US3638811A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle lift with trailer hitch or the like
Assignee: INVESTERINGSBANKEN AB
•
Filing: 1970-04-06
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Granted: 1972-02-01
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Expires: 1990-04-06
Abstract
Abstract A trailer hitch or other auxiliary member is attached to the rear end of a vehicle (e.g. a cargo truck) in associated relation to a rear end lift, such that the hitch is free to move independently of the lift linkage when the lift is lowered for loading or unloading its deck, whereby the hitch may assume a noninterfering relation both to the ground surface and the lift linkage in such lowered position; whereas the movement of the lift to a stored position will automatically lock the hitch to the vehicle in rigid relation thereto such that it will properly function as a hitch when towing a trailer.
Inventors
- 👤 Morris D Robinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:09
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P1/00; B60P1/44; B60P1/4414; B60P1/445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lostmotion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; said support means comprising support arms depending from said linkage arms in crossed, relatively movable relation to said frame; said frame being open and including side arms pivoted to said attaching means; said support arms passing through said frame inwardly of and adjacent said side arms; said support means including a crossbar extending through the lower ends of said support arms and having end portions projecting beneath said side Arms; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lostmotion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; said support means comprising support arms depending from said linkage arms in crossed, relatively movable relation to said frame; said frame being open and including side arms pivoted to said attaching means; said support arms passing through said frame inwardly of and adjacent said side arms; said support means including a crossbar extending through the lower ends of said support arms and having end portions projecting beneath said side Arms; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting of said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lost-motion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle; said lift linkage arms being embodied in a parallelogram arrangement of upper and lower pairs of arms connected to said mounting means by vertically spaced pivots; said support arms means being carried by one of said lower pairs of linkage arms; and said stop elements including parts attached to the other pair of said upper linkage arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting of said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lost-motion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle; said lift linkage arms being embodied in a parallelogram arrangement of upper and lower pairs of arms connected to said mounting means by vertically spaced pivots; said support arms means being carried by one of said lower pairs of linkage arms; and said stop elements including parts attached to the other pair of said upper linkage arms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination defined in claim 2, said stop elements including fingers rigidly anchored to said frame and projecting upwardly for abutting engagement with said parts; said fingers moving away from said parts during downward movement of said linkage arms and frame to provide lost-motion gaps between said fingers and parts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination defined in claim 2; said stop elements being located near the axis of said vertically spaced pivots; said support means being disposed between said stop elements and said rear extremity of said frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
The combination defined in claim 1; said stop elements being located adjacent the axis of attachment of said frame; said support means being located between said stop elements and said rear extremity of said frame; whereby upon downward movement of said frame and linkage arms, said stop elements will separate to provide lost-motion gaps between them such that said frame and linkage arms may approach one another during their downward movements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lost-motion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle; said auxiliary member being a trailer hitch including a coupling pivot element on the rear extremity of said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a combined lift and auxiliary member for rear end attachment to a vehicle, in combination: a lift linkage including arms and means for mounting them to the rear end of a vehicle for upward swinging movements of their free ends; an auxiliary member including a frame; means for attaching the forward extremity of said frame to said vehicle near the area of mounting said arms, for vertical swinging of the rear extremity of said frame generally below said arms; support means carried by said linkage and having means for lost-motion supporting engagement with said frame from below for elevating the frame when said linkage is raised; and stop elements engageable upon elevation of said frame to an upper limit position and cooperating with said support means to lock said frame against vertical movement so as to establish a rigid connection between said frame and vehicle; said auxiliary member being a trailer hitch including a coupling pivot element on the rear extremity of said frame.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The combination defined in claim 6; said hitch, when in operative position, supporting the pivot element at a level sufficiently low to be below the line of draft from the vehicle to the trailer, so that the pull on the trailer will develop a resultant of upward pressure of the hitch against the lift.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination defined in claim 2; said support means being carried by said lower linkage arms; and said stop element parts being attached to said upper linkage arms.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-31 | 1975-08-02 | 1976-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-31 | 1979-08-02 | 1980-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-31 | 1983-08-02 | 1984-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |