GB2475481A

GB2475481A - Pivot means for tailgate of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2475481A
Application number: GB0920159A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Philip Shuttleworth
Original assignee: Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd
Current assignee: Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd
Priority date: 2009-11-18
Filing date: 2009-11-18
Publication date: 2011-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2029-11-18
Also published as: GB0920159D0; GB2475481B

Abstract

An arrangement of a flap 5 or tailgate for a vehicle or trailer. The arrangement comprises a substantially horizontal lower pivot and control means 18, rotatably mountable on a vehicle frame. The flap 5 or tailgate is pivotably mounted, in an upper region, to an upper portion of a post or frame 7 of the vehicle, and is further pivotable with the lower pivot and control means 18 and releasably secured to the lower pivot and control means 18 by means of hook-shaped retaining means 17 provided on the lower edge of the flap or tailgate. The pivot and control means 18 is further pivotable relative to the hook-shaped retaining means 17 to release the retaining means and to enable the flap to be pivoted on upper pivot means 8, 9.

Description

I

IMPROVED PIVOT MEANS FOR TAILGATE OF A VEHICLE

The present inventIon relates to improved pivot and latch or retaining means for a taflgate Or &de gate for a vehicle, and in particular, to pivot and latch or retaining means for the rear flap of a tipper wagon or trailer vehicle and to a vehicle when including such.

Tipper trailers are known having a toad carrying deck with surrounding upstanding side walls and a front wall:1d rear wall, with the rear wall being formed as a pivotable flap or tailgate It is known for the rear tailgate or pivotable flap to be generally rectangular and in its retaining position normally lies in an upwardly extending plane with its lower edge being pivotably mounted on the trailer body and with its upper corners being retained by releasable catches which when released, allow the flap to pivot rearwardly and downwardly so as to enable the contents to slide from the supporting deck of a trailer as it is elevated from the front and pivoting at the rear. It is also known to have a vehicle, with such rear tailgate flap tO be pivotably mounted along its upper edge and retained by a catch means at its lower corners. US 6764130 (Hull) discloses both features, and manual operation of each catch means is required and a loose retention of the flap is likely to exist.

The present invention provides an improved pivot and latch, or retaining means, which enables downward pivoting of a tailgate flap about a lower axis from its normally upwardly extending, loa&retaining position and, alternatively, upwardly and rearward pivoting of a tailgate flap about an upper axis.

According to the present invention there is provided a combined locking and hinge arrangement of a flap or tailgate for a vehicle Cr trailer, comprising: a substantially horizontal lower pivot and control means, rotatably mountable in mounting means provided on a vehicle frame; a flap or tailgate pivotably mounted to an upper portion of a post or frame of a vehicle, and further being pivotable with said lower pivot and control means and releasably secured thereto by means of hook-shaped retaining means provided on the lower edge of the flap or tailgate, said pivot and control means further being pivotable relative to the hook-shaped retaining means to release said retaining means and said flap to enable such to pivot on upper pivot means.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle, (such as a wagon or trailer), including a pivotable flap, (such as a tailgate), said flap being mounted in an upper region by upper pivot means to be pivotable about an upper horizontal or substantially horizontal pivotal axis (when the vehicle is on a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane), and being retainable in said upper pivot means by upper retaining means which are optionally releasable to release the upper side of said flap from its upper pivot means to enable it to pivot away from the vehicle on lower pivot means and pivot about a lower horizontal or substantially horizontal pivotal axis, and said flap in a lower region being mountable by at least one lower mounting means on lower pivot and contro.l means to be pivotable therewith about a lower horizontal or substantially horizontal pivot axis (when the vehicle is on a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane) and being retainable on said pivot and control means by lower retaining means which are optionally releasable by movement of said pivot and control means to release the lower side of said flap from said lower pivot and control means to enable the lower side of the flap to pivot away from the vehicle about said upper pivotal axis on said upper pivot means: wherein said pivot and control means in its control mode is displaceable relative to said lower retaining means mounted on a part of said vehide adjacent the flap to release or engage said lower retaining means, and wherein said lower retaining means includes at least one stop surface which is retainably engageable by said pivot and control means in the retaining position of displacement of said p[vot and control means to prevent movement of the flap away from the pivot and control means, and each said lower mounting means is pivotable on said pivot and control means in the retaining position of said pivot and control means, and wherein said pivot and control means in the retaining position is disengaged from said stop surface and from said lower mounting means to free the flap to permit the lower side of said flap to pivot away from or towards said pivot and control means, Various preferred features are claimed in the sub-claims and incorporated he rein by reference The operation of the pivot and control means enables the lower retaining means to preferably be operated by a single lever. Also the retention means is forcibly urged by the pivot and control means into the closed position of the tailgate under a tightening cam-like action and thus provides a secure closure and avoids leaks and/or spillage.

