No-bounce tailgate assembly

• US 5,249,843 A
• Filed: 10/01/1992
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jon Wren, LeRoy G Hagenbuch, Richard Keller
• Original Assignee: Jon Wren, LeRoy G Hagenbuch, Richard Keller
• Inventors: Hagenbuch, Leroy G., Keller, Richard, Wren, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORSE, GREGORY ALLAN
• Application Number:
  US07/955,318
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 298/23 R, 298/23 D, 298/23 S, 298/23 A, 298/23 F, 298/23 DF, 298/23 MD, 298/6, 296/184, 56/202-205
• US Class Current: 298/23.0DF
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/267 Controlling degree of tailboard or sideboard movement in dependence upon degree of tipping movement, e.g. by linkage or cam

Abstract

In a tailgate assembly, a locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the assembly in response to a torque generated by a moment arm of the tailgate assembly and a force resulting from the jolting of the truck as it travels over rough terrain.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing and locking a tailgate assembly with a dump body, the dump body having a bottom sheet, two side sheets, and a front sheet for carrying a load and pivotally mounted on a truck frame for rotation about a first axis between load and dump positions, the apparatus comprising:

a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted to the dump body and comprising two opposing and parallel rigid side panels having first and second ends, the first ends are pivotally mounted to the side sheets of the dump body for rotation about a second axis of rotation, a rigid back panel spanning the distance between the second ends of the side panels and forming a rear wall of the dump body is pivotally mounted to pivots on each of the second ends of the side panels for rotation about a third axis that passes through each of the pivots;

lifting means for rotating the dump body between lowered and raised positions;

the back panel having locking means movable between a first position preventing rotation of the back panel about the third axis of rotation and a second position permitting rotation of the back panel about the third axis; and

compound action means for linking the frame to the side panels and the side panels to the back panel and for responding to the rotation of the dump body toward the raised position by first moving the locking means from the first position to the second position, and then rotating the side and back panels against the force of gravity about the second and third axes of rotation, respectively.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compound action means comprises at least one three-sectioned chain connected in a Y-configuration wherein the chain has three ends with a first end anchored to the frame, a second end anchored to at least one of the side panels and a third end anchored to the locking means.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the back panel includes a flange extending from a lowermost portion of the back panel and mating in locked engagement with a flange extending from the dump body such that the flanges are in the locked engagement when the dump body is in its lowered position, thereby preventing any undesired rotation of the tailgate assembly caused by torque created by jolting of the truck.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein rotation of the back panel by the compound action means disengages the flanges and frees the tailgate assembly for rotation about the second axis of rotation.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the bottom sheet meeting each of the side sheets at junctions forming edges, the apparatus further comprising:

a pair of roller assemblies each mounted on the dump body;

one section of chain joins the tailgate assembly to the frame whereby the one section is biased away from the edges by the roller assembly in a manner so as to create angles in the one section that lie approximately in a first plane that is substantially transverse to a second plane which is substantially parallel with the side walls;

the one section responding to the pivoting of the dump body by generating a torque on the tailgate assembly, thereby causing rotation of the tailgate assembly about the second axis of rotation; and

each of the roller assemblies including means for angling the one section in the second plane as the dump body pivots and the tailgate assembly rotates so that the one section is biased along the length of the associated edge by the angling means to limit repositioning of the compound action means along the length of the edge as the dump body pivots and the tailgate assembly rotates.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of the roller assemblies comprises:

a first cylindrical roller mounted in the assembly for rotation about a fourth axis substantially parallel with the associated edge, the first roller biasing the one section so as to be angled in the first plane; and

the means for angling the one section in the second plane comprising a second cylindrical roller mounted in the assembly for rotation about a fifth axis substantially transverse to the fourth axis, the second roller biasing the one section so as to be angled in the second plane.

7. An apparatus for securing a tailgate assembly with a dump body, the dump body having a bottom sheet, two side sheets, and a front sheet for carrying a load and pivotally mounted on a truck frame for rotation about a first axis between load and dump positions, the apparatus comprising:

p1 a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted to the dump body and comprising two opposing and parallel rigid side panels having first and second ends, the first ends are pivotally mounted to the side sheets of the dump body for rotation about a second axis of rotation, a rigid back panel spanning the distance between the second ends of the side panels and forming a rear wall of the dump body is pivotally mounted to pivots on each of the second ends of the side panels for rotation about a third axis that passes through each of the pivots;

lifting means for rotating the dump body between lowered and raised positions; and

compound action means for linking the frame to the side panels and the side panels to the back panel and for responding to the rotation of the dump body between the lowered and raised positions and for rotating the side panels against the force of gravity about the second axis of rotation and also rotating the back panel against the force of gravity about the third axis of rotation in response to the rotation of the dump body.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including a means for supporting the side panels when the dump body is in the lowered position so as to register the tailgate assembly to the dump body.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the compound action means includes a linkage member extending from the frame to a forward part of the side panels and from the forward part to a rearward part of the side panels.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the compound action means include a three-sectioned chain connected in a Y-configuration, the chain having three ends with a first end anchored to the frame, a second end anchored to the forward of at least one of the side panels and a third end anchored to the back panel.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 comprising means for locking the back panel to prevent rotation of the back panel about the third axis when the dump body is in the lowered position.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means responsive to the rotation of the dump body for releasing the means for locking the back panel so as to allow the compound action means to rotate the back panel against the force of gravity about the third axis.

