Overhead truck door opening and closing mechanism

An improved opening and closing mechanism for a cargo truck door on a cargo truck wherein the cargo truck has an enclosed cargo hold with a door frame defined by spaced first and second vertical frame members and an upper cross frame member that is joined to the first and second vertical frame members to define two upper corners;

• the door frame defining a door opening for the cargo hold;
• and a door having a lower door portion;
• the door being movable between open and closed positions with respect to the cargo hold of the truck;
• the closed position of the door closing the door opening;
• the improvement comprising:
• the opening and closing mechanism having first and second guides;
• and a loop having portions passing over the first and second guides in a manner that allows the loop to be moved with respect to the guides;
• the positions of the first and second guides being fixed with respect to the door frame;
• the first guide being connected to the truck at a location above the lower portion of the door when the door is in the open position;
• the loop being disposed outside of the cargo hold when the door is closed such that the loop is readily accessible for manipulation by a person opening the door;
• a portion of the loop disposed between the first and second guides being anchored to the lower door portion;
• and
• the loop being adapted to raise the door from its closed position toward its open position and then lower the door from its open position towards its closed position when pulled down toward the ground.