Projectable step for vehicles

• US 4,231,583 A
• Filed: 05/31/1979
• Issued: 11/04/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William H. Learn
• Original Assignee: William H. Learn
• Inventors: Learn, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Application Number:
  US06/044,085
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 280/166, 280/164, 280/764, 105/444, 105/445, 105/446, 105/447, 105/448, 182/88, 182/89
• US Class Current: 280/166
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A step for a vehicle pivotally supported by the chassis frame thereof and movable between extended operative and retracted inoperative positions, vacuum mechanism being used to retract the step and a spring moves the same to extended position. A latch releasably secures the step in the extended position and the vacuum mechanism initially unlatches the latch prior to the vacuum moving the step to retracted position.

Claims

1. A step assembly for a vehicle having a chassis frame and a door opening outward from one wall of the body of the vehicle and means to develop a source of vacuum when the engine of the vehicle is running, said assembly comprising in combination, a supporting bracket, means to connect said bracket to said chassis frame adjacent said door, an arm pivotally connected at one end to said bracket and movable within a generally horizontal plane, a step connected to the opposite end of said arm, said arm being adapted to pivot relative to said bracket between a retracted position beneath the body of the vehicle and an operative position extending laterally from said frame in alignment with said door, a vacuum cylinder and plunger rod unit supported adjacent said bracket and connectable to said source of vacuum, a compression spring within said cylinder operable normally to project the outer end of said plunger rod outward from said cylinder, means interconnecting said outer end of said plunger rod to said arm for actuation of said arm and step, a latch carried by said arm and engageable with a keeper on said bracket when said arm is extended to releasably secure the same in said extended position, said latch being connected to said plunger rod and movable thereby to unlatched position prior to moving said arm and step to projected position, and a vacuum release valve movable to closed position by said door when the same is closed to cause vacuum to act upon said cylinder to move said plunger rod inward initially to unlatch said latch and then move said arm and step to retracted position and said door when opened moving said release valve to open position and thereby release the vacuum and permit said compression spring to reverse the movement of said plunger rod and project said arm and step to operative position and engage said latch with said keeper.

2. The step assembly according to claim 1 in which said bracket has a pivot for said one end of said arm which extends upward and outward at an acute angle relative to said chassis frame and said arm having an inner end portion extending outward and downward relative to said pivot when said arm is extended and an outer end portion extending substantially horizontally from said inner end portion and connected to said step to support the same horizontally, said angularity of said pivot enabling said step to be raised by said arm when retracted to dispose it at a level above the extended position of said step.

3. The step assembly according to claim 2 wherein said arm is articulated and comprises a socket on said inner end portion which telescopically receives one end of said outer end portion adjustably to provide a desired elevation of said step below that of said door opening of the vehicle body.

4. The step assembly according to claim 3 in which said outer end portion comprises two portions respectively at a dihedral angle to each other, one of said portions being longer than the other and each portion selectively being positionable telescopically within said socket of said inner end portion to provide a plurality of different elevations of the portion projecting outermost from said socket, and means detachable securing said step to the outermost end of said outer end portion.

5. The step assembly according to claim 1 in which said latch is elongated and pivotally connected at one end to said arm adjacent the pivoted end thereof, and means connected said outer end of said plunger rod directly and pivotally to said latch intermediately of the ends thereof, whereby said rod actuates said arm by the connection thereof to said latch.

6. The step assembly according to claim 5 in which the end of said latch opposite the pivot thereof has a latching member and said assembly further including means limiting the movement of the outer end of said latch and latching member between engagement with and separation from said keeper on said bracket.

7. The step assembly according to claim 6 in which said pivoted end of said arm extends downward and outward from the pivot therefor, and said assembly further including a latch support on said arm adjacent the pivoted end thereof, pin means pivotally connecting said one end of said latch to said support, said movement-limiting means comprising an opening in said support which receives an extension on the pivotal connection of said plunger rod to said latch, said extension being of smaller cross-section than the cross-dimension of said opening in said support, and said keeper comprising a keeper member fixed to said supporting bracket and engageable by the latching member of said latch.

8. The step assembly according to claim 7 in which said keeper member has a hole of greater cross-sectional dimension than said latch member and through which said latch member is extendable for engagement with the rim of said hole when the latch membe is in latched position.

9. The step assembly according to claim 8 in which said compression spring within said vacuum cylinder when pushing said plunger rod outwardly also acts upon said latch to push the same and thereby project the latch member thereon into latching position with said keeper, and said latch member having a cam surface thereon engageable with the rim of said hole in said keeper during such movement of said plunger rod by which said latch member is cammed into latching engagement with said keeper and said spring being arranged to retain said latch member in said latched engagement with the rim of the hole in said keeper when said arm is held in projected position by said spring.

10. The step assembly according to claim 7 in which said latch support is provided with a duplicate opening and the hole through which the pivot for said pivoted end of said latch extends, said duplicates respectively being adjacent opposite ends of said support and an additional set of holes on said bracket adjacent opposite ends thereof and respectively adapted to receive bolts to connect said keeper member to said bracket, said duplicates and sets of holes respectively enabling said assembly to be mounted selectively on either side of a vehicle by employing the desired set of openings and holes provided therefor.