Cab step assembly

• US 5,284,349 A
• Filed: 11/30/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: May WES Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: May WES Manufacturing
• Inventors: Bruns, Mark W., Bruns, Wesley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US07/983,785
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/164.1, 280/166, 182/91, 244/129.6
• 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 crop sprayer cab has a step assembly facilitating ingress and egress of the operator into and out of the cab. The step assembly has floor and step sections operable for movement between an up, closed position and a down, step position relative to the floor of the cab. Links connected to the cab floor and the floor section limit downward movement of the step section and allow the step assembly to be moved to a closed position. A hand operated lever is operable to pivot the step assembly to the up, closed position.

Claims

1. A step assembly for a vehicle cab having a frame, a side wall including a doorway, and a door hinged to the side wall for closing the doorway, said doorway having an opening below the door when the door is closed, and a floor having an opening aligned with the doorway comprising:

floor means having a size to close the opening in the floor, step means joined to the floor means for closing the opening in the side wall below the door, hinge means pivotally connecting the floor means to the frame to allow the floor means and step means to move between an up, closed position wherein the openings in the floor and side wall are closed and a down, step position wherein the step means is located generally horizontal below the doorway, means connected to the floor means and frame for holding the floor means and step means in the down, step position, and means connected to the floor means and floor for holding the floor means and step means in the up, closed position, said means for holding the floor means and step means in the down, step position comprise links having longitudinal slots along the length thereof, first pivot members connecting the links to the frame adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the hinge means, second pivot members connected to the floor means and extended through said slot sin the links, said second pivot members being located in the bottom of said slots when the floor means and step means are in the down, step position thereby limiting downward pivoting of the floor means and step means and located in the upper portion of said slots when the floor means and step means are in the up, closed position.

2. The step assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

the floor means is a generally flat floor member having an inner portion and an outer portion and the step means is a generally flat step member joined to the outer portion of the floor member, said hinge means being secured to the inner portion of the floor member.

3. The step assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member when the floor means and step means are in the up, closed position.

4. A step assembly for a vehicle cab having a frame, a side wall including a doorway, and a door hinged to the side wall for closing the doorway, said doorway having an opening below the door when the door is closed, and a floor having an opening aligned with the doorway comprising:

floor means having a size to close the opening in the floor, step means joined to the floor means for closing the opening in the side wall below the door, hinge means pivotally connecting the floor means to the frame to allow the floor means and step means to move between an up, closed position wherein the openings in the floor and side wall are closed and a down, step position wherein the step means is located generally horizontal below the doorway, means connected to the floor means and frame for holding the floor means and step means in the down, step position, and means connected to the floor means and floor for holding the floor means and step means in the up, closed position, said means for holding the floor means and step means in the up, closed position includes lever means pivoted to the floor of the vehicle cab for movement between a down position and an up position, rod means connecting the lever means to the floor means of the step assembly whereby when the lever means is in the down position, the floor means and step means are in the down, step position and when the lever means is in the up position, the floor means and the step means are in the up, closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the up position.

5. The step assembly of claim 4 wherein:

the floor means and step means are a on-piece panel having a floor member, a step member and a fold section joining the floor member to the step member.

6. The step assembly of claim 5 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member when the floor member and step member are in the up, closed position, and said fold section extends diagonally across said panel.

7. A step assembly for a vehicle cab having a frame, a side wall including a doorway, and a door hinged to the side wall for closing the doorway, said doorway having an opening below the door when the door is closed, and a floor having an opening aligned with the doorway comprising:

floor means having a size to close the opening in the floor, step means joined to the floor means for closing the opening in the side wall below the door, hinge means pivotally connecting the floor means to the frame to allow the floor means and step means t move between an up, closed position wherein the openings in the floor and side wall are closed an a down, step position wherein the step means is located generally horizontal below the doorway, means connected to the floor means and frame for holding the floor means and step means in the down, step position, and means connected to the floor means and floor for holding the floor means and step means in the up, closed position, said means for holding the floor means and step means in the down, step position comprise link means having slots along the length thereof, first pivot means connecting the link means to the frame adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the hinge means, second pivot means connected to the floor means and extended through said slots in the link mean for limiting downward pivoting of the floor means and step means to fix the down, step position thereof, said means for holding the floor means and stp means in the up, closed position includes lever means pivoted to the floor of the vehicle cab for movement between a first position and a second position, means connecting the lever means to the floor means whereby when the lever means is in the first position, the floor means and step means are in the down, step position and when the lever means is in the second position the floor means and step means are in the up, closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the second position.

8. A step assembly for a structure having a floor with an opening comprising:

step means connected to the floor to allow a person to walk onto the floor, said step means including a floor section having a size to close the opening in the floor and a step section joined to the floor section, means connecting the floor section to the floor for movement of the floor section between a closed position wherein the opening in the floor is closed and a step position wherein the step section is generally horizontal below the plane of the floor, first means connected to the step means for holding the floor section and step means and floor for holding the floor section and step section in the closed position, said first means for holding the floor section and step section in the step position comprises link means having longitudinal slots along the length thereof, first pivot means connecting the link means to the floor adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the means connecting the floor section to the floor and second pivot means connecting the step means to the link means, said second pivot means extended through said slot in the link means, and providing stops for limiting movement of the step means thereby retaining the step means in the step position.

