Lift device

• US 6,869,265 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EZ Loader, LLC
• Original Assignee: EZ Loader, LLC
• Inventors: Rhodes, Jimmy Ray, Smith, Jack L., Freeman, George Coleman
• Primary Examiner(s): KRIZEK, JANICE LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/135,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 224/401, 224/412, 224/413, 224/447, 224/488, 224/921, 414/462, 414/465, 414/466, 414/546
• US Class Current: 414/462
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4407 and lifting achieved by pivoting of the loading platform

Abstract

A lift device for loading game animals or other objects, onto the cargo rack of an ATV. The lift device includes a vertical support frame member adapted for attachment to the rear of an ATV. A horizontally extending base support member is pivotally attached at one end thereof to the bottom of the vertical support frame member; a loading platform is pivotally hinged to the opposite end of the horizontally extending base support member. A cable is attached to the base support member and a winch, mounted on the vertical support frame member, moves the cable to move the lift device from a loading position on the ground to a loaded position wherein the game animal is secured by the loading platform on the top of the ATV cargo rack.

Claims

1. A lift device adapted for attachment to the rear of an ATV, or similar vehicle, for loading and forcibly retaining large game animals, such as deer or like objects, onto the cargo rack of such a vehicle, said lift device comprising;

a vertical support member having means for attachment to said vehicle;

a base support member pivoted at one end thereof to the bottom end of said vehicle support member and having a hinge joint means on its opposite end;

a loading platform pivotally mounted by said hinge joint means to said base support member;

cable means connected to said base support member between said vertical frame and said hinge joint means; and

,

means mounted on said vehicle support member for moving said cable so as to rotate said base support member alternately from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position contiguous with the vertical support member whereby, as said base support member approaches its generally vertical position, said pivotally mounted loading platform will be rotated from a generally horizontal position to a position beyond the vertical position at which point said loading platform will be flipped into an inverted and generally horizontal position and is thus brought forcibly into contact with the cargo rack of said vehicle as the pivoted base support member continues its rotation to its generally vertical position thereby forcibly retaining large game animals, such as deer or like objects, onto the cargo rack of said ATV or similar vehicle.

2. The lift device of claim 1, wherein the loading platform securely rests on top of the game when loaded on the ATV cargo rack.

3. The lift device of claim 1, wherein the means for moving the cable is a winch.

4. The lift device of claim 3, wherein the winch is driven by an electric motor.

5. The lift device according to claim 1, wherein the loading platform has formed integral therewith pairs of cradle arms at each end thereof.