Abstract:
An extendible device, which comprises three parts, a first of which is a framework which is stationary. A second framework is mounted on the first framework, and rolls on the first framework. The third part is a ramp which is stored in a cavity provided in the second framework. 
     To load equipment, one has to first extend the extendible device, pull out the ramp, and lower the ramp by pivoting it from its extended position so that the ramp ends rest on the ground, drive up or load the equipment, pivot the ramp upwardly, then slide the ramp into its stored position in the second framework, roll the extendible device to its original position, and then make sure that the freight is permanently located in the cargo carrying area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Sliding platforms for vehicles, such as pickup trucks are not new. These devices have been around for quite some time. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,712,812; 7,121,603; 5,820,190 and 4,830,242. 
         [0002]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,812 describes a Sliding Platform that extends the flat platform of the vehicle so that access may be gained to the load on the vehicle to make loading and unloading easier. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,603 describes a sliding platform which rides on a frame mounted in a vehicle which provides easier access to the cargo carried by such vehicle. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,190 describes a sliding member that is foldable into a table when extended. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,242 describes a sliding member that slides out of a framework in a pickup truck etc. to make it easier to gain access to a tool carrier mounted in a frame on the vehicle. 
         [0006]    It is believed that the sliding member in each of the above patents serves to make the flat area of the vehicle body (behind the driver&#39;s compartment) much more amenable to loading and unloading freight than would have been possible had the sliding member not been present. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention of this application relates to the sliding member featured in each of the Patents above. The invention relates to the addition of a ramp to be used in association with the sliding member. The invention relates to the ease of loading equipment onto the vehicle which would otherwise present an impossible task in the absence of such a ramp. In a day when the desires of the operator of the vehicle is to “get away from it all” it will be found that the ramp of this invention makes it possible to drive an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) onto the ramp and subsequently onto the sliding member of the vehicle. This is virtually impossible without the ramp of this invention. Tying the ATV to the enclosure is a simple matter. 
         [0008]    The use of the ramp system of this invention is not limited to the loading of ATV&#39;s; articles such as landscaping equipment may be loaded on to the sliding platform simply by pushing or driving the equipment up the ramp. It will generally be found that the equipment is too heavy or bulky to lift by hand. 
         [0009]    The ramp system is supported by the stationary frame installed in the vehicle thus the bending of the tail gate is avoided when loading heavy equipment as with other prior art ramp systems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing showing a pickup truck in which the ramp is mounted and the associated sliding platform is also shown. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of sliding platform and the associated ramp in an intermediate stored position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  ( a ) shows the enlargement of the circled area of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the sliding platform and the associated ramp in a working position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  ( a ) shows the enlargement of the circled area of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the sliding hanger of this invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  ( a ) is a side elevational view the sliding hanger of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  ( b ) is a partial front elevational view of the corner construction of the sliding hanger of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the stationary member in which the sliding member and ramp are installed. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  ( a ) is an enlargement of the corner of the sliding member shown in FIG. ( 5 ). 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1  now, there is illustrated a truck  10  to which this invention has been applied. It will be noted that a stationary frame member  12  has been installed in the cargo carrying space  14  of truck  10  by any suitable means. The stationary frame member  12  is shown having cross members  16  formed or installed at intervals along the length thereof for strength The stationary frame member  12  may be of any rectangular configuration but it must have sufficient strength and depth to accommodate the sliding platform  18  (which slides thereon). Sliding platform  18  is covered with a sheet of flat material  20  (plywood or other suitable material)and is arranged to slide out of cargo carrying space  14  on rollers (not shown) on stationary frame member  12 . Sliding platform  18  is shown having a ramp  22  attached thereto which is captivated on the lower side of the sliding platform  18  and may be slid out from under the sliding platform  18 . The sliding platform  18  when combined with an intermediate member  40 , forms a joined relationship with sliding platform  18  when ramp  22  reaches the end of its travel the ramp  22  is allowed to hinge at intermediate member  50  so that it may be swung down with end  28  resting on the ground. 
         [0021]    A better illustration of this arrangement will be seen by referring to  FIG. 2  which shows the sliding platform  18  and the ramp  22  in the absence of the truck  10 . 
         [0022]    Here the sliding platform  18  and the ramp  22  are shown with ramp  22  being in an extended intermediate position. End  28  of the ramp  22  is about to be swung down to its working position. The opposite end of ramp  22  is hingedly coupled to an intermediate member  50  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) of which much will be said later. 
         [0023]    It is noted that the ramp  22  is shown having a pair of ladder-like members  24 - 28  and  26 - 30  which are slidingly captivated below the sliding platform  18 . The members  24 - 28  and  26 - 30  are captured directly below sliding platform  18  so that they are confined to motion parallel to sliding platform  18  and are limited to movement in this direction only. 
         [0024]    The unique method of attachment of the ramp  22  to the sliding platform  18  (in working condition) when ramp  22  has reached the end of its sliding travel makes this invention possible. At the ground contacting end of the ramp  22 , the ladder like elements  24  and  26  are connected together so that the structural rigidity of the ramp  22  is improved and both of the elements  24  and  26  are raised and lowered together. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it will be noted that the ramp  22  is swung downwardly so that the ramp  22  may be used to load equipment on the sliding platform  18 . It will be noted that the ramp  22  is hingedly attached to guides  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and  58  of an intermediate member  50  so that a special spaced relationship will be established between the ramp  22  and the sliding platform  18  when the ramp  22  has been slid to its swung down operating position. It is noted that ramp  22  consisting of two ladder-like elements  24  and  28  and  26  and  30  is connected to element  50  in such a manner that guides  52  and  54  are attached on the inside surfaces of the extending elements  24  and  30  and  26  and  28 . 