Whilst described in particular relation to vehicles, the pivot and control means and retaining means may be used for other mounting and control of flaps or other items. Also, the components are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig., 1 is a perspective view from the rear of the rear part of a tipper trailer with the lower side of a rear pivotable flap or tailgate being illustrated in the released condition for permitting tipping of a load from the deck (not shown) of the trailer; FIg. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the part of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 but from the opposite side; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side. elevation from the side of Fig. I showing the tailgate in the upright position with both pivots securing the tailgate against movement; Fig. 3A is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 3; Fig. 3B is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 3 and 3A but without the operating lever; Fig. 4 shows the operating lever/handle controlling lower pivot and control means which in the form of a rectangular bar and the ever in an intermediate position of being displaced rearwardly and downwardly; Fig. 4A is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 4 showing the tailgate moved slightly; Fig. 4B is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Figs. 4 and 4A but without the operating lever; Fig. 5 shows the handle of Fig. 4 in a position and the larger sides of the pivoting and control means being in substantially horizontal plane(s) and wherein a stop means in the form of a partially encircling member or jaw at each end or side is released to enable it and the tailgate to be pivoted rearwardly and upwardly; Fig 5A is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 5 but the handle is not shown in full and with the tailgate slighty ajar; Fig. 6 shows the released tailgate pivoted upwardly to enable tipping to take place -the handle being shown in Fig. 1 moving further downwardly prior to eventually reaching a substantially vertically, depending opened position; Fig. GA is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 6 but without the operating lever; Figs. 7 to 10 show the tailgate in various "top opening" positiOns of movement from closed (in contrast to Figs 3 6 wnich illustrate bottom opening" positions); and wherein Fig. 7 is a view identical to Fig. 3 with the tailgate in a secure, closed position and in which it will be noted the larger side of the rectangular end/cross-section of the pivoting and control means or bar are shown extending vertically Le. lying in vertical or substantially vertical planes; Fig. 8 illustrates the tailgate in a position pivoting away from the upper pivot and retaining means located on the support posts, after the retaining pin at each opposite side has been removed -it being noted that the lower pivot and control means moves with the tailgate about mounting means (shown by bearing openings at opposite sides and by upwardly open hooked support arms on the trailer and pivot bushes or bearings towards the centre of the pivot and control bar in Fig. 2) -the operating lever being secured on a catch on the tailgate and moving with the tailgate; Fig 9 shows a further position reached with continued movement of the tailgate downwardly and with the larger sides of the pivot and control means lying in substantially horizontal planes; and Fig. 10 illustrates a further position of continued downward movement of the tailgate.

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein the rear portion of a tipper trailer 1 is illustrated (although any other tipper wagon or vehicle or meanä may accommodate the pivot means of the present invention to enable control of a pivotable flap).

The trailer I comprises a main chassis 2 and a rectangular framework 3 pivotally mounted thereon at the rear end and having a load supporting surface (notshown) supported by the:frame 3.

Two opposite, lateral and upwardly extending side walls 4 (only one shown on the near side of Fig. 1) are provided and which are pivotable on a lower axis and detachable in known manner. A tow bar and hitch (not shown) wfll be provided in known manner as also will a tipping or elevating mechanism (not shown) for raising the pivotable frame 3 part of the trailer I and which mechanism rests on the main chassis 4. A rear flap or tailgate 5 is pivotally mounted between two upwardly extending spaced apart, corner support posts 6 and 7 themselves mounted on frame 3.

Turning now to the mounting means for the tailgate 5 which forms the subject of the present invention, the tailgate 5 comprises a generally rectangular panel (although may in other types of vehicle be another shape such as a trapezoidal flap or a semi-circular flap may be utilized for certain applications).

The tailgate 5 is provided at each upper corner with a securing and pivot pin 8$ each of which extends outwardly and in the upwardly pivoted position extends between two securing jaws 10,11 and are each securable by means of a securing pin 12,13 with retaining spring 14,15. The retaining jaws 10,11 are provided rearwardly extending and open to the rear at the top of the corner support posts 8,7 and generally being stationary relative to the vehicle and non-displaceable. The lower side 16 of the tailgate 5 has four spaced apart lower mounting, hook-shaped, retaining means 17 each formed by a partially encircling jaw-like member 17 of generally inverted C or 0-shape elevation open on one side and is especially shaped to provide for engagement and pivot mounting or release for purposes as will be described subsequently.

