Latch for truck swing door lock

In combination with a truck body having a rear entry, a floor, two side panels and a roof, a tailgate lift mechanism mounted to said truck body at said rear end having a pair of vertical rails along which a portion of the lift moves in shear relationship to the rear entry and its floor, and closure means hinged at said rear entry to close said rear entry and enclose said tailgate lift mechanism, said closure means including lock means, the improvement comprising:

• latch plate means carrying latch means complementary to said lock means, lever means fixed to said latch plate means and hinged to said truck body, said hinge means having a hinge axis;
• said latch plate means being enabled by said lever means to move to an active latch position where it is engageable by said lock means, said lever means then being in the path of said lift, and an inactive stowed position beneath said floor and forwardly of said lift means wherein said lock means are disengaged from said latch means, said closure means are released so as to be opened, and said latch plate means is not in the path of said lift mechanism.