Loading ramp for trucks and trailers

Claim 2

A loading ramp for trucks and trailers comprising: a frame assembly including a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated, rigid frame beams extending parallel to each other and defining the side edges of a loading ramp, the forward end of said frame assembly between the front end extremities of said frame beams being open and unobstructed; a pair of planar ramp panels, each of which is hingedly attached to one of said frame beams for swinging movement along longitudinal axes parallel to said frame beams, said panels being swingable downwardly and inwardly from an upright position of non-use to a loading position wherein they lie in a common plane with said frame beams to form a substantially continuous loading ramp; and stop means for holding said panels in said upright position of non-use wherein said panels straddle a cargo load on a truck bed with said ramp resting on the truck bed and said frame beams extending along opposite sides of the truck bed.

Claim 3

A loading ramp as defined in claim 1 wherein: said frame assembly is substantially U-shaped, being open at its forward end and having a cross beam tying said frame beams together at their rear ends, said cross beam serving as a base support for said panels when they are swung inwardly to said vehicle loading position.

Claim 4

A loading ramp as defined in claim 2 wherein: each of said frame beams is of right angle shape and includes a bottom flange member which extends substantially horizontally when said frame assembly is lying flat and which serves to support the outer, longitudinal edges of said panels when they are swung inwardly to said loading position.

Claim 5

A loading ramp as defined in claim 2 wherein: said stop means comprises a pair of rigid, upright corner posts located at the rear corners of said frame assembly where the rear ends of said frame beams attach to said cross beam, said corner posts bearing against the rear, outside faces of said ramp panels when said panels are swung to an upright position and serving to prevent the rear, swinging movement of said panels rearwardly beyond said upright position of non-use.

Claim 6

A loading ramp as defined in claim 4 wherein: said stop means further comprises a spreader bar removably connected between said panels by attachment means on said panels, when said panels are in said upright position of non-use.

Claim 7

A loading ramp as defined in claim 1 wherein: a downwardly depending detent member is attached to the underside of each of said frame beams at the front end thereof, said detent members being constructed and arranged to engage the rear edge of a truck bed to limit longitudinal shifting movement of said ramp when a load is being moved over it.

Claim 8

A loading ramp as defined in claim 1, and further including: a skid shoe attached to the front end of each of said frame beams and depending forwardly and downardly therefrom, each of said skid shoes having an arcuate bottom, slide surface disposed below said frame beams for sliding contact with a truck bed.

Claim 9

In combination with a truck bed, a loading ramp comprising: a generally U-shaped frame assembly comprisiNg a pair of laterally spaced, elongated frame beams defining the opposite side edges of a ramp and connected at their rear ends by a cross beam, the front ends of said frame beams resting on the rear edge of said truck bed and said cross beam resting on the ground, whereby said frame assembly is supported in an inclined position for conveying loads to and from said truck bed; a pair of ramp panels hingedly attached to said frame beams and swung downwardly and inwardly towards each other to a position of use in a common, inclined plane with said frame beams for supporting loads being conveyed to and from said truck bed, said panels being swingable upwardly and outwardly to a substantially upright position of non-use wherein they straddle the load on said truck bed when said ramp is shifted forwardly onto the truck bed with said frame beams on opposite sides of the load; and stop means for holding said ramp panels in said upright position of non-use.

Claim 10

In combination with a truck bed, a loading ramp comprising: a generally U-shaped frame assembly comprisiNg a pair of laterally spaced, elongated frame beams defining the opposite side edges of a ramp and connected at their rear ends by a cross beam, the front ends of said frame beams resting on the rear edge of said truck bed and said cross beam resting on the ground, whereby said frame assembly is supported in an inclined position for conveying loads to and from said truck bed; a pair of ramp panels hingedly attached to said frame beams and swung downwardly and inwardly towards each other to a position of use in a common, inclined plane with said frame beams for supporting loads being conveyed to and from said truck bed, said panels being swingable upwardly and outwardly to a substantially upright position of non-use wherein they straddle the load on said truck bed when said ramp is shifted forwardly onto the truck bed with said frame beams on opposite sides of the load; and stop means for holding said ramp panels in said upright position of non-use.

Claim 11

A loading ramp and truck bed combination as defined in claim 8, and further including: a downwardly depending detent member on each of said frame beams at the front end thereof extending downwardly between the rear edge of said truck bed and a downwardly swung tail gate attached to the rear end of said truck bed, whereby said detent members prevent the longitudinal shifting movement of said ramp when a load is being moved on it.

Claim 12

A loading ramp and truck bed combination as defined in claim 8 wherein: said stop means comprises a spreader bar removably connected between said panels by attachment means on said panels, when said panels are in said upright position of non-use.