Retractable vehicle step

Claim 2

A retractable step assembly comprising: a pair of channel members mounted on said vehicle in facing spaced relation with each of said channel members having a downwardly inclined lower end portion located adjacent an edge of said vehicle, slide means carried by said channel members and slidable between an extended position and a retracted position, at least one step pivotally secured to said slide means and rotatable between a nesting position lying substantially in the plane of said slide means and a second position projecting substantially horizontally from said slide means when said slide means is in said extended position, said slide means comprising a pair of generally L-shaped side members each slidably received within a respective one of said channel members and fOrmed with the vertical portions thereof being tapered adjacent one end thereof, and a pair of generally Lshaped cross members connecting said side members adjacent the midpoints of said side members and adjacent the end of said side members opposite said tapered positions, first stop means provided on the inside of the vertical portion of at least one of said channel members, and second stop means, generally triangular in configuration, provided on the outside of said slide means adjacent said tapered portion and engagable with said first stop menas to limit the travel of said slide means.

Claim 3

A retractable vehicle step assembly comprising: a fixed frame comprising: means for mounting the fixed frame to and under a vehicle; opposed side channel members arranged so that top and bottom flanges of each extend generally horizontal toward each other with the web of each extending generally vertically, the bottom flange of each tapering downwardly at one end to form an angle with the horizontal; cross members extending between and firmly anchored to the side channel members thereby forming a rigid frame with the channel members; first stop means secured to the interior of the web of each channel member adjacent the tapered bottom flange; second stop menas secured to the interior of the web of each channel member adjacent the end remote from the tapered bottom flange, the distance between said second stop means being substantially the same as the distance between said first stop means; a rigid slidable frame comprising: side members spaced one from the other a distance fractionally less than the distance between said first stop means and having a vertical dimension substantially less than the distance between the flanges of the channel members; cross members anchored to and spanning between the side members; said side members being respectively slidably disposed between the flanges of the channel members, each side member having a third stop means at the exterior of one end thereof whereby sliding displacement of the slidable frame is confined between the first and second stop means; each said side member having a diagonal end adjacent the third stop means whereby when the slidable frame is displaced until the first and third stop means are juxtaposed, the diagonal end of each side member will engage the top flange of the adjacent channel member and the bottom of each side member will engage the tapered flange portion of the adjacent channel member placing the slidable frame in cantilevered disposition at an acute angle to the vertical and the horizontal; at least one step pivotally mounted to the side members and displaceable between a folded position within the plane of the slidable frame accommodating placement of the slidable frame entirely within the fixed frame and an unfolded generally horizontal position when the slidable frame is retracted from the fixed frame in said angular cantilevered position; stop means carried by the slidable frame against which the step abuts in the unfolded position.

Claim 4

A retractable vehicle step assembly comprising: a fixed frame comprising: means for mounting the fixed frame to and under a vehicle; opposed side channel members arranged so that top and bottom flanges of each extend generally horizontal toward each other with the web of each extending generally vertically, the bottom flange of each tapering downwardly at one end to form an angle with the horizontal; cross members extending between and firmly anchored to the side channel members thereby forming a rigid frame with the channel members; first stop means secured to the interior of the web of each channel member adjacent the tapered bottom flange; second stop menas secured to the interior of the web of each channel member adjacent the end remote from the tapered bottom flange, the distance between said second stop means being substantially the same as the distance between said first stop means; a rigid slidable frame comprising: side members spaced one from the other a distance fractionally less than the distance between said first stop means and having a vertical dimension substantially less than the distance between the flanges of the channel members; cross members anchored to and spanning between the side members; said side members being respectively slidably disposed between the flanges of the channel members, each side member having a third stop means at the exterior of one end thereof whereby sliding displacement of the slidable frame is confined between the first and second stop means; each said side member having a diagonal end adjacent the third stop means whereby when the slidable frame is displaced until the first and third stop means are juxtaposed, the diagonal end of each side member will engage the top flange of the adjacent channel member and the bottom of each side member will engage the tapered flange portion of the adjacent channel member placing the slidable frame in cantilevered disposition at an acute angle to the vertical and the horizontal; at least one step pivotally mounted to the side members and displaceable between a folded position within the plane of the slidable frame accommodating placement of the slidable frame entirely within the fixed frame and an unfolded generally horizontal position when the slidable frame is retracted from the fixed frame in said angular cantilevered position; stop means carried by the slidable frame against which the step abuts in the unfolded position.