Recreation vehicle carrier for a truck

• US 6,371,719 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leroy J. Hildebrandt
• Original Assignee: Leroy J. Hildebrandt
• Inventors: Hildebrandt, Leroy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US09/483,273
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 414/537, 414/538, 414/539, 414/522, 414/921, 414/462, 296/3, 296/100.03, 224/42.32, 224/542, 224/544, 224/564, 224/497, 410/4, 410/8, 410/24
• US Class Current: 414/537
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/435 the ramp being attached to or making part of the side- or tailboards of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/07 for carrying road vehicles

Abstract

A recreational vehicle carrier for use with a pickup truck having a bed and side walls comprises a first platform adapted to be fixedly mounted to the side walls of the truck and a second platform adapted to be slidably mounted to the side walls and movable therealong. The platforms present generally planar surfaces which extend between the side walls. The second platform is selectably slidable between a first position overlapping the first platform and a second position adjacent the first platform. The vehicle carrier further includes a pair of ramps removably coupled to a lateral edge of the first platform for loading or unloading a recreational vehicle. A vehicle is loaded onto the second platform when the second platform is at the first position and onto the first platform when the second platform is at the second position.

Claims

1. A vehicle carrier for use with a pickup truck having a bed with laterally spaced side walls, said vehicle carrier comprising:

a first platform adapted to be fixedly mounted via mounting means to said side walls and extending therebetween;

a second platform adapted to be mounted via second mounting means to said side walls and extending therebetween, said second platform being selectably movable between a first position overlapping said first platform and a second position adjacent said first platform; and

a pair of ramps removably coupled to a lateral edge of said carrier for loading a recreation vehicle onto said second platform when said second platform is at said first position and for loading a recreation vehicle onto said first platform when said second platform is at said second position.

2. A vehicle carrier as in claim 1 further comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart rails adapted to be mounted to said side walls, said first platform being fixedly attached to said rails and said second platform being slidably coupled to said rails.

3. A vehicle carrier as in claim 2 wherein said second platform includes a pair of laterally spaced roller assemblies positioned adjacent lateral edges thereof, whereby said second platform is slidably movable along said rails between said first and second positions.

4. A vehicle carrier as in claim 2 wherein each said rail includes at least one post adapted to mate with a corresponding stake pocket of said truck bed.

5. A vehicle carrier as in claim 1 wherein said first and second platforms present generally rectangular configurations and include respective pairs of laterally extending support surfaces and defining rectangular cutouts between said support surfaces, whereby said support surfaces are adapted to support the wheels of the vehicle when loaded thereon.

6. A vehicle carrier for use with a pickup truck having a bed with laterally spaced side walls, said vehicle carrier comprising:

a frame assembly having a pair of laterally spaced apart rails and a pair of opposed end bars extending between ends of said rails, said frame assembly having dimensions substantially equal to dimensions of said truck bed, whereby said rails are adapted to be supported by said side walls;

a first platform fixedly attached to said rails and extending therebetween adapted to support a first vehicle thereon;

a second platform slidably mounted to said rails and extending therebetween adapted to support a second vehicle thereon, said second platform having a length shorter than a length of said bed and selectably movable between a first position adjacent said first platform and a second position overlapping said first platform; and

a pair of ramps removably coupled to a lateral edge of said carrier for loading said second vehicle onto said second platform when said second platform is at said second position and for loading said first vehicle onto said first platform when said second platform is at said first position without repositioning said ramps.

7. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 further comprising at least one post depending from each of said rails adapted to mate with a corresponding stake pocket of said truck bed.

8. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 further comprising:

a first coupling having one end adapted to be removably attached to one of said side walls of said truck bed and another end removably attached to said first platform, said first coupling being selectably tensioned for holding said first platform to said one side walls; and

a second coupling having one end adapted to be removably attached to another of said side walls opposite said one side wall and an other end removably attached to said first platform, said second coupling being selectably tensioned for holding said first platform to said another side wall.

9. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 wherein said first and second platforms present generally rectangular configurations and include respective pairs of laterally extending support surfaces defining rectangular cutouts between said support surfaces, whereby said support surfaces are adapted to support the wheels of the vehicle when loaded thereon.

10. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 wherein said first platform presents a generally rectangular configuration having a planar surface.

11. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 wherein said second platform includes a pair of laterally spaced roller assemblies positioned adjacent lateral edges thereof for slidable movement of said second platform along said rails.

12. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 wherein each said rail includes a bracket adjacent said first platform;

and

each said ramp includes a first end and a second end and a mounting cylinder attached to each said first end, each said mounting cylinder removably mating with a respective bracket for loading or unloading the vehicle.

13. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 further comprising a lock assembly having a first bar and a second bar pivotally coupled to said first bar, said second bar selectably movable between an unlocked position allowing slidable movement of said second platform between said first and second positions and a locked position retaining said second platform in said first position.

14. A vehicle carrier as in claim 6 further comprising a pair of safety barriers extending along respective said rails, each said barrier including a gate pivotally coupled to said respective rail and selectably movable between a first open position for loading a vehicle onto said first or second platform and a second closed position for retaining said loaded vehicle on said respective first or second platform.

15. A vehicle carrier for use with a pickup truck having a bed with laterally spaced side wails, said vehicle carrier comprising:

a frame assembly having a pair of laterally spaced apart rails and a pair of opposed end bars extending between ends of said rails, said frame assembly having dimensions substantially equal to dimensions of said bed whereby said rails are adapted to be supported by said side walls;

a first platform fixedly attached to said rails and extending therebetween adapted to support a first vehicle thereon;

a second platform slidably mounted to said rails and extending therebetween adapted to support a second vehicle thereon, said second platform having a length shorter than a length of said bed and selectably movable between a first position adjacent said first platform and a second position overlapping said first platform;

a pair of ramps removably coupled to a lateral edge of said carrier for loading said second vehicle onto said second platform at said second position and for loading said first vehicle onto said first platform at said first position without repositioning said ramps; and

a gate pivotally coupled to one of said rails adjacent said first platform and movable between a first open position for loading the vehicle onto said first or second platform and a second closed position for retaining said loaded vehicle on a respective one of said platforms.

16. A vehicle carrier as in claim 15 further comprising at least one post depending from each of said rails adapted to mate with a corresponding stake pocket of said truck bed.

17. A vehicle carrier as in claim 15 further comprising:

a first coupling having one end adapted to be removably attached to one of said side walls of said truck bed and another end removably attached to said first platform, said first coupling being selectably tensioned for holding said first platform to said one side wall; and

a second coupling having one end adapted to be removably attached to another of said side walls opposite said one side wall and another end removably attached to said first platform, said second coupling being selectably tensioned for holding said first platform to said another side wall.

18. A vehicle carrier as in claim 15 wherein said first and second platforms present generally rectangular configurations and include respective pairs of laterally extending support surfaces defining rectangular cutouts between said support surfaces, whereby said support surfaces are adapted to support the wheels of the vehicle when loaded thereon.

19. A vehicle carrier as in claim 15 wherein said second platform includes a pair of laterally spaced roller assemblies positioned adjacent lateral edges thereof for slidable movement of said second platform along said rails.

20. A vehicle carrier as in claim 15 wherein each said rail includes a bracket adjacent said first platform;

and each said ramp includes a first end and a second end and a mounting cylinder attached to each said first end, each said mounting cylinder removably mating with a respective bracket for loading or unloading a vehicle.