Lift apparatus for an all-terrain vehicle

• US 20050254925A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Larry Braquet
• Original Assignee: Larry Braquet
• Inventors: Braquet, Larry
• Application Number:
  US10/845,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20050254925A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/462
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4414 and keeping the loading platform parallel to the ground when raising the load
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4492 Design or construction of the moving platform itself

Abstract

A lift assembly for use with an all-terrain vehicle has a mount assembly attachable to the ATV, a platform and a pivot assembly moving the platform from a loading position close to the ground, to an elevated position above or close to the level of a cargo rack of the ATV. The lift assembly may be used for lifting bales of hay, bags of seeds, carcasses of animals and other heavy cargo to a pre-determined distance above the ground. The pivot assembly, while pivoting along a vertical plane, retains the platform in a horizontal orientation, thus facilitating stable position of the lifted objects on the platform.

Claims

1. A lift apparatus for use with an all-terrain vehicle having a load carrying rack, the lift assembly comprising:

a mount assembly being adapted to be securely attached to the all-terrain vehicle;

a pivot assembly having a proximate end secured to a lower end of the mount assembly in a hinged engagement with the mount assembly; and

a platform secured to a distant end of the pivot assembly for supporting objects being lifted, said platform retaining a substantially horizontal orientation during the lifting procedure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platform is positioned at a vertical level above the rack of said all-terrain vehicle when the platform is elevated to its highest level.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a means for transmitting a lifting force to said platform from an external power means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for transmitting the lifting force comprises a flexible cable positioned between the mount assembly and an external power source.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said mount assembly comprises an A-shaped frame having elongate converging side frame members, a plate for securing to the all-terrain vehicle attached to upper ends of said converging side frame members, and a cross bar fixedly attached below said plate between said converging frame members.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a free end of said flexible cable is securely detachably engaged with said cross bar.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said pivot assembly comprises at least one cross brace member, and wherein said at least one cross brace member is adapted for receiving a lifting force supplied by said external power means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one cross brace member carries a pulley for rotationally engaging said flexible cable and transmitting the lifting force to said platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said pivot assembly comprises a pair of elongate parallel arm units retained in a parallel relationship to each other and secured at their free ends to said platform.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of said arm units comprises an upper arm and a lower arm pivotally connected to each other by a pair of pivot pins engaged within a pivot bracket.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one cross brace member extends between lower arms of said arm units.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said platform is secured to the lower arms of the arm units.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mount assembly is retained in a substantially vertical orientation when secured to said all-terrain vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said pivot assembly is movable between load lifting positions at an angle to the mount assembly and a substantially vertical storage position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platform is adapted for movement between a substantially horizontal position during a load lifting procedure and a substantially vertical storage position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a latch assembly for securing said pivot assembly to the platform and for retaining said platform in a pre-determined substantially horizontal orientation during the lifting procedure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said latch assembly comprises a locking bar extending between the pivot assembly and the platform, and a securing bracket mounted on said platform for detachably engaging one end of said locking bar.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said platform is hingedly movable in relation to said pivot assembly to the storage position when said locking bar is disengaged from said platform.

19. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the external power means is a winch.

20. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the external power means is an electrically powered power source.

21. A lift apparatus for use with an all-terrain vehicle having a load carrying rack, the lift assembly comprising:

a mount assembly being adapted to be securely attached to the all-terrain vehicle;

a pivot assembly having a proximate end secured to a lower end of the mount assembly in a hinged engagement with the mount assembly, said pivot assembly comprising a pair of arm units retained in a parallel relationship to each other by at least one cross bar, each of said arm unit comprising an upper arm and a lower arm hingedly connected to each other by brackets secured between the upper arm and the lower arm by pivot pins;

a platform secured to a distant end of the lower arms of the arm unit for supporting objects being lifted, said platform retaining a substantially horizontal orientation during the lifting procedure and foldable into a substantially vertical position for storage; and

a means for transmitting a lifting force to said platform from an external power means.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said pivot assembly elevates said platform to a level above said load carrying rack of the all-terrain vehicle.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said mount assembly comprises an A-shaped frame having elongate converging side frame members, a plate for securing to the all-terrain vehicle attached to upper ends of said converging side frame members, and a cross bar fixedly attached below said plate between said converging frame members.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for transmitting the lifting force comprises a flexible cable extending from the external power source and secured to the cross bar of the mount assembly.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said pivot assembly comprises at least one cross brace member, and wherein said at least one cross brace member is adapted for receiving a lifting force supplied by said external power means.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said at least one cross brace member carries a pulley for rotationally engaging said flexible cable and transmitting the lifting force to said platform.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said at least one cross brace member extends between lower arms of said arm units.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said mount assembly is retained in a substantially vertical orientation when secured to said all-terrain vehicle.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said pivot assembly is movable between load lifting positions at an angle to the mount assembly and a substantially vertical storage position.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a latch assembly for securing said pivot assembly to the platform and for retaining said platform in a pre-determined substantially horizontal orientation during the lifting procedure.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said latch assembly comprises a locking bar extending between the pivot assembly and the platform, and a securing bracket mounted on said platform for detachably engaging one end of said locking bar.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said platform is hingedly movable in relation to said pivot assembly to the storage position when said locking bar is disengaged from said platform.