Trailer construction

Claim 2

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, said rail having spaced walls for supporting opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means extending transversely through said side walls and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means being below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer.

Claim 3

A trailer body according to claim 1 wherein each of said channeled rails includes an elongated horizoNtally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and said inner and outer laterally spaced side walls are formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel.

Claim 4

A trailer body according to claim 2 which includes flexible joint means between one of said side walls and said base for permitting uniform lateral movement of said one side wall against an associated side panel whereby to provide substantially full contact with said side panel and thereby to more rigidly secure the latter within and to said rail.

Claim 5

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein at least one of said side walls of each of said channeled rails extends a substantial distance above and below said floor and presents a substantially large surface area for engaging said associated side panel whereby to more rigidly secure said side panel within and to said rail.

Claim 6

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein at least one of said side walls of each of said channeled rails extends a substantial distance above and below said floor and presents a substantially large surface area for engaging said associated side panel whereby to more rigidly secure said side panel within and to said rail.

Claim 7

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein a longitudinal groove is provided with and extends the length of the panel engaging surface of said outer side wall, said groove being adapted to receive a sealant for preventing water or other environmental entities from entering into said channeled rail.

Claim 8

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein a longitudinal groove is provided with and extends the length of the panel engaging surface of said outer side wall, said groove being adapted to receive a sealant for preventing water or other environmental entities from entering into said channeled rail.

Claim 9

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving an supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and Associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein said inner side wall extends upwardly beyond said floor and includes a thinner upper portion joined to the remainder of the inner side wall by an inwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder, said shoulder being positioned above said floor.

Claim 10

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving an supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and Associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein said inner side wall extends upwardly beyond said floor and includes a thinner upper portion joined to the remainder of the inner side wall by an inwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder, said shoulder being positioned above said floor.

Claim 11

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with an extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein each of said connecting assemblies includes an elongated plate member mounted to the external surface of an associated side panel and adjacent the top of a corresponding outer side wall, and additional fastening means extending transversely through said plate member, said associated side panel and said inner side wall and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said plate member said side panel and said channeled rail, said additional fastening means extending below said floor.

Claim 12

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of said side panels, fastening means extending transversely through said rail and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means extending below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each of said channeled rails also including an elongated horizontally extending base for supporting the lower edge of an associated side panel and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with an extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base for engaging opposite sides of said associated side panel, said fastening means extending transversely through said side walls, and wherein each of said connecting assemblies includes an elongated plate member mounted to the external surface of an associated side panel and adjacent the top of a corresponding outer side wall, and additional fastening means extending transversely through said plate member, said associated side panel and said inner side wall and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said plate member said side panel and said channeled rail, said additional fastening means extending below said floor.

Claim 13

A trailer body according to claim 7 wherein each of said plate members extends the entire length of its associated channeled rail and includes an outwardly extending shoulder portion extending the entire length thereof.

Claim 14

A trailer body according to claim 7 wherein each of said first mentioned and second mentioned fastening means comprises a plurality of elongated bolts.

Claim 15

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, a connector assembly comprising a channeled rail having an elongated horizontally extending base supporting the lower edge of one of said side panels and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base and engaging opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means transversely insertable through said side walls and said side panel for securing said channeled rail and side panel to common ends of said beams, said fastening means extending below the floor of said trailer body whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer.

Claim 16

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, a connector assembly comprising a channeled rail having an elongated horizontally extending base supporting the lower edge of one of said side panels and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base and engaging opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means transversely insertable through said side walls and said side panel for securing said channeled rail and side panel to common ends of said beams, said fastening means extending below the floor of said trailer body whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer.

Claim 17

A structure according to claim 10 wherein one of said side walls is flexibly joined to said base for substantially uniform lateral movement against said side panel whereby to provide substantially full contact with said side panel.

Claim 18

A connecting assembly for use in a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, said connector assembly comprising a channeled rail having an elongated horizontally extending base adapted to support the lower edge of one of said side panels and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base and adapted to engage opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means transversely insertable through said side walls and said side panel for securing said channeled rail and side panel to common ends of said beams, said fastening means being adapted to extend below the floor of said trailer body whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, one of said side walls being flexibly joined to said base for substantially uniform lateral movement against said side panel whereby to provide substantially full contact with said side panel, and wherein a longitudinal groove is provided with and extends the length of the panel engaging surface of said outer wall member and is adapted to receive a sealant for preventing water or other environmental entities from entering within said rail.

Claim 19

A connecting assembly for use in a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, said connector assembly comprising a channeled rail having an elongated horizontally extending base adapted to support the lower edge of one of said side panels and inner and outer laterally spaced side walls formed with and extending upwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of said base and adapted to engage opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means transversely insertable through said side walls and said side panel for securing said channeled rail and side panel to common ends of said beams, said fastening means being adapted to extend below the floor of said trailer body whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, one of said side walls being flexibly joined to said base for substantially uniform lateral movement against said side panel whereby to provide substantially full contact with said side panel, and wherein a longitudinal groove is provided with and extends the length of the panel engaging surface of said outer wall member and is adapted to receive a sealant for preventing water or other environmental entities from entering within said rail.

Claim 20

A connecting assembly according to claim 12 including an elongated plate member mountable to the external surface of said side panel and adjacent the top of said outer side wall, and additional fastening means transversely insertable through said plate member, said side panel and said inner side wall for further securing said side panel and said rail to the common ends of said beams, said plate member being positionable with respect to said floor so that said last mentioned fastening means extends below said floor.

Claim 21

A connecting assembly according to claim 13 wherein the inner side wall includes a thinner upper portion joined to the remainder of said inner side wall by an inwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder.