No-bounce tailgate assembly

An apparatus for securing and locking a tailgate assembly with a dump body, the dump body having a bottom sheet, two side sheets, and a front sheet for carrying a load and pivotally mounted on a truck frame for rotation about a first axis between load and dump positions, the apparatus comprising:

• a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted to the dump body for movement between the load and dump positions and comprising two opposing and parallel side panels having first and second ends, the first ends are pivotally mounted to the side sheets of the dump body for rotation about a second axis of rotation, a back panel spanning the distance between the second ends of the side panels and forming a rear wall of the dump body is pivotally mounted to the second ends of the side panels for rotation about a third axis which is substantially parallel to the first and second axes;
• a lift for rotating the dump body about the first axis between the load and dump positions;
• a continuous linkage having first and second portions wherein the first portion is connected between the frame and the side panels of the tailgate assembly to rotate the tailgate assembly in response to rotation of the dump body between the load and dump positions and the second portion is connected between the first portion and the back panel to rotate the back panel in response to rotation of the dump body between the load and dump positions and during rotation of the tailgate assembly, the linkage comprises at least one three-section chain connected in a Y-configuration wherein the chain has three ends with a first end anchored to the frame, a second end anchored to at least one of the side panels and a third end anchored to the lock;
• and
• a lock supported by the back panel and movable between a first position preventing the back panel from rotating about the third axis and a second position permitting the back panel to rotate about the third axis.