U.S. patent application number 09/741250 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-27 for loading and unloading device transporting vehicles.
Invention is credited to Jenkins, John M., Wilson, Edward.
Application Number | 20020081170 09/741250 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24979951 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020081170 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jenkins, John M. ; et
al. |
June 27, 2002 |
Loading and unloading device transporting vehicles
Abstract
A loading and unloading device for transporting vehicles with
the use of a truck which is movably and releasably secured to the
bed of the truck. The device has a movable vehicle receiving floor
with forward and rearward legs pivotally secured to the bed so that
the receiving floor can be displaced forwardly and upwardly to lift
and carry a vehicle at a height sufficient to permit the placement
of another vehicle on the truck bed and beneath the floor. A power
cylinder, preferably one or more hydraulic cylinders, is used to
selectively raise the receiving floor and carried vehicle upwardly
and forwardly of the bed so that the weight of the car is more
evenly distributed over the truck. The elevated vehicle is
positioned more near the front wheels and axle of the truck to
enable better truck handling and control. The configuration of the
receiving floor, the truck bed and the pivotally secured legs
always forms a parallelogram so that the vehicle being raised is
substantially level at all times. The device does not interfere
with the towing of a third automobile thus enabling the
transportation by a single vehicle of three other vehicles such as
automobiles.
Inventors: |
Jenkins, John M.; (Brown
Summit, NC) ; Wilson, Edward; (US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Charles Y. Lackey
Post Office Box 5871
Winston-Salem
NC
27113-5871
US
|
Family ID: |
24979951 |
Appl. No.: |
09/741250 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
410/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60P 3/08 20130101; B60P
3/122 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
410/4 |
International
Class: |
B60P 003/06 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A loading and unloading device for transporting vehicles with
the use of a truck comprising: a roll back bed having a front and
rear end for movable attachment to the truck; a movable vehicle
receiving floor positioned substantially parallel to and pivotally
secured to the bed; and means pivotally secured to the bed and the
floor for displacing the floor upwardly and downwardly while
maintaining the floor substantially parallel to the bed.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, the floor displacing means
having forward support legs proximate the bed front end and
rearward support legs positioned substantially midway between the
bed front end and the bed rear end.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2 further including power
cylinder means operably connected to the bed and the floor to
selectively displace the floor to the raised and lowered
positions.
4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the power cylinder
means are one or more power cylinder connected to the floor forward
support legs.
5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the floor displacing means as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions, is a
parallelogram.
6. The device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the support legs, as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions, is a
parallelogram.
7. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the support members, as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions is a
parallelogram.
8. The device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the support members, as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions, is a
parallelogram.
9. A device for loading, transporting and unloading vehicles such
as automobiles on a truck bed, the device comprising: a frame
secured to the truck bed, the bed having front and rear ends and
being movably attached to the truck; a movable vehicle-receiving
floor positioned substantially parallel to and pivotally secured to
the bed; and means pivotally secured to the bed and the floor for
displacing the floor upwardly, forwardly and downwardly
substantially parallel to the bed to the raised and lowered
positions, the floor being positioned in the raised position
partially forwardly of the bed front end and to a height sufficient
to accommodate the placement of a vehicle on the bed beneath the
floor.
10. The device as claimed in claim 9, the floor displacing means
having forward support members proximate the bed front end and
rearward support legs substantially midway between the bed front
end and the bed rear end.
11. The device as claimed in claim 10 further including power
cylinder means operably connected to the bed and the floor to
selectively displace the floor to the raised and lowered
positions.
12. The device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the power cylinder
means are one or more power cylinders connected to the forward
support legs.
13. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the floor displacing means, as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions, is a
parallelogram.
14. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the configuration of
the floor, the bed and the support legs, as the floor is
selectively displaced to the raised and lowered positions, is a
parallelogram.
15. A device for loading, transporting and unloading vehicles such
as automobiles on the bed of a truck comprising: an automobile
receiving floor movably secured to the bed, the bed being movably
attached to the truck; means pivotally secured to the bed and the
floor for displacing the floor upwardly, downwardly and
substantially parallel to the bed to the raised and lowered
positions, the floor being positioned in the raised position
partially forwardly of the bed front end and to a height sufficient
to accommodate the placement of a vehicle on the bed beneath the
floor.
