The Knapheide Mfg. Co.

The Knapheide Manufacturing Company

John Y Leaver

Harold D Huggins

A latching device to connect two adjacent members (i.e. truck panels) is provided. The latching device is comprised of two parts, a movable latching member and a receiving member, each attached to adjacent panels. The movable latching member is comprised of a plate, a retaining bracket, a latch rod and a spring. The latch rod has a ring fixedly attached thereto and is rotatably and slidably received within the retaining bracket, which is in turn attached to the plate. The spring circumferentially surrounds a portion of the latch rod and has its ends abutting the bracket and the ring thereby biasing the rod toward its retaining position. The receiving means is connected to a second panel and has a slot therein. The latch rod has an engaging end which is received within the slot and firmly engages the slot. The engaging end has a cam surface which acts to pull the latch rod further within the receiving member, against the bias of the spring, when the latch rod is rotated in a selected direction (and vice versa if the latch rod is rotated in the opposite direction). This arrangement reduces the relative movement between the two panels and, thus, reduces the vibratory noises generated by the panels.

Latching mechanism for panels

Platform body for a truck

Provided is a brace for preventing a truck body from falling when raised above its chassis for maintenance, inspection or servicing. The brace includes a support column, one end of which is pivotally connected to a body longsill and the other end is retained by a release mechanism located on the body for holding the column in riding position. Provided on the chassis is a retainer for securely retaining the column when it extends between the body (when raised) and chassis as a brace to prevent the body from falling. A stop is provided for limiting the pivot angle of the column. The brace is installed in supporting position without an operator having to locate any portion of his body under the truck body while raised. This is accomplished by actuating the release mechanism to release the column. The body is then raised from remote control location and the column pivots until it abuts its stop mechanism which locates the lower end of the column above the retainer on the chassis. Lowering of the body then joins the column and retainer to form a brace structure which prevents the body from being further lowered.

Safety brace

A hinge construction particularly designed for exterior usage is provided by the present invention. Two planar sections are comprised of complementary land portions and cutaway portions disposed in spaced apart relationship along the length of the hinge. The cutaway portions of one section receive the land portions of the other section. With such configuration only a single thickness of metal separates the hinged member from the mounting member. First and second barrel mounting sections extend in the same direction outwardly away from the respective first and second planar sections. The two barrel mounting sections in turn mount complementary hinge barrels which, when positioned in alignment, receive a hinge pin. As a result of the hinge mounting sections projecting outwardly away from the hinged member and the mounting members, a weather shield is formed to help keep moisture and dirt out of the opening that is closed by the door. Location of the hinge barrels spaced from the hinged member and the mounting member also reduces the accumulation of dirt in the hinge.

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Quincy, IL, United States of America

John Y Leaver