Abstract: This invention relates to hydraulic lift apparatus in general and to a hydraulically operated vehicular tailgate lift apparatus in particular.

Abstract: A fold-up combination tail gate table, sink, and storage box for the rear of a pickup truck containing a box or table made of steel, molded epoxy resin plastic or other suitable material mounted pivotally on an arm that can be attached to and removed from the truck's tail gate. The assembly is pivoted from a folded position on the closed tailgate to an open position from the open tailgate. It remains locked by forces on the leg(s) and the swivel arm contacting the table under the box as well as forces between the arm and the tailgate attach. In the unfolded position, the assembly is extremely stable and can support considerable weight. It becomes a table, a storage container, a sink for liquids, and with several optional circular holes, a holder for bottles, drinks or other containers. When the lid is closed, the lid itself becomes available for further use as a table. The assembly can be used for display, food preparation, fish cleaning, tool or food storage, or as a workbench as well as numerous other uses.

Abstract: A fixturing device/scale combination that is permanently located at a place where it is likely to be used and which is attached to the pickup or trailer such that it will be transported to the work site without necessitating any additional thought or planning by the handyman or carpenter. The invention may be attached to the tailgate of a pickup truck or to other various work surfaces, including utility beds, and trailers in order to facilitate measuring lengths and angles for cutting lumber and other materials.

Abstract: A spare tire assembly is provided which is securely mounted to the frame of a vehicle. The assembly includes a swing arm which is pivotally moveable between an open position extending laterally away from the vehicle and a closed position securely attached to the rear door of the vehicle. A latch mechanism allows for the detachable connection of the assembly to the rear door such that the assembly can be securely fastened to the rear door to prevent the movement of the spare tire assembly while the vehicle is in motion. The latch mechanism includes a spring biased handle which provides for the manual release of the swing arm and allows for the displacement of the swing arm away from the vehicle door.

Abstract: A tailgate toolbox assembly for a pickup truck includes a toolbox having an attachment member mounted on an inner side of the pickup tailgate and a tool storage compartment pivotally hinged to the attachment member. The attachment member and tool storage compartment both extend substantially the length of the tailgate. The toolbox also has supports extending between the tool storage compartment and the attachment member at each end of the tailgate. The tailgate toolbox assembly further includes a rigid cover, such as a tread plate, for the toolbox. The tread cover plate is shaped to protect the toolbox and to permit mobile equipment to be loaded and unloaded thereover onto the pickup bed. The toolbox assembly being attached to the tailgate and in a closed position can be moved downward until horizontal and the tool storage compartment can then be pivoted upward until vertical to reveal tools stored therein.

Abstract: An auxiliary tailgate apparatus is adapted for installation on an original tailgate and includes a base assembly adapted to be attached to the original tailgate. A gate assembly includes a proximal end and a distal end. A pair of pivot assemblies connect the proximal end of the gate assembly with the base assembly. A first lock assembly, supported by either the gate assembly or the base assembly, is provided for selectively locking the gate assembly in a vertical orientation with respect to the base assembly or selectively permitting the gate assembly to rotate around the pivot assemblies for permitting the gate assembly to be oriented in a non-vertical orientation with respect to the base assembly. When the first lock assembly is supported by the base assembly, the first lock assembly includes a lock pin assembly which includes a pin member adapted to be placed in registration with a locking well located in the gate assembly for locking the gate assembly in a vertical orientation.

Abstract: A trailer for selectively transporting either a first or second substance is disclosed. The trailer includes a substantially flat bed and has two containers disposed thereon, each of which is capable of storing a different type of substance. An operator may choose to transport materials in either one of the two containers. Accordingly, the container to transport the substance is shifted toward a balanced load distribution point along the trailer while the empty container is moved to one end of the trailer. In the preferred embodiment, the two containers are coupled together so that the movement of one container along the trailer automatically causes a corresponding movement in the other. One container moves along the trailer by virtue of a plurality of wheels while the other slides along rails separated by a bearing.

Abstract: An improved tailgate or vane for pickup trucks that provides reduced aerodynamic resistance compared to the standard pickup truck tailgate. In one embodiment, it rotates, about upper pivots, from vertical to horizontal during acceleration of the pickup truck to provide a horizontal low aerodynamic resistance flying tail effect at high speeds. The improved tailgate can, in the preferred embodiment, be locked in a vertical orientation to accomplish a standard tailgate function as a retainer for the aft end of the bed of the pickup. It can be locked or fixedly attached in a non-vertical orientation to provide a vertical force on the rear of the pickup truck. It is intended that the improved tailgate can be easily attached or removed using either the standard tailgate attachment hardware supplied with the pickup truck or with new hardware supplied with the improved tailgate.

