Roll out step for pick up trucks

Claim 1

In a roll-out step for pick-up trucks, the combination of a pick-up truck having an access door, said door being located in the side wall of the truck body, a rocker panel being located below said door, said door normally closing a doorway for access to the interior of said pick-up truck, said door being mounted pivotally free upon hinges secured to said truck body, and said pick-up truck additionally including self-contained means whereby a person may conveniently step between said doorway and a ground, said means comprising a step unit, said step unit being normally retracted beneath said rocker panel in an out-of-the-way position, said step unit being forwardly slidable forwardly of said rocker panel so to be in position for a person wishing to enter said doorway to step upon said step unit prior to stepping into the pick-up truck or when leaving the truck prior to stepping upon the ground, said step unit comprising a horizontal plate with a forward portion thereof forming a step, the upper side of said step being provided with a tread, the rear edge of said step being provided with a vertically upstanding rear wall for said step, a rear portion of said plate being provided with rollers for slidable movement along a track, said track comprising a pair of spaced apart channels, said channels each having a groove, said grooves facing toward each other, and said channels being supported from a frame of said pick-up truck, a mechanism automatically sliding said step unit outwardly or inwardly corresponding to opening or closing of said truck body door, said mechanism comprising a stiff pivotable rod supported pivotably at its one end on one of said channels, the opposite end of said rod being connected to one end of a rigid elongated member which at its other end is connected to said door, said step having a rear side, a bracket secured to said rear side, said bracket having an elongated eye opening, an Intermediate part of said rod being fitted through said elongated eye opening, said bracket carrying a spring for permitting said door to open in case of a freeze-up or failure of said mechanism, and said elongated eye opening permitting the pivotable rod to slide outwardly in a longitudinal direction of the bracket against the spring in case of a freeze-up, which normally maintains the pivotable rod toward the inner end of the elongated spring.