Front bumper step for trucks

• US 4,753,447 A
• Filed: 10/14/1986
• Issued: 06/28/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hall, Anthony
• Original Assignee: Hall, Anthony
• Inventors: Hall, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US06/918,022
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 182/90, 182/92, 182/127, 280/163, 280/164 R, 280/166, 269/181
• US Class Current: 280/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/007 Removable steps or ladders, e.g. foldable as access means for vehicle tops B60R3/005

Abstract

An adjustable, temporary step or platform is shown for mounting on the front bumper of heavy-duty motor vehicles such as trucks and buses. A pair of L-shaped structural members are spaced apart and fitted with a wide platform panel for supporting both feet of the user. Each L-shaped member has a vertical post that is provided with a pair of vertically spaced through bolts that are adjustably mounted to the post. Both bolts are threaded bolts and the top bolt has a down-turned hook formed on the outermost end that is adapted to engage over a top flange of a bumper. The bottom bolt has a rubber or plastic fitting formed on its outermost end that is adapted for engagement with a front wall of a bumper. This unit has been designed so that it is adjustable without the use of tools. A second modification employs a horizontal, elongated, adjustable rod connected between the two bottom bolts for making a quick connection therewith, where each end of the elongated rod is provided with an elongated hole located within the hollow post for receiving the bottom bolt therein with a slip fit. One end wall of each elongated hole in the elongated rod is provided with a concave, semicircular, threaded configuration for locking engagement with the threads of the adjacent bottom bolt when the rod is shifted into engagement therewith and serving in the manner of a split nut.

Claims

1. An adjustable, temporary step for mounting on the front bumper of heavy-duty motor vehicles such as trucks and buses, said step comprising:

a. a pair of widely spaced, parallel, L-shaped structural members, each L-shaped member being formed of hollow square tubing and having a generally horizontal support arm and a generally perpendicular, raised vertical post;

b. a platform panel attached across the two support arms;

c. each vertical post being provided with a pair of vertically spaced through bolts that are adjustably mounted to the post, the top bolt having a down-turned hook formed on its outermost end and adapted for engagement over a top flange of a bumper, while the bottom bolt has a non-mar fitting formed on its outermost end and adapted for engagement with a front wall of a bumper, each pair of vertically spaced through bolts having threaded shanks, and each post having enlarged holes for loosely receiving the pair of bolts therethrough, the top bolt being fitted with an enlarged hand-turnable nut on its free end; and

d. a horizontal, elongated, adjustable rod for making a quick connection betwen the two bottom bolts and the related vertical posts, each vertical post also having side through holes on opposite sidewalls of the post and being in the same horizontal plane as the adjacent enlarged holes through which the bottom bolts extend, the elongated adjustable rod extending completely through each side through hole of each post from one post to the other, the portion of the elongated rod within each hollow post being provided with an elongated hole for receiving the threaded bottom bolt therein with a slip fit, one end wall of each elongated hole being provided with a concave, semicircular, threaded configuration for locking engagement with the threads of the adjacent bottom bolt when the rod is shifted into engagement therewith, the opposite end wall of each elongated hole being provided with an enlarged portion for permitting free axial movement of the bottom bolt, and a compression spring fitted on the elongated rod and bearing against at least one post for shifting the elongated rod into locking engagement with the two bottom bolts whereby the position of the bottom bolts may be altered after the elongated rod has been shifted against the action of the compression spring.

2. The front bumper step invention as recited in claim 1 wherein the said platform panel is a deck plate with an embossed finish, wherein the panel extends across the top surface of the two support arms and beyond, the platform panel having a front edge that is folded down across the front ends of the two support arms.