Turnable truck gate

• US 3,977,718 A
• Filed: 01/15/1975
• Issued: 08/31/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl-Eric Bertil Nordberg
• Original Assignee: Carl-Eric Bertil Nordberg
• Inventors: Nordberg, Carl-Eric Bertil
• Primary Examiner(s): Paperner, L. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Douglas, Winston H.
• Application Number:
  US05/541,291
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 296/56, 296/57 R, 296/57 A, 214/77 P, 298/23 MD, 105/286, 105/299, 49/339, 49/340, 49/344
• US Class Current: 296/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/037 Latching means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/29 End gate fasteners

Abstract

A turnable, generally box-girder-shaped gate for a truck platform with an operating device intended for actuation of the gate, comprising a drive device and a link coupling which is connected between the gate and the drive device for locking the gate in a non-activated state of the drive device. The link coupling includes a first link articulately connected to the gate and to a second link, the other end of the second link being fixedly connected to a stationary, but turnable, shaft. The shaft is connected via a third link to the drive device. In the locked position of the gate, the fulcrum of the first link with the second link lies along a substantially straight line which runs between the center of the shaft and the fulcrum between the first link and the gate in the non-activated state of the drive device. The fulcrum of the first link with the second link is arranged to be moved upwards by the drive device during unlocking of the gate.

Claims

1. A turnable gate arrangement for a truck platform (13), comprising:

a gate (1) pivotally mounted along an edge portion thereof relative to the truck platform (13) and pivotable between at least a closed locked position and an open unlocked position, the portion of the gate remote from said edge portion being higher in the closed locked position than in the open unlocked position;

drive means (2);

a link coupling (3) operably coupling the gate (1) to the drive means (2) and which is arranged to lock the gate (1) in the non-activated state of the drive means (2), the link coupling (3) including first, second and third links (4,5,6, respectively), and a stationary but turnable shaft (7), the first link (4) of the link coupling (3) being articulately connected to the gate (1) at a first fulcrum and articulately connected to one end of the second link (5) at a second fulcrum, the other end of the second link (5) being fixedly connected to the shaft (7), the second link (5) being movable by rotation of the shaft (7), the third link (6) being fixedly connected to the shaft (7) and being further connected to the drive means (2), the drive means (2) when actuated moving the third link (6) to impart rotation to the shaft (7) to cause the gate (1) to turn to an unlocked position via the first (4) and second (5) links;

said second fulcrum, in the locked position of the gate (1) and in the non-activated state of the drive means (2), lying along a substantially straight line passing between the center of the shaft (7) and said first fulcrum to maintain the locked position of the gate (1); and

said second fulcrum being movable upwards upon actuation of the drive means (2) to unlock the gate (1), under the influence of rotation of the shaft (7) via the drive means (2) and third link (6).

2. A gate arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said gate (1) is a generally box-girder-shaped gate.

3. A gate arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said gate (1) in its locked position is substantially vertically oriented, the gate (1) being pivotable relative to the truck platform (13) to a lowered, substantially horizontal position.

4. A gate arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the gate (1) is in its locked position, substantially vertically oriented, the surface of the gate (1) facing towards the truck platform (13), in the raised position of the gate, forming an angle of approximately 10°

to the vertical plane.

5. A gate arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the gate (1) comprises the lower gate of a truck platform and is pivotally mounted relative to the truck platform at a lower portion of the gate.

6. A gate arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the lower portion of the gate (1) is pivotally mounted to the truck platform (13).

7. A gate arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the gate (1) comprises the lower gate of the truck platform, and further comprising an upper gate (8) mounted to the truck, the upper gate including means engagable by the lower gate so as to retain the upper gate in a fixed position relative to the platform (13) when the lower gate (1) is in its locked position.

8. A gate arrangement according to claim 7 wherein the upper gate (8) is pivotally mounted of at least one of its upper and lower edges relative to the truck platform (13).

9. A gate arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the truck platform (13) includes a supporting surface (10), and wherein the gate (1) has a surface (9) engagable with the supporting surface (10) when the gate (1) is in an unlocked, lowered position, thereby relieving the link coupling (3).

10. A gate arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the shaft (7) is fixedly but turnably mounted to the truck platform (13).

11. A gate arrangement according to claim 10 wherein the drive means (2) includes a piston-cylinder drive mechanism which is articulately coupled to the third link and which is pivotally connected relative to the truck platform (13).

12. A gate arrangement according to claim 11 wherein the cylinder is pivotally connected at one end relative to the truck platform (13), and is spring-mounted at the other end relative to the truck platform (13), the piston being articulately connected to the third link (6).