Dual purpose dump and transport vehicle

Claim 1

A dual purpose dump and transport vehicle comprising: a. A vehicle frame: b. A tiltable platform pivotally mounted on the rear portion of said frame and adapted for movement between a lowered, generally horizontal position on said frame and elevated tilted positions in which said platform extends upward toward the front portion of the vehicle and downward toward the back portion thereof: c. First hydraulic mechanical means for moving said platform between said lowered position and said elevated tilted positions: d. A tail gate mounted at the rear end of said platform for movement between a closed position in which said tail gate extends upward from said platform in a generally normal relation with respect thereto and open positions in which said tail gate extends upward and rearwardly from said platform at an angle less than said normal relation, in its fully open position said tail gate forming a generally planar extension of said platform, saiD tail gate having openings therein adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the enlarged head portion of locking pins; e. Second hydraulic mechanical means for moving said tail gate between its closed position and its open positions: f. Ramp means positioned on the outer, underside of said tail gate and adapted for movement between a retracted unlock position generally under saId tail gate, a lock position in which said ramp means is likewise positioned generally under said tail gate but displaced in the front-rear longitudinal direction from said unlock position with respect to said tail gate, and an extended position in which said ramp means forms an extension of said tail gate, said ramp means having keyshaped openings therein with an enlarged portion and a slot portion extending therefrom, said enlarged portion of the openings adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the enlarged head portion of locking pins, said slot portion of the openings adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the body portion of locking pins but of insufficient size to permit the enlarged head portion to pass therethrough, the enlarged portion of the ramp means openings being aligned with the openings in said tail gate when said ramp means is positioned in its retracted, unlock position said enlarged portion of the ramp means openings being out of alignment with the tail gate openings so as to preclude the passage of the enlarged head portion of locking pins through said openings when said ramp means is in said lock position, said slot portion of the openings positioned so as to permit the body portion of locking pins to slide therein as said ramp means moves between its unlock and lock positions; and g. Third hydraulic mechanical means for moving said ramp means between said retracted unlock position, said retracted lock position and said extended position, whereby the vehicle platform can be tilted to an elevated position and the tail gate lowered to an open position for loading and unloading of the vehicle with the object to be transported, the extension of said ramp means to an extended position in contact with the ground minimizing the angle of elevation of the ramp, tail gate and platform combination with respect to the ground to facilitate saId loading and unloading, dumping being facilitated when said object being transported is a storage container having locking pins thereon by passage through the openings in said tail gate and ramp means when said ramp means is in an unlock position, thereafter moving said ramp means to a lock position, thus securing the storage container to the tail gate, the platform being elevated to a high position and the tail gate being opened so the end thereof reaches ground level permitting material to be dumped from the top of the container, the angle of dumping being increased by lowering the angle of elevation of the platform to permit the tail gate to be moved to its fully open position, thus maximizing the angle of dumping of the container resting on the tail gate and assuring the desired flow of material from the container.