Three position tailgate

Claim 2

A tailgate construction for a vehicle having a bed and a tailgate opening presented between opposite vehicle sides having upper edges and lower edges adjacent the bed, said tailgate construction comprising: a tailgate having opposite ends and upper and lower edges and a length to extend between the sides of the vehicle; means for mounting said tailgate in extension between the sides for hinged movement about a generally horizontal hinge axis adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate between a closed position wherein the tailgate has a generally vertical orientation to close the tailgate opening and an open position wherein the tailgate has a generally horizontal orientation at an elevation to form a rearward extension of the bed; releasable means for latching said tailgate in the closed position thereof; and means for supporting said tailgate in extension between the sides of the vehicle adjacent the upper edges thereof at an elevated position wherein the tailgate has a generally horizontal orientation and is elevated above the bed with the lower edge of the tailgate located behind the upper edge thereof to permit air flow through the tailgate opening when the vehicle is moving, said tailgate being movable among the open, closed and elevated positions while remaining in extension between the sides.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises: a hinge opening in each side of the vehicle; a hinge pin on each end of the tailgate supported thereon adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate for axial extension and retraction, said pins being extensible into said hinge openings to establish said generally horizontal hinge axis about which said tailgate can be swung between the open and closed positions; yieldable spring means acting to extend said hinge pins to maintain same in the hinge openings; and means for retracting said hinge pins in unison to effect withdrawal of the pins from the hinge openings.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2, wherein said releasable latch means includes: a generally horizontal slot in each side of the vehicle, said slots being located above the hinge openings and having front and back ends; a second pin on each end of the tailgate supported thereon for axial extension and retraction, said second pins being extensible into the back ends of the slots to latch the tailgate against movement about said hinge axis; yieldable spring means acting on said second pins to urge same in a direction to extend; and means for effecting retraction of said second pins in unison to effect withdrawal of the second pins from the slots so that the tailgate can be moved to the open position about said hinge axis.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3, wherein said slots and pins cooperate to provide said support means, said tailgate being pivotal about a generally horizontal axis defined by said second pins when said hinge pins are retracted out of the hinge openings and said second pins being movable in said slots from the back ends to the front ends thereof to permit the hinge pins to extend into the back ends of the slots, whereby the fit of said pins in the slots maintains the tailgate in its elevated position.

Claim 6

A tailgate construction for a vehicle having a bed and a tailgate opening at the back end of the bed presented between opposite sides each provided with a hinge opening and a generally horizontal slot located above the hinge opening, said tailgate construction comprising: a tailgate having opposite ends and a length to extend between the sides of the vehicle, said tailgate having a closed position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally vertical orientation to close the tailgate opening, an open position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally horizontal orientation to form an extension of the bed, and an elevated position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally horizontal orientation at an elevation above the bed to expose the tailgate opening for air flow therethrough beneath the tailgate; retractable pin means on each end of said tailgate for entry into the hinge openings to mount the tailgate for hinged movement between the open and closed positions about a generally horizontal hinge axis, said pin means entering the slots to support and maintain the tailgate in said elevated position when moved thereto and to latch the tailgate in said closed position when moved thereto; and operating means on said tailgate for selectively retracting said pin means to withdraw same from the latch openings and slots, thereby permitting the tailgate to be moved among the open, closed and elevated positions thereof.

