Lift apparatus mountable on a vehicle

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle having a hitch socket, said apparatus comprising:

• mounting section engageable with the hitch socket;
• a motor drivingly coupled with a gear, said motor and said gear supported on said mounting section;
• a lift section including a rigid elongate structural member and an upwardly opening socket;
• a drive chain having a plurality of articulating links and defining a first end and an opposite second end, said first and second ends being secured to said rigid elongate structural member at spaced apart locations, said gear being operably engaged with said chain at a position intermediate said spaced apart locations wherein rotation of said gear raises and lowers said rigid elongate structural member relative to said mounting section;
• and
• at least one lift platform, said lift platform including a mounting member removeably insertable into said socket, said mounting member being pivotally secured to said lift platform whereby said lift platform is pivotal relative to said mounting section when said mounting member is inserted within said socket;
• a stop member secured to said mounting member and extending outwardly therefrom, said stop member extending toward said rigid elongate structural member when said mounting member is positioned in said socket;
• and
• a restraining member disposed on said mounting section and positioned to allow removal of said mounting member from said socket when said lift section is in said lowered position and engage said stop member and thereby prevent removal of said mounting member from said socket when said lift section is in said elevated position.

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a mounting section engageable with the vehicle;
• a lift platform operably coupled with said mounting section, said lift platform being vertically moveable relative to said mounting section and pivotal about an axis between a substantially horizontal orientation and a substantially vertically orientation;
• a taillight assembly disposed proximate a distal end of said lift platform, said taillight assembly being electrically connectable to the vehicle and selectively repositionable between a first position and a second position, said taillight assembly facing rearwardly when said lift platform is in said substantially horizontal position and said taillight assembly is in said first position and said taillight assembly facing rearwardly when said lift platform is in said substantially vertical position and said taillight assembly is in said second position;
• and
• a biasing member disposed to bias said taillight assembly toward said second position and a retention pin moveably mounted on said taillight assembly, said retention pin being selectively engageable with an object secured on said lift platform to thereby secure said taillight assembly in said first position.

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a mounting section engageable with the vehicle;
• a lift platform operably coupled with said mounting section, said lift platform being vertically moveable relative to said mounting section between a lowered position and an elevated position, said lift platform including a platform structure;
• a platform surface assembly, said surface assembly being removeably securable on said platform structure, said surface assembly being defined by first and second surface members having substantially similar surface areas, said surface assembly further including at least one hinge pivotally connecting said first and second surface members wherein said first and second surface members are pivotal between a use configuration wherein said first and second surface members are positioned in a common plane and a compact configuration wherein said first and second surface members are positioned in a folded arrangement;
• a pair of locking pins disposed on said platform surface assembly and moveable between a first position and a second position, said locking pins being biased toward said first position, said pins being engageable with said platform structure to thereby secure said platform surface assembly on said platform structure when in said first position;
• and
• a handle member coupled to each of said locking pins, said handle member being operable to simultaneously retract each of said pair of pins into said second position and thereby allow removal of said platform surface assembly from said platform structure.

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a mounting section engageable with the vehicle;
• a lift platform operably coupled with said mounting section, said lift platform being vertically moveable relative to said mounting section between a lowered position and an elevated position, said lift platform including a platform structure;
• a platform surface assembly, said surface assembly being removeably securable on said platform structure, said surface assembly being defined by first and second surface members having substantially similar surface areas, said surface assembly further including at least one hinge pivotally connecting said first and second surface members wherein said first and second surface members are pivotal between a use configuration wherein said first and second surface members are positioned in a common plane and a compact configuration wherein said first and second surface members are positioned in a folded arrangement;
• wherein said platform surface assembly is removeably securable on said platform structure in both said use configuration and said compact configuration and said lift platform is pivotable relative to said mounting section between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation, and wherein said apparatus further comprises:
• an engagement member operably coupled with said lift platform and engageable with said mounting section wherein said engagement of said mounting section with said engagement member during elevation of said lift platform rotates said engagement member relative to said mounting section;
• and
• a linkage member operably coupled with said engagement member and, when said lift platform is in said lowered position, said linkage member has a first position that positions said engagement member for engagement with said mounting section and couples said lift platform with said engagement member wherein raising of said lift platform with said linkage member in said first position rotates said lift platform into a substantially vertical orientation;
• said linkage member having a second position relative to said engagement member wherein raising of said lift platform with said linkage member in said second position raises said lift platform in a substantially horizontal orientation;
• said linkage member being operably engageable with said platform surface assembly wherein mounting said platform surface assembly on said platform structure in said compact configuration positions said linkage member in said first position and mounting said platform surface assembly on said platform structure in said use configuration positions said linkage member in said second position.

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• a mounting section mountably engageable with the vehicle;
• a lift section operably coupled with said mounting section and moveable between a lowered position and an elevated position;
• a platform structure supported on said lift section and pivotal between a substantially horizontal orientation and a substantially vertical orientation;
• an engagement bracket pivotal relative to said lift section, said engagement bracket having an engagement member engageable with said mounting section, said engagement bracket having a lifting configuration wherein movement of said lift section between said lowered and elevated positions raises said platform structure in a substantially horizontal orientation and a tilting configuration wherein raising said lift section from said lowered position to said elevated position with said engagement bracket in said tilting configuration rotates said engagement bracket through a pivot angle of at least about 90 degrees and operably couples said engagement bracket with said platform structure and thereby pivots said platform structure from said substantially horizontal orientation to said substantially vertical orientation;
• a linkage member pivotally mounted on said platform structure and operably couplable with said engagement bracket, said linkage member being pivotal between a first position and a second position wherein disposing said linkage member in said first position positions said engagement bracket in said lifting configuration and disposing said linkage member in said second position positions said engagement bracket in said tilting configuration;
• and
• a biasing member operably engaged with said engagement bracket and biasing said engagement bracket toward said lifting configuration.

An apparatus mountable on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• a mounting section mountably engageable with the vehicle;
• a lift section operably coupled with said mounting section and moveable between a lowered position and an elevated position;
• a platform structure supported on said lift section and pivotal between a substantially horizontal orientation and a substantially vertical orientation;
• an engagement bracket pivotal relative to said lift section, said engagement bracket having an engagement member engageable with said mounting section, said engagement bracket having a lifting configuration wherein movement of said lift section between said lowered and elevated positions raises said platform structure in a substantially horizontal orientation and a tilting configuration wherein raising said lift section from said lowered position to said elevated position with said engagement bracket in said tilting configuration rotates said engagement bracket through a pivot angle of at least about 90 degrees and operably couples said engagement bracket with said platform structure and thereby pivots said platform structure from said substantially horizontal orientation to said substantially vertical orientation;
• a linkage member pivotally mounted on said platform structure and operably couplable with said engagement bracket, said linkage member being pivotal between a first position and a second position wherein disposing said linkage member in said first position positions said engagement bracket in said lifting configuration and disposing said linkage member in said second position positions said engagement bracket in said tilting configuration;
• and
• a mounting member pivotally secured to said platform structure, said mounting member being selectively mountable on said lift section whereby said platform structure is removeably mounted on said lift section, said engagement bracket being pivotally mounted on said mounting member.