Patent ID: 7695236

Claim:
A utility vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame, including a bed; a propulsion system, said propulsion system attached to said vehicle frame for moving said vehicle frame in response to an input from a control mechanism; a loading apparatus, said loading apparatus mounted on said vehicle frame, said loading apparatus including a foot assembly and a fork assembly, said foot assembly movable to a working position wherein a portion of said foot assembly contacts the ground; said fork assembly operative to move between a first, lowered position and a second, raised position when said foot assembly is in said working position wherein as said fork assembly moves between said first, lowered position and said second, raised position, said fork assembly lifts a workpiece located on said fork assembly and deposits the workpiece on the bed; said fork assembly includes a fork member including a lifting portion, a leg portion, and an arm portion; said foot assembly includes a foot member, said foot member including a base portion and a leg portion, said leg portion connected to said vehicle frame; said arm portion connected to said foot assembly; and a power cylinder connected at one end thereof directly to said fork member and on an opposite end thereof directly to said foot assembly whereby said fork member moves separately from said foot assembly.