Abstract:
A bed loader for loading game animals and other loads on a four-wheel recreational vehicles and more particularly, a bed loader mounted on a winch-equipped recreational vehicle with a roof and a bed for loading game animals onto the bed of the recreational vehicle. In a preferred embodiment the bed loader comprises a front guide, a top forward guide, and a top rear guide, and the bed loader is designed to operate with the winch comprised of a rotating drum and a winch line wound on the drum. The front guide, the top forward guide, and the top rear guide provide a guiding means guiding the winch line from the winch over the roof of the vehicle to a load at the rear of the vehicle allowing the winch line to attach to the game animal, and pull the game animal into the bed of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/185,586, Bed Loader, filed Jun. 27, 2015. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0003]    This invention relates to recreational vehicles with a roof, a winch, and a bed, and a device for loading heavy loads, such as game animals, and more particularly, to a bed loader mounted on a winch-equipped recreational vehicle for loading game animals onto the bed of the recreational vehicle. In a preferred embodiment the bed loader comprises a front guide, a top forward guide, and a top rear guide, and the bed loader is designed to operate with a winch comprised of a rotating drum and a winch line wound on the drum. The front guide is mounted on a front of the recreational vehicle above the winch, the top forward guide is mounted near a forward roof edge of the roof, and the top rear guide is mounted near a roof rear edge that is next to the vehicle bed. The winch line is guided from the winch drum through the front guide, the top forward guide, and the top rear guide to reach the game animal or other load to the rear or the vehicle&#39;s bed. The top forward guide is disposed aligned with the front guide and the top rear guide for guiding the winch line from the front guide, to the top front guide, to the rear guide, and to the game animal and the other load to the rear the recreational vehicle bed. 
         [0004]    One of the problems associated with the handling heavy objects, such as game animals in the field, is the loading of the heavy objects in or on the bed of the recreational vehicle. The need exist for a readily available loading device that is simple to use and makes use of equipment generally available on many recreational vehicles. 
         [0005]    Thus, it is object of this invention to provide a bed loader for pulling or moving game animals or other heavy objects into the vehicle bed. Another object of the invention is to provide a bed loader that operates with the winch mounted on the recreational vehicle. The bed loader comprises a front guide, a top forward guide, and a top rear guide, with the front guide used to guide the winch line up to the top front guide that is mounted generally adjacent to the roof forward edge of the recreational vehicle, and then the top forward guide is used to guide the winch line to the top rear guide that is used to guide the winch line down to the game animal or other object to be loaded. 
         [0006]    The front guide is positioned on the recreational vehicle above the winch for receiving the winch line from the winch and guiding the winch line upwardly to the top forward guide mounted on the roof. The top front guide, located generally mounted above a front viewing area, such as a windshield, receives and guides the winch line rearwardly to be received and guided by the top rear guide that is mounted on the roof near the roof rear edge, and the winch line it then guided downwardly to the game animal or object to be loaded. A bag or other holding device can then be mounted on a hook at the end of the winch line and the game animal positioned in the holding device and the winch used to pull the game animal onto the bed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    These and other objects of the invention are provided in a bed loader for mounting on a recreational vehicle having a winch mounted on the front end and roof of the recreational vehicle. The winch comprise a winch drum having a winch line wound thereon and when unwound the winch line can be placed pulled through: a front guide, mounted above the winch for guiding the winch line up to a top forward guide mounted generally adjacent to the roof forward edge above the front viewing area for guiding the winch line to a top rear guide mounted adjacent to the roof rear edge that is next to the bed. The front guide, the top forward guide, and the top rear guide are generally centered on a vehicle centerline running from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle and the guides are designed to receive and guide the winch line up and over the roof of the recreational vehicle and then downwardly to a holding means attached to the end of the winch line for engaging an object and loading the object in a rear bed of the vehicle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0008]    The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the bed loader shown with the solid lines mounted on a four-wheel recreational vehicle equipped with a conventional winch that is shown with dashed lines; 
