Self storing vehicle loading platform

Claim 1

In a powered tailgate for a truck body of the type in which the tailgate platform is pivoted at its inner edge to vertically oriented slide members, the slide members being rigidly mounted on the truck body whereby the tailgate can be raised and lowered to and from a raised position in which the inner edge is at the same level as the floor of the truck body, while in either a horizontal or vertical plane, and which has mechanical locking means for locking the tailgate in the raised position, the improvement which comprises a platform which has an inner part and an outer part which are hinged together along a horizontal hinge line whereby the gate may be folded upon itself for compact storage when operating the vehicle which carries the tailgate in circumstances which do not require the tailgate function, first locking means for locking said platform parts to hold them in alignment when unfolded, and second locking means for locking the platform parts together and to the vehicle body when folded and in a storage position in which both the inner and outer parts are no higher than the level of the floor of the truck body, said means for releasably holding said platform parts in alignment when unfolded including a pair of slidable locking bars, one on either side of the platform, said locking bars being received on channel members fixed to the inner and outer platform parts, and means for sliding said bars in and out of the channel members fixed to the outer platform part whereby said platform parts may be locked in alignment or released for folding respectively, said means for sliding said bars consisting of a manually operated lever system including a rotatably cross bar extending from one side of the platform to the other on the underside of the inner platform part, a pair of first levers fixed at one end to the ends of said cross bar, a pair of second levers pivotally attached at one end to said first levers and to one end of said bars at their other ends, one of said first levers having a handle-like extension whereby said first levers may be rotated to cause said second levers to exert a force on said bars Which will cause said bars to slide within said channel members.