16. A loading a unloading device for transporting vehicles with the
use of a truck comprising: a roll back bed having a front and rear
end movably attached to the truck for displacement from the truck
from and inactive truck mounted position to an active truck
dismounted position; a movable vehicle-receiving floor positioned
substantially parallel to and movably secured to the bed; a pair of
forward support legs and a pair of rearward support legs all
pivotally secured to the bed and the floor for displacing the floor
upwardly and downwardly substantially parallel to the bed to the
raised and lowered position; power cylinders attached to the
forward support legs and the floor to selectively displace the
floor to the raised and lowered position; and floor height
adjusting means formed in the rearward support legs including pin
and aperture selective adjustment members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
automobile transport devices and vehicles, and more particularly,
but not by way of limitation, to a loading and unloading device for
transporting vehicles with the use of a truck wherein up to three
vehicles can be transported by a single truck.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The prior art is replete with vehicles and trailers for
transporting various types of vehicles ranging from single
automobile carrying vehicles to multiple carrying vehicles usually
associated with the transportation of new automobiles that utilize
specially constructed trailers to hold up to ten vehicles.
[0005] For smaller trucks to transport automobiles for any
distance, only two vehicles can usually be transported. One may be
positioned on the bed of the truck and the other towed or
trailered.
[0006] Some multi-unit devices have been developed so that more
than one vehicle can be accommodated in a single storage area. See
for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,317 disclosing a trailer for
transporting and storing recreational vehicles. Note FIGS. 9-12
showing the placement of one vehicle on a movable upper rack that,
when stored, permits one or more additional units to be placed
beneath it.
[0007] Automobile transportation for more than nominal distances is
an important business today, and it is most desirable that as many
automobiles as possible be moved during a single delivery. It is to
this particular need that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A loading, transporting and unloading device for vehicles
such as automobiles in association preferably with a hydraulic roll
back truck is provided by this invention. The device includes a
receiving floor having pivotally secured front and rearward legs
for movable and releasable attachment to the bed of the truck of a
size suitable to accommodate at least one automobile on the floor
in the transport condition. The floor is connected to a
conventional roll back truck by the legs so it can rest upon the
truck bed in the inactive condition and lie substantially parallel
thereto. Forward supporting legs and rearward supporting legs are
pivotally secured to the truck bed and the receiving floor, and
suitable cylinder means engages the bed and forward legs to
displace the floor upwardly and forwardly to the raised position.
Power cylinders of the hydraulic type are quite suitable for use in
this floor raising structure. The floor when raised moves upwardly
and partially forwardly of the bed front end to a height sufficient
to accommodate the placement of a vehicle on the ramp beneath the
floor. An automobile to be carried by the floor is placed on the
floor while it is in the lowered condition and the truck bed is in
the inclined or roll back position. When the floor is moved
upwardly and forwardly by the hydraulic cylinders, the weight of
the car is placed substantially along the forward end of the truck
near the front axle so that secure truck control is accomplished by
the weight distribution. The configuration of the bed, floor, and
support legs at all times during raising, transporting and lowering
is a parallelogram. This configuration ensures substantially level
positioning of the floor-carried vehicle at all times except when
it is being loaded or unloaded.
[0009] From the foregoing summary, it can be seen that an objective
of the present invention is to provide a loading, transporting and
unloading device for motor vehicles that has all of the advantages
of prior art devices and more and none of the disadvantages.
[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
device of the type described that will maximize the number of
automobiles transported by a single vehicle of moderate size.
[0011] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a device of the type described that will more evenly distribute the
weight of the carried load over the chassis of the truck.
[0012] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a device of the type described that will enable the separate
construction of the device remote from the carrying truck that can
be thereafter installed, replaced or removed for repairs.
[0013] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a
device of the type described that is dramatically less expensive to
produce than other multiple vehicle carrying trucks.
[0014] The summary and objectives focus on the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
that follows may be better understood and that the present
contribution to the art may be better appreciate. There are, of
course, additional features of the invention that will be described
hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims
appended hereto. It is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the details of construction and to the arrangement of
the components set forth in the following description and
illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various
ways.
[0015] It is also to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in
the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure
is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other
structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several
purposes of this development. It is also to be understood that the
abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the
application, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its
scope in any way.
[0016] This summary and the objects of the invention set forth
above, along with the various features which characterize the
invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to
and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding
of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results
obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following
detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts
throughout the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle loading,
transporting and unloading device made in accordance with the
present invention showing the vehicle-receiving floor in the raised
condition;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a side elevational and perspective view of the
device of the present invention installed on a truck and associated
with three automobiles to be transported;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of the present
invention in association with the truck wherein the truck bed has
been rolled back and the receiving floor positioned to accommodate
the placement of an automobile thereon;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device of the present
invention with the receiving floor shown in a partially raised
condition;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the device of
the present invention with the receiving floor shown in the raised
condition without cargo;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device of the present
invention showing the construction of the forward and rearward
support legs and receiving floor in the inactive or lowered
position;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective and fragmentary view of the forward
support legs of the device removed from the truck and secured to
the receiving floor;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the support
structure carrying the receiving floor which is mounted on the bed
of the truck including vehicle stop members positioned thereon;
[0025] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of one of the forward legs and
an associated cylinder shown in FIG. 7;
[0026] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the forward legs positioned
on the truck bed in the lowered position; and
[0027] FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the receiving floor
positioned on the truck bed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a
loading, transporting and unloading device shown generally as lo is
secured to a slidable roll back bed 12 of a conventional hydraulic
roll back truck 14. A supporting frame 16 (FIG. 8) rests on bed 12
of truck 14 and provides the support for receiving floor 20 and the
associated structure subsequently to be described. Wheel engaging
members 18 are adjustably secured to the front end of frame 16 as
shown in FIG. 8.
