Load raising vehicle and method

A pipe loading vehicle for transporting pipes from a ground location to a raised position beneath a covering surface, comprising:

• a self-propelled ground engaging vehicle having a front and a back, said vehicle being movable in the longitudinal direction, control means for the vehicle, a chassis, and a base supported on the chassis,
• at least one support stand stationarily fixedly mounted on the base and having a horizontal support surface extending transversely across the base for holding elongated pipes extending longitudinally, fornt and back,
• a pair of power operated lifts longitudinally aligned with the support stand or stands, each lift having a saddle on the top thereof, each lift movable to a lower position at which the saddle is below the height of the support surface and a raised position at which the saddle is raised substantially above the height of the support surface to raise a pipe from a first position extending longitudinally and supported on the support stand or stands, to a raised longitudinally extending position;
• and including a slidable hook rod on top of each lift next to its respective saddle, said hook rod having a hook on its end and being slidable out to at least one side of the vehicle, whereby a cable attached to an elongated pipe and to the hook rod lifts the pipe off the ground and up onto the support surface upon upward movement of the lifts.

A method of transporting an elongated object from a ground location to a predetermined position at a substantial height above the ground, using a vehicle having a ground engaging and chassis structure, a base supported on the ground engaging and chassis structure, transversely extending support surface means stationarily mounted on the base and a lifting means mounted on the base and generally aligned longitudinally with a portion of the support surface means and movable between a lower position below the height of the support surface means and a raised position substantially above the height of the support surface means, comprising the steps of:

• positioning the vehicle alongside the elongated object,
• operatively engaging the elongated object with the lift means,
• raising the lift means until the elongated object is above the height of the support surface means and placing the elongated object onto the support surface means extending longitudinally of the vehicle,
• lowering the lift means to a height below the level of the support surface means,
• positioning the elongated object over the lift means, and
• raising the lift means such that it engages the elongated object from below and moves it to the predetermined height.

A load raising vehicle comprising, in combination:

• a ground engaging and chassis structure, a base supported by the ground engaging and chassis structure to travel along the ground therewith,
• a support surface means stationarily mounted on the base and extending horizontally, transversely across the vehicle to support an elongated object extending longitudinally of the vehicle,
• a lifting means mounted on the base and being aligned longitudinally with a portion of said support surface means, said lifting means being movable between a lowered position, at which the top of the lifting means is below the height of said support surface means and a raised position at which the top of the lifting means is substantially higher than said support surface means, power operated means for effecting vertical movement of the lifting means,
• wherein the lifting means can engage an elongated object supported by the support surface means from below and raise the object to a substantial height above the support surface means,
• and including a saddle mounted on the top of the lifting means and movable transversely.