Abstract:
A hoist for attachment to the rear of a sport utility vehicle or pickup truck includes an elbow member having a laterally projecting tow tube portion insertable on the receiver hitch of the vehicle, a base member adjustably securable to the lower end of the elbow member for contacting the ground and supporting the hoist, and a main post receivable on the upper end of the elbow member for rotatable movement thereon. The main post supports a winch assembly and a boom that laterally projects from the upper end of the main post for supporting a cable that raises, positions and lowers the load, and the interaction between a swivel plate at the upper end of the elbow member and a pivot ball at the lower end of the main post allows for the rotation of the main post on the elbow member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention pertains to hoisting assemblies, and more particularly pertains to a hoist that is easily assembled for attachment to the rear of a vehicle for hoisting items and easily disassembled for storage, transport or use to different job sites.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Various types of trucks are used for transporting heavy loads and objects from one location to another such as from a job site to a dump or storage site, from one residence to another as part of the moving process or from a store to a residence as, for example, when a home appliance such as a refrigerator, washer or dryer is purchased. In addition to using commercial transport trucks, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles are now commonly used to transport items and objects. These vehicles include a box-type drawbar or receiver hitch centrally located at the rear of the vehicle for the attachment of a trailer or bed on or in which the loads are transported. In addition, these vehicles can include a boom or hoist assembly for raising, lifting, moving and positioning such loads and items, and which can be mounted to the receiver hitch, one of the vehicle sidewalls, or to the upper edges of the vehicle bed sidewalls. Thus, because of the popularity of pickup trucks, SUVs, and sport trucks, the prior art discloses a range of hoist assemblies that are attachable to the rear of these vehicles for numerous hoisting and moving operations.  
         [0003]     For example, the Hawkins patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,922) discloses a portable crane wherein the hoist and boom are mounted on the bed of the pickup truck and a vertical support member is disposed outboard for supporting the hoist and boom.  
         [0004]     The Harlan patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,358) discloses a portable hoist attachable to the inside sidewall of a pickup truck, and includes a hydraulic powered unit for raising and lowering items.  
         [0005]     The DeLuca et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,090) discloses a hydraulic hoist for placement on the bed of a pickup truck and which includes a chain and eye arrangement for minimizing the leverage effect on the column and boom during loading and unloading.  
         [0006]     The Amato patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,864) discloses a boom hoist that is attachable to the hitch of a vehicle and includes a swingable boom-type hoist for raising and lowering items on and off the bed of the pickup truck.  
         [0007]     The Sunderland patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,970) discloses a hoist for a truck bed that includes uprights that are assembled and rise above the sidewalls of the truck and a longitudinal beam having a hook and cable on its distal end for raising and lowering items.  
         [0008]     The Buhr patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,198) discloses a collapsible hoist for a truck bed and includes tracks mountable to the opposed sidewalls of the truck that support a u-shaped hoist frame and on which a trolley is mounted and from which a hook depends for lifting and moving items.  
         [0009]     The Mills, Jr. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,078) discloses a portable hoist that includes an elongated base frame mounted to the ball hitch on the truck bed and a boom pivotally mounted thereto and extending rearward for raising and lowering heavy objects.  
         [0010]     The Carey et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,799) discloses an apparatus for loading jet skis and wave runner onto the sidewalls of the pickup truck, and includes a lifting apparatus for lifting the watercraft on and off rails secured to the truck bed sidewalls.  
         [0011]     The O&#39;Meara patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,349) discloses a knockdown hoist that includes a boom secured to a vertical member with the vertical member attached to a hitch member that is securable to the hitch pipe of a vehicle.  
         [0012]     The Myers, Jr. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,991) discloses a hoist assembly securable to the rear of an ATV vehicle.  
         [0013]     The Heyworth patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,431) discloses a hoist apparatus for lifting large game animals, and includes a base mounted to the hitch receiver of a vehicle, a support column mounted to the base and a boom extending horizontally from the support column.  
         [0014]     Nevertheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a portable hoist for lifting heavy loads that can be easily assembled and disassembled by a single individual for operation, movement and storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     The present invention comprehends a hoist that is removably attachable to the rear of an automotive vehicle, such a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle, and specifically to the receiver hitch or triangular drawbar of the vehicle for raising and lifting heavy objects and loads onto the storage compartment or bed of the vehicle and for removing and lowering loads from the rear storage compartment or bed of the vehicle to the ground.  
