Cargo carrying vehicle construction

Claim 2

In a structural element of the rub rail and roof edge element type for use in a cargo carrying vehicle, said structural element including an elongated main body portion formed to extend along a side of the vehicle, upper and lower flange portions formed to extend laterally inwardly from said main body portion at relatively vertically spaced heights on said main body portion to define with the inwardly facing surface of said main body portion an edge closure for a horizontally extending panel, and a vertically extending flange for securement of a vertically extending panel thereto, the improvement comprising: a plurality of openings extending through said main body portion from the outwardly facing side thereof to said inwardly facing side at longitudinally spaced apart positions along the length of said structural element, said openings being formed and dimensioned for insertion of a tool therethrough for deposit of a foam forming composition into said horizontally extending panel interiorly of said structural element to enable foaming of said horizontally extending panel through said structural element with said structural element in place to define the edge of said horizontally extending panel, and said main body portion being formed with longitudinally extending ribs projecting outwardly from the outwardly facing surface of said main body portion at positions above and below said openings for receipt and positioning of an adhesive tape element therebetween.

Claim 3

In a structural element of the rub rail and roof edge element type for use in a cargo carrying vehicle, said structural element including an elongated main body portion formed to extend along a side of the vehicle, at least one flange portion formed to extend laterally inwardly from said main body portion for securement of a horizontally extending panel thereto, and a vertically extending flange portion for securement of a vertically extending panel thereto, the improvement comprising: said main body portion being formed with a longitudinally extending channel formed for mounting of a plurality of wires therein and having a longitudinally extending opening facing away from the exterior of the vehicle and providing an access to said channel over the length thereof, said opening being dimensioned for insertion of said wires into said channel and said longitudinally extenDing opening being formed to provide an O-ring receiving seat to allow securement of said wires in said channel by positioning of an O-ring in said seat.

Claim 4

In a structural element of the rub rail and roof edge element type for use in a cargo carrying vehicle, said structural element including an elongated main body portion formed to extend along a side of the vehicle, at least one flange portion formed to extend laterally inwardly from said main body portion for securement of a horizontally extending panel thereto, and a vertically extending flange portion for securement of a vertically extending panel thereto, the improvement comprising: said main body portion being formed with a longitudinally extending channel formed for mounting of a plurality of wires therein and having a longitudinally extending opening facing away from the exterior of the vehicle and providing an access to said channel over the length thereof, said opening being dimensioned for insertion of said wires into said channel and said longitudinally extenDing opening being formed to provide an O-ring receiving seat to allow securement of said wires in said channel by positioning of an O-ring in said seat.

Claim 5

In a rub rail for use as a structural element in a cargo carrying vehicle, said rub rail including an elongated main body portion formed to extend along a side of the vehicle, a longitudinally extending rub rail portion projecting laterally from an outwardly facing side of said main body portion, and a longitudinally extending lower flange portion formed to extend from an inwardly facing side of said main body portion to a position beneath a structural, element of the floor of said vehicle, the improvement comprising: a longitudinally extending upper flange portion formed to extend from the inwardly facing side of said main body portion at a vertically spaced distance above said lower flange portion, said upper flange portion being resiliently upwardly displaceable and formed with a downwardly facing surface formed for superimposition over and contact with an upper structural element of the floor of said vehicle and a second downwardly facing surface adjacent the inner end of said upper flange, said second surface being disposed adjacent and on a plane vertically above said first named surface and formed for receipt and securement of an upper skin element thereto.

Claim 6

In a rub rail for use as a structural element in a cargo carrying vehicle, said rub rail including an elongated main body portion formed to extend along a side of the vehicle, a longitudinally extending rub rail portion projecting laterally from an outwardly facing side of said main body portion, and a longitudinally extending lower flange portion formed to extend from an inwardly facing side of said main body portion to a position beneath a structural, element of the floor of said vehicle, the improvement comprising: a longitudinally extending upper flange portion formed to extend from the inwardly facing side of said main body portion at a vertically spaced distance above said lower flange portion, said upper flange portion being resiliently upwardly displaceable and formed with a downwardly facing surface formed for superimposition over and contact with an upper structural element of the floor of said vehicle and a second downwardly facing surface adjacent the inner end of said upper flange, said second surface being disposed adjacent and on a plane vertically above said first named surface and formed for receipt and securement of an upper skin element thereto.

