Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Patent
1983-09-28
1985-10-15
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
296182, 296183, 296198, B62D 3304
Patent
active
045469695
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a trailer for coupling to the traction unit of an articulated vehicle or to the rear of a Lorry. The trailer is intended for use principally as a conventional trailer, but it can also be used as a mobile work shop, kitchen/diner unit, exhibition unit and the like.
A disadvantage of known trailers is the height of the trailer floor off the ground; for heavy goods transporters, this height can be as much as 5 feet, and is otherwise not less than 3 feet. As there is normally a height restriction on the trailer roof the carrying capacity is therefore limited by those two factors. The reason for the floor height restriction is the presence of a strong chassis capable of bearing the loads to be carried and it is an object of this invention to provide a trailer which has no load bearing chassis and in which the only structural member between the top of the axles and the floor surface between the wheel arches is a flat plate of about six millimeter-thickness so that the floor height can be lighter than normal for heavy goods trailers. Thus, the capacity of the trailer, whose height is limited by law, is increased.
According to the present invention, there is provided a trailer having at least one pair of transversely spaced wheel arches carrying at least one wheel axle via spring means, a horizontally disposed base frame attached to said wheel arches substantially adjacent to the level of the axles so that the frame is below the level of the tops of the wheels, a floor supported by said frame, a major portion of which floor is formed of corrugated sheet welded to the base frame, and corrugated upright wall members also welded to the base frame and supporting a roof frame, the weight of the load carried by the trailer being transmitted through the axle springs to the base frame in the vicinity of the wheel arches and into the upright walls.
Preferably, an intermediate floor is provided at a location between the base frame and the roof frame, said intermediate floor being formed of corrugated sheet material welded to the side walls of the trailer.
Preferably also, the base floor between the wheel arches is formed by a plate.
Preferably also, the or each floor is overlaid with wood.
Preferably also, a counterbalance door is provided in at least one side wall and comprises upper and lower door portions pivotal horizontally and interconnected by a linkage so that movement of one panel causes corresponding movement of the other.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a trailer according to the invention with parts omitted for illustrative purposes.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation of a detail.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective of an alternative detail.
FIG. 4 is a further alternative detail to that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIG. 5 is a perspective side elevation of another trailer according to the invention.
Referring firstly to FIG. 1, a trailer is shown which is 12 m long, 2.4 m wide and with a base floor 10 the surface of which is only 0.558 m above ground level, as explained more fully hereinafter.
At the front end of the trailer is a stepped portion 11 to accommodate thereunder a towing pin 12 for connection to the fifth wheel coupling of the traction and of an articulated lorry; alternatively, a turntable axle may be provided for towing by drawbar.
The trailer illustrated has two pairs of double wheels 13 which may be the standard 825.times.15 twin tyres, thus placing the centres of the wheel axles 14 at a height of 0.419 m off the ground; for axles of 0.126 m dia., the upper limit of the axle is therefore 0.48 m. The underside of the floor 10 of the trailer can be about 0.076 m above the axles 14 in order to provide space for vertical oscillation of the axles during use. A flat heavy gauge steel plate 15 of 0.635 cm can provide the flooring above the axle, thus setting the height of the floor surface at 0.558 m above ground leve
REFERENCES:
patent: 2045166 (1936-06-01), Robinson
patent: 2579003 (1951-12-01), Josephian
patent: 3097877 (1963-07-01), Erlandsen
patent: 3188131 (1965-06-01), Attwood
patent: 3776400 (1973-12-01), Schwartz
patent: 3796457 (1974-03-01), Hinchliff
patent: 4024671 (1977-05-01), Isobe
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