         [0026]    Ramp  22  is attached to member  50  by means of bolt  38  which is arranged to pass through holes  60  and  62  of guides  52  and  54  connected to ladder-like members  26  and  28  of ramp  22 . It is noted that members  24  and  30  are hingedly attached to the member  50  in the same manner. 
         [0027]    This special method of attachment of the ramp  22  by means of the connection to member  50 , will allow the equipment which is rolled up the ramp  22  onto the sliding platform  18  without facing a surface discontinuity at the junction of ramp  22  and the sliding platform  18 . It is noted that the ramp  22  is pivotally joined to the sliding element  50  by means of bolt  38  passing through holes  60 - 68  of ladder-like elements  24 - 30  and  26 - 28 . Holes  60 - 68  are situated at a predetermined distance from the upper ends of members  24 - 30  and  26 -- 28 . This allows the upper ends of ladder-like members  26  and  28  of the ramp  22  to project upwardly to match the surface of the sliding platform  18 . 
         [0028]    The guide members  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  which are arranged to slide in the slots provided under the sliding platform  18  (and to which ramp  22  is hingedly attached) will now be described in some detail with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0029]    Member  50  is supplied with guides  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  with guides  52 - 58  being provided with holes  58 - 64  bored therein at a predetermined distance “D” from the end of each guide. (see  FIG. 4   a ). The guides  52 - 58  have an irregular shape so that they will slide under platform  18  (in the slots provided) and hingedly support members  24  and  30  and members  26  and  28  of ramp  22  and in their extended position. 
         [0030]    It will be noted that the upper surface of member  50  is slightly chamfered to assist in sliding of the member  50  under the sliding platform  18 . It is noted that in this instance member  50  is hollow, as shown at  62  in  FIG. 4   a.    
         [0031]    Lastly member  50  is provided with a projection  80  on the lower surface thereof. This provides a necessary stop for ramp  16  at the end of its travel under platform  14 . More will be said about projection  80  later in the discussion of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 5 and 5   a  shows a rectangular movable framework  70  which is situated in the cargo area of the vehicle in which freight is to be hauled. The framework  70  has some depth as can be seen from  FIGS. 5  and  FIG. 5   a . This depth is required to accommodate the ramp assembly  22  of this invention. The flat piece of plywood (or other suitable material) covering the framework  70  has been omitted from this figure for reasons of clarity A pair of slots  76  and  78  (not shown) are formed into the side members  72  and  74  of rectangular movable framework  70 . Slots  76  and  78  are made to accommodate the ramp assembly  22  which is hingedly coupled to member  50  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0033]    Framework member  70  rolls on wheels (not shown) on stationary mounted member  12  and ramp  22  moves with it. It is only when member  70  reaches the end of its travel on member  12  that guides  52 - 58  perform their function. It is at this position that ramp  22  is slid out of the slots  76  and  78  in member  70  to provide a ramp for the system. 
         [0034]    Guides  52 - 56  are allowed to slide in the slots provided in member  70  until the projections such as the one shown as  80  (in  FIG. 4 ) contact the cross member  82  as shown in  FIG. 5 . At this point member  50  is restrained from further movement and ramp  22  maybe swung down to its ramp position as shown in  FIG. 3 . It is to be noted that ramp  22  will be somewhat shorter than the sliding member  70 , due to the fact that member  50  takes up some space in slots  76  ad  78  of member  70  and a lock similar to that shown in applicant&#39;s prior patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,263) must be accommodated in this construction in order for the ramp  22  to function in the best mode. 
         [0035]    Ramp  22  functions as follows: First let us assume that the ramp  22  is in its stored position in cavity  67  beneath the flat surface  18  of sliding member  70 , and that the tail gate is in the “up’ travelling position on truck  10 . 
         [0036]    The vehicle  10  is stopped at the desired location and the tail gate is lowered to its (load-unload) position. It is at this point that sliding platform may be unlatched from its travelling position and rolled to its unloading position as shown in  FIG. 3 ) At some point the wheels (not shown) of the travelling body  70  prevent any further movement of body  70 . At this point the member  70  is locked in place and the ramp  22  is pulled out to the position (as defined by tangs  80  on member  50  and projection  82 ) as shown in  FIG. 3 . Ramp  22  is rotated downwardly until the end  28  rests on the ground and the ramp  22  is ready to be used. 
         [0037]    When the equipment is loaded on the sliding member  70  (actually on flat surface  18 ) the process is reversed, i.e. the ramp  22  is lifted up and pushed into the cavity in sliding member  70  and when the ramp  22  is in its stored position the latch is unlatched to allow member  70  to slide to its travelling position where it is securely latched (by means of a latch similar to the one shown in applicant&#39;s prior patent) and the equipment is tied down in the cargo space of the vehicle where the ramp equipment is installed and the vehicle is driven away to its destination. 
         [0038]    Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of one skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that the modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the dependent claims.