Livestock loading chute

Claim 1

A retractable loading chute for a truck comprising: a track including a pair of elongated rail members, said members defining a storage space therebetween, said track adapted to be carried under the bed of said truck and disposed longitudinally thereto, extending from the rear toward the front of the bed; a pair of mutually spaced support members slidably mounted in said track; means cooperating between said support members and said track for retaining said members in said track; a ramp disposed between said support members and carried thereby, said ramp being movable relative to said track between a retracted position wherein said ramp is disposed in the storage space between said rail members and a loading position wherein said ramp is fully withdrawn from the storage space, said ramp having front and rear ends, the planes containing said ends being disposed at angles to the longitudinal axis of said ramp; pivotal connecting means connecting a portion of said ramp longitudinally spaced from the front end toward the center thereof and said support members, for permitting pivotal movement of said ramp relative to said support members into the loading position when said ramp is withdrawn from the storage space, so that when said ramp is withdrawn fRom the storage space and the front portion of said members are retained therein said ramp will pivot about said supporting members into the loading position wherein the rear end of said ramp rests on the ground and the front end thereof abuts the rear end of the truck bed.