Self-storing vehicle deck

Claim 2

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, and means responsive to an upward force exerted on said deck unit for permitting the deck unit to be raised and held in the raised position, said lastmentioned means comprising a rotatable handle on the deck unit and having means coacting with a lock plate carried by the deck unit and pawl and ratchet means permitting rotation of the lock plate only in one direction.

Claim 3

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said deck unit being of rectangular shape and extending between the sides of the truck body, there being four stationary threaded rods adjacent the corners of the deck unit supported by the truck body, and load supports adjacent the deck unit corners and supported by said nuts.

Claim 4

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said deck unit being of rectangular shape and extending between the sides of the truck body, there being four stationary threaded rods adjacent the corners of the deck unit supported by the truck body, and load supports adjacent the deck unit corners and supported by said nuts.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 2, further provided with vertical guide tracks mounted on the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, said load supports coacting with said guide tracks and limiting movement of the deck unit laterally and in a fore-and-aft direction.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 3, said guide tracks being of recessed construction, said load supports projecting into said guide tracks, said stationary threaded rods being in the recess formed by said guide tracks and passing through said load supports.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 3, said truck body being further provided with a second deck unit constructed similarly to the first unit and adjacent thereto.

Claim 8

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain exteNding around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket, locking means comprising a lock plate carried by said deck unit and having a plurality of locking apertures, and a latch pin normally urged toward said lock plate and retractable by said handle to permit crank rotation.

Claim 9

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain exteNding around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket, locking means comprising a lock plate carried by said deck unit and having a plurality of locking apertures, and a latch pin normally urged toward said lock plate and retractable by said handle to permit crank rotation.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 6, said lock plate being connected to said deck unit by one-way connecting means, whereby the deck unit will be raised in response to a force exerted thereon and held in its raised position.

Claim 11

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position and being within the lateral confines of said deck unit, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain extending around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, and a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket.

Claim 12

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position and being within the lateral confines of said deck unit, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain extending around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, and a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket.

Claim 13

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain extending around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket, and a jackshaft on the underside of said deck unit and carrying said transmission sprocket, said crank being connected to said jackshaft by a chain and sprockets.

Claim 14

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets secured to said nuts, a continuous chain extending around said sprockets, a transmission sprocket rotatably mounted on the underside of said deck unit, a crank and handle driving said transmission sprocket, and a jackshaft on the underside of said deck unit and carrying said transmission sprocket, said crank being connected to said jackshaft by a chain and sprockets.

Claim 15

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said locking means comprising a lock plate carried by said deck unit, a latch pin carried by said nut rotating means and normally urged toward said lock plate so as to enter any of a plurality of locking holes thereon, and means for retracting said latch pin from said lock plate.

Claim 16

In a deck unit for a truck body, a plurality of vertical stationary threaded rods mounted on the truck body adjacent the edges of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and mounted on said rods, means permanently attached to said deck unit for simultaneously rotating said nuts in either direction whereby the deck unit may be raised or lowered, means locking said deck unit in its adjusted position, said locking means comprising a lock plate carried by said deck unit, a latch pin carried by said nut rotating means and normally urged toward said lock plate so as to enter any of a plurality of locking holes thereon, and means for retracting said latch pin from said lock plate.

Claim 17

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, and means carried by each deck unit locking it in its adjusted position.

Claim 18

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, and means carried by each deck unit locking it in its adjusted position.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 11, said nut rotating means being manually operable by a handle, said locking means being responsive to release of said handle foR locking the deck unit against downward movement.

Claim 20

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, recessed vertical guide tracks secured to the truck body adjacent the corners of each deck unit, said guide tracks being secured to said truck body, means at the upper and lower ends of said guide tracks supporting said stationary threaded rods, and means on said deck unit coacting with said guide tracks to limit fore-and-aft lateral movement thereof.

Claim 21

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, recessed vertical guide tracks secured to the truck body adjacent the corners of each deck unit, said guide tracks being secured to said truck body, means at the upper and lower ends of said guide tracks supporting said stationary threaded rods, and means on said deck unit coacting with said guide tracks to limit fore-and-aft lateral movement thereof.

Claim 22

The combination according to claim 13, said last-mentioned means comprising load supports extending from said deck unit and supported by said nuts, said rods extending through said load supports.

Claim 23

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, and means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets attached to said nuts, a continuous chain engaging said sprockets, and a crank, handle and transmission on the sprocket underside of said deck unit for driving said chain.

Claim 24

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, and means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, said nut rotating means comprising sprockets attached to said nuts, a continuous chain engaging said sprockets, and a crank, handle and transmission on the sprocket underside of said deck unit for driving said chain.

Claim 25

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, vertical guide tracks on said truck body for said deck unit, means at the upper and lower ends of said guide tracks for supporting said threaded rods, said guide tracks being of channel-shaped construction, the rods being in the recesses formed by said guide tracks, means carried by said deck unit projecting into said guide track spaces to limit fore-and-aft and lateral movement of the deck unit with resPect to the truck body, said last-mentioned means comprising load supports secured to said deck units, said load supports surrounding said rods and resting on said nuts, said nut rotating means comprising a continuous chain engaging sprockets secured to said nuts, and a handle rotatably mounted on the deck unit and drivably connected to said chain.

Claim 26

In an adjustable deck construction for a truck body, a plurality of rectangular deck units adjacent each other in the truck body, each deck unit being movable between an upper stored position immediately beneath the roof of the truck body and any of a variety of loading positions, each deck unit extending between the sides of the truck body but being sufficiently shallow to be accessible for loading, whereby movement of adjacent deck units to the same level will permit the deck units to be successively loaded from the forward end of the truck body to the aft end thereof, and means for adjusting the position of each deck unit comprising four stationary vertical threaded rods secured to the sides of the truck body adjacent the corners of the deck unit, nuts carried by said deck unit and threaded on said rods, means permanently attached to the deck unit for simultaneously rotating the nuts to raise or lower the deck unit, vertical guide tracks on said truck body for said deck unit, means at the upper and lower ends of said guide tracks for supporting said threaded rods, said guide tracks being of channel-shaped construction, the rods being in the recesses formed by said guide tracks, means carried by said deck unit projecting into said guide track spaces to limit fore-and-aft and lateral movement of the deck unit with resPect to the truck body, said last-mentioned means comprising load supports secured to said deck units, said load supports surrounding said rods and resting on said nuts, said nut rotating means comprising a continuous chain engaging sprockets secured to said nuts, and a handle rotatably mounted on the deck unit and drivably connected to said chain.

Claim 27

The combination according to claim 16, said locking means comprising a lock plate having a plurality of locking holes, and a retractable latch pin for said holes operable by said handle.

Claim 28

The combination according to claim 17, said lock plate having a pawl and ratchet connection with its deck unit, whereby the deck unit may be raised by rotating said handle without withdrawing said latch pin and may also be raised by an upward force exerted on the deck unit.