           [0010]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of a preferred embodiment on a recreational vehicle shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown with the solid lines; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a frontal view of a front guide with retaining bars of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a side view of the front guide with the retaining bars of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a frontal view of the front guide with a retaining pin of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a side view of the front guide with the retaining pin of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5A  is a side view of the top forward guide and the top rear guide of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5B  is a side view of e view of the top forward guide and the top rear guide of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is a top view of e view of the top forward guide; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  is an end view of the top forward guide; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  is a side view of the top forward guide with a retaining pin as the retaining means; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6D  is a sectional view along line  6 D- 6 D of  FIG. 6C ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  shows the top front guide with a cylindrical roller as the guide means; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8A  is a top view of the top forward guide and the top rear guide of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8B  is a side view of the top forward guide and the top rear guide of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9A  is a top view of the top forward guide with two retaining bars as the retaining means; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9B  is an end view of the top forward guide the two retaining bars as the retaining means; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9C  is a side view of the top forward guide with two retaining bars as the retaining means; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9D  is a sectional view along line  9 D- 9 D of  FIG. 9C ; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  shows the top front guide with the cylindrical roller as the guide means and the two retaining bars as the retaining means. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2  of the drawings, the bed loader of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral  10 . The bed loader  10  comprises a front guide  12 , a top forward guide  14 , and a top rear guide  16 . The bed loader  10  may be mounted on a four-wheel recreational vehicle  18 , fitted with a roof  20 , a roll cage  21 , a bed  22  and a winch  24 . The winch  24  is mounted on a front end  23   a  of the recreational vehicle  18 , generally on a bumper  23   d , and the front guide  12 , the top forward guide  14 , and the top rear guide  16  are spaced on the recreational vehicle  18  in alignment with a winch line  33  running along a vehicle longitudinal axis  25  running from the front end  23   a  to a rear end  23   b  of the recreational vehicle  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The winch line  33  is fitted with a typical cable hook  34  and wound on a winch drum  32  that is as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . The winch line  33  is of a sufficient length to allow the cable hook  34  to engage loads or a game animal, such as a deer  34   a  in a bag  34   b , off the rear end  23   b  of the recreational vehicle  18 . 
         [0031]    Referring again to  FIG. 1A , the front guide  12  of the bed loader  10  is mounted on the bumper  23   d  of the recreational vehicle  18  above the winch  24  and the front guide  12  operates to receive the winch line  33  from the winch drum  32  and guide the winch line  33  to the top forward guide  14  which guides the winch line  33  to the top rear guide  16  when the winch drum  32   a  is winding and unwinding the winch line  33 . Accordingly, the winch line  33  extends from the winch  24  upwardly to the front guide  12 , and then upwardly across a front view area, such as a windshield  23   c  to the top forward guide  14  and then to the top rear guide  16  and then may extend to the rear end  23   b  of the recreational vehicle  18  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2 . The bed  22  may be placed in a tilted position  22   a  as shown by the dashed outline in  FIG. 1B  to more easily load the game animal, such as the deer  34   a.    
         [0032]    Accordingly, the winch line  33  may be extended farther rearwardly from the top rear guide  16  by operation of the winch  24  and rotating the winch drum  32  in reverse direction, to lead out the winch line  33  from the winch drum  32 . The winch line  33  is guided downwardly from the top rear guide  16  in position such that the cable hook  34  on the winch line  33 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , is then extended to the game animal, such as the deer  34   a  in the bag  34   b . The winch  24  can then be operated to rotate the winch drum  32  in the opposite direction rewinding the winch line  33  on the winch drum  32  to load the game animal in the bed  22 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the front guide  12 , the top forward guide  14 , and the top rear guide  16  each comprise at least a guide means  40   a , a guide