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A hoist apparatus is provided for loading an article onto a vehicle. The hoist apparatus generally includes a frame; a stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley; a moveable sheave carrier adapted for movement along the length of the frame, the moveable sheave carr

A hoist apparatus is provided for loading an article onto a vehicle. The hoist apparatus generally includes a frame; a stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley; a moveable sheave carrier adapted for movement along the length of the frame, the moveable sheave carrier including at least a third pulley and a fourth pulley. At least one powered winch mechanism is attached to the moveable sheave carrier for moving the moveable sheave carrier along the length of the frame. A cable is provided which includes a first end detachably fixed to an article to be loaded onto a vehicle and a second end fixed to the hoist apparatus, the cable being adapted for travelling through the first pulley and the second pulley of the stationary sheave block and the third pulley and fourth pulley of the moveable sheave carrier in a predetermined path.

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1. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame including a pair of substantially parallel rails, the frame having a front end and a rear end;a stationary sheave block mounted to the frame near the front end of the frame, the stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley mo

1. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame including a pair of substantially parallel rails, the frame having a front end and a rear end;a stationary sheave block mounted to the frame near the front end of the frame, the stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley mounted thereto, wherein each of the first and second pulleys include an axis and wherein the axis of the first pulley and the axis of the second pulley are coplanar and reside in a plane that extends through and is generally perpendicular to the substantially parallel rails of the frame, wherein the first pulley is mounted to the stationary sheave block at an angle of between approximately 0° to approximately 25° relative to a plane extending between and generally perpendicular to the pair of rails;a moveable sheave carrier mounted to the frame and adapted for movement along the length of the frame, wherein the moveable sheave carrier includes at least a third pulley and a fourth pulley;at least one powered winch mechanism attached to the moveable sheave carrier for moving the moveable sheave carrier along the length of the frame upon activation of the powered winch mechanism; anda cable including a first end detachably fixed to an article to be loaded onto a vehicle and a second end fixed to the hoist apparatus, the cable being adapted for travelling through the first pulley and the second pulley of the stationary sheave block and the third pulley and the fourth pulley of the moveable sheave carrier in a predetermined path;wherein each of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley and the fourth pulley have a cable receiving ridge defined in an outer periphery thereof;wherein the cable is adapted to travel through the cable receiving ridge of each of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley and the fourth pulley in the predetermined path;wherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the second pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the third pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position;wherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the third pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the first pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position; andwherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the first pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the fourth pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position; andwherein the third pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a first location and the fourth pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a second location, wherein the second location is either closer to the front end of the frame than the first location or farther from the front end of the frame than the first location. 2. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame including a pair of substantially parallel rails, the frame having a front end and a rear end;a stationary sheave block mounted to the frame near the front end of the frame, the stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley mounted thereto, wherein each of the first and second pulleys include an axis and wherein the axis of the first pulley and the axis of the second pulley are coplanar and reside in a plane that extends through and is generally perpendicular to the substantially parallel rails of the frame, wherein the second pulley is mounted to the stationary sheave block at an angle of between approximately 50° to approximately 75° relative to a plane extending between and generally perpendicular to the pair of rails;a moveable sheave carrier mounted to the frame and adapted for movement along the length of the frame, wherein the moveable sheave carrier includes at least a third pulley and a fourth pulley;at least one powered winch mechanism attached to the moveable sheave carrier for moving the moveable sheave carrier along the length of the frame upon activation of the powered winch mechanism; anda cable including a first end detachably fixed to an article to be loaded onto a vehicle and a second end fixed to the hoist apparatus, the cable being adapted for travelling through the first pulley and the second pulley of the stationary sheave block and the third pulley and the fourth pulley of the moveable sheave carrier in a predetermined path;wherein each of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley