The present invention is a lifting assembly to be used with a lift mechanism installed in a vehicle. The lifting assembly includes a supporting structure in the shape of a cross, with a connecting arrangement attached thereto. The connecting arrangement include apertures to which two or more cables may be engaged. The cables may further be engaged at their other ends with a shackle which is adapted to be fixedly attached to the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism, when operated, causes the supporting structure to be suspended in the shape of a sling arrangement, which can be utilized to support various types of items, including a wheelchair. The wheelchair supported in the supporting structure can be hoisted by operating the lift mechanism for storage and other purposes, as desired.

A vehicle hard top lift device comprising a receiver bar with a pivot post on its upper surface opposite a receiver hitch, a mast insertable onto said pivot post, a pivot support arm pivotally connected to the top of the mast, and a linear actuator coupled to said mast and said pivot support arm. The hard top lift device further comprises an extension bar insertable and slidable within the end of the pivot support arm and said extension bar connected to a lift frame purposed to be placed inside the rear cargo area of vehicle and up against the interior roof of a hard top. Capture plates and/or capture plate channel located on the top of the pivot support arm will engage the back bottom edge of the hard top to prevent the hard top from sliding off the lift frame. A user will through a vehicle powered electrical power source operate a switch which will cause the linear actuator to remove or install a hard top on to a vehicle with very minimal effort with the raising and lowering action of the linear actuator with the pivot arm and rotational mast on the pivot point for placement of a hard top away from a vehicle or staging for installation of a hard top onto a vehicle.

Utility Task Vehicles comprise a chassis, a truck body mounted to the chassis, a truck bed for holding material, and a hydraulic and/or electrical system. What is presented is a lifting unit for a Utility Task Vehicle that is factory built into the Utility Task Vehicle or an after-market add-on to the Utility Task Vehicle. The lifting unit comprises a cross-bracket mounted to the underside of the chassis and a side rail along one side of the truck body. A rotatable horseshoe hinge is mounted to the side rail. The horseshoe hinge is configured to pivot between a lower position and an upper position. An interchangeable attachment is configured to be installed on the horseshoe hinge. The interchangeable attachment could be, for example, a rock picker, a material lifting bucket, a log and bag loader, a deer skinning pole, or a hoist.

Utility Task Vehicles comprise a chassis, a truck body mounted to the chassis, a truck bed for holding material, and a hydraulic and/or electrical system. What is presented is a lifting unit for a Utility Task Vehicle that is factory built into the Utility Task Vehicle or an after-market add-on to the Utility Task Vehicle. The lifting unit comprises a cross-bracket mounted to the underside of the chassis and a side rail along one side of the truck body. A rotatable horseshoe hinge is mounted to the side rail. The horseshoe hinge is configured to pivot between a lower position and an upper position. An interchangeable attachment is configured to be installed on the horseshoe hinge. The interchangeable attachment could be, for example, a rock picker, a material lifting bucket, a log and bag loader, a deer skinning pole, or a hoist.

A method for determining stability of a vehicle having a load suspended from the vehicle is provided. The method can include obtaining measurements from a plurality of sensors positioned on the vehicle, obtaining a measurement from a vehicle accelerometer operative to determine an inclination of the vehicle, determining a position of the load suspended from the vehicle, determining a slung load of the load suspended from the vehicle, using the determined slung load and the determined position of the load suspended from the vehicle, determining tipping moments acting on the vehicle, determining righting moments acting on the vehicle and determining a tipping stability based on the determined tipping moments and determined righting moments.

A method for determining stability of a vehicle having a load suspended from the vehicle is provided. The method can include obtaining measurements from a plurality of sensors positioned on the vehicle, obtaining a measurement from a vehicle accelerometer operative to determine an inclination of the vehicle, determining a position of the load suspended from the vehicle, determining a slung load of the load suspended from the vehicle, using the determined slung load and the determined position of the load suspended from the vehicle, determining tipping moments acting on the vehicle, determining righting moments acting on the vehicle and determining a tipping stability based on the determined tipping moments and determined righting moments.

A lift for a motorcycle, with the lift being useable with a hitch receiver. The lift comprises a connector engageable with the hitch receiver, and a guide rail having a first end portion coupled to the connector and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. A carriage is operatively coupled to the guide rail and is traversable between a first position and a second position, the carriage moving toward the second end portion of the guide rail as the carriage moves from the first position toward the second position. A platform is coupled to the carriage and is engageable with the motorcycle and capable of supporting the weight of the motorcycle when engaged therewith and as the carriage is moved from the first position toward the second position, causing the motorcycle to be lifted from the ground.

A self-propelled vehicle used to lay pipe sections within trenches located on sloped terrain, and a method for using it, including: an undercarriage carrying a vehicle chassis and capable of climbing sloped terrain; a rotating platform which can be maintained level relative to the sloped terrain; and a boom with an angled boom head, capable of using two independent winch cables to lift and position individual pipe sections having differing lengths and diameters. The vehicle may be used to sequentially lift two or more pipe sections, one at a time, and to swing and position the pipe sections in a trench, end-to-end.

The present invention relates to a support structure for a vehicle provided with a cargo crane having a crane base, said support structure comprising a support beam connectable to said crane base and a support leg, wherein a proximal end of said support leg is connected to said support beam at a pivoting point, such that, said support leg is pivotable around said pivoting point relative to said support beam. The support structure further comprises an actuating device connected to the support leg for pivoting said support leg relative to said support beam, wherein said actuating device is configured to arrange said support structure in at least a tunnel mode and a diagonal mode, by adjusting an extension of said actuating device, such that in the tunnel mode, a distal end of said support leg is positioned to abut against a supporting surface on which the vehicle stands and in the diagonal mode, a knee of the support structure or at least a part of a lateral side of said support leg is positioned to abut against the supporting surface on which the vehicle stands.

A hitch mount for a hoist including a main member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end configured to couple with a vehicle hitch, a hoist mounting bracket at the distal end of the main member, a pulley mounted on the main member between the proximal end and the distal end, and a rope lock mounted on the main member between the pulley and the distal end.