Patent ID: 7665788

Claim:
A trailer defining a floor having a floor level extending from a first end of the trailer, and comprising a first displaceable platform onto which goods are to be loaded from the first end of the trailer, the first displaceable platform having an upper surface onto which goods are to be loaded, a vertically displaceable platform, the vertically displaceable platform having an upper surface for carrying the first displaceable platform, a lifting mechanism arranged to displace the vertically displaceable platform vertically, the trailer having an initial loading condition in which the upper surface of the first displaceable platform is arranged at said floor level of the trailer, a first platform lift condition in which the lifting mechanism displaces the vertically displaceable platform to an elevated position above said floor level so as to lift said first displaceable platform, the first displaceable platform being displaceable away from the first end of the trailer after the vertically displaceable platform has been displaced to said elevated position, and a subsequent loading condition in which the upper surface of the vertically displaceable platform is arranged at said floor level of the trailer to enable goods to be loaded onto the vertically displaceable platform after the first displaceable platform has been elevated and displaced away from the first end of the trailer.