Truck Body

This invention relates to truck bodies with h cab forward of the truck bed wherein a bulkhead moves longitudinally from the forward to the rear end of the truck bed to eject material carried therein. This

Material ejecting truck bodies which provide a movable bulkhead or pusher to empty the contents of the truck bed are well-known in the art. These truck body designs allow for emptying the contents of the truck bed with minimal additional space requirements, as opposed to the normal space required above the bed of the truck when utilizing a pivoted bed arrangement. However, the prior art has failed to provide effective means for removing material positioned on a cab cover plate The present invention attempts to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

The present invention provides a truck which includes a cab positioned in a forward portion of the truck and a truck bed for carrying material to be transported by the truck positioned in the rear. The truck bed includes a flow and a pair of spaced sidewalls attached to the floor extending longitudinally along the truck. Each sidewall has a first end adjacent the cab of the truck and a second end at a distal, discharge end of the truck. A movable bulkhead extends between the sidewalls. The bulkhead is movable along substantially the entire length of the sidewalls and truck bed for ejecting material from the truck bed. A piston assembly for moving the bulkhead is attached thereto. A movable carriage is attached to the bulkhead to be movable therewith. A cab cover plate supported by the carriage is pivotally attached to the carriage. A mechanism is provided for pivoting the cab cover plate for dumping material carried by the cab cover plate.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become clarified in the description of the preferred embodiment in connection with the figures attached hereto, of which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a truck of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the truck of FIG. 1 with the bulkhead and cab cover plate moved to the rear of the bed;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the truck bed and cab cover plate of FIG. 1 with the cab cover plate pivoting stops removed for clarity; and

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the truck of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates a truck 10 utilizing a truck bed 12 of the present invention. The truck 10 includes a cab 14 positioned in a forward portion of the truck. The truck bed 12 is for carrying material to be transported by the truck 10 and is positioned behind the cab 14 in a rearward portion of the truck 10. The truck bed 12 includes a floor 16 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) having a first end adjacent the cab 14 and a second end at a distal, discharge end of the truck 10. A pair of substantially parallel, spaced sidewalls 18 and 20 (see FIG. 3) are attached to the floor 16 and extend longitudinally along the truck 10. Each sidewall includes a first end adjacent the cab 14 and a second end adjacent a distal, discharge end of the truck 10.

A movable bulkhead 22 extending between the sidewalls 18 and 20 forms the forward end of the material carrying container of the truck bed 12. The bulkhead 22 is movable along substantially the entire length of the sidewalls 18 and 20 for ejecting material from the truck bed 12. A piston assembly 24 is coupled to the bulkhead 22 for moving the bulkhead 22 and ejecting the material. The piston assembly 24 is supported by a gantry 25 which extends between tracks 30 and 32 (see FIG. 3). However, the piston assembly 24 may be mounted to the truck 10 in any conventional manner.

Positioned above the sidewalls and attached to the bulkhead is a carriage 26. The carriage 26 is mounted for movement on rollers 28 which are positioned in a pair of tracks 30 and 32 (see FIG. 3) extending from the cab 14 to the distal end of the sidewalls 18 and 20, respectively. Each track 30 and 32 supports the rollers 28 which in turn support the carriage 26 which moves with the bulkhead 22. The carriage 26 pivotably supports a cab cover plate 34 in a substantially horizontal position. The cab cover plate 34 is pivotably attached to the carriage 26 through hinges 36 (as best shown in FIG. 4).

A mechanism is provided for pivoting the cab cover plate 34 as the bulkhead 22 reaches the distal, discharge end of the truck bed 12 (as shown in FIG. 2). A pair of stops 38 and 40 (see FIG. 3) are attached to the sidewalls 18 and 20, respectively, adjacent the distal end of the truck bed 12. A pair of camming lever arms 42 and 44 are attached to the cab cover plate 34 and cooperate with the pair of stops 38 and 40, respectively, to pivot the cab cover plate 34 into an elevated, discharge position as the bulkhead 22 moves to the distal, discharge end of the truck bed 12.

A gate 46 is pivotally attached to the floor 16 and extends between the sidewalls 18 and 20 at the distal end of the truck bed forming a rearward end of the material carrying container of the truck bed 12. As shown in FIG. 3, gate 46 is attached to a pair of gate arms 48 and 50 operated by a pair of pistons 52 and 54, respectively, for opening and closing the gate.

The operation of the truck bed 12 of the present invention is as follows. When material is being transported within the truck bed 12, the bulkhead 22 is positioned adjacent the first end of the truck bed 12 adjacent the cab 14. The carriage 26 is in a position such that it overlays the cab 14 as does the supported cab cover plate 34 in a substantially horizontal position (as shown in FIG. 1). Material to be carried is loaded on floor 16 between the sidewalls 18 and 20, and as is often the case, material may be spilled during the loading procedure or otherwise deposited on top of the cab cover plate 34. During transportation, the gate 46 will normally be in an upward, closed position as shown in FIG. 1. To discharge the carried material, the gate 46 is lowered to an open position by actuating the pistons 52 and 54 to pivot the gate arms 48 and 50, respectively, and pivotally open the gate 46. The bulkhead 22 is moved by the piston assembly 24 toward the distal, discharge end of the truck bed 12. The carriage 26 and the cab cover plate 34 will follow the bulkhead 22 since the carriage 26 is attached to the bulkhead 22. As the bulkhead 22 approaches the distal end of the truck bed 12, the pair of camming lever arms 42 and 44 will engage with the pair of stops 38 and 40, respectively, provided on the sidewalls 18 and 20 such that continued movement of the bulkhead 22 will pivotally raise the cab cover plate 34 to a second elevated position discharging any material carried thereon (as shown in FIG. 2).

The present invention provides f or a quick, easy discharge of material and incorporates a design which removes material present on the cab cover plate 34. Material may be transported on the cab cover plate 34 or may be pushed onto the cab cover plate 34, as the bulkhead 22 moves toward the discharge end of the truck bed 12. In either case, the present arrangement provides for the discharge of such material.

It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Consequently, the Applicant's invention is to be limited only by the attached claims.