Combination loading ramp and tailgate closure device

A combination loading ramp and tailgate closure device for extending the cargo bed of a gated truck, said bed including opposite side walls, a floor having a rearward edge portion and a tailgate pivotally mounted at the rearward edge portion of the floor of the truck bed such that when the tailgate is in an upright position, it closes the rearward portion of the truck bed, and when the tailgate is in an extended position, it forms a platform disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the floor of the bed, said platform formed by said tailgate having a width substantially coextensive with the rearward edge portion of the floor and a length substantially equal to the heighth of the tailgate when it is in its upright position, said combination loading ramp and tailgate closure device being releasably connected to the tailgate/rearward portions of the side walls of the truck bed to alternately form, first an upright closure about the extended tailgate, and further a ramp for loading said bed when said device is deployed as a ramp, said device including:

• a mid section including a first end portion and a further end portion, an upper side portion and a lower side portion, said mid section having a length substantially coextensive with said tailgate width;
• a first end section, including a first end portion and a further end portion, a lower side portion and an upper side portion, said first and further end portions being connected by said lower and upper side portions and spaced by a distance such that the length of said first end section is substantially equal to the height of said tailgate, said first end portion being pivotally mounted on said first end portion of said mid section;
• a further end section including a first end portion and a further end portion and a lower side portion and an upper side portion, said first and further end portions being connected by said lower and upper side portions and spaced by distance such that the length of said further end section is substantially equal to the height of said tailgate, said first end portion being pivotally mounted on the further end portion of said mid section;
• said mid section, said first end section, and said further end section, each include a wire mesh extending between said first end portion, said further end portion, said upper side portion, and said lower side portion of each of said sections thereby allowing air to pass through said device when it is used to close the tailgate portion of said bed, and wherein each of said mid, first end and further end sections carries a ramp track section operatively associated therewith such that when said device is used as a ramp, said ramp track sections are aligned thereby supporting a wheeled vehicle moving over said ramp into said truck bed;
• securing means for releasably securing said device at selected locations on said truck whereby said device serves as a closure for said extended tailgate thereby effectively extending said bed by a length substantially equal to the height of said tailgate in its upright position, said securing means serving to secure said device to the side walls of said truck bed and to said tailgate;
• and
• stop means serving to stop the pivotal movement of at least one end portion of said further section with respect to its juxtaposed end portion of said mid section, whereby said mid section and said further end section are pivotally moved and fixed in a substantially coplanar relationship by said stop means such that the first end portion of said device can be positioned on the extended tailgate of said truck and supported thereby, and the mid section and further section of said device serves to form a ramp, as for rolling a wheeled vehicle onto the truck bed.

A combination loading ramp and tailgate closure device for extending the cargo bed of a gated truck, said bed including opposite side walls, a floor having a rearward edge portion and a tailgate pivotally mounted at the rearward edge portion of the floor of the truck bed such that when the tailgate is in an upright position, it closes the rearward portion of the truck bed, and when the tailgate is in an extended position, it forms a platform disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the floor of the bed, said platform formed by said tailgate having a width substantially coextensive with the rearward edge portion of the floor and a length substantially equal to the heighth of the tailgate when it is in its upright position, said combination loading ramp and tailgate closure device being releasably connected to the tailgate/rearward portions of the side walls of the truck bed to alternately form, first an upright closure about the extended tailgate, and further a ramp for loading said bed when said device is deployed as a ramp, said device including:

• a mid section including a first end portion and a further end portion, an upper side portion and a lower side portion, said mid section having a length substantially coextensive with said tailgate width;
• a first end section, including a first end portion and a further end portion, a lower side portion and an upper side portion, said first and further end portions being connected by said lower and upper side portions and spaced by a distance such that the length of said first end section is substantially equal to the height of said tailgate, said first end portion being pivotally mounted on said first end portion of said mid section;
• a further end section including a first end portion and a further end portion and a lower side portion and an upper side portion, said first and further end portions being connected by said lower and upper side portions and spaced by distance such that the length of said further end section is substantially equal to the height of said tailgate, said first end portion being pivotally mounted on the further end portion of said mid section;
• securing means for releasably securing said device at selected locations on said truck whereby said device serves as a closure for said extended tailgate thereby effectively extending said bed by a length substantially equal to the height of said tailgate in its upright position, said securing means serving to secure said device to the side walls of said truck bed and to said tailgate;
• stop means serving to stop the pivotal movement of at least one end portion of said further section with respect to its juxtaposed end portion of said mid section, whereby said mid section and said further end section are pivotally moved and fixed in a substantially coplanar relationship by said stop means such that the first end portion of said device can be positioned on the extended tailgate of said truck and supported thereby, and the mid section and further section of said device serve to form a ramp, as for rolling a wheeled vehicle onto the truck bed;
• and
• further stop means serving to stop the pivotal movement of at least one end portion of said first end section with respect to its juxtaposed end portion of said mid section, whereby said mid section and said first end section are pivotally moved and fixed in a preselected angular relationship such that said further end section can be readily positioned on extended tailgate when said device is used as a ramp.