Deere + Company

Thomas Allan Shambeau

Loren F Hansen

Nicholas Hamm

Eugene Bertrum Glaze

Utility vehicle body

A vehicle includes a bed having an opening through which a sling leg may be passed. A sling load portal includes the opening and a door mounted under the bed and movable between a closed position wherein the door is in registration with the opening and an open position wherein the door is removed from registration with the opening, providing a path through the bed to a lift provision connected to the frame of the vehicle.

Sling load portal for cargo box

Cargo box

A tie-down anchor is provided for strapping cargo to a cargo bed. The tie-down anchor includes a receptacle member, which in turn includes a base and a mounting flange secured to the base. The mounting flange is mounted to the cargo bed in alignment with a mounting hole in the bed. A strap-receiving member is disposed in the receptacle member supported on the base for floating rotary and pivotal movement. The strap-receiving member includes a base leg having a length greater than the diameter of the mounting hole and an extension fixed to the base leg to create an opening for receiving the strap. The extension is narrower than the mounting hole so that the extension may pass through the mounting hole and extend above the bed.

Tie-down anchor

A convertible cargo box for transporting cargo on a vehicle is provided with first and second opposite side walls pivotably mounted about generally horizontal axes located adjacent the floor. The first and second side walls are each pivotable between a closed position generally perpendicular to the floor and an open position generally parallel to and aligned with floor to form an extension thereof. A sidewall support assembly is provided for releasably latching one of the first and second side walls in its open and closed positions. The sidewall support assembly includes a slide latch having a first end pivotably mounted to the one of the first and second side walls. The slide latch has an elongated slot with a stop corresponding to the open position of the one of the side walls. A slot follower is fixed between the first and second opposite side walls and slidably captured in the slot. The slot follower is engageable with the stop for preventing further pivoting of the one of the first and second side walls past its open position when the slot follower engages the stop.

Cargo box sidewall latch

A tailgate support is provided for a cargo box having a floor, opposite sidewalls and a rear wall with the latter being defined by a tailgate which is mounted for pivoting about a horizontal axis located adjacent the floor, between an upright closed position and a recumbent open position. The tailgate support includes an arm mounted beneath the floor and movable between a stored position wherein the arm is disposed beneath the floor and a support position wherein the arm extends beyond the floor in a direction of horizontal extension of the tailgate as considered when the tailgate is in its open position. The tailgate rests on the arm when the arm is in its support position and the tailgate is in its open position. A latching mechanism is provided to secure the tailgate in its open position. A stop is provided to limit the pivotal movement of the arm beyond its stored and support positions.

Growing community of inventors

Beaver Dam, WI, United States of America

Thomas Allan Shambeau