Automotive chassis

Claim 2

In an automotive chassis of the type embodying a pair of longitudinally extending beams and a plurality of transverse members interconnecting said beams, the improvement comprising: a. reduced cross section transverse members abuttingly supported at either end upon said beams; b. a pair of longitudinal guide channels supported above and upon said cross members, such that the combined height of said cross members and said guide channels is less than the height of said beams; and c. a ramp having a wheeled member at one end engaging said guide channels and slidably supported on said cross members, so as to be extensible from one end of said chassis.

Claim 3

An automotive chassis as in claim 1, said pair of channels being downwardly inclined at their forward end, so as to support a front transverse member above the automotive differential and drive shaft.

Claim 4

An automotive chassis as in claim 1: said front transverse member including at each end; i. a bottom plate secured to the bottom of said longitudinal channels and extending beneath and on either side of said transverse member; ii. a gusset member secured to the vertically upstanding web of said longitudinal channel and extending on either side and above said front transverse member; a middle transverse member including at each end; i. a pair of plates secured to the bottom of said channel and extending on either side of said middle transverse member; ii. a gusset member secured to the web of said longitudinal channels and extending through said plates and above said middle transverse member; and a rear transverse member resting upon the bottom of said longitudinally extending channels and including at each end; i. a gusset member secured to the web of said channels and extending on top of the rear transverse member ends and on the sides thereof.

Claim 5

An automotive chassis as in claim 3, said front transverse member plates being downwardly and outwardly inclined so as to support said transverse member above the level of said longitudinal channel bottoms and above the differential of said automotive vehicle.

Claim 6

An automotive chassis as in claim 4, wherein: said ramp has a wheeled yoke pivoted to its front end such that the wheels of said yoke engage said guide channels so as to be extensible from the rear of said chassis, the ramp when extended being pivotable downwardly with respect to said yoke and said guide channels.

Claim 7

An automotive chassis as in claim 5, including a pair of extension channel secured to the rear end of said longitudinal channels so as to extend the length of said channels and said rear transverse member being supported at its ends upon said extension channels.

Claim 8

An automotive chassis as in claim 6, including: a pivoted ramp locking member and a ball socket assembly supported at the end of said extension members.

Claim 9

An automotive chassis as in claim 7, including: a pair of wheeled members supported in said extension channels, so as to rotatably engage the underside of said ramp while being extended through the rear of said chassis.