Load carrying unit

Claim 2

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle having a ball member of a ball joint mounted thereon, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means including a socket cooperable with the ball member to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means.

Claim 3

The load carrying unit of claim 1, further comprising means slidably mounting said load carrying portion with respect to said fastening means, whereby the load carrying position may be slid along a notional axis extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle towards and away from the vehicle; and clamping means whereby to clamp said load carrying portion in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the vehicle.

Claim 4

The load carrying unit of claim 1 wherein said wheel means comprises a first and a second wheel; and said wheel mounting means comprises a first and a second elongate leg, and further comprising means mounting said first and second wheel on the first and second elongate leg respectively, means slidably mounting each elongate leg with respect to the load carrying portion whereby to depend from the load carrying portion and locking means for locking said elongate legs in position.

Claim 5

The load carrying unit of claim 2, further comprising a frame extending transverse to said axis of the means slidably mounting said load carrying portion and having a first and a second opposite end; and means rigidly fixing said frame to said fixing means; and wherein said clamping means comprises first and second clamping means; means mounting said first clamping means at said first end of the frame, and means mounting said second clamp means at said second end of the frame whereby to locate each clamping means in readily accessible positions.

Claim 6

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means slidably mounting said load carrying portion with respect to said fastening means comprising an arm of fixed length having a first end means connecting said first end of said arm to said fixing means; a slide slidable along said arm, and means connecting said slide to said load carrying portion, whereby the load carrying position may be slid along a notional axis extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle towards and away from the vehicle; and clamping means whereby to clamp said load carrying portion in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means.

Claim 7

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means slidably mounting said load carrying portion with respect to said fastening means comprising an arm of fixed length having a first end means connecting said first end of said arm to said fixing means; a slide slidable along said arm, and means connecting said slide to said load carrying portion, whereby the load carrying position may be slid along a notional axis extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle towards and away from the vehicle; and clamping means whereby to clamp said load carrying portion in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means.

Claim 8

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion of the vehicle; means slidably mounting said load carrying portion with respect to said fastening means comprising a telescopic arm having a first end and a second opposite end, means connecting said first end to said fixing means, and means mounting said load carrying portion on said second end, clamping means whereby to clamp said load carrying portion in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the vehicle, means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means.

Claim 9

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion of the vehicle; means slidably mounting said load carrying portion with respect to said fastening means comprising a telescopic arm having a first end and a second opposite end, means connecting said first end to said fixing means, and means mounting said load carrying portion on said second end, clamping means whereby to clamp said load carrying portion in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the vehicle, means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means.

Claim 10

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means, means pivotally mounting said support arm means with respect to said load carrying portion, whereby to pivot said support arm means between an in-use position where it contacts the vehicle below the fastening means, and a rest position where it is adapted to contact the ground to supprt, with said wheel means, the unit.

Claim 11

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means, means pivotally mounting said support arm means with respect to said load carrying portion, whereby to pivot said support arm means between an in-use position where it contacts the vehicle below the fastening means, and a rest position where it is adapted to contact the ground to supprt, with said wheel means, the unit.

Claim 12

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means, a cam and means rotatably mounting the same on the support arm means, whereby when the fastening means is fastened to the vehicle and when the means releasable coupling said support arm means to the vehicle is coupled to the vehicle, the cam is positioned immediately below the fastening means, the fastening means including an undersurface and the cam having a shape and size such that a user may rotate the cam by hand so that it contacts the undersurface of the fastening means whereby to release the releasable fastening means to release the load carrying portion from the vehicle.

Claim 13

A load carrying unit for attachment to a vehicle, the unit comprising: a load carrying portion; wheel means; wheel mounting means retractably mounting said wheel means with respect to said load carrying portion; fixing means comprising fastening means to releasably fasten said load carrying portion to the vehicle; means coupling said fixing means to said load carrying portion; support arm means; means coupling said support arm means to said load carrying portion; and means releasably coupling said support arm means to the vehicle, whereby to hold the load carrying portion clear of the ground, when said wheel mounting means have retracted said wheel means, a cam and means rotatably mounting the same on the support arm means, whereby when the fastening means is fastened to the vehicle and when the means releasable coupling said support arm means to the vehicle is coupled to the vehicle, the cam is positioned immediately below the fastening means, the fastening means including an undersurface and the cam having a shape and size such that a user may rotate the cam by hand so that it contacts the undersurface of the fastening means whereby to release the releasable fastening means to release the load carrying portion from the vehicle.