Claims
- 1. A multipositionable apparatus for mounting to a receiver assembly, comprising:
a support frame; a platform carried on said support frame; and a linkage for displaceably mounting said platform relative to said support frame and positively holding said platform in at least selected first and second positions.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linkage is a parallelogram linkage.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linkage includes a pair of cooperating linkage sets, each linkage set including a link arm and a support arm.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said platform includes a pair of mounting brackets, each one of said pair of mounting brackets being pivotally engaged by one of said pair of linkage sets.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each one of said link arms is pivotally mounted at a first point to said support frame and at a second point to said platform.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each one of said support arm is pivotally mounted at a third point to said support frame and at a fourth point to said platform.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said platform includes a pair of mounting brackets, said link arm and support arm of one of said pair of linkage sets being pivotally secured to one of said pair of brackets.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each one of said support arms includes an arcuate guide surface and at least two latching notches interrupting said guide surface.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said apparatus further includes a latch bar received in a latch bar slot provided in each one of said pair of mounting brackets, said latch bar also being received in one of said at least two latching notches in each of said pair of support arms in order to positively retain said platform in one of said selected first and second positions.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a spring for biasing said latch bar from a release position into a latching position, said spring having a first end engaging said latch bar and a second end engaging one of said pair of mounting brackets.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said support arms each include a third notch for latching said platform in a third selected position.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each one of said link arms includes a pair of opposed sidewalls and a connecting wall forming a channel.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said support frame includes first and second mounting tubes for securing to said receiver assembly.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein one of said first and second mounting tubes has a distal end received in said channel.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 243,388 filed Oct. 26, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/30705 |
10/2/2001 |
WO |
|