Claim 7

A tailgate construction for a vehicle having a bed and a tailgate opening at the back end of the bed presented between opposite sides each provided with a hinge opening and a generally horizontal slot located above the hinge opening, said tailgate construction comprising: a tailgate having opposite ends and a length to extend between the sides of the vehicle, said tailgate having a closed position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally vertical orientation to close the tailgate opening, an open position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally horizontal orientation to form an extension of the bed, and an elevated position wherein the tailgate extends between the sides in a generally horizontal orientation at an elevation above the bed to expose the tailgate opening for air flow therethrough beneath the tailgate; retractable pin means on each end of said tailgate for entry into the hinge openings to mount the tailgate for hinged movement between the open and closed positions about a generally horizontal hinge axis, said pin means entering the slots to support and maintain the tailgate in said elevated position when moved thereto and to latch the tailgate in said closed position when moved thereto; and operating means on said tailgate for selectively retracting said pin means to withdraw same from the latch openings and slots, thereby permitting the tailgate to be moved among the open, closed and elevated positions thereof.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 5, wherein said pin means includes: a lower retractable pin on each end of said tailgate, said lower pins being aligned and entering the hinge openings to provide said hinge axis; an upper retractable pin on each end of said tailgate, said upper pins entering said slots to latch said tailgate in the closed position when moved thereto and being retractable out of said slots to release the tailgate for movement to the open position; and said upper and lower pins being received in the slots in respective front and back ends thereof to maintain the tailgate in the elevated position thereof.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6, including yieldable spring means acting to extend each of said upper and lower pins.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 7, wherein said operating means includes first and second means accessible on the tailgate for retracting the upper pins and lower pins, respectively.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 6, wherein said upper pins establish a generally horizontal pivot axis about which the tailgate can be pivoted when the lower pins are retracted out of the hinge openings, said upper pins being movable in the slots from the back ends thereof in the closed position of the tailgate to the front ends thereof in the elevated position of the tailgate.

Claim 12

A tailgate construction for a vehicle having a bed and opposite sides presenting therebetween a tailgate opening at the back end of the bed, said tailgate construction comprising: a tailgate having opposite ends and retractable upper and lower pins on each end, said tailgate having a closed position wherein the tailgate closes the tailgate opening, an open position wherein the tailgate forms an extension of the bed, and an elevated position wherein the tailgate has a generally horizontal orientation at an elevation above the bed to expose the tailgate opening for airflow therethrough; a hinge opening in each side of the vehicle, said openings being located to receive said lower pins in a manner to mount the tailgate for hinged movement between the open and closed positions about a generally horizontal hinge axis defined by the lower pins; a generally horizontal slot in each side of the vehicle at a location above the hinge opening therein, said slots being located to receive said upper pins to releasably latch said tailgate in the closed position and to receive said upper and lower pins to maintain the tailgate in said elevated position when moved thereto; and operating means on said tailgate for effecting selective retraction of said upper pins and said lower pins to permit the tailgate to be selectively moving among the open, closed and elevated positions thereof.

Claim 13

A tailgate construction for a vehicle having a bed and opposite sides presenting therebetween a tailgate opening at the back end of the bed, said tailgate construction comprising: a tailgate having opposite ends and retractable upper and lower pins on each end, said tailgate having a closed position wherein the tailgate closes the tailgate opening, an open position wherein the tailgate forms an extension of the bed, and an elevated position wherein the tailgate has a generally horizontal orientation at an elevation above the bed to expose the tailgate opening for airflow therethrough; a hinge opening in each side of the vehicle, said openings being located to receive said lower pins in a manner to mount the tailgate for hinged movement between the open and closed positions about a generally horizontal hinge axis defined by the lower pins; a generally horizontal slot in each side of the vehicle at a location above the hinge opening therein, said slots being located to receive said upper pins to releasably latch said tailgate in the closed position and to receive said upper and lower pins to maintain the tailgate in said elevated position when moved thereto; and operating means on said tailgate for effecting selective retraction of said upper pins and said lower pins to permit the tailgate to be selectively moving among the open, closed and elevated positions thereof.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 10, including yieldable spring means for urging each of said upper and lower pins toward extended positions thereof.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 11, wherein said operating means includes: an upper handle on said tailgate; linkage means for retracting said upper pins in unison from the extended positions thereof when said upper handle is operated; a lower handle on said tailgate operable independently of said upper handle; and linkage means for retracting said lower pins in unison from the extended positions thereof when said lower handle is operated.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 10, wherein: said upper pins are received in said slots in a manner to provide a generally horizontal pivot axis about which the tailgate can be swung when said lower pins are withdrawn from the hinge openings; said upper pins are slidable in said slots between back ends thereof in the closed position of said tailgate and front ends thereof in the elevated position of said tailgate; said lower pins are received in the back ends of the slots in the elevated position of the tailgate.