Patent ID: 6932401

Claim:
In combination with a vehicle having an interior compartment above a floor, the vehicle having rearward and forward ends and a door at the rearward end thereof to permit selective access to the interior compartment, comprising: a lower casket support deck mounted on the vehicle floor and having a forward end, a rearward end, and opposite sides; a first upstanding support, having upper and lower ends, operatively secured to the vehicle at the forward end of said lower deck adjacent one side thereof; a second upstanding support, having upper and lower ends, operatively secured to the vehicle at the forward end of said lower deck adjacent the other side thereof; an upper casket support deck positioned above said lower casket support deck and having a forward end, a rearward end, and opposite sides; said forward end of said upper casket support deck being pivotally secured to said first and second upstanding supports; a first lift arm having upper and lower ends; a second lift arm having upper and lower ends; said upper ends of said first lift arm being movably secured to one side of said upper casket support deck; said upper end of said second lift arm being movably secured to the other side of said upper casket support deck; said first and second lift arms being operatively pivotally secured to the vehicle intermediate the lengths thereof; said lift arms being selectively movable between raised and lowered positions; said lift arms, when in their said raised positions, causing said upper casket support deck to be positioned in a generally horizontally disposed condition above said lower casket support deck for casket transport; said lift arms, when in their said lowered positions, causing the rearward end of said upper casket support deck to be lowered into a casket loading or unloading position.