Patent ID: 7258522

Claim:
A method for supporting a load on a transport vehicle in a manner permitting the load to be moved between an upper stowed position and a lower operating position along a linear, vertical path, the method comprising: mounting a support frame to the transport vehicle, the support frame having both a horizontal and a vertical span; mounting one or more rails within the support frame and positioning the one or more rails to span the vertical span of the support frame; mounting one or more slides on the one or more rails, such that the one or more slides are moveable in a substantially vertical path along the one or more rails; mounting one or more moveable platforms on the one or more slides, such that the one or more moveable platforms are moveable with the one or more slides within the support frame in said substantially vertical path to allow said load, which is supported by the one or more platforms, to move between the stowed position and the operating position along said substantially vertical path; providing a drive system for moving the one or more slides, the one or more platforms, and the load between the stowed position and the operating position; providing a transfer device which engages the one of more slides and spans a space between the one or more rails; connecting the drive system directly to the transfer device; and slip mounting the transfer device to the one or more slides, permitting a relative movement between the one or more slides and the transfer device.