Road vehicle having a below-bed storage compartment for a lift truck

Claim 2

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, a cargo carrying bed, a structural frame for said bed extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of a lift truck of a type having a lift tower at an end thereof, provided for loading and unloading cargo onto and off from said bed, frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, with said bed, said frame means and said runway means together defining a compartment large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, said compartment being positioned to support said lift truck with its lift tower generally at a peripheral portion of the bed above said compartment, said frame means being structurally connected to and depending from said structural frame, and means for retaining the lift truck in a transport position within said compartment with its lift tower generally at said peripheral position of the bed above said compartment.

Claim 3

A road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising front and rear wheel assemblies, wherein said lift truck carrier is located between said front and rear wheel assemblies and the compartment is open on a side of the road vehicle for loading and unloading of said lift truck.

Claim 4

A road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising ramp means connectible to said carrier to establish a driveway for the lift truck so that it can be wheeled into and out from said compartment, said ramp means including a detachable connection between it and said carrier so that the ramp means can be removed in preparation for movement of the road vehicle.

Claim 5

A road vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising ramp means for establishing a driveway for the lift truck so that it can be wheeled into and out from said compartment, and a loading assist means on said vehicle, connectible to said lift truck and operable to apply a force on said lift truck tending to move it up the ramp and into the compartment.

Claim 6

A road vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said assist means comprises a tow line connectible to the lift truck and in use extending therefrom rearwardly through said carrier compartment, and means including a winch secured to said vehicle for exerting a pull on said tow line, so that the lift truck is in turn pulled by said line into the compartment.

Claim 7

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels a cargo carrying bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of a lift truck provided for loading and unloading cargo onto and off from said bed, and frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accomodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, said bed being recessed above said compartment, and said recess being sized to receive and accommodate a lift tower, whereby a lift truck of a type having a vertically elongated lift tower at an end thereof can be carried in said carrier.

Claim 8

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels a cargo carrying bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of a lift truck provided for loading and unloading cargo onto and off from said bed, and frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accomodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, said bed being recessed above said compartment, and said recess being sized to receive and accommodate a lift tower, whereby a lift truck of a type having a vertically elongated lift tower at an end thereof can be carried in said carrier.

Claim 9

A road vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a gate interconnectible between portions of said bed on opposite sides of said recess, to span the recess and retain the lift tower in said recess.

Claim 10

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, a cargo carrying bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of a lift truck provided for loading and unloading cargo onto and off from said bed, and frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accomodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, said carrier compartment extending transversely of said cargo bed, and said vehicle comprising at least one longitudinal beam underlying and supporting said cargo bed, said beam being of reduced depth in the region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, to provide clearance for an upper portion of the lift truck, and supplementary structure support means for said bed including said frame means and said runway means extending from a portion of said beam forwardly of the carrier compartment downwardly and under said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of said beam rearwardly of said compartment.

Claim 11

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, a cargo carrying bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of a lift truck provided for loading and unloading cargo onto and off from said bed, and frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accomodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, said carrier compartment extending transversely of said cargo bed, and said vehicle comprising at least one longitudinal beam underlying and supporting said cargo bed, said beam being of reduced depth in the region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, to provide clearance for an upper portion of the lift truck, and supplementary structure support means for said bed including said frame means and said runway means extending from a portion of said beam forwardly of the carrier compartment downwardly and under said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of said beam rearwardly of said compartment.

Claim 12

A road vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said supplementary structure support means comprises angle brace members interconnected to a lower portion of the compartment defining frame means upwardly to portions of the longitudinal beams located forwardly and rearwardly of the compartment.

Claim 13

A road vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said beam includes a vertical web portion and a horizontal upper flange portion, wherein said vehicle includes a plurality of cross beams, and wherein individual openings are cut through said web substantially immediately below said flange for receiving said cross beams.

Claim 14

A road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said cross beams each has an upper flange and a vertical web, and the opening in the web of the longitudinal beam substantially matches the cross section of the cross beams.

Claim 15

A road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed and a cargo carrying compartment below said bed, at least one beam extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, said beam being of a reduced depth in he region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, so as to increase the depth of said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including side and bottom frame means for said compartment, extending from a portion of said beam forwardly of the compartment, then downwardly and below said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of the beam rearwardly of said compartment.

Claim 16

A road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed and a cargo carrying compartment below said bed, at least one beam extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, said beam being of a reduced depth in he region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, so as to increase the depth of said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including side and bottom frame means for said compartment, extending from a portion of said beam forwardly of the compartment, then downwardly and below said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of the beam rearwardly of said compartment.

Claim 17

A road vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said supplementary structurE support means comprises angle brace members interconnected to a lower portion of the compartment defining frame means upwardly to portions of the longitudinal beam located forwardly and rearwardly of the compartment.

Claim 18

A road vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said beam includes a vertical web portion and a horizontal upper flange portion, wherein said vehicle includes a plurality of cross beams, and wherein individual openings are cut through said web substantially immediately below said flange for receiving said cross beams.

Claim 19

A road vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said cross beams each has an upper flange and a vertical web, and the openings in the web of the longitudinal beam substantially matches the cross section of the cross beams.

