Truck ramp storage arrangement

A truck chassis frame is constructed to provide storage space for a loading ramp between the longitudinal frame members. A transverse frame member positioned beneath the longitudinal frame members is connected to the longitudinal frame members by brackets secured to end regions of the transverse member and to the outer face of the C-shaped longitudinal members. The space above the transverse member including the open regions of said longitudinal members is open to provide the storage space.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention is concerned with improving the capability of a truck to 
store a ramp intended for use in loading and unloading the truck. 
BACKGROUND ART 
It has been common practice for sometime in the truck rental industry to 
supply a ramp with the truck to facilitate loading and unloading the 
truck. A significant advance was made in this art when inventors 
recognized the possibility of providing a storage space for the ramp 
between the longitudinal frame members of the truck chassis. 
Storage of the ramp in the frame of the truck offers several advantages. 
Such storage is outside the body of the truck and therefore does not 
occupy valuable cargo space nor interfere with articles stored in the 
truck body. Secondly, this storage arrangement does not increase the 
height of the truck as some prior storage arrangements did. And, further, 
this storage arrangement positions the ramp at the rear of the truck 
immediately beneath the floor of the truck body where it is accessible to 
the user who merely needs to withdraw the ramp from its storage space and 
place it in use. 
Representative prior art arrangements for frame storage of ramps are 
disclosed in a series of three United States patents granted to John C. 
Abromavage and Henry S. Shattles, namely: U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,393, granted 
May 12, 1970 for "RAMP ASSEMBLY"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,826, granted Feb. 2, 
1971 for "AUTOMOTIVE CHASSIS"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,662, granted Jan. 
30, 1973 for "CHASSIS WITH STORAGE SE". 
The principal shortcoming of the storage arrangements of the Abromavage et 
al patents lies in the design of the transverse members employed to 
connect the longitudinal frame members. The transverse frame members of 
these patents, although designed to accommodate a ramp, have substantial 
structure within the space between the longitudinal frame members which 
significantly limits the size of the ramp that can be stored. 
Ramp width is of considerable importance because the wider the ramp the 
more easily it can be navigated by persons loading and unloading the 
truck. And depth is also important because a thicker ramp can be a 
stronger ramp. 
There continues to be a need, therefore, for a ramp storage arrangement in 
the frame of a truck that will maximize the size of the ramp which can be 
stored therein. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
This invention contemplates the provision of one or more transverse frame 
members which connect the longitudinal frame members in a manner to leave 
the entire space between the C-shaped longitudinal members, including the 
facing open regions of the longitudinal members, open and free of any 
obstruction. In this manner the entire width and height of the space 
between the longitudinal frame members can be utilized as storage space 
for the ramp. 
The transverse frame members are positioned beneath the longitudinal frame 
members and have end regions that extend beyond the transverse extent of 
the longitudinal members. Bracket means are secured to the outer faces of 
each of the longitudinal members, extend downwardly from the longitudinal 
members, and are secured to the end regions of the transverse members. 
Thus, there are no structural members in the space between the 
longitudinal frame members.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
In FIG. 1 the truck body is designated generally by reference numeral 11 
and has a cargo space 12 with a floor 13. Rental industry trucks generally 
have enclosed bodies 11 and are used by do-it-yourself renters or 
transporters, often for moving personal belongings. It is customary in 
this industry to provide the truck with a ramp 14 to facilitate loading 
and unloading the cargo space 12. 
The ramp 14 will normally be provided with some means for attaching its 
forward end to the truck body 11 at approximately the level of the cargo 
space floor 13. In the ramp illustrated in FIG. 1 this attaching means 
includes a pair of hooks 15 adapted to engage an upstanding portion of the 
truck body 11. The rear end of ramp 14 simply rests on the ground. The 
ramp 14 is utilized, of course, by persons loading and unloading the truck 
to either carry articles up and down the ramp or to move those articles up 
and down the ramp on a dolly or other wheeled vehicle. To reduce the 
strain to persons loading and unloading the truck ramp 14 should have a 
minimum incline. In other words, the floor 13 of cargo space 12 should be 
as low as possible in relation to the ground. In addition, the wider the 
ramp 14 the easier and safer it is for persons to navigate the ramp in 
loading and unloading the truck body 11. 