A combined or dual-function lower pivot and control means 18 is provided in the form of a rectangular sectioned, elongate metal bar, which is pivotally or rotatably mounted at each opposite end in pivot mountings 19,20 and also supported centrally by two upwardly open support brackets 21,22 in which lie two rotary pivot bearings 23,24 correspondingly positioned along and in the central regions of the bar 18 to be rotatable about a substantially lower horizontal axis. The bar 18 is retained thereby in position on the trailer frame 3. At one end of the bar 18 (which forms lower pivot and control means for the flap 5), a control lever 25 is mounted by way of an apertured Zl__-nfl.JJ_L Ci. LL. ..J C&L:-..j..

porflon secured in catch 28. Thus a firm and secure and non-raffling closure is achieved. In the secured or retained posiUon, the top narrow side of bar 18 pushes against the upper side of the retaining means on its inner periphery to support the tailgate by the mounting and retaining means.

It will be appreciated that the simplest arrangement of the clamping action of the pivoting and control bar and the lower retaining means would be for the latter to simply comprise a stop surface on a part or portion extending from the lower edge of the tailgate although each jaw like or lower partial encircling portion member as illustrated ensures that the lower part thereof below bar 18 is such that it prevents the tailgate from moving upwardly which might inadvertently or accidentally release the stop or cam surface hA of the tailgate 5 from engagement by the control bar 18 moving over rough terrain.

Whilst of course separate pivot means and control means and respective operating lever may be provided on the trailer body at opposite corners of the trailer, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings where a single control bar 18 extends across the whole of the width of the rear of the trailer and is operable by means of one displacing lever 25)27 at one side of the vehicle considerably facilitates operation and provides particular advantages. The lower retaining means preferably in the form of the partially encircling members are preferably spaced apart along the bar and preferably provided adjacent each corner and centrally.

It is to be appreciated that in an embodiment of the invention) ramps or skids may be carried by the trailer e.g. slidable under the load carrying surface and have hooked attachment arms at their normally upper operational end which may engage over the pivot and control bar or in slots in the rear of the vehicle for loading and unloading the trailer.

It is ako envisaged that the components may be reversed in that the control bar or bar pads or like engageable means forming pivot mounts are non-pivotally mounted along the lower side of the tailgate and lower retaining means are mounted spaced apart along the rear of the trailer or other vehicle and displaceable by a movement mechanism and operating lever which may be secured on the tailgate in the top opening condition.

References to upwardly and downwardly are used merely in respect of normal dispositions but it should be appreciated such are relative terms and other dispositions are possible.

Also the pivot and control means etc. may have applications on non-tipping trailers or wagons and thus the present invention is not to be limited to any such tipping vehicle.

