Pivotal hood arrangement

In a vehicle (10) having a front end (14), a motive power source (24), a floor (46) and a hood (18), a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the hood (18) to said vehicle (10) at a location between said source of motive power (24) and said front end (14), said hood (18) being pivotally movable about said hood hinge (20) between covering and uncovering positions (26,28) relative to the source of motive power (24);

• the improvement comprising:
• a control device (38) mounted on said hood (18) and movable therewith;
• an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18);
• means (52) for closing said opening (48), said means (52) for closing being movable between open and closed positions (57,59) with respect to said opening (48);
• and
• means (74) for retaining said means (54) for closing at the closed position (59) thereof in response to said hood (18) being at the covering position (26).

In a lift truck (10) having a front end portion (14), a lift mast (12) mounted on said front end portion (12), a hood (18) having a front side member (30), an operator's seat (34) mounted on said hood (18), a floor (46), a source of motive power (24) mounted on said lift truck (10), and a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the front side member (30) of said hood (18) to said lift truck (10), the improvement comprising:

• a control device (38) mounted on the front surface (30) of said hood (18), said control device (38) being actuatable to control said lift mast (12), said hood (18) being pivotally movable in a direction towards said lift mast (12) to an uncovering position (28) relative to said source of motive power (24) and in a direction away from said lift mast (12) to a covering position (26) relative to said source of motive power (24), said control device (38) being movable with said hood (18);
• an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18);
• a door (54) pivotally connected to said floor (46) and pivotally movable between open and closed positions (57,59) relative to said opening (48);
• a shroud (50) being connected to said hood (18) and disposed in a covering relationship about said control device (38), said shroud (50) being movable with said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54);
• a spring (72) connected to said door (54), said spring (72) biasing said door (54) to the closed position (59), said door (54) being urged by said shroud (50) to the open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28);
• and
• a projection (76) connected to said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54), said projection (76) holding said door (54) at the closed position (59) when said hood (18) is at the covering position (26).