Pivoting frame for carrying sheet material

Abstract

A pivoting frame for carrying sheet material, which frame is mounted in a pick-up truck bed at one side of the bed and is adjustable for receiving various types of sheet material such as sheetrock, plywood and the like. The frame is mounted to the pick-up truck bed side and floor and is designed to pivot into a first loading and unloading configuration outwardly of the pick-up truck bed at a selected access angle and inwardly of the pick-up truck bed for transportation purposes. In a preferred embodiment the pivoting arm elements of the frame are adjustable along with the frame mount, to facilitate mounting the pivoting frame in pick-up truck beds of various design.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pick-up truck bed with one embodiment of the pivoting frame of this invention positioned in upright, locked transportation configuration and a panel of sheet material such as plywood, in functional position in the pivoting frame;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the pick-up truck bed illustrated in FIG. 1, with the pivoting frame and plywood panel pivoted outwardly of the pick-up truck bed and over the bed side for positioning the plywood in unloading configuration;

FIG. 3 is a rear sectional view of the pick-up truck bed illustrated in FIG. 1, more particularly illustrating the plywood panel cargo and the pivoting frame in the upward-standing transportation configuration;

FIG. 4 is a rear sectional view of the pick-up truck bed illustrated in FIG. 2, more particularly illustrating the pivoting frame and panel in the outwardly pivoted loading and unloading configuration;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the pick-up truck bed illustrated in FIG. 1 with the plywood panel removed, more particularly illustrating a pivoting frame deployed in the upward-standing transportation configuration;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the pick-up truck bed illustrated in FIG. 2 with the plywood panel removed, more particularly illustrating the pivoting frame located outwardly of the pick-up truck bed for loading and unloading purposes;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pivoting frame in the loading and unloading configuration and detached from the pick-up truck;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of frame mount and pivot bar mount elements of the pivoting frame which are mounted to the bed of the pick-up truck;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a typical receiver leg element of the pivoting frame, more particularly illustrating a leg slot for receiving a positioning cleat and securing the sheet material on the pivoting frame; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a pivoting frame for carrying sheet material of this invention.

Claims

1. A pivoting frame for carrying a load on a truck having a truck bed, comprising a frame mount carried by the truck bed and a pair of pivoting arms pivotally carried by said frame mount, wherein said pivoting arms are selectively pivoted outwardly of the truck bed in a loading and unloading configuration and inwardly of the truck bed in a transportation configuration.

2. The pivoting frame of claim 1 wherein said frame mount comprises a pair of frame mounts mounted in the truck bed in spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other and said pivoting arms are pivotally attached to said frame mounts, respectively.

3. The pivoting frame of claim 1 comprising a lock pin carried by at least one of said pivoting arms, said lock pin removably engaging said frame mount and locking said at least one of said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration.

4. The pivoting frame of claim 2 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.

5. The pivoting frame of claim 1 comprising a pull cable connected to said pivoting arms for selectively pivoting said pivoting arms into said loading and unloading configuration and said transportation configuration.

6. The pivoting frame of claim 5 wherein said frame mount comprises a pair of frame mounts mounted in the truck bed in spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other and said pivoting arms are pivotally attached to said frame mounts, respectively.

7. The pivoting frame of claim 5 comprising a lock pin carried by at least one of said pivoting arms, said lock pin removably engaging said frame mount and locking said at least one of said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration.

8. The pivoting frame of claim 6 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.

9. The pivoting frame of claim 1 comprising at least one connector bar connecting said pivoting arms and wherein said frame mount comprises a pair of frame mounts mounted on the truck bed in spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other and said pivoting arms are pivotally attached to said frame mounts, respectively.

10. The pivoting frame of claim 9 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.

11. The pivoting frame of claim 10 comprising a pull cable connected to said pivoting arms for selectively pivoting said pivoting arms into said loading and unloading configuration and said transportation configuration.

12. A pivoting frame for carrying a load on a truck having a truck bed and bed sides, comprising a pair of frame mounts carried by the truck bed and one of the bed sides in spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other; a pair of pivoting arms pivotally carried by said frame mounts, respectively, for selectively pivoting outwardly of the truck bed and said one of the bed sides in a loading and unloading configuration, and inwardly of the truck bed and said one of the bed sides in a transportation configuration and at least one connector bar connecting said pivoting arms.

13. The pivoting frame of claim 12 comprising a lock pin carried by at least one of said pivoting arms, said lock pin removably engaging at least one of said frame mount and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed when said pivoting arms are in said transportation configuration.

14. The pivoting frame of claim 12 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.

15. The pivoting frame of claim 12 comprising a pull cable connecting said pivoting arms for selectively pivoting said pivoting arms into said loading and unloading configuration and said transportation configuration.

16. The pivoting frame of claim 15 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.

17. A pivoting frame for carrying a load on a truck having a truck bed and bed sides, comprising a pair of spaced-apart frame mounts carried by the truck bed and one of the bed sides; a pair of pivoting arms pivotally engaging said frame mounts, respectively; and a pivot pin connecting each of said pivoting arms to said frame mounts, respectively, for selectively pivoting said pivoting arms outwardly of the truck bed and said one of the bed sides in a loading and unloading configuration and inwardly of the truck bed and said one of the bed sides in a transportation configuration.

18. The pivoting frame of claim 17 comprising at least one connector bar connected to said pivoting arms.

19. The pivoting frame of claim 18 comprising a pull cable connected to said pivoting arms for selectively pivoting said pivoting arms into said loading and unloading configuration and said transportation configuration.

20. The pivoting frame of claim 19 comprising a pair of lock pins carried by said pivoting arms, respectively, and a lock pin cable connecting said lock pins, said lock pins removably engaging said frame mounts, respectively, and locking said pivoting arms in the truck bed in said transportation configuration responsive to release of tension in said lock pin cable, and said lock pins disengaging said frame mounts, respectively, responsive to tensioning of said lock pin cable for pivoting said pivoting arms from said transportation configuration to said loading and unloading configuration.