Abstract:
A bracket system that supports a tailgate. The brackets can be mounted to a garage wall, for example. The tailgate is then attached to the brackets. The tailgate can be stored in an upright position, flat against the wall. The brackets also allow the tailgate to fold down and be used as a table.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to bracket supports and particularly to brackets supports for holding pickup truck tailgates. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Pickup trucks have long been a standard fixture in construction and farming. Lately they have also become popular for homeowners. These trucks are now being built in several sizes and styles. Characteristic of the pickup is the fold-down tailgate. This tailgate allows the user access to the bed for loading and unloading. It also secures loads in the bed when closed. For many users, the tailgate is not needed. Some people, prefer to use a lightweight cargo net instead of the tailgate, as this improves gas mileage. Others put camper units in the bed, which require the removal of the tailgate. Regardless of the reason, once the tailgate is removed, it becomes a problem for storage. Often, people leave the tailgates on the ground in a yard, or store it on the garage floor. This type of storage causes problems because the tailgate can become damaged or rusted. Many times, the tailgate is just “in the way” and is a useless object just taking up space. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention overcomes this problem. It is a bracket system that supports a tailgate. The brackets can be mounted to a garage wall, for example. The tailgate is then attached to the brackets. The tailgate can be stored in an upright position, flat against the wall. The brackets also allow the tailgate to fold down and be used as a table. 
     The brackets are metal or high-strength plastic angle members. The bottom of the members is bent to 90 degrees, which gives the member an “L” shape. The brackets have mounting holes for attachment to a wall. The brackets also have hinge pins at the bottom of the “L” to accept the existing hinge trunnions on the tailgate. Lugs are provided to connect the tailgate cables and another set of lugs is used to latch the tailgate in the upright position. 
     When installed on the brackets, the tailgate operates as it normally does. Once the hinges and cables are secured, the tailgate is pushed up until it engages the upper latching lugs. To release the tailgate for use as a table, the user pulls the release handle and lowers the tailgate. 
     In this way, the tailgate can be stored out of the way safely. The tailgate is no longer an obstruction. Moreover, the tailgate is less likely to be damaged. Finally, the tailgate now provides a convenient table for use in a workshop or garage for a variety of uses. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art tailgate that has been removed from a vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the right rear end of a typical prior art pickup truck showing the tailgate removed and one of the support cables installed on a connection post. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the right side bracket of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 a  is a front elevation view of the left side bracket of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a left side elevation of the right bracket taken along the lines  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 a  is a left side elevation of the left bracket taken along the lines  4   a — 4   a  of FIG. 3 a.    
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention with a tailgate in place in the closed position. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention with a tailgate in place in the open position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical tailgate  100  is shown. On both sides of the tailgate, there is a suitable conventional latch mechanism  101 , only one of which is shown. The latch mechanism  101  typically engages a striker mechanism  102  on the truck side wall (see FIG.  2 ). Note that there are two strike plates  102 , although only one is shown. As is also conventional, the tailgate  100  is further provided with two flexible cables  105 , each of which is secured at one end of the tailgate  100  near the latch mechanisms  101  as shown in FIG.  1 . The other end of each strap  105  has a suitable ring-type fastener  106 , that engages typical pin fasteners  107  mounted on the side panels  120  of the truck (see FIG.  2 ), just below the striker mechanisms  102 . When the cables  105  have their ring-type fasteners  106  engaged with the pin fasteners  107 , and the tailgate  101  is pivotally lowered to its horizontal open position, the cables  105  maintain the tailgate  101  in its horizontal open position. When the ring-type fasteners  106  are disengaged from the pin fasteners  107 , the tailgate  100  may be removed from the vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 shows the right side panel  120  of a typical vehicle. This figure shows a FORD style pickup bed. On this truck, a stub shaft  125  is placed at a vertical height, which essentially corresponds to the level of the truck bed  124 . On the left side (not shown) is a hinge pin. The tailgate  100  has a pair of trunnions  126  and  126   a . On the right side of the tailgate, the trunnion  126  has a slot  128  (see inset on FIG.  1 ), that fits over the stub shaft  125  when the tailgate is in place. Once inserted on the stub shaft and hinge pin, the tailgate  100  may be pivoted relative to the side panels of the vehicle. This mechanism effectively acts as a pair of hinges for the tailgate when it is installed on the vehicle. 