13. An apparatus for securing and locking a tailgate assembly with a dump body, the dump body having a bottom sheet, two side sheets, and a front sheet for carrying a load and pivotally mounted on a truck frame for rotation about a first axis between load and dump positions, the apparatus comprising:

a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted to the dump body and comprising two opposing and parallel rigid side panels having first and second ends, the first ends are pivotally mounted to the side sheets of the dump body for rotation about a second axis of rotation, a rigid back panel spanning the distance between the second ends of the side panels and forming a rear wall of the dump body is pivotally mounted to pivots on each of the second ends of the side panels for rotation about a third axis that passes through each of the pivots;

lifting means for rotating the dump body between lowered and raised positions;

the back panel having locking means movable between a first position preventing rotation of the back panel about the third axis of rotation and a second position permitting rotation of the back panel about the third axis;

the locking means having a shaft slidably mounted to the back panel and brackets rigidly mounted to the back panel and the dump body, each bracket having a central opening which are aligned with each other in the first position for receiving the shaft to register the back panel to the dump body; and

compound action means for linking the frame to the side panels and the side panels to the back panel and for responding to the rotation of the dump body toward the raised position by first moving the locking means from the first position to the second position, and then rotating the side and back panels against the force of gravity about the second and third axes of rotation, respectively.

14. An apparatus for securing a tailgate assembly with a dump body, the dump body having a bottom sheet, two side sheets, and a front sheet for carrying a load and pivotally mounted on a truck frame for rotation about a first axis between load and dump positions, the apparatus comprising:

a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted to the dump body and comprising two opposing and parallel rigid side panels having first and second ends, the first ends are pivotally mounted to the side sheets of the dump body for rotation about a second axis of rotation, a rigid back panel spanning the distance between the second ends of the side panels and forming a rear wall of the dump body is pivotally mounted to pivots on each of the second ends of the side panels for rotation about a third axis that passes through each of the pivots;

a lift for rotating the dump body about the first axis between the load and dump positions; and

a continuous linkage having first and second portions wherein the first portion connects the frame and the side panels of the tailgate assembly to rotate the tailgate assembly in response to rotation of the dump body between the load and dump positions and the second portion connects the first portion and the back panel to rotate the back panel in response to rotation of the dump body between the load and dump positions and during rotation of the tailgate assembly.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 comprising the back panel having a lock movable between a first position preventing the back panel from rotating about the third axis and a second position permitting the back panel to rotate about the third axis.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the linkage comprises at least one three-section chain connected in a Y-configuration wherein the chain has three ends with a first end anchored to the frame, a second end anchored to at least one of the side panels and a third end anchored to the lock.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the back panel includes a flange extending from a lowermost portion of the back panel and mating in locked engagement with a flange extending from the dump body such that the flanges are in the locked engagement when the dump body is in its lowered position, thereby preventing any undesired rotation of the tailgate assembly caused by torques created by jolting of the truck frame.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein rotation of the back panel by the linkage disengages the flanges and frees the tailgate assembly for rotation about the second axis of rotation.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the bottom sheet meeting each of the two side walls at junctions forming edges, the apparatus further comprising:

at least one pair of roller assemblies mounted on the dump body adjacent one of the edges;

one section of the chain joins the tailgate assembly to the frame whereby the one section is raised away from one of the edges by the roller assembly in a manner so as to create angles in the one section that lie approximately in a first plane that is substantially transverse to a second plane, which is substantially parallel with the side walls;

the one section responding to the pivoting of the dump body by generating a torque on the tailgate assembly, thereby causing rotation of the tailgate assembly about the second axis of rotation; and

each of the roller assemblies including means for angling the one section as the dump body pivots and the tailgate assembly rotates so that the one section is biased along the length of the associated edge by the angling means to limit repositioning of the linkage along the length of the edge as the dump body pivots and the tailgate assembly rotates.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of the roller assemblies comprises:

a first cylindrical roller mounted in the assembly for rotation about a fourth axis substantially parallel with the associated edge, the first roller biasing the one section so as to be angled in the first plane; and

the means for angling the one section in the second plane comprising a second cylindrical roller mounted in the assembly for rotation about a fifth axis substantially transverse to the fourth axis, the second roller biasing the one section so as to be angled in the second plane.