Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-09
2001-06-05
Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
C014S071100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241452
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ramp and more particularly to a ramp which may be mounted in the side door opening of a service van.
2. Description of the Related Art
Maintenance personnel such as office cleaning crews travel from one job site to another in service vans. The service vans normally have a side door provided in the side of the van behind the passenger seat. Further, the service vans normally have a rear door formed therein. It is frequently necessary for the personnel to unload floor scrubbers, buffers, etc., from the interior of the rear portion of the van and the same is difficult due to the height of the van and the weight of the equipment. Sometimes the operator of the vehicle will carry wood planks or the like in the van to aid in unloading and loading heavy and bulky equipment. However, the wood planks or the like consume considerable space in the van and the planks may be dangerous to use due to the fact that the planks may slip as the equipment is being loaded or unloaded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A ramp is disclosed for installation in a service van having a side door step positioned inwardly of a side door. The ramp comprises a base plate secured to the side door step with the base plate having a forward end and a rearward end. A generally rectangular upper deck is pivotally secured at its upper end, about a horizontal axis, to the base plate. A generally rectangular lower deck is pivotally secured at its upper end, about a horizontal axis, to the lower end of the upper deck. The upper and lower decks are selectively pivotally movable from a storage position to an operative ramp position. The upper and lower decks, when in their storage position, extend upwardly from the base plate with the bottom surface of the upper and lower decks being adjacent to one another. The upper and lower decks, when in their ramp position, extend downwardly and outwardly from the base plate so that the lower end of the lower deck is in engagement with the ground or some similar surface. Means is provided for selectively maintaining the upper and lower decks in their storage position.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a ramp for use with a service van having a side door step positioned inwardly of a side door.
A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable ramp which is secured to the side door step of a service van and which may be moved from a storage position inwardly of the side door to a ramp position wherein the ramp extends downwardly and outwardly from the side door of the service van to enable heavy equipment to be loaded and unloaded.
A further object of the invention is to provide a ramp of the type described including means for maintaining the ramp in its stored position.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a ramp of the type described which is safe and convenient to use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a ramp of the type described which may be easily removed from the service van as required.
These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4084713 (1978-04-01), Rohrs et al.
patent: 4966516 (1990-10-01), Varfanian
patent: 4979867 (1990-12-01), Best
patent: 5259081 (1993-11-01), Henderson
Link Mfg. Ltd.
Thomte Dennis L.
Werner Frank E.
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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