Claim 7

A rub rail as defined in claim 3 wherein, said upper flange portion is formed with a pair of relatively laterally spaced apart upwardly facing longitudinally extending shoulders disposed at substantially the same vertical height and defining a longitudinally extending notch, said shoulders and said notch providing a traction surface at a side door of said vehicle for passage of loading equipment thereover.

Claim 8

In a cargo carrying vehicle body suitable for transportation of refrigerated cargo and having a thermally insulated floor panel, a longitudinally extending metallic rub rail secured to said floor panel and formed with a vertically extending side wall receiving portion extending upwardly to a position above said floor panel and an inwardly projecting and longitudinally extending flange portion providing an upwardly facing shoulder projecting above said floor panel, a plurality of thermally insulating side wall panels mounted side-by-side on said upwardly facing shoulder and secured to said side wall receiving portion of said rub rail, a thermally insulating roof panel mounted on said side wall panels in superimposed relation to said floor panel, a longitudinally extending metallic roof edge element secured to said roof panel and formed with a downwardly depending flange extending to a position below said roof panel and an inwardly projecting and longitudinally extending flange portion providing a downwardly facing shoulder projecting below said roof panel, said side wall panels being secured to said downwardly depending flange, the improvement comprising: said side wall panels having a greater thickness than the distance to which said inwardly extending flanges on said rub rail and said roof edge elements project, and said side wall panels being formed with substantially identical longitudinally extending upwardly and downwardly stepped notches in the top and bottom edges thereof, said notches extending inwardly from the outside surface of said side panels a distance greater than said inwardly extending flanges and less than the thickness of said side panels, and said notches extending upwardly and downwardly a distance greater than the distances to which said upwardly facing shoulder projects above said floor panel and said downwardly facing shoulder projects below said roof panel, whereby said side panels can be used on either side of said vehicle by inverting the same about a horizontal longitudinal axis thereof.

Claim 9

In a cargo carrying vehicle body suitable for transportation of refrigerated cargo and having a thermally insulated floor panel, a longitudinally extending metallic rub rail secured to said floor panel and formed with a vertically extending side wall receiving portion extending upwardly to a position above said floor panel and an inwardly projecting and longitudinally extending flange portion providing an upwardly facing shoulder projecting above said floor panel, a plurality of thermally insulating side wall panels mounted side-by-side on said upwardly facing shoulder and secured to said side wall receiving portion of said rub rail, a thermally insulating roof panel mounted on said side wall panels in superimposed relation to said floor panel, a longitudinally extending metallic roof edge element secured to said roof panel and formed with a downwardly depending flange extending to a position below said roof panel and an inwardly projecting and longitudinally extending flange portion providing a downwardly facing shoulder projecting below said roof panel, said side wall panels being secured to said downwardly depending flange, the improvement comprising: said side wall panels having a greater thickness than the distance to which said inwardly extending flanges on said rub rail and said roof edge elements project, and said side wall panels being formed with substantially identical longitudinally extending upwardly and downwardly stepped notches in the top and bottom edges thereof, said notches extending inwardly from the outside surface of said side panels a distance greater than said inwardly extending flanges and less than the thickness of said side panels, and said notches extending upwardly and downwardly a distance greater than the distances to which said upwardly facing shoulder projects above said floor panel and said downwardly facing shoulder projects below said roof panel, whereby said side panels can be used on either side of said vehicle by inverting the same about a horizontal longitudinal axis thereof.

Claim 10

A cargo carrying vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein, said vertically extending side wall receiving portion and said downwardly depending flange are each severed from said rub rail and said roof edge element to a position about flush with said floor panel and said roof panel, respectively, over a vertically aligned, longitudinally extending length of said vehicle, said side wall panels defining an opening therebetween in alignment with the cutaway portion of said rub rail and said roof edge portion for receipt and mounting of a side door therein.