertical column set back several inches on both sides.  These column?s have 10 inch drawer slides mounted in between the two vertical pieces. 

The second pic shows the heart of the lift, a two inch long x ? inch coupler nut that is captive inside the two vertical plywood pieces.  You can see some of the ? inch all thread rod at the bottom of the coupler.  This rod exits at the top as seen in the third pic.  There are two ? inch nuts, one visible and the two nuts were tightened together.

The fourth pic shows a quick socket wrench over the top nut.  The yellow box on the left is the remote control.  Turning the quick wrench raises and lowers the Top Hat.  Picture 5 shows the Top Hat fully lowered.  Pic 6 shows the Top Hat fully raised.

Pic 7 shows the Top Hat about two inches above the trash can.  I can simply pull the trash can out from under the top hat, I love it :-)

The front threaded rod/coupler design was placed toward the front of my Top Hat because of the inlet which is a heavy addition.  I tried to find a good balance point and placement for the two drawer slide vertical slides, one each side.  Before testing I decided the rear of the Top Hat may need a little help so it does not sag when the lift is applied.  I had a couple springs so I attached them to the rear and secured them above on a 2x4 beam.  They are not pictured but I believe they do help keep the Top Hat level when it is lifted.  The springs are not strong enough to prevent the Top Hat from dropping back down onto the trash can. 

I did all of this without written plans.  I just figured out what I wanted to do and implemented the design but not without some problems as is typical of my builds ☺  The thing that impresses me is that it actually works.  Now onto some duct work. 

I hope this idea is useful.

Regards,

Doug Olsen

[phil (admin)]

Very impressive bit of engineering!!!