Vehicle cargo lift

Details Vehicle cargo lift Vehicle cargo lift

2000-03-27

2001-05-22

Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)

Material or article handling

Self-loading or unloading vehicles

Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means, and...

C414S529000, C414S460000, C254S00200C, C187S254000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234740

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an attachment which can be fitted to an existing vehicle, either powered or non powered, or a vehicle chassis, said attachment having a tray which is adapted to be raised and lowered from a transport position to a ground engaging loading position.
Standard vehicles such as vans and trucks have been used for the transportation of cargo. However, because of the height of the tray or bed above the ground, loading, unloading and positioning of cargo can be difficult, especially with heavy objects.
Forklifts and ramps have been used. But these have their disadvantages such as costs and availability at sites.
Attempts have been made to overcome these problems by providing a modified U-shaped chassis with the rear wheels attached by means of stub axles, and an adjustable tray connected by parallelogram linkages between the arms of the chassis, to be raised and lowered between a ground engaging loading position and a raised transport position. Further attempts have used a modified U-shaped chassis with the rear wheels attached by means of stub axles, and a tilting tray connected between the arms of the chassis.
These attempts require an completely modified chassis with the resultant costs. With some vehicles and usage such an expense cannot be justified.
Other attempts to overcome this problem involve the use of lifting tailgates. However these are not always suitable because of the method of attachment and the operation of the tailgate external of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to ameliorate these problems by providing a vehicle cargo lift comprising:
a bed having posts parallel to each other extending from said bed;
a support frame adapted to be connected to a vehicle, said support frame comprising two opposed side frames forming a well therebetween to accommodate the bed;
at least one elongated member located in each side frame; and
drive means to move said bed between a raised transport position, and a ground engaging loading position such that the bed retains substantially the same orientation throughout its movement between said transport position and said loading position, with said elongated members being telescopically engaged with respective posts of the bed.
In another form the invention comprises a combined tray and vehicle cargo lift for fitting to the chassis of a vehicle behind the cab, comprising:
a tray adapted to be fitted onto a standard chassis of a vehicle;
a support frame; having a front frame, two opposed side frames and a roof frame; extending over the tray;
a bed having posts parallel to each other extending from said bed;
a rear portion of the frame having a well formed therebetween, so as to accommodate the bed;
at least one elongated member extending from each side frame of the rear portion of the frame; and
drive means to move said bed between a raised transport position and a ground engaging loading position such that the bed retains substantially the same orientation throughout its movement between said transport position and said loading position, with said elongated members being telescopically engaged with respective posts of the bed.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3266646 (1966-08-01), Byrne et al.
patent: 3870126 (1975-03-01), Himes
patent: 3887092 (1975-06-01), Leet
patent: 4081091 (1978-03-01), Thorley
patent: 4930969 (1990-06-01), Langer
patent: 5176486 (1993-01-01), Park
patent: 5630693 (1997-05-01), Sobina
patent: 41468/72 (1971-04-01), None
patent: 0132561 (1978-10-01), None
patent: 2299791 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 0074739 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 8800538 (1988-01-01), None
patent: PCT/GB97/02474 (1997-09-01), None

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