and the fourth pulley have a cable receiving ridge defined in an outer periphery thereof;wherein the cable is adapted to travel through the cable receiving ridge of each of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley and the fourth pulley in the predetermined path;wherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the second pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the third pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position;wherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the third pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the first pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position; andwherein the height of the cable exiting the cable receiving ridge of the first pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position is adapted to substantially coincide with the height of the cable entering the cable receiving ridge of the fourth pulley relative to the frame when the frame is in a horizontal lowered position; andwherein the third pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a first location and the fourth pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a second location, wherein the second location is either closer to the front end of the frame than the first location or farther from the front end of the frame than the first location. 3. The hoist apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least two fluid actuated lift cylinders for moving the frame from a lowered position to a raised position, wherein the at least two fluid actuated cylinders are located inwardly of the pair of rails within the space defined between the pair of rails of the frame when the frame is in the lowered position. 4. The hoist apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least two fluid actuated lift cylinders for moving the frame from a lowered position to a raised position, wherein the at least two fluid actuated cylinders are located inwardly of the pair of rails within the space defined between the pair of rails of the frame when the frame is in the lowered position. 5. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame including a pair of substantially parallel rails, the frame having a front end and a rear end;a stationary sheave block mounted to the frame, the stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley mounted thereto;a moveable sheave carrier mounted to the frame and adapted for movement along the length of the frame, wherein the moveable sheave carrier includes at least a third pulley and a fourth pulley, wherein the third pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a first location and the fourth pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a second location, wherein the second location is either closer to the front end of the frame than the first location or farther from the front end of the frame than the first location;at least one powered winch mechanism attached to the moveable sheave carrier for moving the moveable sheave carrier along the length of the frame upon activation of the powered winch mechanism; anda cable including a first end detachably fixed to an article to be loaded onto a vehicle and a second end fixed to the hoist apparatus, the cable being adapted for travelling through the first pulley and the second pulley of the stationary sheave block and the third pulley and the fourth pulley of the moveable sheave carrier in a predetermined path. 6. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the first and second pulleys include an axis and wherein the axis of the first pulley and the axis of the second pulley both reside in a plane that extends through and is generally perpendicular to the parallel rails of the frame. 7. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, wherein the moveable sheave carrier comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of sidewalls which define a generally enclosed space and a dividing wall which divides the enclosed space into a top compartment and a bottom compartment; wherein the third pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier within the top compartment; andwherein the fourth pulley is mounted within the bottom compartment. 8. The hoist apparatus of claim 7, wherein the third pulley comprises a shaft which is mounted between the top wall and the dividing wall; and wherein the fourth pulley comprises a shaft which is mounted between the dividing wall and the bottom wall. 9. The hoist apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third pulley and the fourth pulley are offset relative to one another so that no portion of third pulley resides above the fourth pulley when the moveable sheave carrier is in a generally horizontal position. 10. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the third pulley and the fourth pulley comprise a grease fitting; and wherein the third pulley and the fourth pulley are each separately mounted to the moveable sheave carrier to allow for separate greasing of the grease fittings of the third pulley and the fourth pulley by a greasing device. 11. The hoist apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the third pulley and the fourth pulley comprise a grease fitting; and wherein each of the grease fittings are accessible to a greasing device from a position above the moveable sheave carrier when the moveable sheave carrier is in a generally horizontal position to allow for separate greasing of the grease fittings of the third pulley and the fourth pulley. 12. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a channel mounted to the frame, and wherein the moveable sheave carrier is adapted for movement within the channel. 13. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, wherein the moveable sheave carrier has a length of between approximately 8 inches to approximately 36 inches. 14. The hoist apparatus of claim 5, wherein the moveable sheave carrier has a length of approximately 21 inches. 