Method for handling and transporting wheeled vehicles

A method for supporting a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• (a) moving a rack to a predetermined location, using wheels attached to said rack and supporting said rack with said rack in a collapsed configuration;
• (b) placing said rack in a vehicle-receiving configuration, including moving said wheels attached to said rack to a raised position and thereby lowering a first end of said rack to a supporting surface;
• (c) moving a wheeled vehicle into a predetermined location with respect to said rack, with said wheeled vehicle supported at least in part by a wheeled cradle engaging a wheel of said wheeled vehicle;
• and
• (d) fastening said wheeled vehicle to said rack by interconnecting said wheeled cradle with said rack.

A method of moving a wheeled vehicle into an upper transport position providing space for another such vehicle beneath said upper transport position, comprising:

• (a) providing a vehicle support rack including a horizontal base having a pair of upper longitudinal support members;
• (b) attaching a vehicle to said pair of upper longitudinal support members;
• (b) moving said pair of upper longitudinal support members longitudinally relative to said base, in a first direction, thereby moving a first end of each of said upper longitudinal support members up a respective inclined surface of an inclined support member carried on said base to a predetermined height above said base;
• (c) attaching said first end to a pivot connection located on said inclined support member at said predetermined height above said base;
• and
• (d) thereafter raising a second end of each of said upper longitudinal support members while allowing said first end to pivot about said pivot connection.

A method for placing a two-tier vehicle-support apparatus into a desired location and into a load-receiving configuration, comprising:

• (a) placing said vehicle-support apparatus into a collapsed configuration, by placing a collapsible subassembly into a lowered position;
• (b) with said vehicle-support apparatus in said collapsed configuration, supporting a front end thereof on a wheel mounted on a member of said collapsible subassembly;
• (c) supporting a rear end of said apparatus, while moving said apparatus to a predetermined location in said collapsed configuration, with said front end of said apparatus supported on said wheel;
• (d) thereafter moving said member of said collapsible subassembly upward relative to a base of said apparatus and thereby raising said wheel with respect to said base until said wheel no longer supports said front end of said apparatus.

A method for loading a wheeled vehicle into an intermodal cargo container, comprising:

• (a) moving a rack along a generally planar surface to a predetermined location inside an intermodal cargo container;
• (b) thereafter, placing said rack into a vehicle-receiving configuration;
• (c) thereafter, supporting a wheeled vehicle at least in part by a separate and independent wheeled cradle engaging a wheel of said wheeled vehicle, and moving said wheeled vehicle along said generally planar surface into a predetermined location with respect to said rack;
• and
• (d) thereafter fastening said wheeled vehicle to said rack by interconnecting said wheeled cradle with said rack.

A method for loading a wheeled vehicle into an intermodal cargo container, comprising:

• (a) moving a rack to a predetermined location inside an intermodal cargo container, using wheels attached to said rack to support said rack with said rack in a collapsed configuration while moving said rack;
• (b) placing said rack into a vehicle-receiving configuration;
• (c) thereafter, with a wheeled vehicle supported at least in part by a wheeled cradle engaging a wheel of said wheeled vehicle, moving said wheeled vehicle into a predetermined location with respect to said rack;
• and
• (d) fastening said wheeled vehicle to said rack by interconnecting said wheeled cradle with said rack.