Deck attachment and lift system

A method of attaching a deck to a vehicle comprising the steps of:

• providing a vehicle with a frame and a plurality of ground engaging wheels operatively connected to said frame;
• providing a deck having first and second attachment means;
• providing said vehicle with a deck attachment mechanism having a first link with a first end connected to said frame and a second end adapted to be connected to said first attachment means of said deck, said first link having an effective length L1, said deck attachment mechanism also including a split linkage formed of second and third links, said split linkage having a first end connected to said frame and a second end adapted to be connected to said second attachment means of said deck, said third link being selectively pivotable about said second link into first and second positions, said split linkage having an effective length L2 when said third link is positioned into said first position, said effective length L2 being less than effective length L1;
• and,
• providing said vehicle with a deck lift mechanism including lifting means mounted to said frame and operatively connected to said third link;
• placing said deck under said vehicle;
• attaching said first link to said first attachment means of said deck;
• attaching said split link to said second attachment means of said deck;
• lifting said attachment mechanism and thereby said deck;
• and,
• positioning said third link into said second position thereby providing said split link with an effective length L1.

A deck attachment and lift system comprising:

• a deck attachment mechanism for use in attaching to an associated frame and an associated deck, said deck attachment mechanism forming a four sided parallelogram and including,
• A) a first side formed of a first link having a first end adapted to be connected to the associated frame and a second end adapted to be connected to the associated deck, said first link having an effective length L1;
• B) a second side formed of second and third links forming a split linkage, said split linkage having a first end adapted to be connected to the associated frame and a second end adapted to be connected to the associated deck, said third link being selectively pivotable about said second link into first and second positions, said split linkage having an effective length L2 when said third link is positioned into said first position and an effective length L1 when said third link is positioned into said second position, said effective length L2 being less than effective length L1;
• and,
• C) locking means for selectively locking said third link into said second position;
• and,
• a deck lift mechanism for use in lifting said deck attachment mechanism and the associated deck, said deck lift mechanism including lifting means adapted to be mounted to the associated frame and operatively connected to said third link, said lifting means for use in selectively positioning said third link into said second position as the associated deck is lifted.