support  40   b , and a retaining means  40   b  as shown in for front guide  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B , the guide means  40   a  may comprise an hourglass roller  41   a  and a shaft bolt  49 . Looking again to  FIG. 2  and more specifically to the front guide  12 , the guide support  40   b  may be two “L” brackets  43 , each of the two “L” brackets  43  having a first leg  45   a  running laterally traverse to the vehicle longitudinal axis  25  opposite the first leg  45   a  of the other, and the guide means  40   b , an hourglass roller  41   a , disposed between the second leg  45   b  of the one “L” bracket  43  and the second leg  45   b  of the other “L” bracket  43 . Referring to  FIGS. 2, 4A and 4B , the retaining means  40   b  of the front guide  12 , the top forward guide  14 , and the top rear guide  16  may be two retaining bars  42   a  with each having a long leg  42   a   1  disposed parallel to the shaft bolt  49  and a short leg  42   a   2  that is parallel and adjacent to the second leg  45   b  and perpendicular to the first leg  45   a . Looking to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the retaining means  40   c  may also be a retaining pin  42   b , such as a ⅝ inch quick-release pin commonly available at vendors like McMaster-Carr. The retaining pin  42   b  can easily be removed to place the winch line  33  in the guide, such as the front guide  12 . The retaining pin  42   b  is disposed placed through the second leg  45   b  of each “L” bracket  43  of each guide, such as front guide  12 , to hold the winch line  33  in the guide. Looking to  FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D , the front guide  12  is attached to a front mount  12   a . The front mount  12   a  may be rectangular and comprises a top bar  13   a , two identical side bars  13   b , a front plate  13   c , and a bottom plate  13   d . The front plate  13   c  and the bottom plate  13   d  are rectangular and are attached to each other forming a base channel  13   e  that is “L” shaped. The side bars  13   b  are parallel to each other and run vertically, and are located between the top bar  13   a  and the bottom plate  13   d  that are running horizontally. Looking at  FIGS. 3A and 4A , one side bar  13   b  forms one side of the rectangular front mount  12   a  and the other side bar  13   b  forms the opposite side of the rectangular front mount  12   a  and the side bars  13   b  extend upward from an upper face  13   d   4  of the bottom plate  13   d , and are adjacent to a back face  13   c   3  of the front plate  13   c . The top bar  13   a  is mounted to an upper end  13   b   1  of each of the top side bars  13   b . The base channel  13   e  is attached to the two side bars  13   b  along the back face  13   c   3  of the front plate  13   c  and the upper face  13   d   4  of the bottom plate  13   d   4 . The top bar  13   c  and the side bars  13   b  may be made of square tubing, preferably 1.5 inch steel tubing between 0.15 and 0.25 inches thick, preferably 0.125 inches thick. The top bar  13   c  is between 1-3 feet long, preferably 2 feet long, and the side bars are between 1-3 feet long, preferably 1.5 feet long. The front plate  13   c  an the bottom plate  13   d  are equal to the length to the top bar  13   a  and generally 0.2 to 0.75 of an inch thick, preferably 0.25 inches, and 2.5 inches wide. The front plate  13   c  runs horizontally and has a back face  13   c   3  that is oriented vertically and attached, preferably wielded, to the side bars  13   b , and to the upper face  13   d   4  of the bottom plate  13   d  is attached, preferably welded, to the two side bars  13   b . The front guide  12  is attached, preferably welded, to a front face  13   a   4  of the top bar  13   a .  FIG. 5A  shows an enlarged side view of the top forward guide  14  and the top rear guide  16  on a base plate  44  as shown in  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2  but without the retaining means  40   c , such as the retaining bars  42   a  or the retaining pin  42   b .  FIG. 5B  shows an enlarged top view of the top forward guide  14  and the top rear guide  16  of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 6A  shows a top view of the top forward guide  14  with an hourglass roller  41   a  and without the retaining means  40   c .  FIG. 6B  shows an end view of the top forward guide  14  of  FIG. 6A , illustrating the shaft bolt  49  secured by a shaft nut  47   b . The shaft bolt ( 49 ) is inserted though the second leg ( 45   b ) of the each the two “L” brackets of the guide support ( 40   b ). 
         [0034]    Looking again to  FIG. 6A , the first leg  45   a  of the “L” bracket  43  is drilled for a roof bolt  38  that secures the “L” bracket  43  to the roof  20 . The roof bolt  38  is 0.25 to 5 inches long and 0.25 to 0.5 inches in diameter allowing the roof bolt  38  to penetrate the first leg  45   a , the base plate  44  where used, and the roof and be secured by a fastener, such as a nut. The second leg  45   b  may be a plate 2 to 6 inches long, 1 to 5 inches wide, and ½ inch thick. The first leg  45   a  is 2 to 6 inches long, 1 to 5 inches wide and 0.25 to 0.75 inches thick. The second leg  45   b  may be welded to the first leg  45   a . The first leg  45   a  and the second leg  45   b  may are made of a high strength material such as carbon steel. 