[0029] Automobile-receiving floor 20 is shown in the raised
position in FIG. 1, the floor being movably connected to bed 12 by
forward and rearward support legs 22, 24. Members 22, 24 are
pivotally connected to both bed 12 and floor 20 and are
substantially of the same length so that their configuration during
movement of floor 20 with respect to bed 12 will always result
(when viewing legs 22, 24, bed 12 and floor 24 from the side of the
truck) in a parallelogram. Maintaining this configuration
throughout any movement keeps floor 20 substantially parallel with
ramp 12 and level to insure carried vehicle stabilization.
[0030] Displacement of floor 20 is accomplished by power cylinders
26, one associated with each of the forward support legs 22. The
engagement of cylinders 26 with legs 22 is best shown in FIG. 5
with one end 28 secured to truck bed 12 and the other end 32
secured to the angular protrusion 34 of the precisely designed
forward support legs 22. When cylinders 26 are extended, forward
support legs 22 and floor 20 are raised from their position
adjacent bed 12 upwardly and forwardly (see partially raised
position in FIG. 4) to the fully raised position as shown in FIGS.
1 and 5.
[0031] As noted in FIG. 2, when floor 20 is loaded and elevated to
the raised position, the vehicle weight carried by floor 20 is
moved forwardly along the truck toward the front axle. This
movement helps to evenly distribute the weight of the load over the
vehicle and provides essential front end weight to give more
maneuverability and stability to the truck.
[0032] In loading truck 14 to full capacity, bed 12 is displaced
rearwardly and inclined downwardly as shown in FIG. 3. Floor 20 is
in the lowered position adjacent bed 12. An automobile to be
transported 36 is preferably winched up bed 12 and positioned on
floor 20 as shown. There it is secured against movement, and floor
20 and carried automobile 36 are elevated by actuation of power
pistons 26. Automobile 36 is raised while bed 12 is in the roll
back or ground engaging condition.
[0033] Once vehicle 36 is secured and elevated to the raised
position, a second vehicle 38 is placed on bed 12 beneath floor 20
and carried vehicle 36. There it is secured against movement and
made ready for transport. As noted in FIG. 2, a third vehicle 40
can then be connected through a hitch mechanism 42 of conventional
construction and towed by truck 14 thereby enabling the transport
of three separate vehicles by one truck of the size and type
described and shown.
[0034] The convenience of device 10 is that it can use hydraulic
cylinders which, with the use of a switch valve, can be tied into
the existing hydraulic system of the truck. The design of the
device takes into account the space needed between bed 12 and floor
20 to accommodate the height of an automobile to be transported and
yet enables the control of that height to accommodate all safety
requirements needed for vehicle clearances and the like. For
example, rearward support legs 24 can be height adjusted by
removable pin 46 so that the tubular insert portion 48 can be moved
within exterior portion 50 to select different heights of legs 24
and associated floor 20 by choosing a different aperture 52 to
reinsert pin 46.
[0035] While various components such as forward and rearward
support legs 22, 24 and pistons 26 are sized sufficiently to
withstand considerably more weight than will ever be carried,
additional strengthening structures are provided by the placement
of upstanding power struts 54 positioned to protect the cab of the
truck in the event something should occur and the floor 20 or legs
22, 24 should fail.
[0036] The size of the truck used to accommodate the present
invention can vary, but a minimum of 19 feet for a rollback truck
suitable for the present invention is desirable. In the event
something longer than the minimum length truck is used, it is
possible that two smaller cars can be accommodated for travel
directly on bed 12 and under floor 20 thus enabling the total
transportation of four vehicles by a single truck.
[0037] From the proceeding description, it can be seen that a
loading, transporting and unloading device for vehicles with the
use of a truck has been provided that will meet all of the
advantages of prior art devices and offer additional advantages not
heretofore available. With respect to the foregoing invention, the
optimum dimensional relationship to the parts of the invention
including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and
manner of operation, use and assembly are deemed readily apparent
to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are
intended to be encompassed herein.
[0038] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and it is not
intended to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described. All suitable modifications and
equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims are
deemed within the present inventive concept.
* * * * *