Dual-action tailgate

Claim 2

In a station wagon type vehicle body having a rear compartment opening, a closure for closing said opening and means mounting said closure on said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions relative to said opening about either of two generally perpendicular axes and including a biaxial multihinge providing a pivotal connection between said body and said closure for swinging movement of said closure about either of said two axes, a first hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure operative in latched condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about a first one of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about a second one of said two axes, a second hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure operative in latched condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about said second one of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about said first one of said two axes, and latch means releasably holding said closure against movement from a closed position thereof about either of said axes and including a striker mounted on said body and a latchbolt mounted on said closure for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to said striker, the improvement in said latch means of a detenting system comprising; detent means operative to releasably hold said bolt in said latched position; a first detent operating lever movable to release said detent means; a second detent operating lever movable to release said detent means; first means rigidly connecting said first operating lever and said first hinge-latch assembly for release of the latter simultaneously with release of said detent means; second means rigidly connecting said second operating lever and said second hinge-latch assembly for release of the latter simultaneously with release of said detent means; and blocking means directly on said first and second operating levers engageable to prevent simultaneous movement of said operating levers toward the detent releasing positions thereof and further engageable in response to a released condition of either said first or second hinge-latch assemblies sensed independently of the condition of said latch bolt through the respective one of said first or second connecting means for preventing release of one of said hingelatch assemblies subsequent to release of the other and before said released hinge latch assembly is returned to latched condition.

Claim 3

In a station wagon type vehicle body having a rear compartment opening, a closure for closing said opening, means mounting said closure on said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions relative to said opening about either of two generally perpendicular axes and including a biaxial multihinge providing a pivotal connection between said body and said closure for swinging movement of said closure about either of said two axes, a first hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure operative in the latch condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about a first one of said to axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about a second one of said two axes and a second hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure opeRative in the latched condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about said second of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about said first one of said two axes, and latch means releasably holding said closure against movement from the closed position thereof about either of said two axes and including a striker mounted on said body and a latch bolt mounted on said closure for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to said striker, the improvement in said latch means of a detenting system comprising: detent means operative to releasably hold said bolt in said latched position thereof; a first operating lever movable between a normal retracted position and an extended detent releasing position; a second operating lever movable between a normal retracted position and an extended detent releasing position; a first link system connected between said first hinge-latch assembly and said first operating lever movable to a releasing position wherein said first operating lever is moved to said detent releasing position simultaneously with actuation of said first hinge-latch assembly to said released condition thereof and maintained in said releasing position by said released first hinge-latch assembly until the latter is returned to latched condition so that said first operating lever is maintained in said extended releasing position until said released first hinge-latch assembly is returned to said latched condition; a second link system connected between said second hinge-latch assembly and said second operating lever movable to a releasing position wherein said second operating lever is moved to said detent releasing position simultaneously with actuation of said second hinge-latch assembly to said released condition thereof and maintained in said releasing position by said released second hinge-latch assembly until the latter is returned to said latch condition; and blocking means directly on said first and second operating levers engageable in said extended detent releasing position of said first operating lever to prevent actuation of said second hinge-latch assembly and movement of said second operating lever and said second link system to detent releasing position and engageable in said extended detent releasing position of said second operating lever to prevent actuation of said first hinge-latch assembly and movement of said first operating lever and said first link system to detent releasing position.

Claim 4

In a station wagon type vehicle body having a rear compartment opening, a closure for closing said opening, means mounting said closure on said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions relative to said opening about either of two generally perpendicular axes and including a biaxial multihinge providing a pivotal connection between said body and said closure for swinging movement of said closure about either of said two axes, a first hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure operative in the latch condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about a first one of said to axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about a second one of said two axes and a second hinge-latch assembly between said body and said closure opeRative in the latched condition thereof to provide a pivotal connection for swinging movement of said closure about said second of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about said first one of said two axes, and latch means releasably holding said closure against movement from the closed position thereof about either of said two axes and including a striker mounted on said body and a latch bolt mounted on said closure for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to said striker, the improvement in said latch means of a detenting system comprising: detent means operative to releasably hold said bolt in said latched position thereof; a first operating lever movable between a normal retracted position and an extended detent releasing position; a second operating lever movable between a normal retracted position and an extended detent releasing position; a first link system connected between said first hinge-latch assembly and said first operating lever movable to a releasing position wherein said first operating lever is moved to said detent releasing position simultaneously with actuation of said first hinge-latch assembly to said released condition thereof and maintained in said releasing position by said released first hinge-latch assembly until the latter is returned to latched condition so that said first operating lever is maintained in said extended releasing position until said released first hinge-latch assembly is returned to said latched condition; a second link system connected between said second hinge-latch assembly and said second operating lever movable to a releasing position wherein said second operating lever is moved to said detent releasing position simultaneously with actuation of said second hinge-latch assembly to said released condition thereof and maintained in said releasing position by said released second hinge-latch assembly until the latter is returned to said latch condition; and blocking means directly on said first and second operating levers engageable in said extended detent releasing position of said first operating lever to prevent actuation of said second hinge-latch assembly and movement of said second operating lever and said second link system to detent releasing position and engageable in said extended detent releasing position of said second operating lever to prevent actuation of said first hinge-latch assembly and movement of said first operating lever and said first link system to detent releasing position.

