Loader for elevating a load onto an automotive vehicle top

Claim 2

A loader for elevating a load to the top of an automotive vehicle and shifting the load over the top of such vehicle into a stowed position, comprising a load-supporting frame for carrying a load, guide means guiding said load-supporting frame for movement relative to said guide means between a lower position and an elevated position including an elongated guide member swingable between a depending position with its length upright and a raised position with its length substantially horizontal and substantially at the level of the vehicle top, pivot mounting means substantially at the level of the vehicle top, pivot means connecting said pivot mounting means and a specific portion of said elongated guide member located adjacent to the upper end thereof when said elongated guide member is in its depending position, and means guiding said pivot mounting means for movement across the vehicle top connected by said pivot means To said elongated guide member when said guide member is in its raised position.

Claim 3

The loader defined in claim 1, generally horizontal track means on top of the vehicle, and slide means carrying the pivot mounting means and movable along said track means.

Claim 4

The loader defined in claim 1, in which the elongated guide member constitutes upright track means, and the load-supporting frame includes rollers movable along said upright track means.

Claim 5

The loader defined in claim 3, generally horizontal track means on top of the vehicle, slide means engageable with said generally horizontal track means for movement over the top of the vehicle, and additional upright track means carried by said slide means and disposed in lengthwise alignment with and above the elongated guide member upright track means when the guide member is in depending position, said additional upright track means being engageable by the load-supporting frame rollers when the load-supporting frame has been elevated above the elongated guide member.

Claim 6

The loader defined in claim 4, and latch means operable to restrain swinging of the elongated guide member upward from its depending position while the load-supporting frame is being elevated along the elongated guide member, and releasable by movement of the load-supporting frame when its rollers are engaged with the additional upright track means.

Claim 7

A loader for elevating a load to the top of an automotive vehicle and shifting the load over the top of such vehicle into a stowed position, comprising a load-supporting frame for carrying a load, guide means including an elongated guide member swingable between a depending position with its length upright and a raised position with its length substantially horizontal and substantially at the level of the vehicle top for guiding said load-supporting frame for movement upward relative to said elongated guide member between a lower position below the vehicle top and an elevated upright position projecting a substantial distance upward above the vehicle top, means supporting said elongated guide member for movement over the top of the vehicle in such raised position, and shifting means including a hauling line independent of and remote from said guide member supporting means and extending linearly between a location on said load-supporting frame at one side of and a substantial distance above the vehicle top when said load-supporting frame is in its elevated position and pulling means at a location substantially at the level of the vehicle top and at its opposite side for shifting said elongated guide member and said load-supporting frame conjointly toward stowed position after said elongated guide member has been swung into its substantially horizontal position.

Claim 8

A loader for elevating a load to the top of an automotive vehicle and shifting the load over the top of such vehicle into a stowed position, comprising a load-supporting frame for carrying a load, guide means including an elongated guide member swingable between a depending position with its length upright and a raised position with its length substantially horizontal and substantially at the level of the vehicle top for guiding said load-supporting frame for movement upward relative to said elongated guide member between a lower position below the vehicle top and an elevated upright position projecting a substantial distance upward above the vehicle top, means supporting said elongated guide member for movement over the top of the vehicle in such raised position, and shifting means including a hauling line independent of and remote from said guide member supporting means and extending linearly between a location on said load-supporting frame at one side of and a substantial distance above the vehicle top when said load-supporting frame is in its elevated position and pulling means at a location substantially at the level of the vehicle top and at its opposite side for shifting said elongated guide member and said load-supporting frame conjointly toward stowed position after said elongated guide member has been swung into its substantially horizontal position.

Claim 9

The loader defined in claim 6, in which the elongated guide member is variable in effective length.

Claim 10

A loader for elevating a load to the top of an automotive vehicle and shifting the load over the top of such vehicle into a stowed position, comprising a load-supporting frame for carrying a load, guide means including an elongated guide member swingable between a depending position with its length upright and a raised position with its length substantially horizontal and substantially at the level of the vehicle top for guiding said load-supporting frame for movement upward relative to said elongated guide member between a lower position below the vehicle top and an elevated position above the vehicle top, means supporting said elongated guide member for movement over the top of the vehicle in such raised position, said load-supporting frame being longer than said elongated guide member, pivot means connecting said load-supporting frame and said elongated guide member at a location adjacent to the lower end of said guide member in depending position for extension of a position of said load-supporting frame upward a substantial distance beyond the upper end of said elongated guide member when said elongated guide member is in its depenDing position and said load-supporting frame is disposed alongside and substantially parallel to said elongated guide member, and shifting means including a hauling line independent of and remote from said guide member supporting means and connected to said load-supporting frame above the vehicle top for shifting said elongated guide member and said load-supporting frame conjointly toward stowed position after said elongated guide member has been swung into its substantially horizontal position.

Claim 11

A loader for elevating a load to the top of an automotive vehicle and shifting the load over the top of such vehicle into a stowed position, comprising a load-supporting frame for carrying a load, guide means including an elongated guide member swingable between a depending position with its length upright and a raised position with its length substantially horizontal and substantially at the level of the vehicle top for guiding said load-supporting frame for movement upward relative to said elongated guide member between a lower position below the vehicle top and an elevated position above the vehicle top, means supporting said elongated guide member for movement over the top of the vehicle in such raised position, said load-supporting frame being longer than said elongated guide member, pivot means connecting said load-supporting frame and said elongated guide member at a location adjacent to the lower end of said guide member in depending position for extension of a position of said load-supporting frame upward a substantial distance beyond the upper end of said elongated guide member when said elongated guide member is in its depenDing position and said load-supporting frame is disposed alongside and substantially parallel to said elongated guide member, and shifting means including a hauling line independent of and remote from said guide member supporting means and connected to said load-supporting frame above the vehicle top for shifting said elongated guide member and said load-supporting frame conjointly toward stowed position after said elongated guide member has been swung into its substantially horizontal position.

Claim 12

The loader defined in claim 8, in which the hauling line is connected to a portion of the load-supporting frame at a location a substantial distance above the elongated guide member when the elongated guide member is in its depending position and the load-supporting frame is disposed alongside and substantially parallel to the elongated guide member, and the hauling line extends substantially linearly between such connection to the load-supporting frame and the winch.

Claim 13

The loader defined in claim 8, generally horizontal track means on top of the vehicle, and slide means movable along said track means for effecting conjoint movement of the elongated guide member and the load-supporting frame over the top of the vehicle when the elongated guide member is in its raised position and the load-supporting frame is disposed alongside the elongated guide member.

Claim 14

The loader defined in claim 10, loading drive means for shifting the elongated guide member away from its depending position, and unloading drive means separate from said loading drive means for shifting the elongated guide member toward its depending position.

Claim 15

The loader defined in claim 11, in which the unloading drive means includes haulback spring means stressed by movement of the load-supporting frame over the top of the vehicle toward stowed position.