Abstract: A pickup truck bed has a split tailgate construction having a first gate member pivotally mounted in a parallel relationship relative to a second gate member positioned above the first gate member. The first gate member is arranged for pivotment to provide for airfoil orientation of the second gate member, with the first gate member arranged to permit pivotment of the first gate member against the floor of the pickup truck bed to permit airflow therethrough.

Abstract: A user-convenience assembly, mountable to an inside surface of a conventional pick-up truck tailgate, is usable with the tailgate placed in a substantially horizontal open position to provide at least one user with bottom and back support on separate cushions provided therefor. Speakers connectable to a sound system of the pick-up truck are disposed adjacent the back support to provide a user music and sound. An element to hold an ashtray and at least one food container can be mounted adjacent to the bottom support, and an umbrella holder adjacent the back support may be used to support the stem of a sun-shade umbrella. When the tailgate is in its upright closed position, a compartment holding the speakers, the back support and the umbrella holder closes to the inside surface of the upright tailgate and a pivotable cover element is locatable over a top of the compartment to exclude ambient dirt and moisture. This user-convenience assembly is readily mountable to most conventional pick-up truck tailgates.

Abstract: A dump truck body has a bed and side walls defining a rear opening which is closed by a tailgate and loader unit removably attached to adaptor brackets inserted into the side walls. The unit includes a U-shaped frame supporting extendable tracks which carry a vertical tailgate supported for pivotal movement to form a horizontal platform. The frame also encloses two pairs of oppositely directed hydraulic cylinders which move the tracks, and a cam mechanism is shifted into alignment to pivot the tailgate between horizontal and vertical positions in response to movement of the tracks. The entire unit is pivotally supported by the adaptor brackets to pivot from the truck body when the body is inclined for dumping or when a pair of hydraulic cylinders are actuated.

Abstract: An improved fold-down tailgate for use on a truck-like vehicle is disclosed. The tailgate of the present invention employs a slotted work surface which permits the ready attachment of various construction implements, such as cargo ramps, extended work surfaces, and a wide variety of vises, clamps and tie-down devices. The tailgate provides improved functionality while maximizing the amount of cargo space in the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle access ramp especially for wheel chair access includes alternative horizontal and vertical pivot assemblies. A foldable ramp is pivotably attached to a horizontal axis hinge, and vertically pivotable around a vertical rod at a side of a doorway. For deployment to the ground, the ramp is pivoted horizontally and unfolded. To provide access to the doorway without use of the ramp, the folded ramp is locked into its stored vertical position in the vehicle and pivoted or swung out of the way on a vertical pivot assembly in the vehicle doorway.

Abstract: A variable size door assembly for a vehicle rear opening includes a body with upper and lower portions and an inner door opening. The body is mounted on the vehicle by a hinge. The extensions can be cut off to reduce the body lower portion width whereby vehicles with rear openings of various widths can be accommodated by the door assembly. A pair of gasket subassemblies each includes a rigid gasket member with a side flange for mounting on a respective side jamb of the rear opening and a back flange extending into the rear opening from a respective side flange. Each gasket subassembly also includes a flexible gasket member mounted on a respective side edge at the body lower portion for resiliently and compressibly mating with a respective rigid gasket member. An inner door assembly is hingedly mounted on the body and includes a door for controlling ingress and egress through the inner door opening in the body.

Abstract: A dump truck body has a bed and side walls defining a rear opening which is closed by a tailgate and loader unit removably attached to adaptor brackets inserted into the side walls. The unit includes a U-shaped frame supporting extendable tracks which carry a vertical tailgate supported for pivotal movement to form a horizontal platform. The frame also encloses two pairs of oppositely directed hydraulic cylinders which move the tracks, and a cam mechanism is shifted into alignment to pivot the tailgate between horizontal and vertical positions in response to movement of the tracks. The entire unit is pivotally supported by the adaptor brackets to pivot from the truck body when the body is inclined for dumping.

