Tailgate apparatus for dump trucks and dump trailers

A dump body comprising:

• a floor having a front end, a rear end and two opposed sides;
• a front wall coupled to the floor and extending upwardly from the floor at the front end;
• two opposing side walls extending upwardly from the floor, each side wall coupled to the floor at a respective side of the floor and coupled to the front wall, the two side walls defining an opening at the rear end of the floor;
• and
• a tailgate apparatus for the dump body, the tailgate apparatus comprising:
• a tailgate sized to cover the opening;
• two opposed side arms extending from opposing sides of the tailgate towards the front wall, each side arm pivotally coupled to a respective one of the side walls at a side arm pivot point;
• and
• a pair of linkages for linking the side arms to the side walls, the linkages being configured to enable the tailgate to pivot between a closed position where the tailgate covers the opening and an open position where the tailgate is positioned closer to the front wall than the opening, each linkage including an actuator configured to move the tailgate from the closed position towards the open position, the actuator having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being coupled to the sidewall at a position rearward of the forward end when the tailgate is in the closed position.

A vehicle comprising:

• a dump body comprising:
• a floor having a front end, a rear end and two opposed sides;
• a front wall coupled to the floor and extending upwardly from the floor at the front end;
• two opposing side walls extending upwardly from the floor, each side wall coupled to the floor at a respective side of the floor and coupled to the front wall, the two side walls defining an opening at the rear end of the floor;
• and
• a tailgate apparatus for the dump body, the tailgate apparatus comprising:
• a tailgate sized to cover the opening;
• two opposed side arms extending from opposing sides of the tailgate towards the front wall, each side arm pivotally coupled to a respective one of the side walls at a side arm pivot point;
• and
• a pair of linkages for linking the side arms to the side walls, the linkages being configured to enable the tailgate to pivot between a closed position where the tailgate covers the opening and an open position where the tailgate is positioned closer to the front wall than the opening, each linkage including an actuator configured to move the tailgate from the closed position towards the open position, the actuator having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being coupled to the sidewall at a position rearward of the forward end when the tailgate is in the closed position.