Abstract: A vehicle top carrier having guide members rigidly mounted on top of the vehicle, a load carrying frame mounted on the guide members for movement from a generally horizontal position atop the vehicle to an inclined loading and unloading position displaced from the vehicle, and a support arm assembly pivotally mounted at each end respectively to one end of the carrier frame and a vertical surface on the vehicle. The support arm assembly includes a pair of pivotally joined segments releasably secured in a rigid and generally linear relationship to each other. After the carrier frame has been slidably displaced to a partially inclined position, the support arm segments are released from their locked engagement with each other and are allowed to pivot about their adjoining ends, resulting in further inclination of the carrier frame to a more accessible loading and unloading position.

Abstract: A vehicle top carrier comprising a carrier frame mounted on track structure for movement from a generally horizontal carrying position atop the vehicle to a substantially inclined loading and unloading position to one side of the vehicle. A strut has its upper end pivoted to the carrier frame. Its lower end has a pivot block which is slidably mounted on a vertical guide on the side of the vehicle. This pivot block is at the bottom of the slide when the carrier frame is in the loading and unloading position. It is raised to the top of the slide to raise the carrier frame from the loading and unloading position to an intermediate position of lesser inclination from which the carrier frame may be easily moved to the carrying position.