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US 5,234,308 AGranted
Hinged bed vehicle
OwnerFred W. Manninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having a hinged bed with a hinge positioned such that a rear bed portion automatically pivots toward the ground in an inclined load/unload position when the vehicle is empty, forming a ramp for loading and unloading. The hinged bed automatically pivots to a horizontal transport position when a front portion of the bed is loaded. The vehicle includes a transport locking mechanism for securing the rear bed portion in its horizontal transport position and a separate load/unload locking mechanism for securing the rear bed portion in its inclined load/unload position. The vehicle includes embodiments comprising hydraulic pistons for converting the vehicle between a ramp-up, transport configuration and a ramp-down, load/unload configuration.
Claims24
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- (d) bed pivoting means having a first end connected to said front portion and a second end connected to said rear portion such that said rear portion is selectively pivotable from one to the other of said transport position and said load/unload position;
- (e) first locking means for securing said rear portion in said transport position;
- and in said transport position;
- and
- (f) second locking means for securing said rear portion in said load/unload position.
7 more elements
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- (d) bed pivoting means having a first end connected to said front portion and a second end connected to said rear portion such that said rear portion is selectively pivotable from one to the other of said transport position and said load/unload position;
- (e) linear motor means having first and second ends and having an extended position associated with one of said rear portion positions and a retracted positions associated with the other of said rear portion positions;
- (f) a rock shaft rotatably mounted on said front portion and rotatable with respect thereto about a transverse rotational axis;
- (g) a cam plate fixedly mounted on said rock shaft and having first and second ends;
- (h) said cam plate first end being connected to said linear motor means first end;
- and
- (i) a linkage bar having a first end pivotally connected to said cam plate second end and a second end connected to said rear portion.
9 more elements
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- (d) bed pivoting means having a first end connected to said front portion and a second end connected to said rear portion such that said rear portion is selectively pivotable from one to the other of said transport position and said load/unload position;
- (e) a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder unit having first and second ends and having an extended position associated with one of said rear portion positions and a retracted position associated with the other of said rear portion positions;
- and
- (f) an enclosed compartment for containing hydraulic power source means for said piston-and-cylinder unit.
6 more elements
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- (d) bed pivoting means having a first end connected to said front portion and a second end connected to said rear portion such that said rear portion is selectively pivotable from one to the other of said transport position and said load/unload position;
- and
- (e) safety flap means for covering spacing between said rear portion and said front portion as said rear portion is pivoted rearwardly from said front portion.
5 more elements
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- and
- (d) shield means for substantially shielding said bed pivoting means for safety purposes.
4 more elements
A vehicle for receiving a load comprising:
- (a) a bed having a front portion and a rear portion;
- (b) wheel means supporting said bed;
- (c) hinge means pivotally connecting said front portion to said rear portion;
- said rear portion being pivotal between a load/unload position inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said front portion and a transport position with said bed portions generally horizontally aligned;
- said front portion remaining generally horizontal when said rear portion is in said load/unload position;
- (d) a first generally horizontal, transverse pivotal axis extending through said hinge means;
- and
- (e) an axle having a pair of opposing wheels;
- said axle providing a second generally horizontal, transverse pivotal axis therethrough;
- said second axis spaced rearwardly from said first axis;
- said first axis displaced upwardly relative to said second axis as said vehicle is in a load/unload position such that the load assists in returning said rear portion from said load/unload position to said transport position.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.