US 6,386,819 B1Granted

Self-powered elevationally adjustable foldable ramp for draft vehicles

OwnerAllan A. Schultzinventor

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Abstract

An elongated hydraulically foldable and elevationally adjustable ramp connectable to a draft vehicle and including leading and trailing ramp sections that are pivotally joined and foldable between an inclined loading position and an upright traveling position, and a ground-bearing pad pivotally connected and depending freely from the ramp at a position forward its center of gravity, such that upon activation of a hydraulic cylinder extending between the trailing and leading ramp sections when in loading position, the ground-bearing pad engages the ground and causes the forward end of the leading ramp section to elevate above the bed level of the trailer to facilitate mounting and removal of the ramp therefrom. The hydraulics for the ramp are self-contained on the ramp for independent operation and positional control without connection to an external source.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An elevationally adjustable ramp which, by interior adjustment, is capable of facilitating mounting and disconnection thereof relative to a draft vehicle, comprising:

(a) an elongated ramp having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion being constructed and arranged to be pivotally connected to the draft vehicle in readily removable relation thereto;
(b) a generally vertically extending ground-bearing member carried by said ramp and depending freely therefrom in gravitationally positionable supporting relation thereto when said ramp rests in an inclined loading position relative to such a draft vehicle;
(c) a hydraulically controlled adjustment means connected to said ramp for causing elevational adjustment of said forward end portion of said ramp relative to such a draft vehicle to facilitate mounting of said ramp to, and disconnection of said ramp from, such a draft vehicle;
(d) hydraulic control means carried by said ramp and connected thereto in controlling relation for controlling pivotal movement of said ramp between an inclined loading position and a substantially upright traveling position when connected to such a draft vehicle;
and
(e) a hydraulic power source mounted on said ramp and controllably connected to said hydraulic adjustment means and said hydraulic control means for providing interior self-contained operational hydraulic control of said ramp.

3 more elements

An elevationally adjustable ramp which, by interior adjustment, is capable of facilitating mounting and disconnection thereof relative to a draft vehicle, comprising:

(a) an elongated foldable ramp having at least a pair of ramp sections, one of said ramp sections constituting a leading section and the other section constituting a trailing section;
(b) said leading ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion being constructed and arranged to be connected to the draft vehicle in readily removable relation thereto;
(c) said trailing ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion of said trailing ramp section being pivotally secured to said rear end portion of said leading ramp section, thereby defining an axis of pivot therebetween transverse to said ramp and about which said ramp sections may pivot;
(d) a hydraulic cylinder controllably connected between said trailing and leading ramp sections to control the relative pivotal movement between said trailing and leading ramp sections about said axis of pivot;
(e) a hydraulic power source mounted on said ramp and controllably connected to said hydraulic cylinder and constituting therewith interior adjustment means whereby the mounting upon or the disconnection of said leading ramp section from such a draft vehicle may be readily facilitated;
(f) a ground-bearing pad pivotally connected to and depending freely from said ramp at a point adjacent said axis of pivot between said leading and trailing ramp sections, and forward of a center of gravity of said ramp, said pad being gravitationally positionable and constructed and arranged to engage the ground and support said ramp sections when said ramp sections are disposed in a generally aligned inclined loading position;
(g) said ground-bearing pad, when engaging the ground, constituting a fulcrum upon activation of said hydraulic cylinder, to thereby change the elevation of said forward end portion of said leading ramp section to a position which facilitates the mounting upon or the disconnection of said leading ramp section from such a draft vehicle;
and
(h) said change of elevation of said front end of said leading ramp section being accomplished by relative movement of said ramp sections about only said transverse axis of pivot therebetween.

