What we think of as new has probably been done before if you take time to search for it. Google patents is the easiest way to search the USPTO content. We use patents as a time stamped proof of design activity which is of course traceable and a legal document.

Some Mobile Elevating Work Platform History

The MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) is called a number of different industry names including "Cherry Picker" "Boom lift" and "Scissor lift". There are many different types of designs intended for all the different industries that require mobile aerial working.

The machines obviously need to be mobile and take a person or people and their tools upwards to their particular required working height.

Jacob Franklin Shuford - Combination Truck

This machine from 1918 seems to meet some of the criteria of a mobile elevating work platform. An extending scissor lift mechanism supporting a work area, mounted to a vehicle.

Seagrave Truck Ladder - Homer M. Havens

This machine from 1930 is a mobile elevating work platform showing how these diverse machines can be used in different industries. Seagrave are a famous fire fighting platform supplier.

Jay M. Eitel - Telsta Corporation

Mr. Jay Eitel is the inventor of the actual "Cherry picker" as he created the below machine after using a ladder to actually pick cherries and deciding he could make the process safer and more efficient. The below is an example of his many patents.

This is another example of a post WW2 invention becoming a global product and how many different industries adopted the cherry picker product for other uses apart from fruit harvesting.

W. Edward (Ted) Thornton Trump - Giraffe Boom Lift

Mr. Ted Thornton-Trump is also referenced as the inventor of the cherry picker. He also continues the post WW2 inventor theme we have seen many times. He worked in an apple orchard so had a very similar experience to Mr. Jay Eitel.

Thornton-Trump's "Giraffe" product was towed behind a tractor but was highly successful.

Charles L. Larson - Scissor Lift

John F Parker is credited with being the inventor of the self propelled scissor lift but Mr. Larson help develop and make the scissor lift popular. We have seem the scissor mechanism used before but this was an improvement to the mechanism. The scissor lift type MEWP has saved many lives over the use of ladders or scaffolding over the last 60 years.