Claims

CLAI MS1. A combined locking and hinge arrangement of a flap (5) or tailgate for a vehicle or trailer, comprising: a substantially horizontal lower pivot and control means (18), rotatably mountable in mounting means (19, 20) provided On a vehicle frame; a flap (5) or tailgate pivotably mounted, in an upper region, to an upper portion of a post or frame (7) of a vehicle, and further being pivotabie with said lower pivot and control means (18) and releasably secured thereto by means Of hook-shaped retaining means (17) provided on the lower edge of the flap or tailgate, said pivot and control means (18) further being pivotable relative to the hbk-shaped retaining means (17) to release said retaining means and to enable such to be pivoted on upper pivot means (8, 9).
2. A combined locking and hinge arrangement of a flap (5) or tailgate for a vehicle or trailer as claimed in claim 1, in which said upper pivotable mounting of the flap 5: releasable to enable the flap (5) to pivot about the lower pivot and control means (18).
3 A vehicle (1), (such as a wagon or trailer), including a pivotable flap (5), (such as a tailgate) said flap (5) being mounted in an upper region by upper pivot means (812: 9,13) to be pivotabla about an upper horizontal or substantially horizontal pivotal axis (when the vehicle is on a hOrizontal or substantially horizontal plane), and said flap in a lower region being mountable by at least one lower mounting means (17) on lower pivot and control means (15) to be pivotable therewith about a lower horizontal or substantially horizontal pivot axis (when the vehicle is on a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane) and being retainable on said pivot and control means (18) by lower retaining means (17,17A,186) which are optionally releasable by movement of said pivot and control means (18) to release the lower side of said flap (5) from said lower pivot and control means to enable the lower sIde of the flap (5) to pivot away from the vehicle about said upper pivotal axis on said upper pivot means; wherein said pivot and control means (18) in its control mode is displaceable relative to said lower retaining means mounted on a part of said vehicle adjacent the flap to release or engage said lower retaining means, and wherein said lower retaining means includes at least one stop surface (17A) which is retainably engageable by said pivot and control means in the retaining position of displacement of said pivot and control means (18) to prevent movement of the flap (5) away from the pivot and control means, and each said lower mounting means (17) is pivotable on said pivot and control means in the retaining position of said pivot and control means, and wherein said pivot and control means in the retaining position is disengaged from said stop surface (hA) and from said lower mounting means to free the flap to permit the lower side of said flap (5) to pivot away from or towards said pivot and control means (18).
4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, in which said pivot and control means is a rotatable member (18) and in which each stop surface of the lower retaining means formed by part of at least one partially encircling (hook-shaped) member (17), which partially encircles or partially surrounds said rotatable pivot and control means (18) which latter in the retaining position also presses against the retaining means to support the tailgate.
5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, in which said partially encircling hook-shaped member (17) is a reversed substantially C-shaped or inverted substantially G-shaped member (17).
6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which each said partially encircling member depends from the lower side of said flap(s).
7. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to7, in which said pivot and control means (18) has a rectangular cross section.
8. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7, in which said pivot and control means (18) is an elongate bar or rod mounted on the rear side of the vehicle beneath the lower side of said flap.
9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, in which said bar extends through in plurality of said lower retaining means (17) and mounting means in the closed position of the flap and also in the lower pivoting position where the upper side of the flap is displaceable towards or away from the upper pivot means.
10. A vehicle as descilbed in any cf claIm 3 to 9, in which the retaining means (17) forms part of the lower mounting means.
11. A vehicle as claimed in at least claim 4 and 10, in which each said retaining means (17) is shaped and dimensioned, and said pivot and control means (18) are shaped or each shaped and dimensioned, such that, with the flap extending upwardly in the closed position of the flap, each lower retaining means has an upper portion extending forwardly and downwardly to present said stop surface (17A) on the side of said pivot and control means adjacent the main body of the vehicle, and a lower portion of the tower retaining means forming an upward-movement-preventing means extends to the rearwarcily and downwardly remote side of said pivot and control means and terminates at a lower level than the lower edge of said pivot and control means such that in the first, retaining position of the pivot and control means, the latter prevents release movement of said lower retaining means, and in a second, releasing or opening position, it disengages from said stop surface to permit said partially encircling member to move upwardly and away from the pivot and control means as the flap pivots on said upper axis; and wherein in said first position said partially encircling means is held captive on the pivot and control means and pivotable therewith tO enable the upper side of said flap to pivot away from said upper pivot means.
12. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 11, in which a lever (27) is connected to said pivot and control means (18) to enable said pivot and control means to be pivoted into different positions relative to said lower mounting means to release or engage such.
13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 12, in which said lever is securable in the engaged position to retain said pivot and control means in abutment with said stop surface.
14. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 13, in which each upper pivot means and retaining means comprises upper pivot jaws on spaced apart, corner support posts of the vehicle at each opposite end of the upper sides of the flap, an axle or stub shaft extend outwardly and in the upper closedlpivotable condition of the flap are each retained in an upper pivot jaw by a detachable locking pin.
15. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 4 to 14, in which said pivot and control means extend beneath and along the lower side of the rear of the vehicle beneath said flap, and when said flap is removed, may act to support hook-over end parts of skids or loading ramps or mounting apertures in the vehicle are provided for such mounting when the flap is removed.
16. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 15 in which said. flap is a tailgate and/or side gate of a tipper trailer or tipper wagon or other tipper vehicle.
17. A vehicle as claimed in any of claim 3 to 16, in which said pivot and control means are mounted at opposite sides of the vehicle in pivotal bearing means on the vehicle body.
18, A vehicle as claimed in claim 17, in which at least one central bearing support means is provided to additionally support said pivot and control means.
19. A vehicle as claimed n claim 3, wherein said flap is retainable in said upper pivot means by upper retaining means (12,13) which are optionally releasable to release the upper side of said flap (5) from its upper pivot means to enable it to pivot away from the vehicle on said lower pivot and control means (18) and pivot about a lower horizontal or substantially horizontal pivotal axis
20. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
21. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 19, in which the operational components are reverse in position with the lower pivot and control means being pivotally mounted on the bottom of the tailgate and the control lever for said control means being securable on the tailgate, and wherein said pivot and control means being spaced across the rear of the trailer body or chassis.
22. Pivot and control means and retaining means for a tailgate, sidegate or other pivotable flap of a vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 20 and/or as shown in Figs. Ito 10.
23. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 12, in which means are provided to enable said pivot and control means to be rotated manually, and in which securing means are promoted to optionally secure said pivot and control means against movement relative to said lower maintaining and retaining and thus said flap also.