| US 7,491,026 B2 | ||
| Lift gate assembly | ||
| William J. Hooker, Woodstock (Canada) | ||
| Assigned to SAF-Holland, Inc., Holland, Mich. (US) | ||
| Filed on Mar. 17, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/82,513. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0210383 A1, Sep. 21, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B60P 1/44 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 414—545 [414/556; 414/557; 187/243] | 33 Claims |
| 1. A lift gate assembly, comprising:
a pair of spaced apart columns;
a pair of support members telescoping received within the pair of spaced apart columns;
a platform having a first section operably coupled to the pair of support members, and a second section operably coupled to
the first section;
a support element having a first end operably coupled with one of the pair of support members, and a second end operably coupled
with the platform, wherein the support element supports the platform when the platform is in an in-use position;
an arm having a first end operably coupled to the platform and a second end operably coupled to the support element between
the first and second ends of the support element;
a first bracket fixed to the first section of the platform that restricts rotation of the platform with respect to at least
one of the columns;
a second bracket fixed to the second section of the platform that restricts the rotation of the arm with respect to the second
section of the platform;
at least one third bracket fixed to one of the columns; and
a fourth bracket operably coupled to the arm and adapted to engage the third bracket to restrict rotation of the platform
with respect to one of the columns and to support the platform from one of the columns in a vertical direction when the platform
is in a storage position, thereby preventing the platform from moving in a vertical downward direction with respect to one
of the columns.
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