Ascension Protégé · Wheelchair lift
Ascension Protégé: the low-profile lift for stages and raised floors
Low profile. No pit, no ramp. 900 lb.
Up to 42 inches of rise, 900 lb, and the smallest footprint in the Ascension line. The Protégé sits on the finished floor with no pit and no ramp, keeps a low profile where sight lines matter, and comes in a portable version that rolls through a doorway. We install it, permit it, test it, and service it.
- 4 to 42 inLifting height
- 900 lbCapacity
- No pitOn the finished floor
- PortableOr fixed
Why the Protégé
What stands out
No pit, no ramp
Installed directly on the finished floor. Nothing is cut, poured, or recessed, and the platform lowers to a 4 inch entry height.
Greatest capacity in the line
900 lb, enough for a power chair and its rider, on a 36 by 54 inch platform.
Low profile
Ascension built it for stages and other places where sight lines matter. Guards and tower stay low against the stage edge.
Portable or fixed
The 5442P compresses to 33 inches wide to roll through doorways between rooms; the fixed versions bolt down with a gate or landing doors.
Hydraulic, with a hand pump
Direct-acting hydraulic drive at 5 feet per minute, with a hydraulic hand pump to lower the platform if the power is out. External battery backup is optional.
Built and shipped in the US
Described by Ascension as an ADA compliant wheelchair lift, designed, built, and shipped in the United States. Black powder coat standard; custom colors available.
Specifications
At a glance
- Lifting height
- 4 in to 42 in
- Capacity
- 900 lb
- Lift size
- 48 in W x 58 in L; required space 52 in W x 61 in L
- Platform
- 36 in W x 54 in L
- Entry
- Straight through
- Drive
- Direct-acting hydraulic, with a hydraulic hand pump for emergencies
- Speed
- 5 ft per minute
- Power
- 110/120 V, 15 A AC; external battery backup optional
- Sound
- 50 to 70 dB
- Construction
- Powder-coated steel and aluminum, high-impact thermoplastic windows; black powder coat standard, custom colors optional
- Floor
- Flat, level within 1/8 in, supporting 1,750 lb (lift plus rated load)
- Versions
- 5442P portable; 5442F fixed; 5442FG fixed with upper-landing gate; 5442FX, 5442FF, and 5442FE fixed, for landing doors or a shaftway supplied by others
- Options
- Platform lighting, external battery backup, custom paint, glass treatments, and hardware
- Warranty
- Manufacturer's warranty: 10 years drivetrain, 4 years parts, 90 days labor
Where it goes
Stages, chancels, daises, and raised floors
Indoors or outdoors, in a business, a school, or a home, the Protégé covers rises from 4 to 42 inches: a church chancel, a school cafetorium stage, a council dais, a raised dining room. It arrives fully assembled. The portable version rolls into place and needs only a 110/120 volt outlet. The fixed versions are installed by our crew in 1 to 5 days depending on site conditions and type choices, and take an upper-landing gate (5442FG) or work with landing doors or a shaftway supplied by the building (5442FX, FF, and FE). For a commercial building we prepare the state permit before the order, give the owner one checklist of what the building provides, and perform the witnessed test after installation. We installed a Protégé at Heart Ministries in Harrisburg so the platform at the front of the sanctuary is open to everyone.
Rises over 42 inches go to the Virtuoso; an enclosed entrance lift up to 14 feet is the Clarity. All three are compared on Ascension wheelchair lifts, and the code and permit process for churches, schools, and businesses is on commercial wheelchair lifts.
Manufacturer photos
Ascension Protégé
Our own Harrisburg install is in the hero above. These two are Ascension's photos of the fixed version with its gate and of a Protégé at a stage.
Protégé 5442FG · Manufacturer photo 
Protégé at a stage · Manufacturer photo
Protégé documents
Ascension's brochure, product sheet, comparison table, and architectural drawings for the Protégé, hosted here so the links keep working.
Each one opens in a new tab or downloads, depending on your phone or computer.
Straight answers
Questions we hear every week
Does the Protégé need a pit or a ramp?
No. It sits on the finished floor with no excavation and no recessed pit, and the platform lowers to a 4 inch entry height, so there is no access ramp either. That is why it is the usual answer for a chancel, a stage, or a raised floor where nobody wants to cut into the structure.
What does the floor need to be?
Flat, level within 1/8 inch, and able to carry the lift plus its rated load, 1,750 lb in total. A wood stage floor or a concrete slab in good condition is normally fine. We check it at the site visit.
Can one lift serve more than one room?
Yes, with the portable 5442P. It compresses to 33 inches wide to roll through a standard doorway, and the casters store in the machine cabinet when it is in use. Schools and churches with more than one stage use it this way.
Who handles the permit?
We do. Commercial lifts in PA and all lifts in MD need a state permit before installation and an inspection after. We prepare and file it before the order and list it on your written quote.
What is the warranty?
Ascension's manufacturer's warranty covers the drivetrain for 10 years, parts for 4 years, and labor for 90 days. The purchaser holds the warranty, and we are the local point of contact for service.
Our own installs
Platform lifts we have installed.
Our own work, by town only.
Free in-home consultation
Need a lift for a stage, a chancel, or a raised floor?
Call and tell us the rise, where it sits, and what the building is used for. We will come measure and send a written quote, with the state permit handled, within 24 hours, including weekends.