# US 10,479,253 B2 · Vehicle mounted loading and unloading apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,253 B2 - Document ID: US10479253B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/059,259 - Filed: 2018-08-09 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-28 - Applicants: James E. Zerbst; Karen Zerbst - Inventors: James E. Zerbst; Karen Zerbst - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479253B2 ## CPC - B60P 1/32: the other movement being lateral displacement - B60P 1/30: in combination with another movement of the element - B60P 1/6463: {fitted with articulated beams for longitudinal displacement of the container} - B65G 67/24: Unloading land vehicles - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A vehicle mounted loading and unloading apparatus is provided which has a stationary mounting rack removably attachable to a roof of a vehicle and a top rack that includes a container for storing cargo, such as bales of hay. An adjustment mechanism is provided to move the top rack relative to the mounting rack from a transporting position to a loading/unloading position in which the top rack is lowered behind the vehicle to facilitate loading cargo. A movable shelf may be provided on the top rack for assisting with loading and unloading cargo. The shelf is slidable between a rear end of the top rack and a front end of the top rack for placing the cargo. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A loading and unloading apparatus comprising: a mounting rack configured to removably attach to a roof of a vehicle, and including a mounting frame defining a first plane and having a front mount portion, a rear mount portion, and a pair of opposing lateral mount portions; a top rack slidably and pivotally connected to the mounting rack, and including a base frame defining a second plane and having a front wall at a front end of the top rack, a rear wall at a rear end of the top rack, and a pair of opposing lateral wall portions defining a container space for storing cargo; an adjustment mechanism adapted to slidably and pivotally move the top rack relative to the mounting rack from a transporting position in which the respective first and second planes of the mounting frame and the base frame are substantially parallel, to a loading/unloading position in which the second plane of the base frame is slanted and lowered with respect to the first plane of the mounting frame; and a movable shelf unit provided on the top rack for assisting with loading and unloading cargo, the shelf unit including a shelf frame adapted to slide between a position adjacent the rear end of the top rack and a position adjacent the front end of the top rack, wherein the movable shelf unit maintains a predetermined fixed orientation relative to the top rack as the movable shelf unit slides between the position adjacent the rear end of the top rack and the position adjacent the front end of the top rack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base frame of the top rack includes a first shelf guide and a second shelf guide provided on each lateral side of top rack for guiding the slidable shelf frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a set of rollers provided on opposing lateral sides of the shelf frame adapted to roll along the corresponding first and second shelf guides for slidably moving the shelf frame along the top rack. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a support bar attached to the rear end of the top rack by at least one mounting bracket, and at least one pulley fixed on the support bar for guiding a cable secured to a corresponding hook fixed on the rear end of the shelf frame for selectively pulling the shelf frame toward the rear end of the top rack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a linear actuator, and the linear actuator comprises a driving device and an elongated threaded screw rod threadedly engaged to a threaded pivot collar and having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to the driving device and the second end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to a support collar mounted to the rear end of the top rack. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving device is adapted to rotate the screw rod, and wherein the screw rod is located between the top rack and the mounting rack and has a length extending from the driving device to the support collar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the support collar is a bearing member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the top rack further includes a mounting shelf adjacent to the front wall portion on the base frame and configured to house the driving device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving device is an electric motor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a linear actuator, a threaded pivot collar pivotally connected to the mounting rack, and a pair of damping members having a first end pivotally connected to the top rack and a second end pivotally connected to the mounting frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the linear actuator comprises a driving device and an elongated threaded screw rod threadedly engaged to the threaded pivot collar and having a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to the driving device and the second end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to a support collar mounted to the rear end of the top rack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a pair of trolleys pivotally connected to the mounting frame and each including a plate member and at least one roller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the top rack further comprises a pair longitudinal guide rails configured to engage the respective pair of trolleys, wherein the each of the pair of guide rails is oppositely spaced apart on lateral sides of the base frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pair of guide rails include a longitudinal opening having at least one inwardly extending flange configured to receive the at least one roller of the respective pair of trolleys. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the driving device is adapted to rotate the screw rod, and wherein the screw rod is located between the top rack and the mounting rack and has a length extending from the driving device to the support collar. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the driving device is an electric motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The loading and unloading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting frame further includes a support strut located between the front and rear mount portions and having opposing ends respectively connected to the opposing lateral mount portions, such that the support strut is arranged parallel to the front and rear mount portions and perpendicular to the lateral mount portions.