Vehicle carrier

Claim 2

A carrier comprising an upper section having a forward cantilevered end and a rearward end, a rear section secured to the rearward end of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to adapt it for attachment to a motorized vehicle, a pair of laterally spaced side sections secured between the forward and rearward ends of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to form an inverted cradle with said upper and rear sections open at the forward end thereof, a roadwheel rotatablY mounted on a lower end of each of said side sections, and attachment means comprising a plurality of winch assemblies mounted on the upper section of said carrier for releasably attaching a load in the cradle formed thereby and anti-sway means mounted in an axle for each of said road wheels.

Claim 3

The carrier of claim 1 further comprising a motorized vehicle attached to the rear section of said carrier.

Claim 4

The carrier of claim 2 wherein said motorized vehicle is attached to the rear section of said carrier by an articulated joint connection.

Claim 5

The carrier of claim 1 wherein said upper section comprises a pair of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending members secured together by at least one laterally extending cross-member.

Claim 6

The carrier of claim 4 wherein a first said cross-member is disposed intermediate the forward and rearward ends of said upper section and extends laterally between said side sections and a second said cross-member is disposed at the forward end of said upper section.

Claim 7

The carrier of claim 5 wherein said rear section comprises a pair of laterally spaced members respectively secured at their upper ends to the rearward ends of said longitudinally extending members.

Claim 8

The carrier of claim 6 further comprising a third cross-member extending laterally between and secured to lower ends of the members of said rear section.

Claim 9

The carrier of claim 1 wherein said upper section is generally rectangular and a winch assembly is mounted at each corner thereof.

Claim 10

The carrier of claim 1 wherein each of said winch assemblies comprises a cable drum rotatably mounted interiorly of said upper section and drive means, operatively connected to said cable drum, mounted exteriorly of said upper section.

Claim 11

The carrier of claim 9 wherein said drive means comprises a motor operatively connected to said cable drum by at least one stepped-down planetary gear set.

Claim 12

The carrier of claim 1 wherein the rotational axis of a cable drum of each of said winch assemblies is tilted to dispose it at an acute angle relative to an imaginary horizontal plane to position a cable, entrained on said cable drum, downwardly and inwardly towards a center of said carrier.

Claim 13

The carrier of claim 1 wherein said attachment means further comprises a pair of anti-sway links pivotally mounted interiorly on a lower end of said rear section.

Claim 14

The carrier of claim 1 wherein each of said anti-sway means comprises a cable drum and a cable entrained on said drum, said cable extending through said axle to terminate at an inboard side thereof.

Claim 15

The carrier of claim 13 wherein each of said anti-sway means further comprises a hook member attached to a free end of said cable.

Claim 16

A carrier comprising an upper section having a forward cantilevered end and a rearward end, a rear section secured to the rearward end of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to adapt it for attachment to a motorized vehicle, a pair of laterally spaced side sections secured between the forward and rearward ends of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to form an inverted cradle with said upper and rear sections open at the forward end thereof, a roadwheel rotatably mounted on a lower end of each of said side sections, and attachment means comprising a plurality of winch assemblies mounted on the upper section of said carrier for releasably attaching a load in the cradle formed thereby and wherein the rotational axis of a cable drum of each of said winch assemblies is tilted to dispose it at an angle relative to an imaginary horizontal plane to position a cable, entrained on said cable drum, downwardly and inwardly towards a center of said carrier.

Claim 17

A carrier comprising an upper section having a forward cantilevered end and a rearward end, a rear section secured to the rearward end of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to adapt it for attachment to a motorized vehicle, a pair of laterally spaced side sections secured between the forward and rearward ends of said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom to form an inverted cradle with said upper and rear sections open at the forward end thereof, a roadwheel rotatably mounted on a lower end of each of said side sections, and attachment means comprising a plurality of winch assemblies mounted on the upper section of said carrier for releasably attaching a load in the cradle formed thereby and wherein the rotational axis of a cable drum of each of said winch assemblies is tilted to dispose it at an angle relative to an imaginary horizontal plane to position a cable, entrained on said cable drum, downwardly and inwardly towards a center of said carrier.