# US 2013/0149083 A1 · Tail Hauler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0149083 A1 - Document ID: US20130149083A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/315,883 - Filed: 2011-12-09 - Published: 2013-06-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-09 - Assignees: VisibleElectronics, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew Marvin Derrick; Stephen Edward Gerencser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130149083A1 ## CPC - B60R 9/06: at vehicle front or rear {(rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041)} - B60P 3/07: for carrying road vehicles - B60P 3/122: {by supporting the whole vehicle} - B60P 3/06: for carrying vehicles (B60P3/12 takes precedence; caravans, camping, or like vehicles with vehicle-carrying means {B60P3/36}) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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) ## Abstract A lifting assembly for use on vehicles of a variety of types, including recreational vehicles, vans, trucks and the like, and includes one or more lifting structures that will support a deck structure. The lifting assembly will be removably mounted to the vehicle frame so that the whole assembly can be removed from the vehicle, and the deck structure is pivotally mounted to the lift assembly so that it can be moved between a stored position when not in use, or a transport position when loads are to be carried. When in the transport position the deck will be movable between lowered and raised positions so that items can be placed on the deck in the lowered position and then transported once the deck is raised to a desired height. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hauling assembly comprising a frame; a carriage movably mounted to the frame; a drive system including a drive mechanism mounted to the frame and the carriage to move the carriage along the frame between lowered and raised positions; and a deck operatively attached to the carriage to support a load and so as to be movable between transport and stored positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 wherein the frame includes at least one vertical member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical members, each being provided with its own drive mechanism, and an upper section interconnecting an upper portion of each of the vertical members. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The hauling assembly as in claim 3 further including a motor mounted on the upper section, and wherein the drive system further includes a drive member rotationally mounted to the upper section and operatively connected to the drive mechanism provided on each of the vertical members. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 wherein the frame includes at least one rail member having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having opposing side surfaces each including a vertically extending groove, the rear portion having a hollow interior portion extending upwardly from a bottom thereof for at least a predetermined distance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hauling assembly as in claim 5 wherein the carriage comprises a hollow elongated member having top and bottom ends, a front wall, a pair of side walls connected to the front wall, and a rear wall section defined by opposing, spaced apart flanges extending inwardly from a rear edge of each if the pair of side walls, and a travel block mounted internally of the carriage at a fixed point located between the top and bottom edges, the travel block being operatively mounted to the drive mechanism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The hauling assembly as in claim 6 wherein the spaced apart flanges are movingly retained within the vertically extending groove. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 wherein the deck is attached to the carriage by a hinge assembly including at least one support wall having a rear portion mounted to a side wall of the carriage, a stop member secured to a front portion of the at least one support wall, a deck rail pivotally mounted to the hinge assembly so as to be pivotal between raised and lowered positions, and a locking member locking the deck rail to the hinge assembly in each of the lowered and raised positions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 further including a control system for controlling operation of the drive system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 wherein the deck includes at least one support rail pivotally attached to the carriage and a deck member secured to the at least one support rail. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hauling assembly as in claim 1 further including a pair of support rails, each being pivotally connected to one of a pair of carriages, the frame including a pair of spaced apart supports to which one each of the pair of carriages are movingly mounted, and wherein the drive system includes a threaded member rotationally mounted to each of the pair of spaced apart supports and engaged with one of the carriages, the drive system including a drive motor and an operative connection between the motor and each of the threaded members so that each carriage can be moved by the rotation of the threaded member in either one of a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The hauling assembly as in claim 11 further including a deck member secured to the pair of spaced apart supports. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hauling assembly as in claim 12 further including a control system for controlling operation of the drive system and the movement of the pair of carriages. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The hauling assembly as in claim 8 wherein the hinge assembly further includes a pair of opposing support walls mounted to opposite sides of the carriage, the stop block being positioned between the pair of support walls and against a front wall of the carriage and a pair of spacer blocks each being mounted to one of the pair of support walls and spaced apart to permit the deck rail to pivot there between. ### Claim 15 A lifting assembly for use in transporting a load comprising: a vehicle mounting assembly having two spaced apart vehicle connection portions each being secured to a frame of a vehicle; a pair of spaced apart, vertically extending support members and an upper support extending between and connected to an upper end of each of the pair of support members; a carriage movably mounted on each of the pair of support members; the vehicle mounting assembly further including two removable lift assembly connection portions with one being removably connected to each of the lift assembly connection portions and removably connected to the vehicle connection portions; a drive system to move the carriages vertically along the pair of support members; a deck attached to the carriage so as to be movable between transport and storage positions; and a control system by which the lifting assembly operation is controlled.