Receptacle extension apparatus and method

The combination of a truck container body and a container body extension therefor, comprising:

• a rigid truck container body comprising a first container body side wall, a second container body side wall, a container body front wall, a bottom, and a container body door;
• the container body door having a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge;
• the first vertical edge being rotatably connected to the first container body side wall on container body door hinges, the second vertical edge having at least one container body latch receiver;
• the second container body side wall having a number of container body latches corresponding to the number of container body latch receivers;
• a manual container body latch mechanism that allows one hand motion to cause the container body latches to grip the container body latch receivers;
• the container body side walls, front wall, and door having sills along their top edges;
• the container body side wall sills having clamp receiving means;
• a rigid container body extension comprising a first extension side wall, a second extension side wall, an extension front wall, and an extension door;
• the extension walls and door having lower edges, the lower edges having container body sill centering means depending therefrom;
• the extension door having a third vertical edge and a fourth vertical edge;
• the third vertical edge being rotatably connected to the first extension side wall on extension door hinges, the fourth vertical edge having at least one extension latch receiver;
• the second extension side wall having a number of latches corresponding to the number of extension latch receivers;
• an extension latch mechanism that allows one motion to cause the extension latches to grip the extension latch receivers;
• a rigid elongate connector having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being rotatably fixed to the extension latch mechanism;
• the lower end being rotatably fixed to the container body latch mechanism, causing the extension latch mechanism to operate in concert with the container body latch mechanism;
• the shape of the elongate connector being such that the same hand motion on the manual container body latch mechanism that causes the container body latches to grip the container body latch receivers also causes the extension latches to grip the extension latch receivers;
• the extension side walls further comprising adjustable clamping means having a top end and a bottom end, the top end flexibly attached thereto;
• the bottom end having sill attachment means;
• the sill attachment means being attached to the clamp receiving means on the container body wall sills;
• and
• the clamp being adjusted to draw the extension tightly to the container body.

A method for increasing the capacity of a open-topped truck container body having two side walls, a front wall, and a rear door, each having sills along their upper edges, and the door being hinged along a vertical axis to the rear end of one of the side walls, the rear end of the other side wall having means for latching the container body door closed,

• the method employing a vertical extension of the container body walls and door having an open top and bottom, vertical front and side extension walls and extension door, the extension door being hinged on along a vertical axis to the rear end of an extension well on the same side as the hinges on the container body door, the other extension wall having means for latching the extension door closed, the extension walls and door having lower edges, the lower edges equipped with means for centering the lower edges on the sills of the truck container body, means for clamping the extension walls to the container body walls, means for releasably coupling the extension door to the container body door, and having means for interconnecting the means for latching the container body door to the means for latching the extension door, the method comprising the steps of:
• a. closing and latching both container body and extension doors;
• b. suspending the extension above the container body;
• c. aligning said extension wall centering means above the container body sills;
• d. lowering the extension until the extension wall centering means guide the lower edges of the extension walls fully into contact with the container body wall sills;
• e. clamping the extension walls to the container body walls;
• f. interconnecting the extension door latching means to the container body door latching means;
• and
• g. coupling the extension door to the container body door.