Vehicular delivery ramp apparatus

Claim 2

In a ramp loading apparatus including a hydraulically controlled ramp loader for raising or lowering cargo to or from a truck floor bed, the improvement comprising: a recess formed in the upper surface of said ramp loader; cargo restraint means including a gate disposed within said recess of said loader; means for imparting vertical movement to said gate within said recess for selectively elevating said gate above and lowering below said surface; an electromagnetically actuatable counterbalance being disposed below said ramp loader; means for pivotally interconnecting said gate and said counterbalance so that spatial displacement of the counterbalance in one direction imparts a generally opposite spatial displacement to said gate; electromagnetical means for applying an electromagnetic field to said counterbalance upon said gate being lowered within said recess in said loader; and means for actuating said electromagnetic means so as to generate said electromagnetic field; said means for imparting said vertical movement to said gate being inoperative upon said electromagnetic means applying said electromagnetic field to said counterbalance for maintaining said gate in a recessed mode within said recess; and timing means for limiting the period of restraint of said gate in said recess by said counterbalance.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said recess being a slot formed in said ramp loader and extending across substantially the width of said upper surface, said gate being vertically slidable within said slot between elevated and lowered positions.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said gate comprising an elongate bar member.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said gate comprising a plurality of stiff vertical pins, said pins being axially spaced within said slot.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said gate comprising an intermeshed screen.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said ramp loader comprising a generally horizontal ramp deck; an apron hingedly connected to said ramp deck; and hydraulically-actauted means for pivoting said apron relative to said ramp deck whereby said apron is angled with respect to said ramp deck in the transport made of said apparatus and is in horizontal coplanar relationship with said ramp deck in the cargo supporting made thereof.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 and including a hydraulic power system for operating the hydraulically controlled ramp loader, and at least one set of arms extending from said hydraulic power system to said ramp deck directly adjacent to where said apron is hingedly connected to said ramp deck.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including a mobil control panel mounted on one side of the ramp loader for controlling the operation thereof.

Claim 10

A vehicular delivery ramp adapted for elevated cargo delivery comprising a generally horizontal platform forming a cargo support surface; an elongate recess in said surface extending transversely thereof in the outermost region relative to said vehicle; cargo restraint means including a gate for freely movable vertical displacement within said recess between recessed and exposed positions relative to said cargo support surface; a counterbalance comprising magnetic material; rigid lever means interconnecting said gate and said counterbalance for movement in an opposed manner through a rod journalled for rotation in and about said platform so as to selectively expose and recess said gate through said recess in response to displacement of said counterbalance; electromagnetic means located to intersect the arc of rotation of the counterbalance at a point corresponding with the recessed position of said gate; means for energizing and electromagnetic means so as to generate an electromagnetic field; and timing means for de-energizing said electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means electromagnetically restraining said counterbalance upon said counterbalance being rotated by manual depression of said gate into a position adjacent said electromagnetic means in an energized condition of the latter, said timing means disengaging a source of energy of said electromagnetic means after elapse of a preselected period of time, whereby said gate is rotated into an exposed position above said cargo support surface for cargo restraint.

Claim 11

A vehicular delivery ramp adapted for elevated cargo delivery comprising a generally horizontal platform forming a cargo support surface; an elongate recess in said surface extending transversely thereof in the outermost region relative to said vehicle; cargo restraint means including a gate for freely movable vertical displacement within said recess between recessed and exposed positions relative to said cargo support surface; a counterbalance comprising magnetic material; rigid lever means interconnecting said gate and said counterbalance for movement in an opposed manner through a rod journalled for rotation in and about said platform so as to selectively expose and recess said gate through said recess in response to displacement of said counterbalance; electromagnetic means located to intersect the arc of rotation of the counterbalance at a point corresponding with the recessed position of said gate; means for energizing and electromagnetic means so as to generate an electromagnetic field; and timing means for de-energizing said electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means electromagnetically restraining said counterbalance upon said counterbalance being rotated by manual depression of said gate into a position adjacent said electromagnetic means in an energized condition of the latter, said timing means disengaging a source of energy of said electromagnetic means after elapse of a preselected period of time, whereby said gate is rotated into an exposed position above said cargo support surface for cargo restraint.