         [0016]     The hoist of the present invention includes a main support post or stanchion that has a boom laterally extending from the upper end of the main support post. The lower end of the main support post is received into the upper end of an elbow member. The elbow member also includes a tow tube portion that laterally projects from the elbow member and which is removably attachable to the drawbar or receiver hitch at the rear of the vehicle. The elbow member includes a lower end that telescopically receives therein a base member so that the base member can be appropriately adjusted and then secured to in position to the lower end of the elbow member for contacting the ground and supporting the vertical extension of the main support post. Mounted to the main support post and the boom is a winch assembly that includes a main pulley on which a cable is wound and a manually operable hand crank for winding and unwinding the cable so that the load can be raised or lowered. A cable pulley is mounted to the distal end of the boom, and the end of the cable has a hook attached to it for hooking onto loads so that the loads can be raised and lowered. A swivel mechanism that engages the lower end of the main support post and the upper end of the elbow allows the main support post—and the boom—to rotate on the elbow member for reaching loads that are located adjacent the rear of the vehicle.  
         [0017]     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a hoist that allows the individual to reliably lift and lower heavy objects and loads into the storage compartment or bed of the automotive vehicle.  
         [0018]     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a hoist that can be quickly assembled for use and disassembled for transport and storage by one individual.  
         [0019]     It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a hoist that can be used in residential, commercial and farm applications.  
         [0020]     It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide a hoist that allows the individual to lift heavy loads with the minimum of physical exertion by the individual.  
         [0021]     A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a hoist that can remain attached to the receiver hitch of the vehicle while the vehicle is being moved forward or backward for positioning to better align the hoist for the raising or lowering of loads.  
         [0022]     These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the hoist of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the hoist after the hoist has been assembled for use and attached to the receiver hitch of the vehicle;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the hoist illustrating the attachment of the hoist to the rear of a pickup truck so that the hoist can lift and lower items and loads into and out of the bed of the pickup truck;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the hoist illustrating the attachment of the hoist to the rear of a sport utility vehicle so that the hoist can lift and lower items and loads through the top opening rear door for placement into or removal from the rear storage compartment of the sport utility vehicle;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the hoist illustrating the range of rotatable motion of the hoist when attached to the receiver hitch of the pickup truck;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the hoist illustrating the securement of the main support post to the elbow member, the tow tube portion to the receiver hitch and the lower end of the elbow member to the base member;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a sectioned elevational view of the hoist illustrating the alignment of the lower end of the main support post with the upper end of the elbow member prior to interconnection; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a sectioned elevational view of the hoist illustrating the interconnection of the lower end of the main support post to the upper end of the elbow member so that the swivel mechanism can allow the main support post to pivot on the elbow member. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7  is a hoist mechanism or assembly that attaches to the rear of an automotive vehicle for lifting, moving, lowering and positioning items, objects and loads in and out of the vehicle, and which are too heavy and cumbersome for an individual to lift and move. The hoist  10  is specifically adapted for removable attachment to the box-type drawbar or receiver hitch  12  that laterally extends from the rear central portion of the automotive vehicle. The type of automotive vehicle for which the hoist  10  of the present invention is primarily adapted is a pickup truck  14 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , having a rear storage bed  16  defined by opposed sidewalls  18  and closed off by a tailgate  20  or an SUV or sport utility vehicle  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , having a rear storage compartment  24  that has a side, bottom or top opening door  26 ; nonetheless, hoist can be used with any vehicle that has a rearwardly extending, box-type trailer hitch or draw bar. A primary advantage of the hoist  10  of the present invention is that it can be easily assembled by one individual for securement to the receiver hitch of the vehicle, and it can be easily and quickly disassembled by one individual for break-down, storage or transport to another job site whereupon the hoist  10  can then be easily and quickly reassembled for use.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the hoist  10  includes a main support post, column or stanchion  28  that is oriented in a vertically upright position adjacent the rear of the vehicle  14  or  22  when assembled for use. The main support post  28  includes an upper end  30  and an opposite lower end  32 . One preferable length for the main support post  28  is 66 inches, and such a length will allow the main support post  28  to easily surmount the bed  16  of the pickup truck  14  for lifting and lowering loads therein and removing loads from the bed  16 . The main support post  28  is predominantly square-shaped from the upper end  30  downward, but the lower end  32  is circular-shaped to facilitate the attachment and the pivotal motion of the main support post  28  as will be explained hereinafter.  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , laterally extending at a slight angle from the upper end  30  of the main support post  28  is a boom  34 . The boom  34  is preferably at least 18 inches long for spanning the distance from the point of attachment of the hoist  10  at the receiver hitch  12  across the tailgate  20  and to the bed  16  of the pickup truck  14  or into the storage compartment  24  of the sport utility vehicle  22 . The main support post  28  and the boom  34  supports a winch assembly  36  that is easily operable by the individual for raising and lowering loads on and off the vehicles  14  and  22 . The winch assembly  36  includes a main pulley  38  mounted to the main support post  28  by brackets  40 . A manually rotatable crank  42  extends from the main pulley  38  and is turned clockwise or counterclockwise for unwinding or winding a cable  44  that is mounted on the main pulley  38  and that has a hook  46  attached at the end of the cable  44 . The hook  46  is secured to the load for raising or lowering the load. The cable  44  is preferably ⅜-inch cable with a total length of approximately 25 feet. Secured to the main post  28  by brackets  48 , and located above the main pulley  38 , is an idler pulley  50  that takes up some of the slack of the cable  44  and assists in keeping the cable  44  taut when the cable  44  is being wound or unwound during the raising and lowering of loads. Mounted to the distal end of the boom  34  is a cable pulley  52  over which the cable  44  runs for attaining maximum leverage for lifting the load, as the cable pulley  52  generally will be positioned above the load during any lifting operation. Although the winch assembly  36  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  is manually operable,  FIG. 5  illustrates a winch assembly  54  that as an alternative is electric powered and thus would comprise a power winch and turning system and further includes a push button or slide switch  56  that actuates the winding and unwinding of the cable  44  for raising and lowering loads.  
