Patent ID: 8414083

Claim:
A tailgate comprising: a pair of spaced apart side walls; an end wall comprising a gate; at least one extendible and retractable actuator pivotally connected at a first end to one of said spaced apart side walls; a lever arm having a first elongated arm portion including a terminal end and said lever arm having a second arm bracket portion pivotally connected to said first elongated arm portion via a pivot which simultaneously connects said extendible and retractable actuator to said lever arm; said gate being connected to and extending downwardly from said second arm bracket portion; at least first and second apertures located in said one of said spaced apart side walls, said first and second apertures being located in particular positions of said tailgate such that: a) when a selector pin is inserted in said first aperture, said extendible and retractable actuator is secured in a substantially or completely vertical orientation during extension and retraction and, therefore, when said actuator is operated to extend or retract when said selector pin is inserted in said first aperture, said extendible and retractable actuator thereby raises or lowers said gate up or down, respectively, within a generally vertical plane in a metering mode; b) when said selector pin is inserted in said second aperture, said selector pin connects said terminal end of said lever arm to, or proximal to, said one of said spaced apart side walls at a location such that when said extendible and retractable actuator is extended, said lever arm pivots about an axis of said selector pin and said extendible and retractable actuator pivots about its said first end within a range of angles such that said gate is raised upwardly and angularly outwardly in a high lift mode; and wherein said first and said second apertures are so located, and said gate is pivotable via said pivot connection of said second arm bracket portion to said first elongated arm portion, such that said gate is operable in a top hinge mode regardless of said selector pin location.