When not in use the ramp 14 should be stowed in the truck body 11 for 
transport, but preferably not within the cargo space 12 as that would 
reduce available cargo space. 
As mentioned previously, other inventors have proposed that a storage space 
for the ramp 14 be provided beneath the cargo space floor 13 within the 
frame of the truck chassis. This invention utilizes and provides an 
improvement upon that storage concept. 
For storage of ramp 14 the rear wall of the truck body 11 is provided with 
an opening 16. Opening 16 provides access to a ramp storage area provided 
by a specially constructed frame portion of the truck chassis which is 
illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5. 
The truck chassis, a portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 2, is 
designated generally by reference numeral 17. As is customary in truck 
construction, the chassis includes a frame 18 which, in turn, includes a 
pair of longitudinal frame members 19 and several transverse frame members 
20. 
Longitudinal frame members 19 are conventional in construction, each 
consisting of a C-shaped metal channel. Each longitudinal member 19 has an 
upright web 21 with an outer face 22 and inwardly extending top and bottom 
flanges 23 and 24, respectively The construction and disposition of 
longitudinal frame members 19 is such that their C-shaped sections have 
open regions facing each other. The principal objective of this invention 
is to permit the entire space between the two longitudinal frame members 
19, including the open regions of their C-shaped sections between the top 
and bottom flanges 23 and 24, to be utilized for storage of the ramp 14. 
This permits a wider ramp 14 to be stored in the truck frame 18 than was 
heretofore possible. 
This enlarged storage space, which is indicated by dot and dash lines 25 in 
FIG. 3, is made possible by an improved construction and disposition of 
the transverse frame members 20. Each transverse frame member 20 is 
preferably formed of a metal tube having a rectangular cross-section (see 
FIGS. 2 and 4) for maximum strength and rigidity. Each transverse frame 
member 20 is positioned beneath the longitudinal frame members 19 in 
contact with the lower surface of the bottom flanges 24 of the 
longitudinal members. 
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, each transverse frame member 20 has a region 
26 at each end thereof extending outwardly of and beyond the transverse 
extent of the longitudinal frame members 19. These end regions 26 of the 
transverse frame members 20 are utilized to secure the transverse frame 
members 20 to the longitudinal frame members 19 outside the space between 
the longitudinal frame members. 
The attachment and securing means for this purpose preferably comprises 
bracket means comprising a pair of angle brackets 27 for each end region 
26 of each transverse frame member 20. Each angle bracket 27 has a 
longitudinal portion 28 which is attached to the outer face 22 of a 
longitudinal frame member 19 and also has a transverse portion 29 which is 
attached to its respective transverse frame member 20. A variety of 
attachment mechanisms can be used for this purpose. For example, the 
longitudinal portions 28 of the angle brackets 27 can be attached to the 
longitudinal frame members by means of stud bolts and nuts 31 carried by 
and projecting outwardly from the longitudinal frame members. It is 
important that this attachment means provide no significant protuberances 
within the open regions of the longitudinal frame members. And the 
transverse portions 29 of the angle brackets 27 can be welded to the end 
regions 26 of transverse frame members 20. 
Additional strength and rigidity can be incorporated into the frame 18 by 
providing longitudinal reinforcing members 32 sandwiched between the outer 
faces 22 of longitudinal frame members 19 and the angle brackets 27. The 
longitudinal reinforcing members 32 are preferably made of metal and have 
an angled cross-section. Each reinforcing member 32 has a vertical portion 
adjacent its respective longitudinal frame member and a horizontal portion 
extending outwardly from its respective longitudinal frame member. 
With the assemblage of longitudinal frame members 19, transverse frame 
members 20, angle brackets 27 and longitudinal reinforcing members 32 
there is provided a frame structure 18 possessing all the strength and 
rigidity of prior frame structures but which leaves open the region 
between the longitudinal frame members 19 to provide the storage space 25 
for the ramp 14. It is thus possible to store a wider ramp 14 within the 
frame 18 than was possible with prior frame constructions. 
It is further to be noted that there is no structure added to the frame 18 
above the longitudinal frame members 19. Thus, the cargo space floor 13 of 
the truck body 11 can rest directly on the top flanges 23 of the 
longitudinal frame members 19. This gives the added benefit of not 
requiring any increase in height of the cargo space floor 13 above the 
ground to provide the improved ramp storage space within the frame 18.