Abstract: A linkage system particularly for vehicle-carried lifting arrangements comprising a link (11) whose one end is pivotally connected to a link arm (10,14) at a location (13) between one end of the link arm and the other end (8) thereof, the one end being provided with a load-carrying member (3) and the other end being mounted in a horizontal guide (7) which is arranged, during a lifting or lowering operation, to guide the other end (8) of said link arm substantially linearly and horizontally. A lifting-force generating device (16), for example a hydraulic piston-cylinder arrangement, is connected with the link (11) in a manner such that, during a lifting or lowering operation, the end of the link arm having the load-carrying member can be moved vertically in a substantially straight line from a height position below the horizontal guide (7) to a height position above the guide (7) or vice versa while simultaneously moving the end (8) of the link arm mounted in the guide (7) horizontally.