Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-23
2003-04-08
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06543985
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable to this application.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable to this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle loading ramps and more specifically it relates to a snowmobile loading system for conveniently loading and unloading a snowmobile onto a trailer or pickup.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trailers for snowmobiles and similar vehicles have been in use for years. There are various styles of trailers utilized and numerous methods of loading a snowmobile upon the trailer. For example, some snowmobile trailers pivot about the axle thereof for allowing the user to directly drive the snowmobile upon the trailer without the usage of a loading ramp. However, these types of trailers are difficult to maneuver the snowmobile upon since the wear blades beneath the skis often times catch upon the wooden platform making it difficult to load or unload the snowmobile from the trailer.
Other types of trailers require the usage of a loading ramp to the main platform of the trailer. It is sometimes difficult to drive the snowmobile upon the loading ramp. It is also sometimes difficult to maneuver the snowmobile upon the main platform of the trailer which is typically constructed of wood since the wear blades beneath the skis often times catch upon thereof.
A further type of trailer is simply the usage of a bed of a pickup or similar vehicle to receive the snowmobile. Again, ramps or other structures are required to load the snowmobile upon the pickup. Sometimes several individuals will attempt to physically lift the snowmobile into the bed of the pickup.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for conveniently loading and unloading a snowmobile onto a trailer or pickup. Conventional trailers are difficult to load and unload a snowmobile from thereof often times requiring more than one person to assist with the loading and unloading of a snowmobile.
In these respects, the snowmobile loading system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of conveniently loading and unloading a snowmobile onto a trailer or pickup.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of snowmobiles now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new snowmobile loading system construction wherein the same can be utilized for conveniently loading and unloading a snowmobile onto a trailer or pickup.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new snowmobile loading system that has many of the advantages of the snowmobile trailers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new snowmobile loading system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art trailers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an elongate frame, a plurality of rollers rotatably positioned within the elongate frame traverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongate frame, a locking plate positioned within the elongate frame, a spring for applying a force upon the locking plate, and a locking pin selectively extendible within an aperture within the elongate frame for retaining the locking plate in a closed position. When an individual desires to load a snowmobile upon a bed of a trailer or vehicle, the user positions each ski with respect to a corresponding loading ramp and then drives the snowmobile forwardly wherein the skis movably engage the rollers When the ski engages the locking plate, the locking plate is pivoted downwardly thereby compressing the spring. When the ski passes over the locking plate the spring forces the flocking plate upwardly to prevent the ski and snowmobile from accidentally falling rearwardly. To unload the snowmobile, the user lowers the locking plate and secures with the locking pin thereby allowing the snowmobile to be withdrawn from the trailer or vehicle.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a snowmobile loading system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a snowmobile loading system for conveniently loading and unloading a snowmobile onto a trailer or pickup.
Another object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that does not require the assistance of another individual during the loading and unloading of a snowmobile.
An additional object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that reduces the required physical assertion by an individual loading or unloading a snowmobile.
A further object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that reduces the amount of time required to load and unload a snowmobile.
Another object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that fits upon various sizes and types of trailers and vehicles.
A further object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that reduces wearing upon a snowmobile trailer.
Another object is to provide a snowmobile loading system that reduces the wearing upon the wear blades of a snowmobile ski.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the, drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3687314 (1972-08-01), Haugland
patent: 5622299 (1997-04-01), Berard
patent: 5853281 (1998-12-01), Farmer
patent: 6089816 (2000-07-01), Christ
Harstad Konnie K.
Harstad Stanley A.
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