Vacuum lift assembly

A vacuum lift assembly for lifting sheet members to an elevated position. The assembly comprises an air power cylinder vertically positioned with its piston rod projecting downwardly out of the cylinder; a mounting plate to which the mounting flange on the lower end of the cylinder of the cylinder assembly is mounted; a collar extending rigidly downwardly from the mounting plate in surrounding coaxial relation to the piston rod of the cylinder assembly; a block member secured to the lower end of the piston rod and including a bore at its lower end coacting with a vacuum cup secured to the lower end of the block member to define a vacuum cavity; and a lever extending generally vertically at one side of the block member, pivoted intermediate its upper and lower ends on the block member, carrying a seal member at its lower end for respectively opening and closing a vent passage communicating with the bore in the lower end of the block member, and a cam portion adjacent its upper end sized and configured to engage the lower end of the collar in response to upward movement of the piston rod and then guide upwardly along the inner periphery of the collar member as the block member and lever are moved nestingly into the collar member so as to move the lever to its open position against the bias of a coil spring carried by the block member and engaging the upper end of the lever.