Supporting arrangement for a mast on a vehicle

• US 4,871,103 A
• Filed: 11/25/1987
• Issued: 10/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lars M.R. Martinsson
• Original Assignee: Lars M.R. Martinsson
• Inventors: Martinsson, Lars M. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/125,599
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 224/310, 224/280, 224/281, 224/282, 224/309, 224/42.03 R, 224/42.07, 224/42.08, 52/143, 52/116-119, 182/64, 182/68
• US Class Current: 224/310
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/042 Carriers characterised by means to facilitate loading or unloading of the load, e.g. rollers, tracks, or the like

Abstract

An assembly for supporting an elongate mast in horizontal position atop a vehicle and for pivotal movement of the mast into a substantially vertical position behind the vehicle includes an elongate support frame which is attached to the roof of the vehicle. The frame has elongate guides and the mast has wheels which run in the guides. The wheels are located between the lengthwise point of balance of the mast and the back end of the frame. The mast has an inboard position in which it is supported horizontally on the frame and it can be moved to an outboard position at the end of the frame in which it can be pivoted vertically about the wheels.

Claims

1. An assembly for supporting an elongate mast in horizontal position atop a vehicle and for pivotal movement of the mast into a substantially vertical position behind the vehicle, the assembly including an elongate support frame, attachment means for securing the frame atop the vehicle in substantially horizontal position with one end of the frame toward the rear of the vehicle and an opposite end of the frame toward the front of the vehicle, bearing means carried by the mast, longitudinal guide means on the frame receiving the bearing means for lengthwise movement of the bearing means along the guide means whereby the mast is supported for lengthwise movement along the frame, and pivot means providing a pivot connection between the mast and the bearing means, the pivot means defining a transverse pivot axis at a lengthwise location along the mast adjacent a point of lengthwise balance of the mast, the mast having an inboard position on the frame wherein the mast is supported horizontally on the frame and the pivot axis is remote from said one end of the frame between said one end of the frame and the point of lengthwise balance of the mast, and the mast having an outboard position on the frame wherein the pivot axis is adjacent said one end of the frame and the mast can be pivoted to a substantially vertical position about the pivot axis, wherein the frame includes a pair of spaced longitudinal guide rails with elongate grooves defining the guide means, wherein the bearing means comprises wheels received in the respective grooves and wherein the pivot means comprises transverse stub axles connected between the mast and the wheels.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said grooves includes flanges for retaining the wheels in the grooves.

3. An assembly for supporting an elongate mast in horizontal position atop a vehicle and for pivotal movement of the mast into a substantially vertical position behind the vehicle, the assembly including an elongate support frame, attachment means for securing the frame atop the vehicle in substantially horizontal position with one end of the frame toward the rear of the vehicle and an opposite end of the frame toward the front of the vehicle, bearing means carried by the mast, longitudinal guide means on the frame receiving the bearing means for lengthwise movement of the bearing means along the guide means whereby the mast is supported for lengthwise movement along the frame, and pivot means providing a pivot connection between the mast and the bearing means, the pivot means defining a transverse pivot axis at a lengthwise location along the mast adjacent a point of lengthwise balance of the mast, the mast having an inboard position on the frame wherein the mast is supported horizontally on the frame and the pivot axis is remote from said one end of the frame between said one end of the frame and the point of lengthwise balance of the mast, and the mast having an outboard position on the frame wherein the pivot axis is adjacent said one end of the frame and the mast can be pivoted to a substantially vertical position about the pivot axis, wherein the mast includes at least one support member spaced from the bearing means for supporting the mast on the frame and wherein the support member comprises a slide bearing for sliding along the frame.