Patent ID: 7264437

Claim:
A method of unloading a storage container from a transport vehicle to a surface, the vehicle including a vehicle frame for supporting the storage container at a transport position thereon, the vehicle frame having a forward end and a rearward end, said method comprising: raising the container from the transport position thereof over the vehicle frame with a pair of horizontal lifting members each having a forward end and a rearward end, the forward ends of the lifting members being operably engaged by a vertically movable member such that the lifting members are vertically movable in correspondence therewith and such that the rearward ends of the lifting members are unsupported, the lifting members being laterally separated by at least a width of the container and being operably engaged with the container via a tether; moving the lifting members longitudinally rearward along the vehicle frame with a translatory device operably engaged between the vertically-movable member and the vehicle frame until the container extends past a vertical plane defined by the rearward end of the vehicle frame; lowering the lifting members so as to lower the container to the surface; disengaging the tethers form the container; moving the lifting members longitudinally forward along the vehicle frame toward the forward end thereof; and stowing the lifting members relative to the vehicle frame so the lifting members are positioned below the storage container when in the transport position thereon.