Safety insert for truck steps

• US 6,017,045 A
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cecil E. Dermody
• Original Assignee: Cecil E. Dermody
• Inventors: Dermody, Cecil E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/218,665
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/165, 280/166, 280/169, 182/91, 182/92, 182/93, 182/96, 182/150, 182/206
• US Class Current: 280/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/00 Arrangements of steps or ladders facilitating access to or on the vehicle, e.g. running-boards construction of steps for railway vehicles B61D23/00 ; ladders E06C

Abstract

A safety insert 10 for a generally U-shaped tubular step bar member 110 attached to a vehicle chassis 101 wherein the safety insert 10 comprises a support plate member 20 provided with a plurality of mounting apertures 30 which are dimensioned to receive a portion of a plurality of clamp members 30 which at least partially surround different portions of the step bar member 110.

Claims

1. In a vehicle equipped with a generally U-shaped tubular step bar attached to the vehicle chassis wherein the interior of the step bar defines an enlarged opening, the improvement comprising:

a safety insert including an insert unit comprising a support plate member dimensioned to be at least partially received within said enlarged opening in the step bar; and

provided with a plurality of mounting apertures;

means for operatively engaging the support plate member with said step bar including a plurality of clamp members wherein each clamp member has a portion dimensioned to be received in one of said plurality of mounting apertures; and

wherein each of said clamp members has a portion dimensioned to at least partially surround the periphery of a portion of the step bar.

2. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein said support plate member comprises a framework element which supports an open mesh panel.

3. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein said support plate member is fabricated from a solid panel element.

4. The improvement as in claim 3 wherein said solid panel element is provided with a textured surface.