Claim 20

In combination, a road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed and front and rear wheel assemblies, a lift truck carrying compartment below said bed between said front and rear wheel assemblies, at least one beam extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, said beam being of a reduced depth in the region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, so as to increase the depth of said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including side and bottom frame means for said compartment, extending downwardly from a portion of said beam forwardly of the compartment, then below said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of the beam rearwardly of said compartment, said compartment being open on a side of the road vehicle to form an entrance way into said compartment at such side, and a lift truck movable into and out from said compartment through said entrance way, said compartment being large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck.

Claim 21

In combination, a road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed and front and rear wheel assemblies, a lift truck carrying compartment below said bed between said front and rear wheel assemblies, at least one beam extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, said beam being of a reduced depth in the region of said compartment in comparison to its depth both forwardly and rearwardly of said compartment, so as to increase the depth of said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including side and bottom frame means for said compartment, extending downwardly from a portion of said beam forwardly of the compartment, then below said compartment, and then upwardly to a portion of the beam rearwardly of said compartment, said compartment being open on a side of the road vehicle to form an entrance way into said compartment at such side, and a lift truck movable into and out from said compartment through said entrance way, said compartment being large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 16, wherein said supplementary structure support means comprises angle brace members interconnected to a lower portion of the compartment defining frame means upwardly to portions of the longitudinal beam located forwardly and rearwardly of the compartment.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 16, wherein said beam includes a vertical web portion and a horizontal upper flange portion, wherein said vehicle includes a plurality of cross beams, and wherein individual openings are cup through said web substantially immediately below said flange for receiving said cross beams.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 18, wherein said cross beams each has an upper flange and a vertical web, and the opening in the web of the longitudinal beam substantially matches the cross section of the cross beams.

Claim 25

In combination, a road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed, a structural frame for said bed extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, and a lift truck comprising a chassis with wheels and an upstanding lifting tower, movable into and out from said carrier, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed with road clearance below said runway means, with said bed, said frame means, and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, with said runway means supporting said lift truck. within said compartment with its lifting tower generally at an entrance to the compartment, extending upwardly above said bed, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including said frame means and said runway means, extending from a portion of said structural frame on one side of the compartment downwardly and under said compartment and then upwardly to a portion of said structural frame on the opposite side of said compartment.

Claim 26

In combination, a road vehicle having a cargo carrying bed, a structural frame for said bed extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, and a lift truck carrier below said bed, and a lift truck comprising a chassis with wheels and an upstanding lifting tower, movable into and out from said carrier, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed with road clearance below said runway means, with said bed, said frame means, and said runway means defining a compartment large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck, with said runway means supporting said lift truck. within said compartment with its lifting tower generally at an entrance to the compartment, extending upwardly above said bed, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including said frame means and said runway means, extending from a portion of said structural frame on one side of the compartment downwardly and under said compartment and then upwardly to a portion of said structural frame on the opposite side of said compartment.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 20, wherein said lift truck comprises front and rear wheels, a low profile chassis, the upper and front and rear end boundaries of which are substantially at the upper and end Boundaries of the wheels, means supporting the lifting tower at one end of said lift truck, and lifting fork means having a generally horizontal use position in which it projects forwardly of said tower, and a transport position, with the end boundary of said lift truck at the lifting tower end of said truck being substantially at the outer plane of the lifting tower when said lifting fork means is in its transport position.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 21, further comprising a steering wheel having a use position in which it projects upwardly above the upper boundary of the chassis, and a lower stowage position in which it is substantially at or below said upper boundary.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 22, further comprising an operator''s seat having a use position in which at least a portion of it projects upwardly a substantial distance above the upper boundary of said chassis and a stowed position in which it is substantially at or below said upper boundary.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 20, said road vehicle further comprising front and rear wheel assemblies, wherein said lift truck carrier is located between said front and rear wheel assemblies and the compartment is open on a side of the road vehicle for loading and unloading of said lift truck from such side.

Claim 31

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels a cargo carrying bed, a structural frame for said bed extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, and a carrier below said bed for receiving a lift truck having a lift tower at an end thereof, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of the lift truck, frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, with said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment of a size large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck and positioned to support said lift truck with its lift tower generally against a peripheral portion of the bed above said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including said frame means and said runway means, extending from a portion of said structural frame on one side of the compartment downwardly and under said compartment and then upwardly to a portion of said structural frame on the opposite side of said compartment.

Claim 32

A road vehicle having rubber-tired wheels a cargo carrying bed, a structural frame for said bed extending longitudinally of the vehicle below said bed, and a carrier below said bed for receiving a lift truck having a lift tower at an end thereof, said carrier comprising runway means for supporting all wheels of the lift truck, frame means supporting said runway means in a position below said cargo carrying bed and above the road, with said bed, said frame means and said runway means defining a compartment of a size large enough to accommodate substantially all of the wheel and chassis portions of the lift truck and positioned to support said lift truck with its lift tower generally against a peripheral portion of the bed above said compartment, and supplementary structural support means for said bed, including said frame means and said runway means, extending from a portion of said structural frame on one side of the compartment downwardly and under said compartment and then upwardly to a portion of said structural frame on the opposite side of said compartment.