Claim 5

In a closure arrangement for a station wagon type vehicle body having a rear compartment opening and including a closure member, means mounting said closure member on said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions relative to said opening about either of two generally perpendicular axes and further including a biaxial multihinge forming a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about either of said two axes, a first hinge-latch assembly forming in the latched condition thereof a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about a first of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about a second of said two axes, a second hinge-latch assembly forming in the latch condition thereof a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about said second of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about said first of said two axes, closure operating means comprising: a body mounted striker; a latchbolt mounted on said closure for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to said striker; detent means operative to releasably hold said latch bolt in said latched position; a first operating lever movable between a retracted position and an extended detent releasing position having thereon a first blocking portion defining a first path of motion during movement of said first operating lever between said extended and retracted positions; a second operating lever movable between a retracted position and an extended detent releasing position having thereon a second blocking portion defining a second path of motion during movement of said second operating lever between said extended and said retracted positions, said first motion path intersecting said second motion path thereby rendering impossible simultaneous movement of said first and second operating levers to said detent releasing positions thereof and said blocking portions being engageable to render impossible movement of either one of said two operating levers to said detent releasing positions thereof as long as the other of said two operating levers remains in said detent releasing position thereof; first latch operating means mounted on said closure and including handle means movable between an inoperative position and a closure opening position, a rotatably mounted bellcrank connected to said handle means and rotatable thereby from an inoperative position to a door opening position, and first link means rigidly connecting said bellcrank to said first hinge-latch assembly and to said first operating lever and shiftable by said bellcrank from an inoperative to a closure opening position during which movement said first operating lever is moved to said extended detent releasing position simultaneously with release of said first hinge-latch assembly, said first hinge-latch assembly in the released condition thereof retaining said first link means and said bellcrank in said door opening position and said first detent operating lever in said extended detent releasing position thereof; and second latch operating means on said closure and including second handle means movable between an inoperative position and a closure opening position and connected to said second operating lever so that movement of said second handle means from said inoperative to said closure opening position moves said second operating lever from said retracted position to said extended detent releasing position, and second link means rigidly connecting said second operating lever and said second hinge-latch assembly and shiftable from an inoperative to a closure opening position upon movement of said second operating lever from said retracted to said extended position thereof to release said second hinge-latch assembly simultaneously with release of said detent means, said second hinge-latch assembly in the released condition thereof retaining said second link means in said closure opening position and said second detent operating lever in said extended detent releasing position thereof.

Claim 6

In a closure arrangement for a station wagon type vehicle body having a rear compartment opening and including a closure member, means mounting said closure member on said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions relative to said opening about either of two generally perpendicular axes and further including a biaxial multihinge forming a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about either of said two axes, a first hinge-latch assembly forming in the latched condition thereof a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about a first of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about a second of said two axes, a second hinge-latch assembly forming in the latch condition thereof a pivotal connection between said closure and said body for swinging movement of said closure about said second of said two axes and actuable to a released condition to permit swinging movement of said closure about said first of said two axes, closure operating means comprising: a body mounted striker; a latchbolt mounted on said closure for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to said striker; detent means operative to releasably hold said latch bolt in said latched position; a first operating lever movable between a retracted position and an extended detent releasing position having thereon a first blocking portion defining a first path of motion during movement of said first operating lever between said extended and retracted positions; a second operating lever movable between a retracted position and an extended detent releasing position having thereon a second blocking portion defining a second path of motion during movement of said second operating lever between said extended and said retracted positions, said first motion path intersecting said second motion path thereby rendering impossible simultaneous movement of said first and second operating levers to said detent releasing positions thereof and said blocking portions being engageable to render impossible movement of either one of said two operating levers to said detent releasing positions thereof as long as the other of said two operating levers remains in said detent releasing position thereof; first latch operating means mounted on said closure and including handle means movable between an inoperative position and a closure opening position, a rotatably mounted bellcrank connected to said handle means and rotatable thereby from an inoperative position to a door opening position, and first link means rigidly connecting said bellcrank to said first hinge-latch assembly and to said first operating lever and shiftable by said bellcrank from an inoperative to a closure opening position during which movement said first operating lever is moved to said extended detent releasing position simultaneously with release of said first hinge-latch assembly, said first hinge-latch assembly in the released condition thereof retaining said first link means and said bellcrank in said door opening position and said first detent operating lever in said extended detent releasing position thereof; and second latch operating means on said closure and including second handle means movable between an inoperative position and a closure opening position and connected to said second operating lever so that movement of said second handle means from said inoperative to said closure opening position moves said second operating lever from said retracted position to said extended detent releasing position, and second link means rigidly connecting said second operating lever and said second hinge-latch assembly and shiftable from an inoperative to a closure opening position upon movement of said second operating lever from said retracted to said extended position thereof to release said second hinge-latch assembly simultaneously with release of said detent means, said second hinge-latch assembly in the released condition thereof retaining said second link means in said closure opening position and said second detent operating lever in said extended detent releasing position thereof.