Tailgate construction

• US 4,652,035 A
• Filed: 03/14/1986
• Issued: 03/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energy Counselors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Energy Counselors Incorporated
• Inventors: Austin, Lawthan M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/839,618
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 296/1 S, 296/56, 296/57 R
• US Class Current: 296/56
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/00 Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining

Abstract

A tailgate construction wherein the hinge connections of a truck box are replaced with arms provided for pivoting of the tailgate between the conventional lower position and upper raised position above the truck box bed. The latch pin connections are moved from the truck box sides to a carriage member that is guided on the truck box sides between a first position with a latch pin positioned for normal closing of the tailgate, and a raised forward position. An interlock mechanism permits the user to lock and unlock the carriage in its'"'"'s two positions. When unlocked and with the tailgate closed, the tailgate can be raised as permitted by the pivoting arms and guided carriage plate, to position the tailgate in a horizontal position over the truck bed.

Claims

1. A truck box for truck type vehicles comprising, a truck bed, side walls and a tailgate having top and bottom edge portions, a hinge connection connecting the lower edge portion of the tailgate to the truck bed, and a latch mechanism for releasably connecting the upper edge portion of the tailgate to the side walls, and the improvement which comprises;

a first guide means having a first guide member movably mounted on a sidewall of the truck bed between first and second positions, a latch connection of said latch mechanism mounted to the guide member for controlled movement between said first and second positions,

a second guide means having a second guide member pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the side wall of the truck bed and the other end thereof pivotally connected to the lower edge portion of the tailgate, thereby providing said hinge connection between said tailgate and truck bed, and said hinge connection thereby provided with controlled movement between first and second positions,

said first and second guide members arranged for cooperative guided movement of said latch connection and hinge connection for shifting of the tailgate when latched to the latch connection between an essentially vertical position for closing the back end of the truck box, and an essentially horizontal position forwardly of the back end of the truck box,

and releasable locking means for locking the tailgate at said vertical and horizontal positions.

2. A tailgate construction comprising;

a rectangular tailgate having upper and lower edge portions and side edge portions, a hinge connection at the lower edge portion, and a latch mechanism at the upper edge portion, and the improvement which comprises;

a mounting plate to be mounted to the side of a truck box, a guideway in said mounting plate, a carriage plate captured in said guideway and guided thereby between a rear lower position and an upper forward position, and a latch pin carried by said carrier plate adapted for interengagement with the latch mechanism of the tailgate,

an arm pivotally mounted at one end to the mounting plate and adapted to be pivoted between a lower rear position and an upper rear position, said arm being pivotally connected at the other end to the hinge connection of the tailgate,

said carriage plate and arm cooperatively controlling the position of the tailgate whereby in the rear lower position of each, the tailgate can be opened and closed in the conventional manner, and whereby in the closed position, the tailgate can be raised and re-positioned over the truck box as permitted by the movement of the carriage plate in the guideway of the mounting plate, and the pivoting upwardly of the arm.

3. A tailgate construction as defined in claim 2 wherein a mounting plate is provided for mounting on each of the truck box sides, with the pairs of carriage plates and arms cooperating to control movement of the tailgate.

4. A tailgate construction as defined in claim 3 wherein the guideway is a guide slot, a pair of guide pins from the carriage plate are captured in the guide slot to dictate movement and orientation of the carriage plate relative to the mounting plate.

5. A tailgate construction as defined in claim 4 wherein an interlock mechanism interlocks the carriage plate and mounting plate in the respective upper forward and lower rear positions.

6. A tailgate construction as defined in claim 5 wherein said interlock mechanism comprises a pinion carried by the carriage plate and slidable toward and away from said mounting plate, and interlock holes in said mounting plate positioned to receive said pinion with the carriage plate positioned in it'"'"'s respective raised and lower positions.

7. A method of converting a conventional tailgate mounted on a truck box with truck box sides, said tailgate having open and closed positions wherein the tailgate is hinged at the bottom edge portion to the truck box and having a latch mechanism at it'"'"'s upper edge portion adapted to engage latch pins on the truck box sides, comprising;

removing the hinge and the latch pins from the truck box,

providing a pair of carriage plates each with a latch pin and a guide member, and further providing a pair of arms, each with a hinge connection,

providing a guideway on each of the truck box sides for the carriage plate guide members to control movement thereof between first and second guideway positions,

providing a pivotal connection for the arms on the truck box sides for pivoting of the arms between first and second positions, and

mounting the tailgate hinge to the free ends of the arms for pivoting the tailgate between open and closed positions whereat the latch mechanism engages the latch pin of the carriage plates, and in said closed position, providing for the raising of the tailgate as permitted by the carrier plate movement in the guideways and pivoting of the arms.