Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate having latching mechanism

A tailgate assembly for use with a motor vehicle having a pair of spaced, generally vertical side walls and a generally horizontal bed extending therebetween, the tailgate assembly comprising:

• a tailgate frame defining a generally hollow cavity therein adapted to pivotally mount transversely generally between said side walls and being movable into a generally horizontal open position;
• a supplemental tailgate extendable from said tailgate frame and including a movable frame assembly supported from said tailgate frame, said movable frame assembly having a cross member oriented generally transversely;
• and
• a latch mechanism operably associated with said movable frame assembly to restrain extension movement of said movable frame assembly relative to said tailgate frame, said latch mechanism being operated through an actuation lever supported on said movable frame.

In a pick-up truck having a pair of spaced, generally vertical side walls;

• a generally horizontal bed extending between said side walls;
• a tailgate assembly pivotally mounted for movement relative to said bed between an upright closed position and a generally horizontal open position, said tailgate assembly including a tailgate frame and a tailgate latch apparatus cooperable with said side walls to releasably attach said tailgate assembly to said side walls into a closed position, the improvement comprising:
• a movable frame assembly supported from said tailgate frame for extendable movement relative to said tailgate frame between a retracted position and an outwardly extended position, said movable frame assembly having a cross member oriented generally transversely and being generally aligned with a peripheral edge of said tailgate frame when in said retracted position and spaced outwardly away from said peripheral edge when in said extended position;
• and
• a latch mechanism operatively associated with said movable frame assembly to control the extendable movement of said movable frame assembly relative to said tailgate frame, said latch mechanism being operable to locate said movable frame assembly in at least two extended positions, including a locked extended position and a pivotable extended position, said cross member being pivotably movable relative to said tailgate frame when said movable frame is in said pivotable extended positio said latch mechanism being independently operable from said tailgate latch apparatus.