         [0035]    Looking to  FIGS. 6C and 6D , the guide means  40   a  of the top forward guide  14  may comprise a roller, such as the hourglass roller  41   a , and a shaft bolt  49 , with the hourglass roller  41   a  rotating on the shaft bolt  49  that is inserted through the second leg  45   b  of the each “L” bracket  43  and the hourglass roller  41   a . The shaft bolt  49  is secured on one end by a head  47   a  and the other end by shaft nut  47   b , allowing the hourglass roller  41   a  to rotate as the winch line  33  in  FIG. 2  moves over the hourglass roller  41   a  to the rear end  23   b  of the recreational vehicle  18  and is retracted back towards the front end  23   a . Referring to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the “L” brackets  43  can be mounted to a base plate  44  and secured to the roof  20  and the roll cage  21  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  by a roof bolt  38  through the first leg  45   a  of each ‘L” bracket  43 . Looking to  FIG. 2 , the base plate  44  is centered on the vehicle longitudinal axis  25  and the base plate  44  runs from the roof forward edge  23   e  to the roof rear edge  23   f.    
         [0036]    Looking again to  FIG. 6C , the hourglass roller  41   a  comprises a first disc portion  70  adjacent to a first portion  72  that is conically shaped and adjacent to a uniform circular middle portion  74  that is adjacent to a conically shaped second portion  76  that is adjacent to a second disc portion  78 ; the middle portion  74  being cylindrical and running from the first portion  72  to the second portion  76 ; the first portion  72  and the second portion  76  configured to cradle the winch line  33  of  FIG. 2  onto the middle portion  74 . The first portion ( 72 ) and the second portion ( 76 ) tapering down from the first disc portion ( 70 ) and the second disc portion ( 78 ), respectively, to the middle portion ( 74 ). 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an elongated cylindrical rod, the cylindrical roller  41   b , may be mounted between the two “L” brackets  43  of the guide support  40   b  of the each guide, such as the top forward guide  14 , and the cylindrical roller  41   b  disposed placed to rotate on the shaft bolt  49 . The cylindrical roller  41   b  may also be removed and the winch line  33  allows to slide over the shaft bolt  49 . 
         [0038]    Looking to  FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A, and 9B , and more particularly  9   c , the retaining means  40   c  may be a two retaining bars  42   a  that are “L” shaped each having a long leg  42   a   1 , a short leg  42   a   2  and a distal end  42   c . The short leg  42   a   2  is mounted on the “L” bracket adjacent to the second leg  45   b  and perpendicular to the first leg  45   a . When the retaining means  40   c  is two retaining bars  42   a , the retaining bars  42   a  can be mounted on the front guide  12  and the top rear guide  16  as shown in the top forward guide  14  in  FIG. 9C  disposed placed so that the winch line  33  to be inserted around the distal end  42   c  of each retaining bar  42   a  to ride on the hourglass roller  41   a  of the guide means  40   a . When the two retaining bars  42   a  are used, one on each “L” bracket  43  as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9C , the retaining bars  42   a  are mounted parallel to each other with the distal end  42   c  of the each retaining bar pointed opposite the distal end  42   c  of the other retaining bar  42   a . This allows the winch line  33  to be inserted around the distal end  42   c  of the each retaining bar  42   a .  FIG. 10  shows the retaining bars  42   a  used with the top forward guide  14  of  FIG. 7 . 
         [0039]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2 , the bed loader  10  of this invention is made to use of the winch  24 , winch drum  32   a , winch line  33 , and cable hook  34  provided on many recreational vehicles  18 . The winch  24  performs a key role and is an indispensable component for operating the bed loader  10 . It will be further appreciated that the bed loader  10  can be used for many purposes other than loading game animal in the bed  22 . For example, the winch  24  on the front end  23   a  of the recreational vehicle  18  can be used with the bed loader  10  to load/pull items such as sacks of sand and the like and other objects, by utilizing the winch  24  and the winch line  33  in combination with the front guide  12 , the top forward guide  14 , and the top rear guide  16  of the bed loader  10 , in the same manner described above with regard to the handling and loading the deer  34   a . Since the top rear guide  16  between the front wheels  25   a  and the rear wheels  25   b  of the recreational vehicle  18 , the recreational vehicle  18  is relatively stable when a heavy load, such as the deer  34   a  is attached to the winch line  33 . The recreational vehicle  18  that has four wheels is much more stable and is a preferred vehicle for installation and use of the bed loader  10 , although the bed loader  10  may be mounted on a three wheel recreational vehicle (not shown). 
         [0040]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. Various deviations and modification may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention without departing from the main theme thereof.