Abstract: A material handling vehicle is disclosed which includes a substantially rectangular material container with an open rear end. The container is pivotably mounted to the vehicle frame so that the front end of the container can be lifted to cause material in the container to be discharged through the open rear end. A tailgate is mounted to the open rear end of the container and can be selectively moved between a closed position where the tailgate overlies and closes the open rear end of the container, a partially raised position to permit metering of a material therethrough, and a fully raised position where the tailgate is free to swing outwardly about a pivotal axis. A pair of hydraulically actuated lifting members selectively move the tailgate between the three positions.

Abstract: A vehicle access ramp especially for wheel chair access includes alternative horizontal and vertical pivot assemblies. A foldable ramp is pivotably attached to a horizontal axis hinge, and vertically pivotable around a vertical rod at a side of a doorway. For deployment to the ground, the ramp is pivoted horizontally and unfolded. To provide access to the doorway without use of the ramp, the folded ramp is locked into its stored vertical position in the vehicle and pivoted or swung out of the way on a vertical pivot assembly in the vehicle doorway.

Abstract: An improved dump body (18) includes opposite hinged side doors (34) and a hinged rear door (60). The side doors (34) include a latch assembly (42) and are particularly adapted to shed material in their down positions during unloading when the dump body (18) is level so that the side doors can then be raised and positively secured in their up positions without manual cleaning. The rear door (60) includes top and bottom hinges, and a latch assembly (70).

Abstract: A utility trailer having an automatic loading and unloading ramp and tailgate assembly and a front trigger plate assembly operationally interconnected by an actuating linkage or other drive unit so that when loading the trailer with the item to be transported, the item contacting the front trigger plate assembly causes the movement of the rear automatic ramp assembly into a tailgate forming position. A lock or latching mechanism is provided to automatically retain the rear ramp assembly in the tailgate forming position.

Abstract: A bifold loading ramp that is interchangeable with the tailgate of a pickup truck. A ramp consisting of two halves that are hinged in the middle with the upper half having existing tailgate latch assemblies welded to it, so as to allow it to attach to the bed of a pickup truck in the same manner as the tailgate. The latch assemblies hold the ramp in the vertical position when locked. When unlocked it pivots to a horizontal position being held in position by the existing tailgate support brackets making for a tailgate extension. When the tailgate support brackets are unhooked the ramp can then be unfolded forming a gradually inclined ramp from the ground to the bed of the truck.

Abstract: A controllable tailgate compatible with conventional rearward tilting dump trucks is attached at its uppermost corners to the upper end of two rear corner truck bed posts and pivots from a closed position to an open position enabling the discharge of material through an opening between the bottom of the tailgate and outer edge of the truck bed. The dump truck can be manufactured to accommodate the controllable tailgate or the truck bed can be modified by adding both a truck bed floor and two truck bed side-extension panels to match the truck bed to the tailgate. One or more movable gates are connected to the lower exterior of the tailgate across its width and are controllable from within the cab of the dump truck. The gates are moved to close the opening between the tailgate and truck bed when the dump truck is tilted rearward and the tailgate is in an open, unloading configuration. The gates serve to control the discharge of material from the dump truck.

Abstract: An improved counterbalanced tailgate for dump boxes including a continuous pivot shaft which extends across the entire width of the gate bottom and is rotatably contained within the gate and extends through the sides thereof. One or more heavy duty helical springs are coaxially mounted about the shaft with one end of each spring being attached to the shaft, and the other either affixed to or bearing against a portion of the tailgate so that the springs resiliently resist rotation of the shaft about its longitudinal axis. A bayonette type latching arm is rigidly attached to each protruding shaft end, and an opening is provided in the lower side wall of the dump body on each side to receive the latching arms.

Abstract: A vehicle body having a passenger compartment and a package compartment rearward of the passenger compartment. The passenger compartment has a rear end which is inclined rearwardly and downwardly. A rear window section is swingably mounted at its upper edge to the vehicle body to cover the rearwardly inclined rear end of the passenger compartment. A trunk lid section is swingably attached to the lower edge of the rear window section to cover the upper portion of the package compartment. Dampers are arranged between the body and the rear window section and the trunk lid section, respectively, to cause pivotal motion of the opened trunk lid section as the rear window section is opened.

