Escape door for trailer

A closure element for a rectangular opening in the outer wall of a trailer body and located remote from the trailer door,

• plate means provided at the top and sides of the opening,
• hinge means along the longer horizontal bottom edge of the opening,
• a door member having plate means along the top and bottom with the bottom supported on the hinge means for movement between closed and open positions,
• said plate means at the top of said door having aligned openings,
• spaced inwardly extending apertured bracket means supported on said plate means at the top of the door member and extending toward said hinge means,
• a shaft rotatably supported in the apertures of the bracket means,
• a pair of latch means secured in fixed relation one at each end of said shaft for rotation therewith,
• latch means extending from the opening in the plate means on said door member into latching engagement with the plate means at the top of the opening,
• said shaft having a downwardly extending arm fixed thereto, an operating rod, and a pivot connecting said arm and rod for producing movement of said arm and rotation of said shaft in response to movement of said rod,
• a ball provided on the end of said rod, a cup having an open end surrounding said ball and rod, and a spring pressed cap for enclosing said cup end,
• spring means engaging said door member for resiliently biasing said door toward said open position when said latch means is released, and said plate at the top of said opening having a vertically extended flange spaced outwardly from the exterior surface of the outer wall to form a trough.