Patent ID: 6648420
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
A tailgate apparatus pivotally connected to a dump truck for automatically opening and closing a tailgate mounted at the rear of a dumpster box which is supportively engaged atop and slidably or rollably removable from a tiltable truck bed of the dump truck, the dumpster box having upright front and side walls, said tailgate disposed adjacent ends of the side walls and a bottom of the dumpster box when the truck bed is in a horizontal position, the truck bed tiltable about a first transverse axis attached to a chassis of the dump truck, said first axis positioned forwardly of the end of, and in proximity to the bottom, the apparatus comprising:a pair of elongated, spaced apart substantially parallel gate arms each pivotally connected adjacent a forward end thereof to a corresponding said side wall about a second substantially transverse axis positioned forwardly of, and in proximity to upper margins of the ends of the side walls and generally above said first axis; said tailgate rigidly connected at each side margin thereof generally orthogonally to a corresponding rearward end of each said gate arm; an elongated pivot control rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the chassis about a third transverse axis positioned forwardly of said first transverse axis; an elongated pivot link pivotally connected at an upper end thereof to one said gate arm about a fourth substantially transverse axis positioned forwardly of said second axis; an intermediate pivot plate pivotally connected at a rearward portion thereof to the other end of said pivot control rod; said pivot plate having a rearwardly opening slot and a stabilizing member connected thereto which, in cooperation with said pivot link, control the position and rotational orientation of said pivot plate; said slot sized to receive a rotation pin connected to, and laterally extending from, a lower end of said pivot link; said axes being so arranged, and said pivot plate being so configured, such that said tailgate arcuately opens responsive to tilted position of the truck bed about said first axis.