Patent attributes
A manual storage lift system for efficiently hoisting articles to a raised position for providing temporary or permanent storage for the articles. The manual storage lift system generally includes a drive unit including a mounting plate mounted on a vertical surface, a shaft rotatably connected to the mounting plate, a spool coaxially positioned along the shaft, wherein the spool rotates independently of the shaft, at least one elongated member wound upon the spool, a hand crank connected to the shaft for winding or unwinding the at least one elongated member upon the spool and a brake assembly mounted to the drive unit, wherein the brake assembly includes a torsion spring. A first force applied with the hand crank in a rotational direction upon the torsion spring lessens a tension of the torsion spring allowing the torsion spring and the spool to rotate. A second force applied with the spool in the rotational direction upon the torsion spring increases a tension of the torsion spring preventing the torsion spring and the spool from rotating. The elongated members connect to a platform through a series of pulleys mounted on an overhead horizontal surface to raise and lower the platform through operation of the hand crank.