6 more elements

An elevationally adjustable ramp which, by interior adjustment, is capable of facilitating mounting and disconnection thereof relative to a draft vehicle having a load bed, comprising:

(a) a foldable ramp having at least a pair of ramp sections, one of said ramp sections constituting a leading section and the other constituting a trailing section;
(b) said leading ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion being constructed and arranged to be pivotally connected to the draft vehicle in readily removable relation thereto;
(c) said trailing ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion of said trailing ramp section being pivotally secured to said rear end portion of said leading ramp section, thereby defining an axis of pivot transverse to said ramp about which said leading and trailing ramp sections may pivot for movement between an aligned, inclined loading position and a substantially upright traveling position;
(d) a first hydraulic cylinder connected in controlling relation to said leading ramp section to cause controlled pivotal movement of said leading ramp section at said forward end portion thereof;
(e) a second hydraulic cylinder controllably connected between said trailing and leading ramp sections, to control the pivotal movement of one of said ramp sections relative to the other;
(f) a hydraulic power source mounted on said ramp and controllably connected to said first and second hydraulic cylinders and constituting therewith interior adjustment means whereby the mounting upon or the removal of said leading ramp section from such a draft vehicle may be readily facilitated;
(g) a ground-bearing pad pivotally connected to and depending freely from said ramp sections at a point adjacent said transverse axis of pivot between said leading and trailing ramp sections, and forward of a center of gravity of said ramp, said pad being gravitationally positionable and constructed and arranged to engage the ground and support said ramp sections when said ramp sections are disposed in said generally inclined loading position;
(h) said ground-bearing pad, when engaging the ground, constituting a fulcrum upon activation of said second hydraulic cylinder, to thereby change the elevation of said forward end portion of said leading ramp section to a position which facilitates mounting upon or removal of said leading ramp section from such a draft vehicle;
(i) said change of elevation of said front end of said leading ramp section being accomplished by relative movement of said leading and trailing ramp sections about only said transverse axis of pivot therebetween.

6 more elements

An elevationally adjustable ramp which, by interior adjustment, is capable of facilitating mounting and disconnection thereof relative to a draft vehicle, comprising:

(a) a foldable ramp having at least a pair of ramp sections, one of said ramp sections constituting a leading section and the other constituting a trailing section;
(b) said leading ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion being constructed and arranged to be pivotally connected to the draft vehicle in readily removable relation thereto;
(c) said trailing ramp section having a forward end portion and a rear end portion, said forward end portion of said trailing ramp section being pivotally secured to said rear end portion of said leading ramp section, thereby defining an axis of pivot transverse to said ramp about which said leading and trailing ramp sections may pivot for movement between a generally aligned, inclined loading position and a substantially upright, closely parallel traveling position;
(d) a generally vertically extending support member pivotally carried by said forward end portion of said leading ramp section, and depending therefrom in supporting relation thereto when said foldable ramp is removed from such a draft vehicle and placed in a storage position;
(e) a first hydraulic cylinder connected in controlling relation to said leading ramp section to cause controlled pivotal movement of said leading ramp section about said pivotal connection to said support member when connected to such a draft vehicle;
(f) a second hydraulic cylinder connected between said trailing and leading ramp sections to control the relative pivotal movement between said trailing and leading ramp sections;
(g) a hydraulic power source being carried by said support member and controllably connected to said first and second hydraulic cylinders, and constituting therewith an independently hydraulically operable adjustment means for facilitating the mounting upon or removal of said leading ramp section from such a draft vehicle;
(h) a ground-bearing pad pivotally connected to and depending freely from said ramp at a point adjacent said axis of pivot between said leading and trailing ramp sections, and forward of a center of gravity of said ramp, said pad being gravitationally positionable and constructed and arranged to engage the ground and support said ramp sections when said ramp sections are disposed in loading and storing positions;
and
(i) said ground-bearing pad, when engaging the ground, constituting a fulcrum about which said leading ramp section will pivot upon activation of said second hydraulic cylinder, to cause said forward end portion of said leading ramp section to elevate to a position which facilitates the mounting of said leading ramp section upon, or removal thereof from, such a draft vehicle.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.