Where I work, we bought several of the platforms and scissor sets that would produce the level change we needed. The hydraulics were provided by a dedicated electric pump and tank system. Everything is enclosed in cagework so you can't get in to the scissor system with the power on. Instead of bolting the scissor system to the top of a carriage and drive unit, we just bolted it to the shop floor.
Craig C. snipped-for-privacy@ev1.net
LOL!
I'd use something that incorporates a "Weston brake". They're found on boatlifts and chainhoists, among other things. It's a device that prevents a load from falling if the handwheel, chain, motor or whatever stops. On a boatlift, you must wind the load down as well as up. If you let go of the handwheel, it just stops where it is. That's no insurance against cable or structural breakage, so those parts would need to have ample safety factor and perhaps some redundancy in the design.
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