Patent ID: 8382418

Claim:
A utility stowage apparatus mounted to a vehicle for transferring one or more objects between an upper storage position and a lower accessible position comprising: a vehicle having a top surface and a side surface, a stationary mounting frame comprising two L-shaped or U-shaped tracks, wherein the tracks comprise respectively first and second portions, each of the first portions and second portions lying in parallel, wherein the first portions of the tracks are mounted to the side surface and the second portions of the tracks are mounted to the top surface, each of the first and second portions of the at least two tracks comprises at least a channel and at least a rail, at least one carriage movably mounted on the rails and comprising: a) a tray having two distal ends, b) an axel connected to the tray and having first and second distal ends located proximate the distal ends of the tray, c) means for driving the carriage along the tracks, wherein the means further comprises at least a first means mounted on the first distal end of the axel and at least a second means mounted on the second distal end of the axel, wherein the first and second means respectively comprise a gear or a sprocket for effectively interlocking with the respective rails of the respective tracks wherein the means for driving are engagingly interlocked with the respective rails, d) at least a first bushing mounted on the first distal end of the axel and at least another bushing mounted on the second distal end of the axel, wherein the bushings guidingly engage the respective channels, e) a power drive operatively connected to the axel and for rotating at least one of the first or second means, and f) an object fastener attached to the tray for supporting and retaining an object on the tray, wherein operation of the power drive rotates at least one of the first or second means for driving the carriage along the tracks between the lower accessible position and the upper storage position.