15. A vehicle comprising: a hoist apparatus, for loading an article onto the vehicle:a frame including a pair of substantially parallel rails, the frame having a front end and a rear end;at least two fluid actuated lift cylinders for moving the frame from a lowered position to a raised position, wherein the at least two fluid actuated cylinders are located inwardly of the pair of rails within the space defined between the pair of rails of the frame when the frame is in the lowered position;a stationary sheave block mounted to the frame, the stationary sheave block including at least a first pulley and a second pulley mounted thereto, wherein each of the first and second pulleys include an axis and wherein the axis of the first pulley and the axis of the second pulley both reside in a plane that extends through and is generally perpendicular to the substantially parallel rails of the frame, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley are aligned with one another and wherein neither of the first pulley or the second pulley are mounted nearer to the front end or nearer to the rear end of the frame than the other of the first pulley or second pulley;a moveable sheave carrier mounted to the frame and adapted for movement along the length of the frame, wherein the moveable sheave carrier includes at least a third pulley and a fourth pulley, wherein the third pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a first location and the fourth pulley is mounted to the moveable sheave carrier at a second location, wherein the second location is either closer to the front end of the frame than the first location or farther from the front end of the frame than the first location;at least one powered winch mechanism attached to the moveable sheave carrier for moving the moveable sheave carrier along the length of the frame upon activation of the powered winch mechanism; anda cable including a first end detachably fixed to an article to be loaded onto a vehicle and a second end fixed to the hoist apparatus, the cable being adapted for travelling through the first pulley and the second pulley of the stationary sheave block and the third pulley and the fourth pulley of the moveable sheave carrier in a predetermined path. 16. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame, comprising: first rail; anda second rail, wherein a plane is defined between the first rail and the second rail;a first sheave assembly fixed relative to the frame, wherein the first sheave assembly comprises: a first pulley having a first receiving groove, wherein the first receiving groove comprises a first exit edge, and wherein the first exit edge is positioned at a first exit height relative to the plane; anda second pulley having a second receiving groove, wherein the second receiving groove comprises a second entry edge and a second exit edge, wherein the second entry edge is positioned at a second entry height relative to the plane, and wherein the second exit edge is positioned at a second exit height relative to the plane;a second sheave assembly movable relative to the frame, wherein the second sheave assembly comprises: a third pulley having a third receiving groove, wherein the third receiving groove comprises a third entry edge and a third exit edge, wherein the third entry edge is positioned at a third entry height relative to the plane, and wherein the third exit edge is positioned at a third exit height relative to the plane; anda fourth pulley having a fourth receiving groove, wherein the fourth receiving groove comprises a fourth entry edge, and wherein the fourth entry edge is positioned at a fourth entry height relative to the plane; anda cable engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley, wherein the cable extends between the first exit edge of the first receiving groove and the third entry edge of the third receiving groove, between the third exit edge of the third receiving groove and the second entry edge of the second receiving groove, and between the second exit edge of the second receiving groove and the fourth entry edge of the fourth receiving groove;wherein the first exit height is substantially equal with the third entry height, wherein the third exit height is substantially equal with the second entry height, and wherein the second exit height is substantially equal with the fourth entry height. 17. A hoist apparatus, comprising: a frame, comprising: first rail; anda second rail, wherein a plane is defined between the first rail and the second rail;a first sheave assembly fixed relative to the frame, wherein the first sheave assembly comprises: a first pulley having a first receiving groove, wherein the first receiving groove comprises a first exit edge; anda second pulley having a second receiving groove, wherein the second receiving groove comprises a second entry edge and a second exit edge;a second sheave assembly movable relative to the first rail and the second rail, wherein the second sheave assembly comprises: a third pulley having a third receiving groove, wherein the third receiving groove comprises a third entry edge and a third exit edge; anda fourth pulley having a fourth receiving groove, wherein the fourth receiving groove comprises a fourth entry edge; anda cable engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley, wherein the cable extends between the first exit edge of the first receiving groove and the third entry edge of the third receiving groove, between the third exit edge of the third receiving groove and the second entry edge of the second receiving groove, and between the second exit edge of the second receiving groove and the fourth entry edge of the fourth receiving groove;wherein the cable is generally parallel to the plane between the first exit edge and the third entry edge, between the third exit edge and the second entry edge, and between the second exit edge and the fourth entry edge.