Pivotal hood arrangement

Claim 2

In a vehicle (10) having a hood (18) and a source of motive power (24), said hood (18) being pivotally connected to said vehicle (10) and pivotally movable between covering (26) and uncovering (28) positions relative to said source of motive power (24); the improvement comprising: an opening (48) disposed in said vehicle (10); a control device (38) mounted on said hood (18) and movable with said hood (18), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18); a door (54) connected to said vehicle (10) and being movable between open and closed positions (57,59) relative to said opening (48), said door (54) being movable to said open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28); and means (70) for urging said door (54) to the closed position (59) and for positively retaining said door (54) at the closed position (59) in response to said hood (18) being at the covering position (26).

Claim 3

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means (70) for urging includes; a projection (76) connected to said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54) at the closed position (59) of said door (54).

Claim 4

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 2 including: a floor (46); said opening being disposed in said floor (46), said door (54) being pivotally connected to said floor (46), said door (54) having a bottom surface (60), said bottom surface (60) being engageable by said projection (76).

Claim 5

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 2 including: a floor (46), said opening (48) being disposed in said floor (46); a door hinge (56) pivotally connecting said door (54) to said floor (46) and said means (70) for urging includes; spring means (72) for biasing said door (54) to the closed position (59).

Claim 6

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 2 wherein said hood (18) includes; a front side member (30) having a bottom end portion (32); a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting said bottom end portion (32) to said vehicle (10); and said projection (76) extending from said hood (18) in a direction toward said door (54).

Claim 7

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 2 wherein said hood (18) includes; a front side member (30) having a bottom end portion (32); a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the bottom end portion (32) to said vehicle (10); and a shroud (50) disposed about said control device (38) and connected to the front side member (30) of said hood (18), said projection (76) being connected to said shroud (50).

Claim 8

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 5 including: a floor (46); a door hinge (57) pivotally connecting said door (54) to said floor (46); said door (54) being located between said front side member (30) and said door hinge (56) and forwardly of the hood (18) relative to the vehicle (10).

Claim 9

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 3 wherein said door (54) is positioned in said opening (48) and flush with said floor (46) at the closed position (59) of said door (54).

Claim 10

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shroud (50) forceably engages said door (54) to move to the open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28).

Claim 11

In a vehicle (10) having a front end (14), a motive power source (24), a floor (46) and a hood (18), a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the hood (18) to said vehicle (10) at a location between said source of motive power (24) and said front end (14), said hood (18) being pivotally movable about said hood hinge (20) between covering and uncovering positions (26,28) relative to the source of motive power (24); the improvement comprising: a control device (38) mounted on said hood (18) and movable therewith; an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18); means (52) for closing said opening (48), said means (52) for closing being movable between open and closed positions (57,59) with respect to said opening (48); and means (74) for retaining said means (54) for closing at the closed position (59) thereof in response to said hood (18) being at the covering position (26).

Claim 12

In a vehicle (10) having a front end (14), a motive power source (24), a floor (46) and a hood (18), a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the hood (18) to said vehicle (10) at a location between said source of motive power (24) and said front end (14), said hood (18) being pivotally movable about said hood hinge (20) between covering and uncovering positions (26,28) relative to the source of motive power (24); the improvement comprising: a control device (38) mounted on said hood (18) and movable therewith; an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18); means (52) for closing said opening (48), said means (52) for closing being movable between open and closed positions (57,59) with respect to said opening (48); and means (74) for retaining said means (54) for closing at the closed position (59) thereof in response to said hood (18) being at the covering position (26).

Claim 13

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means (52) for closing includes; a door (54) pivotally connected to said floor (46), said door (54) being forceably urged by the hood (18) to the open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of the hood (18) to the uncovering position (28).

Claim 14

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means (74) for retaining includes; a projection (76) connected to the hood (18), said projection (76) being positioned beneath the door (54) and in contact therewith at the covering position (26) of said hood (18).

Claim 15

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means (52) for closing said opening (48) includes; a spring means (72) for biasing said door (54) towards the closed position (59).

Claim 16

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said door (54) is flush with said floor (46) at the closed position (59) of said door (54).

Claim 17

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said hood (18) includes; a shroud (50) disposed about the control device (38) and connected to said hood (18), said shroud (50) being movable into said opening (48) in response to movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28), said shroud (50) being engageable with said door (54) to pivotally move said door (54) to the open position (57).

Claim 18

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 15 wherein said opening (48) is a U-shaped notch disposed in said floor (46) at a location adjacent the shroud (50).

Claim 19

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 10 wherein said hood (18) includes; a front side member (30), a top portion (36) and a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the front side member (30) to the vehicle (10), said control device (38) being mounted on said front side member (30) at a location elevationally above the floor (46) and elevationally below said top portion (36).

Claim 20

The vehicle (10) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control device is a hydraulic control valve.

Claim 21

In a lift truck (10) having a front end portion (14), a lift mast (12) mounted on said front end portion (12), a hood (18) having a front side member (30), an operator's seat (34) mounted on said hood (18), a floor (46), a source of motive power (24) mounted on said lift truck (10), and a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the front side member (30) of said hood (18) to said lift truck (10), the improvement comprising: a control device (38) mounted on the front surface (30) of said hood (18), said control device (38) being actuatable to control said lift mast (12), said hood (18) being pivotally movable in a direction towards said lift mast (12) to an uncovering position (28) relative to said source of motive power (24) and in a direction away from said lift mast (12) to a covering position (26) relative to said source of motive power (24), said control device (38) being movable with said hood (18); an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18); a door (54) pivotally connected to said floor (46) and pivotally movable between open and closed positions (57,59) relative to said opening (48); a shroud (50) being connected to said hood (18) and disposed in a covering relationship about said control device (38), said shroud (50) being movable with said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54); a spring (72) connected to said door (54), said spring (72) biasing said door (54) to the closed position (59), said door (54) being urged by said shroud (50) to the open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28); and a projection (76) connected to said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54), said projection (76) holding said door (54) at the closed position (59) when said hood (18) is at the covering position (26).

Claim 22

In a lift truck (10) having a front end portion (14), a lift mast (12) mounted on said front end portion (12), a hood (18) having a front side member (30), an operator's seat (34) mounted on said hood (18), a floor (46), a source of motive power (24) mounted on said lift truck (10), and a hood hinge (20) pivotally connecting the front side member (30) of said hood (18) to said lift truck (10), the improvement comprising: a control device (38) mounted on the front surface (30) of said hood (18), said control device (38) being actuatable to control said lift mast (12), said hood (18) being pivotally movable in a direction towards said lift mast (12) to an uncovering position (28) relative to said source of motive power (24) and in a direction away from said lift mast (12) to a covering position (26) relative to said source of motive power (24), said control device (38) being movable with said hood (18); an opening (48) disposed in said floor (46) and aligned to receive at least a portion of said control device (38), said control device (38) being disposed in said opening (48) at the uncovering position (28) of said hood (18) and spaced from said opening (48) at the covering position (26) of said hood (18); a door (54) pivotally connected to said floor (46) and pivotally movable between open and closed positions (57,59) relative to said opening (48); a shroud (50) being connected to said hood (18) and disposed in a covering relationship about said control device (38), said shroud (50) being movable with said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54); a spring (72) connected to said door (54), said spring (72) biasing said door (54) to the closed position (59), said door (54) being urged by said shroud (50) to the open position (57) in response to pivotal movement of said hood (18) to the uncovering position (28); and a projection (76) connected to said hood (18) and engageable with said door (54), said projection (76) holding said door (54) at the closed position (59) when said hood (18) is at the covering position (26).