Dump truck tailgate actuator

Claim 1

A dump truck body having similar sides extending perpendicularly upward from opposite side edges of the bed of the body and the rear end of said body being open, in combination with a tailgate and operating and latching mechanism therefor, said tailgate having arms connected at one end to and extending substantially perpendicularly from the tailgate at the opposite upper courses thereof, means pivotally connecting the opposite ends of said arms respectively to the upper edges of the opposite sides of said body at locations spaced from the rear ends of said sides a substantial distance, a pair of fluid-actuated cylinder and piston power units mounted adjacent the opposite sides of said body and pivotally connected to said arms on said tailgate in spaced relation to the pivoted ends thereof and operable to elevate said tailgate to open position from closed position by moving said arms upwardly from the pivoted ends thereof and thereby moving said tailgate outward from said rear end of said body and upwardly to dispose said tailgate entirely disengaged and spaced from the rear ends of the sides of said body and thereby render the rear end of said body free from obstruction by said tailgate when the latter is in said open position thereof, latch levers respectively pivotally connected intermediately of the ends thereof to the sides of said body adjacent the lower edges and outer ends thereof, the outer ends of said latch levers comprising latching ends extending beyond the outer ends of said sides of said body and engageable with latching lugs extending from opposite side edges of said tailgate, and one end of each of said power units being connected respectively to the opposite ends of said latch levers, whereby when said power units are energized the piston rods extend from said cylinders to elongate said units and simultaneously depress the ends of said latch levers to which they are connected and raise the outer latching ends thereof to release the same from said latching lugs on said tailgate and thereupon raise said tailgate by pivotal movement of said arms thereon, said power units thereby floating between said latch levers and arms.