The present invention relates to a lifting and hauling apparatus, and more particularly to a lifting and hauling apparatus capable of being used with vehicles having a trailer hitch.
There are many types of lifting and hauling apparatuses used today. However, many lifting and hauling apparatuses, such as fork lifts and high-lifts, are too expensive and impracticable to be used everyday by individuals who need a way to perform simple chores around the house or simply lift and haul heavy items from one place to another.
For example, individuals who burn wood to heat their home need a way to haul firewood to their house. Typically, a pick-up truck or wheelbarrow is used to haul firewood, but they require the individual to load the firewood into the pick-up truck or wheel barrow, and some individuals are not capable of doing so.
Another example where a lifting and hauling apparatus may be used is hunting. Typically, hunters who have taken a big game animal, such as a deer, must drag the animal out of the wilderness and then lift the animal into a vehicle. This can be very tiring and time consuming, especially if the hunter has trekked several miles into the wilderness. Some hunters now use an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to haul the animal out of the wilderness, but the individual must still lift the animal onto the ATV, risking injury.
Accordingly, there is a need for a lifting and hauling apparatus that can be used by individuals to lift heavy items and haul those items to a desired location easily.
Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a lifting and hauling apparatus that allows an individual to lift and haul heavy items such as firewood and big game animals.
It is another object of the invention to provide a lifting and hauling apparatus that may be attached to a vehicle having a trailer hitch.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a lifting and hauling apparatus including an attachment means for releasably securing the apparatus to a vehicle; a platform connected to the attachment means and movable between a loading position and a hauling position; at least one support member for connecting the platform to the attachment means, the at least one support member being adapted to vary a distance between the platform and the attachment means; and a moving means for moving the platform between the loading position and the hauling position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the attachment means is adapted to be received in a hitch of the vehicle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform is pivotally connected to at least one support member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, an adjustment member pivotally connects to the platform to selectively pivot the platform relative to at least one support member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform is adapted to be connected to at least one adjustment member for selectively pivoting the platform relative to the attachment means.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform is adapted to be secured to the vehicle while in the hauling position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a lifting and hauling apparatus is mounted to a vehicle and includes a platform assembly having an attachment member adapted to be releasably secured to the vehicle, at least one support member carried by and moveable relative to the attachment member, and a platform carried by the support member and adapted for hauling items thereupon. The apparatus further includes a lifting assembly operably connected to the platform assembly and adapted to be connected to the vehicle for moving the platform between a lowered loading position and a raised hauling position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the attachment member is adapted to be received in a hitch of the vehicle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the lifting assembly includes a winch for moving the platform between the loading position and the hauling position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the winch is releasably secured to a hitch of the vehicle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the lifting and hauling apparatus further includes an adjustment member having a first end pivotally connected to the platform and a second end for being releasably secured to the at least one support member, where the adjustment member is adapted to selectively pivot the platform relative to the at least one support member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one support member includes an inner member slidably engaged with an outer member to allow the at least one support member to be adjusted in length.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a lifting and hauling apparatus for being mounted to a vehicle includes a platform assembly having an attachment member that can be received into an opening of a hitch of the vehicle, at least one support member connected to the attachment member, and a platform carried by the at least one support member and adapted for hauling items thereupon. The apparatus further including a lifting assembly operably connected to the platform assembly and connected to the vehicle for moving the platform between a lowered loading position and a raised hauling position. The lifting assembly having a winch carried by the hitch, a pulley assembly carried by the vehicle, and a cable extending through the pulley assembly and interconnecting the platform and the winch, wherein the winch is adapted to manipulate the cable to move the platform between the raised hauling position and the lowered loading position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner and outer members include a plurality of apertures for allowing a fastener to pass therethrough and secure the inner member to the outer member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the second end of the adjustment member includes a plurality of apertures for being aligned with an aperture in at least one support member and secured thereto by a fastener passing through the aligned apertures so as to allow the platform to be selectively pivoted with respect to the at least one support member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform is concave in shape.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform further includes a tube frame surrounding a mesh surface.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the attachment member is adapted to slide into the opening of the hitch and the winch is adapted to slide over the hitch such that at least one aperture on the winch, hitch, and attachment member are aligned and adapted to receive a fastener therethrough.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one support member is pivotally connected to the attachment member by a transverse member.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the pulley assembly is adapted to be attached to the vehicle at a location above the winch so as to allow the winch to move the platform to the hauling position.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform is adapted to receive a hook, which is connected to an end of the cable opposite of the winch for releasably connecting the platform to the winch using the cable and further allows the winch to move the platform between the loading and hauling positions.
The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:
Referring now specifically to the drawings, a lifting and hauling apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
The platform assembly 11 includes a platform 13 pivotally attached to a pair of support members 14 and 15 having inner and outer support members 16, 18 and 17, 19, and a pair of adjustment members 20 and 21. An attachment member 22 is pivotally attached to and disposed between ends 23 and 24 of the support members 14 and 15. The attachment member 22 allows the apparatus 10 to be attached to a standard receiver-type hitch having a rectangular opening. Accordingly, the apparatus 10 may be attached to any vehicle, such as a pick-up truck or an all-terrain vehicle, having such a hitch. For purposes of this discussion, the apparatus 10 is shown attached to an all-terrain vehicle.
The platform 13 includes a frame 26 with a platform surface 27 attached thereto. As illustrated, the platform surface is a wire mesh; however, other suitable surfaces such as a solid sheet may be used. As illustrated, the frame 26 is formed of a one-piece tubing; however, the frame 26 may be constructed of a plurality of tubing pieces or other suitable structural pieces. The platform 13 also includes a cross-piece 28 extending between opposing sides 30 and 31 of the platform 13, and supports 32 and 33 extending between the cross-piece 28 and a front 34 of the platform 13. The supports 32 and 33 provide additional strength to the platform 13 and allow the support members 14 and 15 and adjustment members 20 and 21 to be pivotally attached to the platform 13.
As shown in
The length of the platform assembly 11 may also be changed by removing fasteners 40 and 41 from apertures 36 and sliding the inner support members 16 and 18 within the outer support members 17 and 19 to the desired length. The fasteners 40 and 41 are then inserted into the apertures 36 to secure the platform assembly 11 at that length.
Referring again to
As shown in
The attachment member 22 is slid into the opening 56 of the hitch 25 until apertures 62 and 63 on the attachment member 22 are aligned with apertures 57, 60 and 58, 61, respectively. Pins 50 and 51 are positioned through apertures 57, 60, 62 and 58, 61, 63, respectively, to secure the lifting assembly 12 and platform assembly 11 to the hitch 25. The pins 50 and 51 are then locked in position by cotter pins 68 and 69.
Referring to
A lifting and hauling apparatus is described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/766,928 filed on Feb. 21, 2006.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60766928 | Feb 2006 | US |