         [0033]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7  is an elbow member  58  that includes elements that provide for the removable securement of the elbow member  58  to the receiver hitch  12  and to the lower end  32  of the main support post  28 . More specifically, the elbow member  58  includes an upper elbow end  60  that is cylindrical-shaped and defines a bore or passageway  62  for receiving the circular-shaped lower end  32  of the main support post  28 . The elbow member  58  also includes a lower elbow end  64  that is hollow and square-shaped and includes a pair of opposed base locking apertures  66 . Further, the elbow member  58  includes a tow tube portion  68  that laterally extends from the elbow member  58  approximately 23 inches. The tow tube portion  68  includes a receiver passageway  70  that slides onto and over the receiver hitch  12  for attaching the tow tube portion  68  to the receiver hitch  12 . Located at the distal end of the tow tube portion  68  is a pair of opposed hitch apertures  72 . The hitch apertures  72  are brought into alignment with apertures  74  located at the end of the receiver hitch  12  so that a locking pin or bolt  76  can be inserted through all the apertures  72  and  74  for locking the elbow member  60  to the receiver hitch  12 .  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the hoist  10  includes a main post supporting means that contacts the ground for reliably supporting the main post  28  thereon, and which is also slidably adjustable to accommodate the fact that receiver hitches for different types of vehicles may vary in their distance from the ground. Also, the slidable adjustment of the main post supporting means allows the individual to position and reposition the hoist  10  by moving, for example, the vehicle  14  or  22  forward or backward while maintaining the attachment of the hoist  10  to the receiver hitch  12  thereby saving time and labor by not having to disconnect and then reconnect the hoist  10  to the vehicle  14  or  22  each time the vehicle  14  or  22  may need to be moved. The main post supporting means includes a base member  78 , and the base member  78  includes an upright member  80  that is square-shaped and approximately 15 inches long and further defined by pairs of opposed base apertures  82  that are equidistantly spaced along two opposed sides of the upright member  80 . The upright member  80  is slidably telescopically adjustable within the lower end  64  of the elbow member  58  so that the appropriate extension of the base member  78  for contacting the ground can be obtained to thereby support the main post  28 . After the appropriate position for the upright member  80  is found, the base member  78  is locked to the elbow member  58  by inserting a locking stud, pin or bolt  84  through the aligned base apertures  82  and the locking apertures  66  on the lower end  64  of the elbow member  58 . To provide a solid and stable base for the main support post  28 , the base member  78  includes footplate  86  at least five inches square that engages and is placed contiguous to the ground.  
         [0035]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the hoist  10  includes a swivel mechanism or means that permit a 360-degree rotation of the main support post  28  and the boom  34  on the elbow member  58 . The swivel means enhances the capability of the hoist  10  by allowing the individual to pivot or turn the main post  28  on the elbow member  58  to reach loads that are adjacent, but not directly underneath the main post  28  when the main post  28  is attached to the receiver hitch  12 . The swivel means includes a pivot ball  88  mounted at the lower end  32  of the main support post  28  and a swivel plate  90  mounted within the passageway  62  of the upper end  60  of the elbow member  58 . The swivel plate  90  includes a swivel plate aperture  92  for receiving therein the pivot ball  88 . When the lower end  32  of the main support post  28  is slidably inserted within the upper end  60  of the elbow member  58  as part of the process of assembling the hoist  10 , the swivel plate  90  provides a stop for the pivot ball  88  and also a surface against which the pivot ball  88  can rotate. The individual can turn the hoist  10  to the desired position by manually grasping and rotating either the main support post  28  or the boom  34  and this rotatable action is provided by the pivotal engagement of the pivot ball  88  with the aperture  92  of the swivel plate  90 .  
         [0036]     While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that numerous modifications, variations, and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.