Abstract: A device which unloads materials from a vehicle cargo area such as the bed of a pickup truck. A pair of mounting brackets are bolted to opposite sides of the vehicle bed. Pivoted to the brackets are the front ends of rigid frame arms which carry a rotatable drum between their back ends. A flexible conveyor sheet is wound on the drum and can be unwound onto the vehicle bed to receive materials loaded therein. A motor driven or manually operated drive system rotates the drum to unload the cargo as the conveyor sheet is wound up on the drum. The pivotal mounting of the frame arms permits them to be raised with the tailgate of the vehicle to a storage position during transport of the load.

Abstract: A recreational unit for a vehicle bed has two oppositely located cantilever outrigger units. Each cantilever outrigger unit includes a horizontal shelf slidably supported by the top of each vertical side wall of the vehicle bed and an upstanding shelf support attached to the shelf. A floor support member is located on the floor of the vehicle bed. The floor support member contains slots proximate each vertical side wall of the vehicle bed into which the bottom of the upstanding shelf support is received. The two outrigger units can be slid between a stored and an extended position. Thus, when each cantilever outrigger unit is deployed in the extended position, the combined action of the horizontal shelf resting on the vertical side wall of the vehicle bed and the abutment of the bottom of the upstanding shelf support against the edge of the slot forms a rigid cantilever type support for the cantilever outrigger unit.

Abstract: A rear door for an armored vehicle. The rear door includes an upper door half and a lower door half which are pivotally hinged to the rear wall of the vehicle and can be locked and made tight in the closed position. The lower door half is provided on its inner side with steps for getting into and out of the vehicle, and is held in its lowered open position via a chain pull, a cable line, or an arresting member. Each door half, via swivel levers fastened to the inner side of the door half, is pivotally mounted on a shaft which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and is supported in bearing housings which are rigidly arranged to the side of, and above and below, the door opening on the inner side of the rear wall of the vehicle. Each shaft includes a rotating rod and serves to aid the pivot movement during closing. The upper door half is movable by means of a swivel device which includes a push-pull rod and a lever, and can be arrested in its raised open position.

Abstract: A collapsible stock loading chute for vehicles. The chute is particularly designed for floor supported stock racks for pick-up trucks and is adapted to be slid underneath a false bed supported by a frame which receives a ramp of the chute. When withdrawn from underneath the false bed the chute ramp may be pivoted to the frame at a forward end and supported on the ground and connected to chute walls hooked to the rack to load stock. The ramp may be employed without the walls for loading haltered animals or for loading equipment or other paraphernalia. The rear wall of the stock rack is provided with a vertically slidably gate frame having a pair of hinged gate members in order that the gate may be raised to open the gate or alternatively to swing inwardly or outwardly the hinged gate members for different loading conditions.

Abstract: In a refuse compaction/ejection system, an improved ejection door having a lower hinged member which reduces the degree of door extension required to obtain an effective open discharge path and a catch-lock means for guiding and retaining the hinged member into closed configuration when the door is in the unextended position. The lower door member is hinged to an upper member which travels a fixed upward path during ejection operations. As the hinged member is carried upward by the upper member, the lower lip of the lower member is withdrawn from the catch-lock means, permitting rotation in an axial rearward direction about the hinge due to the force of discharging refuse. With the refuse ejected, the hinged member returns to its nonrotated natural position, causing the lip of the lower hinged member to catch in rearwardly extending catch-lock means upon the retraction cycle.

Abstract: A dispenser which fits between the box of a dump truck and its partially open tailgate includes a semicylindrical trough having an axially elongated slot in the bottom, an arcuate relatively narrow cover adjacent to and outside of the trough, end plates on the trough, end hangers supporting the cover and pivotally mounted on axles in the end plates, and a handle on one of the end hangers to rotate the cover to open and close the slot. A notched detent bar on an end plate holds the handle in selected positions. Clamps hold the structure to the tailgate and latch bars cooperate with latch hooks on the truck to hold the dispenser in place. A cage hooks on the tailgate to support an operator. Interior hook eyes are provided to lift the dispenser into attachment position on the truck.

Abstract: Upper and lower flap doors respectively hinged to an upper lintel member and to a lower sill member of a doorway frame constituting almost the entire side wall of the body of a van type motortruck to swing open respectively outwardly and upwardly to a horizontal position and outwardly and downwardly to a vertical position are intercoupled by a coupling device comprising two coupling mechanisms installed close to two posts constituting side members of the doorway frame, each coupling mechanism comprising members intercoupling the flap doors to synchronize their movements and cause gravitational forces acting thereon to counterbalance each other, thereby reducing the physical effort required for manual opening and closing of the doors.