Truck cargo space extension bed

• US 5,816,637 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litz Adams, Wayne D. Ketner
• Original Assignee: Litz Adams, Wayne D. Ketner
• Inventors: Adams, Litz, Ketner, Wayne D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/770,523
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26, 296/50, 296/57.1, 296/26.09
• US Class Current: 296/26.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/40 for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements E04G21/14 takes precedence; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence

Abstract

An extension bed for extending the cargo space of a truck of the type having a truck bed including a floor, side walls, and a tailgate is readily installed in any standard-sized pickup truck and is easily slidable from its retracted, storage position within the truck bed to an extended position supported by the open tailgate of the truck. The truck cargo space extension bed includes an extension floor, an extension tailgate, and opposing upright extension side walls having a substantially t-shaped channel extending the length of the side walls and corresponding t-shaped pins mounted to the pickup truck for slidably connecting the extension bed to the pickup truck side walls. The t-shaped channels include a stop mechanism for preventing the extension bed from becoming accidently disengaged from the pickup truck and a latch on the extension bed for selectively locking the extension bed in the extended position. The extension tailgate is rotatable between a closed, upright position and an open horizontal position and includes a support mechanism for supporting the extension tailgate in the open position.

Claims

1. An extension bed for extending a cargo space of a truck of a type having a truck bed including a floor, side walls, and a tailgate, said extension bed being adapted to be positioned within the truck bed and comprising:

(a) an extension floor having a forward end and a rear end and a pair of opposing, upright extension side walls attached to said extension floor, each extension side wall having a front end adjacent to the forward end of the extension floor and a back end adjacent to the rear end;

(b) a substantially t-shaped channel in each extension side wall having a length extending from the front end to the back end of the extension side wall thereof for slidably connecting the extension side walls to the side walls of the truck bed, said t-shaped channels being substantially horizontally disposed in the extension side walls; and

(c) a pair of pins each adapted to be slidably received and held within a respective said t-shaped channel, said pins being securely fastened to the truck side walls of the truck bed for slidably mounting the extension side walls to the truck side walls;

(d) wherein said extension side walls slidably engage said pins along the length of the t-shaped channels whereby said extension bed is slidable from a retracted position within the truck bed to an extended position supported by the tailgate of the truck bed when open.

2. The extension bed of claim 1, wherein each pin has a base, a neck, and an enlarged head, said neck and said head of each pin being adapted to be inserted into the respective t-shaped channel and slidable therethrough, and said bases are securely fastened to the side walls, respectively, of the truck bed.

3. The extension bed of claim 2, wherein each t-shaped channel has opposite ends including a closed end at the front end of the extension side wall thereof and an open end at the back end of the extension side wall thereof, said closed ends defining stops for preventing said pins from exiting said channels at the front ends of the extension side walls and disengaging from the extension side walls, and said open ends receiving said pins into said t-shaped channels at the back ends of the extension side walls for slidably mounting the extension side walls of the extension bed to the truck bed.

4. The extension bed of claim 3, wherein each t-shaped channel is formed in an exterior of the extension side wall thereof facing a respective one of the truck side walls whereby the pins secured in the truck side walls are receivable in and slidable along the length of said t-shaped channels.

5. The extension bed of claim 3, further including an extension tailgate attached to the extension floor, said extension tailgate being moveable between a closed, upright position against the back ends of the extension side walls and an open, horizontal position level with the extension floor.

6. The extension bed of claim 5, wherein said extension tailgate includes an attachment means for rotatably attaching the extension tailgate to the rear end of the extension floor.

7. The extension bed of claim 6, wherein said extension tailgate further includes a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end having a bottom edge and said rear end of the extension floor including a rear edge, wherein said bottom edge of the extension tailgate is positioned adjacent to the rear edge of the extension floor and said attachment means is positioned therein for connecting the extension tailgate to the extension floor.

8. The extension bed of claim 7, wherein said attachment means comprises a set of corresponding loops extending from the rear edge and the bottom edge and a post extending through the loops for attaching the extension tailgate to the extension floor and defining a horizontal axis for rotating the extension tailgate from the closed, upright position to the open, horizontal position.

9. The extension bed of claim 7, wherein said attachment means comprises a pair of tubes extending from the rear edge of the extension floor and a pair of tubes extending from the bottom edge of the extension tailgate, said tubes each having a cylindrical through hole, said tailgate tubes being positioned adjacent to the floor tubes when the bottom edge of the extension tailgate is positioned adjacent to the rear edge of the floor, wherein the cylindrical through holes of all of the tubes are in alignment for receiving a pair of bolts for rotatably securing the extension tailgate to the extension floor.

10. The extension bed of claim 7, further comprising a support mechanism attached to said extension side walls and to the extension tailgate for supporting said extension tailgate in the open, horizontal position.

11. The extension bed of claim 10, wherein said extension side walls have upper portions and said extension tailgate has opposite sides, said support mechanism including a pair of flexible members having opposite ends, wherein one said end of each flexible member is attached to the upper portion near the back end of a respective said extension side wall and another said end of each flexible member is attached to a respective said side of the extension tailgate near the top end of the extension tailgate.

12. The extension bed of claim 11, wherein each flexible member extends from the respective extension side wall to the respective side of the extension tailgate to a predetermined length for supporting the extension tailgate in the open, horizontal position and folds into a collapsed, storage position when the extension tailgate is in the closed, upright position.

13. The extension bed of claim 12, wherein said support mechanism further includes two pairs of hooks, wherein one hook of each pair of hooks is securely fastened to the upper portion near the back end of the respective extension side wall and another hook of each pair of hooks is securely fastened near the top end at the respective side of the extension tailgate for connecting the flexible members to the extension side walls and the extension tailgate.

14. The extension bed of claim 13, wherein each flexible member is a metal chain.

15. The extension bed of claim 12, wherein said support mechanism further includes a means at each end of said support mechanism for attaching said support mechanism to the upper portions near the back ends of the extension side walls and near the top end at the sides of the extension tailgate for connecting the flexible members to the extension side walls and the extension tailgate.