Adaptation of a front winch device on a vehicle to raise a load to the rear of a vehicle

Abstract

A method of connecting a cable of a winch mounted on a front of a vehicle to an object to the rear of the vehicle includes removably placing a first support member including a first cable guide member extending from the first support member on a first surface of the vehicle so that the first support member contacts the surface of the vehicle. The method further include extending the cable from the winch rearward to be seated in the first cable guide member and to extend rearward therefrom. The method also include connecting the cable to the object to the rear of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of connecting a cable of a winch mounted on a front of a vehicle to an object to the rear of the vehicle, comprising:
 removably placing a first support member comprising a first cable guide member extending from the first support member on a first surface of a roof of the vehicle so that the first support member rests on the first surface of the vehicle without interconnection between the first support member and the roof of the vehicle via a connector;   extending the cable from the winch rearward to be seated in the first cable guide member and to extend rearward therefrom; and   connecting the cable to the object to the rear of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising removably placing a second support member comprising a second cable guide member extending from the second support member on a second surface of the vehicle to the rear of the first support member; and
 extending the cable from the first cable guide member rearward to be seated in the second cable guide member and to extend rearward therefrom before connecting the cable to the object to the rear of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cable does not contact the vehicle between the winch and the first cable guide member when the cable is drawn taut thereover and the cable does not contact the vehicle between the first cable guide member and the second cable guide member when the cable is draw taut over the first cable guide member and the second cable guide member. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the vehicle comprises a rearward cargo compartment and the method further includes activating the winch after connecting the cable to the object to the rear of the vehicle to lift the object to the rear of the vehicle into the cargo compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first cable guide member comprises a first pulley wheel and the second cable guide member comprises a second pulley wheel, the first pulley wheel and the second pulley wheel rotating upon activating the winch. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the first support member and the second support member are movably connected. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the first support member is connected to the second support member such that the first support member is rotatable relative to the second support member. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the vehicle is a utility task vehicle and the first surface and the second surface of the utility task vehicle are portions of the roof thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a lower surface of the first support member conforms to a contour of the first surface of the roof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3  wherein a lower surface of the second support member rests on the second surface without interconnection between the second support member and the second surface of the vehicle via a connector when the second support member is in operative connection with the first surface and the second cable guide member extends from an upper surface of the second support member. 
     
     
         11 . A system for connecting a cable of a winch mounted on a front of a vehicle to an object to the rear of the vehicle, comprising:
 a first support member comprising a first cable guide member extending from the first support member, the first support member being adapted to be removably placed on a first surface of a roof of the vehicle so that the first support member rests on the first surface of the vehicle without interconnection between the first support member and the roof of the vehicle via a connector when the cable is in operative connection with the first cable guide member.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a second support member comprising a second cable guide extending from the second support member, the second support member being adapted to be removably placed on a second surface of the vehicle to the rear of the first support member so that the first support member rests on the second surface of the vehicle without interconnection between the second support member and the roof of the vehicle via a connector when the cable is in operative connection with the second cable guide member. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first cable guide member is adapted so that, after placement of the first support member on the first surface of the vehicle, the cable does not contact the vehicle between the winch and the first cable guide member when the cable is draw taut over the first cable guide member, and wherein the second cable guide member is adapted so that, after placement of the second support member on the second surface of the vehicle, the cable does not contact the vehicle between the first cable guide member and the second cable guide member when the cable is draw taut over the first cable guide member and the second cable guide member. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first cable guide member comprises a first pulley wheel and the second cable guide member comprises a second pulley wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first support member is connected to the second support member so that the second support member can be rotated relative to the first support member. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a lower surface of the first support member conforms to a contour of the first surface of the roof. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a lower surface of the second support member conforms to a contour of the second surface.