Patent ID: 9341212
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: B60P,F16C,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A locking assembly for a ramp of a lift gate, the locking assembly comprising: an elongated adjustable locking arm, wherein the locking arm is pivotably disposed on a pivot point relative to the ramp, the locking arm including an adjustment mechanism for adjusting selective engagement of the locking arm with the ramp; a spring for spring loading the locking arm, wherein a biasing tension in the spring urges a proximal end of the locking arm to pivotably engage with a cam portion of the ramp to maintain the ramp in a selected position; and a coupling member for rotatably coupling the ramp to a lift platform section of the lift gate, the coupling member including a channel in which the locking arm is pivotably disposed on a pivot axle along the length of the locking arm, such that the locking arm can pivot about the pivot axle for selectively engaging the cam portion; wherein the cam portion has multiple engagement surfaces for individually engaging with the locking arm, such that selective engagement of the locking arm with each engagement surface of the cam portion maintains the ramp in a selected position; wherein the adjustment mechanism is disposed at said proximal end of the locking arm for adjusting the length of the locking arm, such that the adjustment mechanism allows selective adjustment of the length of a portion of the locking arm between said pivot point and the cam portion, to reduce a gap between the proximal end of the locking arm and an engagement surface of the cam portion; wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustable screw threadedly disposed on said proximal end of the locking arm for engaging the cam portion; wherein the length of the locking arm can be increased by partially unscrewing the adjustable screw out of said proximal end of the locking arm; and wherein the length of the locking arm can be decreased by partially screwing the adjustable screw into said proximal end of the locking arm.