     As mentioned above, the right trunnion  126  has a slot  128 , which is angularly aligned with respect to the stub shaft  125  when the tailgate  100  is pivoted to an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the vertical side panels  120  of the truck. This permits disengagement of the trunnion  126  from the stub shaft  125  and thereby, in turn, permits removal of the tailgate  100  from the truck by pulling the tailgate off the hinge pin on the left side of the vehicle. Although this structure is prior art, it has been discussed in detail because the operating parts of the tailgate are used in the instant invention as discussed below. As noted above, this discussion and the drawings illustrate the FORD type of truck. Other manufacturers use different designs for these components. Although every manufacturer has different designs, the basic components are the same. There are longer hinge parts that the tailgate rotates on. There are latch pins that secure the tailgate in a closed position. And there are cable latches to secure the support cables. The exact position of these components will vary from truck to truck, but they all will be present on the vehicle. 
     As a result, the actual configuration of the brackets (discussed below) will vary from truck to truck. However, the design principals and details are the same for every truck. Modifying the brackets to fit a particular model of truck is simply a matter of choosing compatible components for that vehicle. This type of selection is well within the capabilities of someone of ordinary skill in the art. 
     As noted above, after tailgates are removed from vehicles, storing them in a safe and protected manner is difficult. The instant invention overcomes these problems by providing a storage system for tailgates. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3,  3   a ,  4  and  4   a  details of the system are shown. The support system consists of a pair of brackets  1  and  1   a . FIG. 3 shows a front view of the right side bracket  1 . This bracket  1  is formed of angle bracket stock. Steel, aluminum or high strength plastics may be used, but steel is the preferred material. The angle bracket has two faces. Face  2  is designed to be placed against a wall or on a post or other support medium. It has several mounting holes  3  to secure the bracket to the support medium. The bracket is installed using common fasteners, suitable for the purpose. 
     The second face  4  is perpendicular to the face  2 . It has mounting hardware for the tailgate. At the bottom of the bracket is a box member hinge pin  10 . Note that this pin is generally rectangular and is angled to match the angle of the slot  128  in the trunnion  126 . 
     Near the top of the bracket, and corresponding with the positions of the latch mechanism  101  is a striker mechanism  15 . Just below the striker mechanism is a pin fastener  18 , which corresponds to fasteners  107  found on the vehicle side walls. 
     FIG. 3 a  shows a front view of the left side bracket  1   a . This bracket is also formed of angle bracket stock. The angle material has two faces. As with the e right bracket face  2   a  is designed to be placed against a wall or on a post or other support medium. It also has several mounting holes  3   a  to secure the bracket to the support medium. When the brackets are installed they must be positioned at the same level so that the tailgate installation hardware is aligned (see, e.g., FIG.  6 ). 
     As shown in FIG. 4 a , the second face  4   a  is perpendicular to the face  2   a . It has mounting hardware for the tailgate. At the bottom of this bracket is a hinge pin  10   a . Here, this is simply a cylindrical pin. Near the top of the bracket, and corresponding with the positions of the latch mechanism  101  is a striker mechanism  15   a . Just below the striker mechanism is a pin fastener  18   a , which corresponds to fasteners  107  found on the vehicle side walls. The latter two components are the same as those on the right bracket  1 . 
     When the tailgate  100  is to be installed on brackets, the trunnion  126   a  on the left side of the tailgate is maneuvered such that the trunnion  126   a  is aligned with the hinge pin  10   a  on the left bracket  1   a , and slipped on the pin  10   a . Then, the tailgate  101  is maneuvered further such that the hinge pin  10  is inserted into the radial slot  128  of the trunnion  126  on the right side of the tailgate. At this point, the tailgate  100  may then be pivoted upwardly toward its vertical closed position in the brackets. In order to secure or lock the tailgate  100  in its vertical closed position, the latch mechanisms  101  engage the striker plates  15  and  15   a  located at the top of the brackets. 
     Once the tailgate is placed on the hinge pins  10  and  10   a  the support cables are attached to the pin fasteners  18  and  18   a  on the brackets. In this way, the tailgate can then be placed in an open position for use as a table within the storage area. 
     FIG. 5 shows the tailgate  100  in its closed position. FIG. 6 shows the tailgate in its opened position showing the support cables in place. In the open position, the tailgate can be used as a small table or workbench. There are many possible uses for the tailgate when it is in the open position. If such uses are not desired or needed, the tailgate can be placed in the closed position, where it remains relatively flat against a wall surface-thus being out of the way of normal uses for such a space. 
     The tailgate is opened in a normal manner by releasing the latch and pulling it down, away from the striker plates. Similarly, to store the tailgate, it is lifted and pushed against the striker plates to secure the latch mechanisms. 
     The present disclosure should not be construed in any limited sense other than that limited by the scope of the claims having regard to the teachings herein and the prior art being apparent with the preferred form of the invention disclosed herein and which reveals details of structure of a preferred form necessary for a better understanding of the invention and may be subject to change by skilled persons within the scope of the invention without departing from the concept thereof.