Patent ID: 6053691
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
Automatic underride mechanism for a trailer, the trailer having a forward end and an opposed rearward end and having a tiltable bed supported by a trailer frame, the tiltable bed being tiltable with respect to the trailer frame between a transport disposition and a load/unload disposition, the tiltable bed presenting a trailer rear margin, a rotatable ramp being operably coupled to the tiltable bed proximate the trailer rear margin, the automatic underride mechanism comprising:actuation means operably coupled to the trailer frame and to the rotatable ramp, the actuation means acting to rotate the rotatable ramp between a ground engaging load/unload disposition when the tiltable bed is in the load/unload disposition and an underride protection disposition when the tiltable bed is in the transport disposition, the actuation means being actuated by the tilting motion of the tiltable bed as the tiltable bed transitions between the transport disposition and the load/unload disposition, the ramp underride protection disposition being a disposition in which the ramp depends from the tiltable bed;the actuation means including at least a first and a second link, the first and second links being pivotally operably coupled; anda bias being exerted on at least one of the first and the second link, the bias tending to urge one of said links in a rearward direction, the bias being exerted by a coil spring disposed coaxially with the second link, urging the first link in a rearward direction.