9. The step assembly of claim 8 wherein:

the floor section is a generally flat floor member having an inner portion and an outer portion, and the step section is a generally flat step member joined to the outer portion of the floor member, said means connecting the floor section to the floor comprising a hinge means secured to the inner portion of the floor member and the floor.

10. The step assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member when the floor section is in the closed position.

11. A step assembly for a structure having a floor with an opening comprising:

step means connected to the floor to allow a person to walk onto the floor, said step means including a floor section having a size to close the opening in the floor and a step section joined to the floor section, means connecting the floor section to the floor for movement of the floor section between a closed position wherein the opening in the floor is closed and a step position wherein the step section is generally horizontal below the plane of the floor, first means connected to the step means for holding the floor section and step section in the step position, and second means connected to the step means and floor for holding the floor section and step section in the closed position, said second means for holding the step means in the closed position includes lever means pivoted to the floor of the structure for movement between a down position and an up position, rod means connecting the lever means to the step means whereby when the lever means is in the down position, step means is in the step position and when the lever means is in the up position, the step means is in the closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the up position.

12. The step assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the floor section and step section is a one-piece panel having a floor member, a step member and a fold section joining the floor member to the step member.

13. The step assembly of claim 12 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member when the step means is in the closed position, and as said fold section extends diagonally across said panel.

14. A step assembly for a structure having a floor with an opening comprising:

step means connected to the floor to allow a person to walk onto the floor, said step means including a floor section having a size to close the opening in the floor and a step section joined to the floor section, means connecting the floor section to the floor for movement of the floor section between a closed position wherein the opening in the floor is closed and a step position wherein the step section is generally horizontal below the plane of the floor, first means connected to the step means for holding the floor section and step section in the step position, and second means connected to the step means and floor for holding the floor section and step section in the closed position, said first means for holding the step means in the step position comprises link means having slots along the length thereof, first pivot means connecting the link means to the floor adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the means connecting the floor section to the floor, second pivot means connected to the step means and extended through said slots in the link means for limiting downward movement of the step means to fix the step position thereof, said second means for holding the step means in the closed position include lever means pivoted to the floor of the structure for movement between a first position and a second position, means connecting the lever means to the step means whereby when the lever means is in the first position, the step means is in the step position and when the lever means is in the second position, the step means is in the closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the second position.

15. A vehicle cab comprising:

a frame, a side wall mounted on the frame, said side wall having an upright doorway, a door mounted on the side wall for movement between open and closed position, said doorway having an opening below the door when the door is closed, a floor located in a generally horizontal plane, said floor having an opening aligned with the doorway, a step assembly having a floor section or closing the opening in the floor and a step section joined to the floor section for closing the opening in the side wall below the door, hinge means pivotally connecting the floor section to the frame to allow the floor section and step section to move between closed positions wherein the floor section is located in the horizontal plane of the floor to close the opening in the floor and the step section is located in the opening in the side wall to close the opening in the side wall and a step position wherein the floor section extends downwardly and the step section is located generally horizontal below the doorway, first means connected to the step assembly and frame to hold the floor section and step section in the step position, and second means connected to the step assembly and floor operable to move the floor section and step section to the closed positions and retain said floor section and step section in the closed positions.

16. The vehicle cab of claim 15 wherein:

the floor section is a generally flat floor member having an inner portion and an outer portion, and the step section is a generally flat step member joined to the outer portion of the floor member, said hinge means secured to the inner portion of the floor member and the frame.

17. The vehicle cab of claim 16 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member when the floor section is in the closed position.

18. The vehicle cab of claim 15 wherein:

the first means for holding the floor section and step section in the step position comprises link means having longitudinal slots along the length thereof, first pivot means connecting the link means to the floor adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the hinge means connecting the floor section to the frame and second pivot means connecting the step assembly to the link means, said second pivot means extended through said slot sin the link means and providing stops for limiting movement of the step assembly thereby retaining the step section in the step position.

19. The vehicle cab of claim 15 wherein:

the second means for holding the step assembly in the closed position includes lever means pivoted to the floor for movement between a down position and an up position, rod means connecting the lever means to the step assembly whereby when the lever means in a down position, the step section is in the step position and when the lever means is in the up position, the step assembly is in the closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the up position.

20. The vehicle cab of claim 15 wherein:

the floor section and step section is a one-piece panel having a floor member, a step member and a fold section joining the floor member to the step member.

21. The vehicle cab of claim 20 wherein:

the step member extends upwardly and outwardly from the floor member and said fold section extends diagonally across said panel when the step assembly is in the closed position.

22. The vehicle can of claim 15 wherein:

the first means for holding the step assembly in the step position comprises link means having slots along the length thereof, first pivot means connecting the link means to the floor adjacent the opening in the floor outwardly of the hinge means connecting the floor section to the frame, second pivot means connected to the step assembly and extended through said slots in the link means for limiting downward movement of the step means to fix the step position thereof, said second means for holding the step assembly in the closed position includes lever means pivoted to the floor for movement between a first position and a second position, means connecting the lever means to the step assembly whereby when the lever means is in the first position, the step assembly is in the step position and when the lever means is in the second position, the step assembly is in the closed position, and retainer means for holding the lever means in the second position.